To be with you.

The D-day.

"Is something wrong?" I blurted out the question to Aryan that had been corroding my mind for days. We had just finished our last rehearsal for the day before the competition. I thought I would never get the chance if I miss it and the question just came out of me like it couldn't be caged inside me anymore.

Aryan stopped in his tracks and turned around with a confused look like he had no idea what I was talking about. Not just him but the attention of his friends as well turned to me.

I was already nervous to have a talk about this with Aryan, and the added attention didn't help me at all to calm my nerves. Every second passed, and it seemed like the courage I mustered up was dissipating slowly. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath deciding to get it over with.

"You used to be nice to me, and you even helped me when you learned Lucas hurt me even though you didn't have to. You acted like you cared and then suddenly nothing. You don't smile at me or look me in the eye or even talk to me. So I want to know what's wrong. Did I do something wrong? Or is that all sweet talks were just to get what you want?" Words came out effortlessly once the first word came out of my mouth like it was waiting for me to pour it out.

The confused look in Aryan's eyes changed to clarity once I stopped talking and then it turned to pure annoyance. I could see the anger swirling in his amber orbs making me regret opening my mouth.

"Oh god, I told you this would happen," he threw his hands in the air in annoyance looking at Ruby. She looked like she understood what Aryan meant and bit her lips looking guilty.

"Stupid girls! Always clingy! Always wanting more!" he then muttered it to himself raking his hands through his hair in frustration.

I scoffed, unable to believe my ears of what I just heard. "What did you just say?" I asked through gritted teeth challenging him to repeat his words with a glare.

He then turned to look at me finally. There was a minute of silence with his deep gaze studying me. Finally coming to a conclusion, he started with a frustrated sigh, "Look, I am sure Ruby explained..."

But I cut him in the middle, "Yes, the message was delivered to me." I said rather harshly. "But I want you to tell me what's wrong. Is that all just a façade to get me to be your dance partner? I am sorry if I am being stupid or clingy but I thought we were at least friends and you owe me..."

"We are not friends," his voice boomed before even I finish and echoed through the walls of the room. "We can never be friends." He repeated adding pressure to an already wounded heart.

I was shocked more than hurt. Words stuck in my mouth and I just stood there with a surprised look. 'Did he just say that we can never be friends? Then what are we?'

"Look, I don't know what you expect to achieve from all of this..." he swished his finger pointing at all of us, "... but we are not offering any job for the 'friend' position." His words dripped with sarcasm. "When Ruby was hurt, we looked for another dancer to fill her place. We saw your video on the internet and she thought..." he turned to point at Ruby, "... that you would be perfect. That is all this is." He said and then he continued, "What I did when you got hurt by your boyfriend was just a humane thing to do. I would have done it for anyone. Like I said... I hate a guy who hurts a woman." His voice softened.

"You seem like a nice girl but we are not your friends." Again he swished his finger to point to his friends as well as him. "You don't have any place here after the competition and it would appreciate if you just didn't act friendly towards us at college. It's really embarrassing." He muttered the last word in annoyance and just zoomed out of the room leaving me in embarrassment.

After a minute or so, once I regained my senses, slowly I forced my legs to move to gather my things and leave that place as soon as possible. Before leaving, I got a glimpse of the looks the other three had and it was filled with pity. No one stopped me or said anything and just let me leave. I thought I could never embarrass myself more than that.