New York Dreams • mnz

Chapter 13

After a long and tiring week, there was nothing more relaxing than a coffee date at a nearby coffee house, spilling your woes to a listening ear. That was exactly what Mackenzie was doing as we sat at the coffee house near the table I had sat at on my date with Phillip. The coffee house wasn't very busy today, with only a few stray customers sipping on their warm drinks.

If you're wondering what Mackenzie was doing here in New York, she just so happened to be here on tour with Abby's dance team. Since Josh's birthday was this week as well, Mackenzie decided to prolong her stay and return to Pittsburgh later on. She had been staying at Chloe's since Thursday, but with our heavy dance schedules, we never really got to catch up with her. So today, since it was finally the weekend, I decided that we should have some sisterly bonding time. That's how we ended up here.

Mackenzie was telling me about how Gianna had been yelling a lot more at them nowadays, making her seem like a mini Abby. It saddened me to here that, honestly. Gianna used to be one of the instructors that I was extremely close to and I thought of her as an older sister. She was always really endearing and caring and though strict, she would never make a student cry. Seems like that has changed. I also found out that Carolyn, one of the older girls I used to dance with, had left the studio and moved on to bigger things. Sarah Hunt, a girl in Mackenzie company, might also be leaving to join a ballet company soon. Everyone was leaving the ALDC and if I were to be completely honest, it felt like everything was falling apart. I had grown up in that studio and just the thought of it closing down made me want to cry. I made a mental note to visit the studio soon and check up on Gianna and the remaining kids.

As I raised my mug to take another sip of my hot chocolate, the bell hung on the door dinged, signalling that someone had come in. I put down my cup and my eyes instinctively darted to the door. What I saw shocked me beyond words.

The person who had just walked in was Corey, but what really made my jaw drop was how dishevelled and distressed he looked. I could see his sideburns growing out slightly and his hair was unkempt and messy. His shirt was crumpled and looked as if he hadn't washed it for a while. There were eye bags under his eyes, which were lifeless and tired. He looked as if he'd gone through a rough time, which made my heart clench in pity.

"Corey," I call out without hesitation. Corey turned his head in surprise, looking for the voice who had called him. When he met my eyes, however, his face immediately darkened and he turned and hurried out of the coffee house. I opened my mouth to stop him, but it was too late, he was already gone.

~

"Stop glaring at me like that, Maddie!" Chloe whines as she squirms uncomfortably on the couch under my glare.

"Then spill! What is up with Corey?" I demand, inching slightly closer to Chloe, who was looking everywhere else but at me. She pretended to be engrossed in the show playing on TV, powerpuff girls, and ignored my question.

"Chloe!" I yell, frustrated. Every time I tried to ask Chloe about Corey, she would simply find ways to avoid my questions and it was getting really tiring. All I wanted was to understand what exactly was going on with Corey and why he acted the way he did this morning.

"I told you Maddie, if he wants you to know, he'll tell you!" Chloe replies, equally frustrated.

"Why can't you tell me? I'm worried about him!" I yell, my temper quickly flaring up. Chloe's eyes harden as well as she turns to face me.

"And you think I'm not? I'm worried sick too! I get how you're feeling, but this information isn't for me to share, regardless of what happens!" Chloe yells back.

"I don't get what's the big deal! Why can't you tell me?" I pester. I suddenly realize that my face is just a few inches away from Chloe's now and we are both staring each other down with furious looks.

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry Maddie, but no matter what you try, my lips are locked. Deal with it," Chloe tells me harshly before switching off the TV and stomping off to her room. I let out a sound of frustration after I hear Chloe's door slam, pissed that my little interrogation did not go so well.

Scratch that, it did not go well at all.

I drag myself back to my room and fall onto my bed, closing my eyes. Corey immediately appears in the midst of the darkness and I feel a pang of guilt. A pang of guilt knowing that I could not be there for him when he needed me. I wanted so badly to be next to him, comforting him and trying to make things better, but I could not. Chloe would not tell me what I wanted to know and Corey did not seem to want to see me anyway. So why was I feeling so guilty?

Suddenly, my phone dings and I reach for it, grabbing it off my desk. I open one eye and peek at the new message.

Hey Madz! Are you free tmr? I was thinking about a date...

Trust Phillip to message me at this moment. I unlock my phone and immediately reply with a lie that I would be busy tomorrow. Right now, I was in no mood to go out, much less try to hold a conversation with my boyfriend.

- - -

I'm so sorry I haven't updated since the beginning of October! I was just so busy and didn't have the inspiration to write. But here's a slightly longer chapter for you to read while I sort my life out and get writing.