𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬

24

Walking out of chemistry, chemistry is always a dread.

Miranda ignores me with her new group, while I sit with Kayla, my new friend.

Miranda and I have never been close, but it hurts to see how people change. Kimberly and Summer, who were my friends growing up, now act like we're strangers who despise each other.

The memories of our childhood together feel like distant dreams, replaced by the cold reality of our current indifference.

It's amazing that I have friends like Catalina and Virginia who have shown me what true friendship is, unlike Kimberly and Summer.

But the hurt from their betrayal still lingers. Even with these wonderful friends, the pain from the past sometimes sneaks back in.

Those memories have left scars, and moving on isn't always easy. Healing takes time, but having supportive friends like Catalina and Virginia by my side makes it a lot easier to cope.

Speaking of them, Dixi and I are dancing at the basketball game tomorrow, and I'm super nervous, especially about performing in front of Teddy. Luckily, he'll be in the locker room during halftime, so he won't see me.

As I head into calculus class, I remember we didn't have class yesterday, so today we're working with our partners. I find a seat in the back and pull out my project, ready to get started.

"What's up, Doctor?" I hear Teddy's voice and look up, catching his dimpled grin that always makes my heart flutter.

He's in his basketball hoodie, which perfectly shows off his toned muscles, and he looks incredible in all his tall glory.

"Hey, Teddy," I reply with a friendly smile, trying to keep it cool since we're just friends working on a project.

He sits beside me, his cologne enveloping me. "Where's Lena?" His aura changes, his smile fading.

"I don't know, maybe working with her partner?" he says sarcastically, a hint of rudeness in his voice.

I swallow. "Okay," I say, trying to ease the tension. His legs are pushed up next to mine, the touch making my heart skip a beat. I can feel the warmth radiating from him, and the close proximity is both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

Trying to break the awkward silence, I glance at him and say, "So, ready to tackle this project?" I'm hoping to lighten the mood, but his expression remains serious.

"Yeah sure, let's start this," he says, his hazel eyes locking onto mine. I open up my laptop while he angrily gets his stuff out, the tension thick in the air.

"What's wrong, Teddy?" I ask, trying to understand his sudden mood shift.

He looks at me, his expression softening slightly. "I'm tired of you mentioning Lena all the time," he says, frustration evident in his voice.

I bite my lip and furrow my eyebrows. "Excuse me? I'm just asking a question."

He smirks, his eyes flicking to my lips. It's clear he said that just to get a rise out of me. "Are you flirting or starting a fight?" I ask, unimpressed.

"Why not both?" he replies, leaning closer, the tension between us intensifying.

I scoff, pushing him away. "Teddy, we seriously need to finish this project, and we'll talk about this later," I assert.

He groans, "Alina, I don't want to talk, I want action," getting close again.

"I don't," I say, swallowing hard, "if it means I'm left feeling guilty," looking down, feeling the weight of my words.

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Why do you always have to make things so complicated?" he asks, frustration lacing his tone.

"Because it's not that simple," I reply, my voice trembling slightly. "I can't just ignore how I feel."

He steps back, giving me a long, hard look. "Fine," he mutters, "let's finish the project." He sits down, but the tension between us remains, thicker than ever.

I interrupt while we're working. "If you wanted action with me, you'd get rid of Lena," I say as his jaw tightens.

"I'm working on it," he says, still looking at his laptop, the frustration very clear in his voice.

I can't help but feel a mix of emotions—anger, confusion, and a hint of hope. "Working on it isn't enough, Teddy," I say, my voice trembling. "I need to know where we stand."

He finally looks up, his eyes softening. "Alina, it's complicated. Lena and I have history, but what I feel for you is different. I just need time to sort things out."

I sigh, "Time is something we don't have much of. This project is due soon, and I can't keep doing this back-and-forth with you."

He nods, understanding the urgency. "I know. Let's finish this project, and I promise we'll figure everything out after."

Our class wraps up, and we've got about 75 percent of the project done. We plan to work on it Saturday evening. I have dance tonight, so I'll meet Dixi there. This is our final practice before the game tomorrow.

I gather my things and head out, my mind shifting to dance mode. Tonight's practice is crucial. The game tomorrow is a big deal, and we need to be at our best.

᯾

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲

We all make our way onto the basketball court as the teams head into the locker room at halftime. The crowd cheers as we get into place. UNC is winning, and I watched Teddy on the TV outside—he was on fire.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the UNC dance team!" The crowd roars as our music starts. We all dance expertly in unison and turn flawlessly.

As I stop turning, I feel a sharp pain in my ankle. The music fades away as I look at Lena, who just stepped on my foot. She smirks at me and continues with the routine as I fall, my ankle throbbing in pain.

The routine keeps going, and all the girls avoid me while dancing, but their eyes tell me they will help when they are done. I struggle to hold back tears as I try to stay composed.

The routine ends, and all the girls rush around me. Tears fill my eyes as the pain becomes unbearable.