To Belong | Protector 5.25

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

       I stared at the list of extracurricular activities from my school, seeing if any of them would catch my eye. After I got in trouble from staying out so late and saying that I actually wanted to get into trouble, Nolan thought it would be a good idea for me to put all my focus into something.

       He wasn't forcing me too, thankfully. He just suggested I take a look at the extracurricular activities and see if any of them interested me. I even wanted something to take my mind off of whatever was making it a jumble.

       "Is there anything yet?" Nolan asked.

       I shook my head. "No, none of them really seem interesting." 

       I didn't even know if I had any interests that would be in an after school activity. I didn't know what my interests were. After moving around from foster home to foster home to group home to foster home, I never really focused on myself. I didn't know what I liked doing.

       Apart from getting in trouble and sleeping.

       "Is there anything, even outside of school, that you're interested in?" Nolan asked.

       I sighed and shook my head. "I can't think of anything at all."

       My life was just that boring.

       "Dad!" Kingsley suddenly called as he came down the stairs. "I need a ride."

       "Aren't you already supposed to be there by now?" Nolan asked.

       "Yes but I came home to get changed," Kingsley said. "And while I was getting changed, Makenna decided to go out and took the car with her, even though she knows I get it on Thursdays. So two things. One, again, I need a ride. And two, ground Makenna. She's evil. She did this on purpose."

       Nolan ignored Kingsley's second request and only replied to the first one. "Alright, I'll take you. I need to go grocery shopping anyway so at least I have a reason to force myself out of the house." He then looked at me. "Up for a car ride?"

       "Jerome said I'm not allowed to leave the house after school," I said.

       "Yes, when you're going out alone," Nolan said. "It's fine if you're coming with me to drop Kingsley off and going to the grocery store."

       Normally, I actually didn't like leaving the house unless I wanted to get away or if I, like a few nights ago, wanted to get into trouble. I preferred staying home but this time, I actually did want to leave the house with Nolan.

       Maybe because he actually seemed considerate towards me even though I stayed out until two in the morning. He was more worried about why I wanted to stay out all night.

       So I agreed to going with him. 

       Nolan first drove to wherever it was that Kingsley needed to go to. I didn't even know until he pulled into the parking lot and I saw a sign on the building reading D.A.N.C.E Studio. I completely forgot Kingsley was a dancer.

       "Uh, Dad?" Kingsley asked, looking at his phone. "You have to come inside with me."

       Nolan sighed. "What did you do?"

       "Nothing. This just... Isn't my first time being late. Or my second. Of my fifth."

       "Of course it isn't," Nolan said. He turned around to look at me since I was in the back seat. "Do you want to come inside as well or just wait here?"

       "I actually have to use the washroom so I'll come," I said.

       The three of us got out of the car and walked into the building. Kingsley pointed out where the washrooms were, which was in the opposite direction from where he and Nolan had to go. 

       I headed towards the washrooms, even though I really didn't have to go to the washroom. I just wanted to check out this place. 

       En route to the washroom was a small dance studio space with a small sign beside it saying Studio Minor. I walked inside, taking a look around. Despite this being a brand new studio I had never stepped foot in before, it was bringing back a lot of memories.

       Memories I pushed away and didn't want to turn back to.

       I should have just walked out of this studio but I couldn't because even though I didn't want to turn back to this, I felt just a tiny bit of happiness. And it wasn't often I felt happiness so I stayed in here.

       I even pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and played one of my favourite songs to dance to before I, well, danced. Something I hadn't done in a while.

       And for once, everything that was bothering me left me. I didn't have a single thought in my mind. 

       Until at one point, I turned around and noticed a man leaning in the doorway, just watching. I quickly took my cell phone out of my pocket and stopped the music. "I was just looking for the washroom," I said.

       "That's funny," he said. "I, too, come to studio minor to dance when I'm in search for the washroom. I don't have a problem with people using this space when my dancers aren't using it, especially if it's someone who dances as good as you, Arjun."

       I furrowed my eyebrows. "How do you know who I am?"

       "Ah, right, we've never had a proper introduction," he said. "I'm Ryder, Nolan's older brother, and the owner of this studio. And speaking of this studio, I've been looking for a new dancer to join the team that competes at competitions. We're short a dancer since one recently left. The spot's yours if you want it."

       "I don't know..." I said slowly. "I haven't been to a studio in years and even then, it was just classes. I've never been part of a team."

       That wasn't the reason I was hesitant to join. The real reason was because I didn't want to get too comfortable here. I did agree with Nolan when he told me to join something that I could put focus in but it couldn't be this. It couldn't be something I was really passionate about.

       It would only hurt more when I had to leave, which I knew was eventually going to happen.

       "You don't have to decide right now," Ryder said. "The competition isn't for another three months, so I do have time to find someone else if you decide not to join or if you decide in a few days that you want to. But if it's any consolation, I think you'll really fit in with the team."

       I doubt it.

       I didn't fit in anywhere.

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oof we got another dancer

i hope this book and not alike don't get too messy because it takes place at the same time lol. it shouldn't get messy since this focuses on arjun and not alike focuses on zayden aka alan 2.0 whining about his love life.

what a mood