A Tangled Web We Weave (Completed)

10. Smash Mouth

Elena

"Alright, class, settle down, please," Mr. Harbin called as the class settled into their seats and for the third time in the last two minutes I wished that Regan were not lying in the hospital. "For the next week, we are going to be working on a partner project about the seven deadly sins. For some of the sins, two groups will be assigned to that particular one so the trick will be making it unique. I'm going to pull sticks to see who chooses first," he mumbled, reaching inside his little Marvel cup. "Mr. Sinclair."

The punk next to me perked up."I pick... Elena." Every since our unspoken truce at the cemetery, our class interaction had shifted into something awkward and something I definitely didn't want to think about.

I shook my head, my hand shooting up. "Mr. Harbin, I need to be partners with Regan. She should be home soon anyway."

Mr. Harbin nodded, his lazy eye's gaze floating over towards the door. "Hudson, choose someone else, please. But I'm overjoyed you like the seating arrangement."

Hudson shrugged. "Fine, McKenzie."

McKenzie threw a smug smirk at me from across the room as the rest of the class claimed their partners. I rolled my eyes, thinking Whatever, honey. He picked me first so bite me.

I sat at my desk, scribbling on my paper about lust when I heard a high-pitched squeak from where McKenzie was sitting. Looking up, I saw McKenzie blush furiously as Hudson howled with laughter. He rocked back in his chair while she stormed away to sit by her friends who all crowded around her to ask what had happened.

Mr. Harbin stood next to them, so angry he was struggling to form words. "Mr. Sinclair," he huffed, wringing his hands. "That behavior is completely unacceptable."

Hudson faked a confused look. "What behavior? What exactly do you think I did?"

Mr. Harbin puffed out air, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. "Hudson, one can only assume-"

"I refuse to work with Hudson and I'm joining Bella and Peyton's group," McKenzie interrupted, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder.

Mr. Harbin hung his head, shaking it. "Elena, I'm sorry to say that seeing as your partner is still in the hospital until further notice-"

"You're sorry to say?" Hudson protested.

"Mr. Harbin, I think that-" I tried to cut in, but he continued on, ignoring us both.

"And the fact that Hudson couldn't keep his other partner, I think that's it's best that he stays with you." He took off his glasses, polishing them on the edge of his vest. "You'll be keeping your original topic, Elena. Lust."

I groaned, putting my overlarge hassle of a mane into a ponytail to try and focus.

Hudson sauntered over, utterly at ease. "Lust, huh," he commented, wiggling his eyebrows.

"What did you do to McKenzie? Because if you try that crap with me, I will not hesitate to punch you in the jaw." I slid the papers I had been working on over towards him.

He ignored the papers. "I may or may not have pinched her."

"You pinched her? Where?"

"We don't need to talk about location."

"Hudson," I sighed, shaking my head. "One of these days your thoughtless behavior-"

He rolled his eyes. "Ok, Mom, I get it. Now, let's get back to what we are supposed to be doing. Lust." He leaned towards me. "How about we work on this tomorrow? My place?"

Waving at Maria at the front desk, I walked into the studio, sticking my headphones into my ears and smiling at the other two girls. Lifting my arms high over my head, I sang along with Drake and stretched.

I had danced everyday after school since 6th grade. At first, I was awkward, clumsy, and horrendously out of place amongst the other dance girls, but over the years, I had slowly, but surely, risen through the ranks until I was my teacher, Ms. Heather's pride and joy.

Logan, my dance partner, dropped his duffel bag by my feet and slid down the mirrored wall to the floor. "If I'm on my feet for another minute, they're going to fall off."

I laughed. "Work?"

He nodded. "I thought graduating early meant I would get more time, not less." He sighed. "I almost rescheduled our practice today."

I scowled at him. "Thank God you didn't. Our competition is in a month and we haven't met in weeks."

"I know, I know. You just can't blame me if I step on your feet." He laughed. "More than I usually do, anyway."

Ms. Heather burst in through the back door, clapping her hands. "Alright, thank you for coming today. If you've been gone," a meaningful glance at Logan, "welcome back. We're going to warm up with #5." She clicked a button on her little remote and some song by Lana Del Rey began to play.

Glancing at Logan and nodding in time with the beat, I stood in front of him and fell back into his waiting arms. Moving in time to the singing and someone rapping, we spun and dipped, getting more and more in sync. I missed the exhilaration of landing a move, the triumph of hitting the beat on time, everything. I wrench my elbow back, spinning with my right leg raised above my ear. As the music slowed, he lifted me into the air, our bodies in sync, me appearing to fall into his outstretched arms. 

Ms. Heather clapped, looking at each pair appreciatively. "You've all improved. Elena, Logan, watch your timing in the third set, you were a little too fast. Now, we all warmed up? We'll do peer review today. Everyone but these two," she pointed at me and my partner, "please take a seat. Now, watch them perform their piece and observe what they can do to improve. 3, 2, 1, begin."