Calore Dance Academy// Red Queen AU

Chapter 90

Hi all! Here's another chapter Nat had some time to write over break. I liked how it turned out, so I hope y'all like it too! To everybody who still opens up CDA---a big thank you for sticking with me through it all. Though I don't have a lot of time these days and can't promise when I'll be able to write another chapter, know that another chapter will always arrive (sooner or later). 

As always, enjoy! And a belated Happy New Year! 

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I can't stay over at Shade's for the night. Going home hasn't been an option for a long time. I can hardly return to the Academy.

Well, I could.

My fear of running into Cal is irrational, really. I only know that he has a contemporary class with Julian tonight and will be around the Academy until midnight or so. I wouldn't have any problem going through the side door, up the service elevator, and down the hall to my apartment. Only if Cal waited outside of my door would I have to talk with him.

I give the doorman my name. The younger man, expecting me, offers a curt nod before gesturing towards the elevator bank. "You're looking for the top floor, I believe."

"Yes, I am."

I can't help glancing at my phone again the ride up. Since I left his dad's office, Cal has only sent me a single text.

We need to talk soon

He knows better than to badger me with calls and texts. One means as much as a dozen. Still, he spent the day trying to corner me after our dance, only to be stopped by Evangeline and a police force.

All of our lessons . . . they weren't just for partner dancing. Cal was teaching me how to dance with him, lest we became partners. It was all practice for the day we began dancing ballet together.

He probably thinks I feel manipulated, like he should've explained everything sooner.

I'm not mad at all, to be honest.

I know Cal well enough to understand that he wouldn't keep things from me if he didn't have to. Whether or not I would become his partner was up in the air, all dependent on whether Evangeline healed and whether I became good enough at partner dancing. And I was dating Maven, after all, and I doubt Cal wanted to get in the middle of that.

Still, I have other reasons to avoid him.

Telling him about my plans to leave the Academy will go poorly, if he doesn't already know. He'll demand a reason, needle and needle me until I admit the truth. None of the lies that I make up in my head will be good enough for him.

It's not that I'm humiliated over what Evangeline's done to me and want a fresh start.

It's not that I want to travel.

It's not that I don't like to dance with Cal.

It's not that I like the American Ballet Theatre more.

It's that I like him and can't handle dancing with a man who doesn't like me back every day for the rest of my career. Can't handle seeing him every day, in fact.

He'll needle and needle and needle until he finds out exactly what's wrong.

The way he cares about me has begun to greatly annoy me. It's not out of a place of affection, I'm sure. More like responsibility. Yes. Like brotherly responsibility. I'd rather he not care at all.

The elevator in the building on the Upper East Side dings. I allow myself a moment to breathe before I step out.

Damn. All for the sake of avoiding Cal.