Those Ocean Eyes

Chapter 18

Kurt proves to be a welcome addition to her class. It's almost as if someone has been giving him private lessons on how to evade her wrath - but Cassie can't help but resent him a little bit anyway, even though he clearly idolises her. He and Schwimmer come as a package deal – they partner up during every exercise and Cassie frequently has to reprimand them for gossiping like a pair of secretaries at the water cooler, but now it's harder to single Schwimmer out for special attention. She tells Kurt that he should find a new partner, because Rachel's a dead weight who's only going to drag him down, but Kurt just laughs at her and says that he'll take his chances.

The Sugar Plum Fairy and his little fag-hag are presenting a united front against her tyranny, and when Cassie does rip in to Rachel, Kurt looks at her like he knows what's really fuelling her outburst... which is ridiculous, because it's not like Cassie criticises Schwimmer's stance just so she can touch her, or says something cruel just to get her all riled up. That would be petty. And desperate.

Schwimmer must be a glutton for punishment, though, because she's taken to staying behind after class on her own, and it's almost like she misses the good old days, too. Sometimes, she makes mistakes that are so flagrant, Cassie swears she's doing it on purpose, just to elicit a reaction. Cassie ignores her at first, but it doesn't take long before she feels compelled to punish Schwimmer for her crimes against dance – which usually involves getting up-close and personal to demonstrate the correct technique – and Schwimmer leans into her touch and regards her with a self-satisfied smile that clearly says, "I know you're only pretending to hate me." For some reason, it doesn't bother Cassie nearly as much as it should.

Sometimes, Schwimmer just sits and watches her work, and instead of telling her to stop gawking and take a hike, Cassie can't help but show off a little, giving Rachel an insight into what she's capable of when she's not chaperoning the rookies. Schwimmer watches her like she's memorising her every move and mentally taking notes, but sometimes, when Cassie catches a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, she sees the unabashed adoration in her student's attentive gaze, and it scares the ever-living crap out of her.

She shouldn't be encouraging this, because she knows it's only going to end in tears (not for her, of course), but that doesn't stop her from beckoning Rachel over at the end of every session to assist with her cool-down. Who needs Yoga when she has Schwimmer to stretch her out? Cassie's not shy about revealing the full extent of her flexibility, and she can see Schwimmer's imagination working overtime as she pictures all the positions they could get themselves into. There's a point where Rachel's touch stops feeling apprehensive and starts feeling proprietary, and now Schwimmer doesn't hesitate before she eases Cassie's legs apart; she doesn't blink when she's pushing down on Cassie's ass until her hips are sandwiched against the floor. In fact, if the rapturous look on her face is any indication, it's the highlight of her freakin' day.

One afternoon, when Schwimmer's holding Cassie's leg at a painfully obtuse angle, her free hand starts to wander, and the firm press of her palm against Cassie's hip starts to feel more like a caress. Her thumb strokes back and forth, dangerously close to inching beneath the fabric of Cassie's chemise, and Cassie seizes hold of Rachel's wrist, shooting her a look that clearly says, "you do that again, and I won't be held accountable for my actions." Schwimmer hastily pulls away, and Cassie can see that her fingertips are trembling.

Benji chooses that moment to walk in on them, and Cassie doesn't know why she feels like they've been caught in a compromising position. She steps away from Schwimmer, folding her arms across her chest, and Benji glances back and forth between them, looking a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Miss July, I didn't mean to interrupt," he ventures haltingly, and Cassie shakes her head.

"You're not interrupting!" she reassures him, squeezing his shoulder affectionately. "You know you're always welcome here, Benji." She gestures towards Rachel, who's watching their exchange with avid curiosity. "And don't mind Schwimmer over there. I'm just giving her some extra pointers. She needs all the help she can get."