The Duet

4 - Edward

I arrive at the studio at exactly 2:58. I'm on time today. The only reason I was late was because I was annoyed at my mother and I couldn't really think of a good way to get back at her. Maybe taking it out on Sophie, or maybe it is Sophia, wasn't the best idea. To be fair, I was having a lot of fun with that giggly blonde from earlier.

I check the time on my phone and at exactly three on the dot, the door to the studio opens and in walks my duet partner. As soon as she sees me she looks taken aback.

"You're early." She says suspiciously.

"Oh, yeah. I guess I am." I say. She just rolls her eyes and puts down her bag. "We need to come up with choreography." I say.

She mutters something that's sounds a lot like "No shit." I was starting to regret pissing off my duet partner as much as I did. Oh well. It was her fault for being so uptight all the time.

I think back to when I first saw her in the practice room in the early hours of the morning. I thought she was quite good. And quite pretty.

But now she just seems rude. And uptight.

———

"No offence but your glissades are shit." I say to what I soon learned (after a glare and harsh words) was Sophie. Calling her Sophia is fun though as I get to see a scowl form on her face.

"You could point your feet better on your super sews." She says. I furrow my brows. My super sews are perfect. Stop it, Edward. Why are you letting her get to you?

"By your fourth pirouette you always get a bit wonky."

"Paying close attention to me are we?" Sophia snaps with a raised brow. This catches me off guard. I had been paying close attention to her. Unconsciously, but still.

She rolls her eyes and goes back to her glissades.

"Who chose this music?" She asks, clearly frustrated.
"There is no difference in tone and no emotion. It was probably you, wasn't it?"

"No, it was my mother." I say in a cool voice. She goes pale. Finally! A normal reaction people have towards me.

"Please don't tell her I said that." She says in a small voice.

"I don't know. It depends on how I feel." I shrug and get into first position.

"Please. Just for once, don't be a dick." She pleads.

I'm not going to tell my mother but there is something insanely satisfying about watching Sophie beg.

I'm about to make fun of her once again when I see genuine fear creep onto her face.

"Why do you care so much if I tell my mother or not?"

"Because then I'll probably be kicked out and all of my hard work will be for nothing." She huffs. "Plus, you seem like a mamas boy so if you asked her to kick me out, she probably would."

"I am not a mamas boy." I say calmly but quickly.

She notices my odd reaction and says, "Did I touch too close to home?"

Yes.

"No."

"Whatever you say." She smirks at me.

"Let's choose new music then." I suggest.

"Really?" She narrows her eyes as if she doesn't believe me.

"We have to both agree though."

Sophie sighs. "Fine."

We huddle over to my phone where we go through different options.

"No, that one's too choppy." Sophie says.