As soon as the car rolled down the familiar street, heading to his studio, Felix perked up with barely restrained anxiety. The text from Jake had been vague and it gave away no clues whether the 'news' was a good one or a bad one. Hell, it could be a really bloody awful one like a team member leaving, or their mentor Riku having had enough of struggling Aussie teenagers and giving up on their group. But perhaps it was Felix's deep rooted faith or optimistic views in his life now, he had a feeling, a rather expectant one, that it was a good news.
Or maybe he was just getting his hopes up for no reason.
He was about to find out in a minute.
The very familiar and very old building came into view not a second later. It was sandwiched between two other building, both higher than it. Weathered down throughout the years of use, with cracked bricks and roof. The windows of all the stories were mostly shattered or barely hanging on to their hinges. The small run-down fast food shop that occupied the ground level of the 150 years-something ancient brick structure was open as usual.
The owner, a grumpy but kind man in his 60's smiled at the freckled boy when he exited his sister's car. Felix immediately smiled back as a reflex. It was a normal exchange of greeting between them and his crew by now. They were all his regular customers after all, and they also brought in more customers by suggesting the shop to their other struggling teenage friends. It was non-spoken deal in exchange for a little discount on the wide quantity of food a group of almost 20 growing teenager/adults consumed. Life is a business everywhere.
"Do you want me to pick you up too? Its Friday, I will get off by 3-ish." Rachel's voice was muffled slightly by the door he had abruptly closed behind him despite having heard the beginning of her sentence. Sheepishly, he gestured at her to roll the window down, which she did with a deadpan expression.
"If its no trouble, then sure. We can pick up Olivia on the way back then. Or if I leave early, then Riku will give me a ride. I will text you." his sister nodded her understanding and changed the gear again as Felix took a step back and watched her slowly back away from the store and merge into the lane again, mingling with the other cars and disappearing from the view.
Here goes nothing.
He thought as he spun back around to take the side stairs to the studio on the first level of the building. It was such a familiar action, so ingrained in his mind and muscle memory as he climbed two stairs at a time. Focused on the stone underneath his feet that was cracked in a lot of places. The bricked banister to his right that was again damaged to the point that one proper kick could crumble it to dust. The red dust on his hand from resting it against the banister. The sudden turn to the left where the reception area of his dance studio was situated. The extremely familiar words of 'Harmony Dance Loft' stared back at him in bold blue letters stuck to the reception door. The flimsy saloon door creaked on its hinges and bounded back freely when Felix pushed it open and he didn't even have the time to react as it smacked him back in the face. Maybe the muscle memory only worked to certain extents where it didn't benefit him.
Whatever. He heard the burst of good-natured laughs before even opening his eyes and setting his sour expression right.
"Two weeks off and you forget how to open our door? Mate, I am not sure whether to be amused or irked." Rolling his eyes at the comment, Felix trudged inside and took in his mates subtly. He counted only 7 people in the lobby, including Jake, who was grinning at him, waiting for a rebuttal for his comment all the while Felix was internally sweating with the knowledge that the possibility of someone leaving was very high.
