Winter Hearts

Descent to the Dance

In the car, Mikhalis blasted cold air onto the windscreen to stop it fogging up. He noticed Siana's mood over dinner had been sombre, but now he felt that perhaps she was more irate. She was fidgeting, and kept sighing.

"Did the boys say something to upset you?" he asked gently.

She propped her elbow on the car window sill and rested her chin on her hand, looking out into the darkness of the road.

When Siana didn't answer, he knew she was more than a little upset. He prattled on, hoping to give her time to settle herself.

"N came over to apologise for making me upset. He seems so flamboyant, but really he is surprisingly mature. Most of them seem so self-sufficient. It's funny, he said he was sorry that he had to involve me like that. Maybe it was some prank he was playing on me. Or you. Have they been rude to you?" Mikhalis asked suddenly, wondering if that was what was bothering Siana.

She shook her head before turning back to him.

"Was it just me who got the feeling that everyone was talking over my head?"

Mikhalis smiled.

"No it wasn't just you. They were definitely speaking about something only they understood. But it seemed like only N was really doing it. The others were a little unhappy about it, I think."

"What was that all about?"

"Ana, I think there were just some prior issues between the boys that N was referring to. He didn't want to embarrass them by being open about it."

"Well, it was obvious enough. It felt like they were talking about me behind my back. To my face."

Siana realised how funny that sounded. After a beat they both giggled. Mikhalis turned cautiously round one of many sharp bends in the road as it snaked down the face of the mountain.

"I called Stratos, he said the boys will be helping at the club tonight. Are you sure you're okay with going out?"

Siana nodded, then fished out her phone as she chatted to her dad.

"I'm not sure what that is all about either, since we are supposed to start choreography tomorrow. It's not like we can't do this in the studio."

She typed in See you guys later at the club? and sent it off to Panos. He replied with a fireworks emoji. They were soon travelling through the olive groves on flat ground.

"Are they drinkers?" Mikhalis asked.

"I suppose they do occasionally have a drink, but they have a lot to lose from getting drunk in public. I doubt that there is any danger of that being an issue, Dad."

"You know, grown men still act like boys when they're in groups. If things turn ugly you get Panos to send you home."

He reached the main road of Itea and drove til he saw the jetty with its now-lit christmas tree-shaped lights at the end of it. He turned left and drove all the way past Miami til he reached the neighbouring village of Kirra.

"Why would you say that?" Siana asked, in all curiosity. "Do you think it could be a problem?"

Mikhalis needed to choose his words wisely. During dessert he had felt strong animosity between Leo and N. Or rather, he felt N was not realising how far he was pushing Leo. It almost looked like N was baiting him for a reaction. Mikhalis didn't know for sure what that business was all about, but he was pretty certain that Leo was someone who would be difficult to get a rise out of like that.

Mikhalis was only guessing what it could be at the time when he tried to dissipate the tension by stepping in, and he was very glad that Leo had responded well to his interaction. Leo's behaviour the whole evening, from the moment he had stepped forward in the lobby til the moment he had let go of whatever animosity he had felt towards N, suggested to Mikhalis that he was a man with something to prove.

He liked Leo for his quiet presence, whose actions spoke louder than words. And, although he and N had started off on the wrong foot, Mikhalis had soon come to see N as someone very observant, responsible and caring. It was obvious to him that the boys were going through a process that was private to them, with N instigating some behaviour that Leo was not very happy about.

Mikhalis was sure that it had something to do with Siana.

And much as he trusted the newcomers to a certain extent to be gentlemen, he knew that between even the best of friends, good intentions disappeared under the sway of jealousy. He didn't want Siana mixed up in anything like that, but then she would be dealing with them for a good few weeks, and he knew he couldn't step in her place for her. He had to let her handle it, but he had made very sure she would be surrounded by her people.

Mikhalis sighed. He wondered if his parents ever felt like they were letting go so hard they would fall forever into an abyss. Which was how he felt now. He silently thanked them for letting him muddle his way through is life. His mistakes made him the man he was. And his successes gave him his courage and confidence.

He needed to allow Siana to handle this herself.

Or maybe what's really going on here is that I am the one doing the growing, and she already knows how to take care of herself. Mikhalis gave her a knowing smile.

"You're a big girl Siana. You know how to take care of yourself. Anyway, don't I say that to you all the time?"

Siana smiled, relieved. "Yeah, you do."

They reached the end of the road, which intersected with another coastal highway. Across from them on the other side was a driveway that led up into the hill, where they could see a small carpark in front of what looked like a school hall. It was an old event hall which Yiorgo was renting as a nightclub. It was this road that Siana had run to early that morning before turning onto the highway and going into the olive groves.

Mikhalis crossed the dark and empty highway and ascended the drive.

"Say hi to the cousins for me. Do you need to be picked up?" Mikhalis asked as she prepared to get out.

"If the night is a bust, Panos will bring me home. If all goes well, I will catch a lift with the Korean pop idol group Vixx."

She smiled at him and pecked him on the cheek.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

With that, she got out of the car.