Loud and Clear

3.

Darcy's POV

"Alright, that was really good. Sophie, work on your feet. They look awkward throughout a lot of the dance. Viviane, facial expressions and timing. All of it is just wrong. You need to put feeling behind your dance, and you were very off every time we redid it." Viviane's face turned red in what, I guessed, to be anger and embarrassment, and it made me want to giggle, but Robert slapped my arm and scolded me quietly. I gathered my things while she was telling everyone else what they needed to work on. She usually told me last, which I was okay with. "Darcy," I turned my head and smiled, "There's not much for you to work on, just when you guys do the first lift, point your toes, and Robert, don't go as fast slow down just a little." I nodded in acknowledgement as did Robert.

"I think we should practice later. We can go to Danielle's dance studio some time this week I'm sure. I really want to get that first lift down." Robert mumbled an agreement and kissed my cheek in a goodbye saying something about a hot date.

After I grabbed all my stuff, my jacket stuffed in my bag with my phone, wallet, ballet slippers, and my water, I looked up to see Dean standing over me. I jumped a little, completely forgetting he was here.

"You should put your jacket on," was the first thing he said to me, making me role my eyes. He was taking the protective big brother role a little too far. Not even Ryker was this bad.

"I'm fine," I snapped in response. I was hot, tired and irritable, and I didn't want to have to deal with him. I walked out of the studio not even sparing Dean another glance, much too annoyed. I climbed into the car and waited for Dean who looked pissed.

"What the hell, Darcy?" He huffed when he got in. I crossed my arms over my chest and shut my eyes, I couldn't even tell you why I was mad, all I knew was that I was. Ever since we ate lunch, everything had been weird between us, and it pissed me off.

"Just drive me home," I sighed in response. When the car didn't start, I opened my eyes to see Dean staring at me. "The car has to be on, and your eyes have to be on the road to drive me home."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong," Dean protested. I mentally groaned before thinking of a good lie to tell him.

"Fine. I just started my period, I'm cramping and I feel like hell. Now, if you would please drive me home, I would appreciate it." Dean's cheeks flushed a little, but he obliged and turned his car on and started down the road. We didn't speak the entire time, which proved to be a bad thing as I could feel myself getting tired the second we pulled out onto the street.

"Darcy, you better not fall asleep," I heard Dean say, but the words barely registered. After dancing I was always exhausted. I put so much effort into all of the moves I did that it took a toll on my body afterwards.

"I won't," I mumbled in response, but it was a lie. A few minutes later I felt my body go limp and my thoughts trail off.

I sat in a small café, much like Starbucks but not quite, drinking an over priced coffee. I glanced out the window like everyone always does when they have nothing else to do, just to people watch. There were a lot of people out on the streets today. A few people who looked to be lost in the big city, a few who looked like they were late to where they were going. There were those few couples holding hands and snuggling together while talking animatedly to each other. I envied that; that feeling of finding the right person, the one who understood you even when you couldn't understand yourself.

My eyes settled on one of those couples, they were walking down the sidewalk with their hands intertwined. He looked down at her every so often with this look in his eyes. It was like he was watching the only thing that mattered more than anything in the world and he would do anything to keep her safe. She was so oblivious to it, though. She never caught his longing stares after her, never noticed the way he hung onto every word that tumbled out of her lips like they were the last words he would ever hear.