Our Last Dance

Chapter 6

"Are you feeling alright?" Es asked, noticing the heaviness in my demeanor as we walked down the hallway to our classroom. The morning's dream had thrown me off completely, leaving me feeling disoriented and questioning everything. It was just a dream, so why was it affecting me so deeply? Maybe I was just overthinking, as usual.

"I think I should start taking my anxiety medication again," I confessed quietly to Es, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.

Es looked at me with genuine concern, her hand finding its way to my shoulder in a comforting gesture. "Is there something specific that happened?" she inquired gently. For a moment, I hesitated, torn between wanting to confide in her and wanting to shield her from unnecessary worry. But in the end, I decided to keep it to myself, not wanting to burden her with my own struggles.

"It's nothing, I'm fine. Just feeling a bit overwhelmed with all this college stuff," I reassured her, mustering up a smile. Es gave my arm a comforting squeeze, her understanding gaze offering me solace.

Es must have sensed my hesitation, as she didn't press further. "Okay, but remember, you can always talk to me if you need anything," she reminded me with a warm smile. I nodded gratefully, appreciating her support.

As we entered the auditorium, I noticed Elijah sitting in the back and waving at us, with two empty seats beside him, clearly saved for us. We had some kind of session, involving all the students in the entire college.

He greeted us with a wide grin, but I couldn't muster the energy to return the gesture. Still reeling from the morning's unsettling dream, I gave him a reassuring smile, though even I was surprised by the effort it took. He seemed to sense my unease and his expression shifted to one of concern. I quickly looked away, hoping to avoid any further attention.

"Anything wrong, love?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but concern laced his voice.

My breath hitched at the endearment he used, and for a moment, I struggled to breathe properly. 'Love'... That's what the guy in my dream had called me. My heart clenched painfully at the memory. Why was I letting a dream affect me so much? It was just a dream.

In the morning, I had tried to remember the guy's face, but it was all foggy, like trying to recall a person underwater. I was being ridiculous. I needed to take my medication soon and stop dwelling on it.

"Don't call me that," I snapped, annoyed at my own lack of composure. I could see genuine concern in his eyes now.

"What's wrong? Did something happen? Did I do something to annoy you?" he asked, rising from his seat and making his way toward me.

I sighed and calmed myself down. It wasn't his fault; he didn't know, so I shouldn't snap at him for calling me that. Hell, I didn't even understand why I was so unnerved.

"Sorry. It's nothing, just... don't call me that anymore," I replied, looking him straight in the eye. He furrowed his eyebrows with curiosity and stepped a little closer to me.

"Why?" he asked softly, his voice laced with curiosity. I clenched my jaw at his question.

"Because it makes me uncomfortable. Please, Elijah, just drop the nickname," I said in a serious tone, with a hint of desperation lacing my voice, which made him step back a little.

"Okay, sorry about that," he gave me a faint smile. "So, what are our plans for today? Where are we going after this session?" He quickly changed the subject, giving me space. A warm feeling flooded my chest at the gesture. It was gratitude. I appreciated his understanding and the way he shifted the conversation to something lighter. Es stood silently beside us, observing the interaction.