Dance For Me

Chapter 29

Lauren

It was only ten-thirty. Annoyingly, the more I checked the time, the slower it decided to go. If I had it my way, I'd pull Camila from her dorm and we'd head home early for a day spent watching movies. Sadly however, the up and coming campaign had me dragging for every second I could get

I wasn't sure just yet how the plan with my father would go. Nikki seemed to believe it was the best thing since sliced bread, but I was still rather curious on its potential. Still, I couldn't worry just yet, time would be the key and right now, I had more than enough to work with

I worked for what felt like hours, realising that only an hour had passed before a loud knock on my door peeled me away from the screen "Come in" I sighed, lifting my hands over yet another unsigned document "It's open"

My stomach twisted in knots when Emma's face revealed her to be the visitor, we hadn't spoken since our heated moment the other week and had only communicated through Fallon and emails. I barely looked at her when she walked sheepishly towards the desk, her chocolate eyes and tight brown ponytail a reminder of the conflict we sat within

"I know you're busy, but I need to shuffle my class before the end of the month" Her voice was cautious yet blunt "I can't teach properly, the tension in that studio is deafening!"

Reluctantly, I lifted my eyes and met her troubled looking gaze "Tensions between who?" I spoke, trying to sound as cold as I could

Her expression gave me the only answer I needed "Camila and Ella" she sighed, refusing now to look at me as she pressed a fingertip into the chair below "It's getting out of hand"

I nodded, realising the same myself "I'll be sure to talk with Ella, it's in the diary already" Emma tightened her jaw and glanced over at the wall beside "Something to add?" I jerked "You don't seem satisfied with that"

Emma rolled her eyes gently, probably hoping I wouldn't notice as she now stared down into the chair "I don't want to make this anymore awkward than it has to be Lauren"

"Go ahead" I lent back into my chair with folded arms and an admittedly hostile tone "Tell me what you came in here to say" her body language became awkward and tense, the entire room now feeling like a chamber of silence

"I think it's Camila that needs talking to" My brow curved and my jaw clamped "She always starts it, the conflict?" She continued, clearly trying not to make evident of her obvious intention "Ella reacts but I always hear Camila first"

"What do you see first?" I asked quickly "Words normally follow a gesture or a mocking expression, I'd hate for you to blame the wrong girl, Emma"

Her eyes instantly rolled into the back of her head and I could have sworn to have heard her scoff "It's my class, Lauren" she bit "I'm more than capable of observing my own students"

I pushed forwards to lean on my elbows "Is that so?" I smirked "So you observed the fact that Ella is very openly bullying Camila? Taunting her and mocking her while in your class?" My words began to sharpen "Did you observe the way she stuck her middle finger up at her in the mirror, or kicked her foot out while she was stretching?"

Her face was remarkable, shock mixed with a red cheeked surprise "How would you know that?" She stumbled

"I have my ways" I hummed cockily "I take bullying very seriously, I take the lack of interest from my teachers even more seriously however"

"You're spying on me?" She gasped

"I'm figuring out who is at fault" I hissed back, maintaining my grip on the relaxed posture I was trying to hold "It's pretty difficult to do that when the person in charge is only choosing to witness half of the story!"