It Takes Two to Tango

Chapter 5: On Edge

Aria 💜

It was already Wednesday, three days into the whirlwind experience of being a contestant on 'Star Strut.' In this short time, I'd started peeling back the layers of my fellow contestants, particularly Josiah, the charismatic NBA player, and Brianna Spears, the singer whose viral Hollywood meltdown had catapulted her into a different kind of fame.

As for Ace? Well, our interactions were carefully orchestrated to seem as though we were being civil. We both knew the game - maintaining a façade for the cameras. But honestly, Ace was turning this into a more challenging task than it needed to be. He seemed to find every opportunity to get under my skin. During rehearsals, he would intentionally step into my space, a bit too close for comfort, fully aware it irked me. And infuriatingly, my irritation appeared to amuse him, a smirk often playing on his white people thin lips at my expense.

After our final rehearsal of the day, Ace and I headed back to the mansion, each of us silently nursing the day's exhaustion. As we crossed the threshold of the front door, Brianna, slightly tipsy and more uninhibited than usual, swept me into an enthusiastic hug as if we were the best of friends.

"Yay! You're back!" she bubbled over as she released me, her blue gaze quickly shifting to Ace. "Hey there, Ace," she purred, her tone dripping with flirtatious intent as she cozied up to him. "I caught a glimpse of your rehearsal today and I can tell that you and Aria are quite the pair on the dance floor. Such intense chemistry, don't you think?" She smiled devilishly.

Ace, the ever-unpredictable bad boy rock star, flashed his trademark smirk and played along. "Oh, absolutely," he drawled, his gaze flickering towards me with a hint of mischief. "But you know, it's hard to lead when your partner's constantly trying to step on your toes – both literally and figuratively."

His words, laced with a double entendre, hit their mark. I felt a sharp sting of annoyance, mingled with the absurdity of feeling slighted by his comment.

Brianna giggled, her hand lingering on Ace's arm. "Well, maybe you just need a partner who can keep up with you," she suggested, her voice low and suggestive. "Someone who knows how to move in sync, not against."

Ace leaned in closer to her, his demeanor relaxed yet provocative. "That's the dream, isn't it?" he quipped, his eyes locked with Brianna's in a flirtatious dance.

I couldn't stand another second of their exchange. The knot of emotions in my stomach tightened, and without a word, I turned on my heel and stormed away, leaving them in their flirtatious bubble. Each step was fueled by a mix of anger and confusion – at Ace, at Brianna, and frustratingly, at myself for caring so much about his opinion of me.

Stomping away from Ace and Brianna's flirtatious banter, I barely made it a few steps when I heard Brianna hurrying after me. Her earlier tipsiness seemed to vanish as she caught up, her expression now one of genuine concern.

"Aria, wait! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to... it was just a joke, you know?" she stammered, her voice laced with regret. "I guess I got carried away. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

I paused, taking a deep breath to calm the storm of emotions inside me. Turning to face her, I saw the sincerity in her eyes and, despite my irritation, I couldn't stay mad. "It's fine, Brianna," I grudgingly admitted. "Just... watch what you say next time, okay?"

She nodded eagerly, relief washing over her face. "Of course! And hey, we're about to start a game of Truth or Dare in the living room. Everyone's been waiting for you and Ace to get back. Come join us?"

The mention of Ace made me hesitate, memories of our tense rehearsal flashing in my mind - his constant provocations, his refusal to take things seriously, pushing every boundary just to get a reaction out of me. But I pushed those thoughts aside, nodding in agreement to Brianna's invitation.