Dazed

Chapter 2

I groan at the computer drawing attention from a couple people monitoring the testing center. I'd just submitted my calculus test, and my heart dropped as the 54% popped up on my screen. I get up angrily, and shove the chair back under the desk. A couple students taking tests on their own computers looked at me knowingly.

How could I spend two weeks getting ready for a test and still end up failing it like this? I'm about ready to drop out this school. I drop my scratch work off on the desk at the front, and the lady searches for my ID in the drawer. "Last name?" She requests. "Turner," I grunt, scowling at the paper on the desk. She plucks my ID from the drawer and hands it to me. "Have a nice day sweetheart," I hear her say as I push through the door and stomp up the stairs to the first floor of the building. Why would they even put a stupid testing center in the basement of this stupid building?

I pull out my phone and switch it back on. The white apple logo appears and my phone blinks to life. A reminder pops up after I put my password into the phone, and I roll my eyes.

"Watch the shit Ms. Winter told you to watch."

I pull my earphones from my book sack and plug them into the bottom of my phone. An unoccupied bench nearby in the quad becomes my seat. I go to my YouTube app and type in Les Twins.

"What kind of name even is that?" I say to myself as the page loads up. The first video to pop up is from World of Dance in 2014. I used to watch dancers on World of Dance when I was in middle school, but I hadn't watched any of these videos in almost ten years.

I pressed the first video, and I jumped a little as a voice announced the duo loudly. "MAKE SOME NOISE FOR.... LES TWINSSSSSSSS!!! OuuOOOOOOO!" I turn my brightness up as one of the guys, from the video Ms. Winter showed me, walks across the stage in an all black outfit. The audience cheers enthusiastically, and he sticks his tongue out playfully as he walks to the edge of the camera shot. I grimace as he pretends to put his finger in his nose.

The beginning music to Careless Whisper by George Michael fills my ears. I feel my eyebrows go up as he thrusts his hips forward and reveals his nipple to the crowd. The other guy walks out onto the stage in a white and black jacket and tries to steal his partner's shine before they begin dancing together. It doesn't take long for me to begin watching their movements in awe. I catch myself blushing as the one in white lifts his shirt revealing his smooth, caramel skin underneath.

For nine minutes I'm frozen in place watching them dance. They really were twins, and they moved in intense synchronization. How had Ms. Winter heard of these guys and I hadn't, is beyond me. I'm almost disappointed when the video ends after they've danced to Beyoncé's 7/11. I knew the answer to Ms. Winter's request before I'd walked twenty feet from the bench I was sitting on.
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I unlock my apartment door and step inside. I move through the living area hastily to get to the laptop in my room. My book sack hits the floor as I catapult myself onto my bed and open my MacBook.

I find myself ogling these two dancers for the next three hours. I watch their individual movements and capture distinct differences between the two. I'd literally never seen anyone move like they were able to. It was almost like music was made for them to dance to it, and it was extraordinary. At a couple moments I would feel the music to the point where I'd begin dancing with them.

I hear my roommate, Terry, enter through the front door around 4 in the afternoon with the rustling sound of bags following her. The sound snaps me away from my laptop. I close my MacBook and walk to the kitchen to greet her. Terry stands in front of the countertop unpacking fruits and other snacks from her grocery bags.

"Hey, Lay! I bought some mangos, pineapples, and oranges for you. I know Ms. Winter has her dancers on a strict ass diet, so I found you some of the good stuff." Terry tells me, while continuing to unpack the rest of her own stuff. "Thanks T," I breathe, as I hop onto the countertop next to her. She pauses and glances at me for a second. I can feel the admiration in her eyes every time she looks at me.

Terry isn't necessarily fat, but she is on the short and stocky side. She often complains about her butt to boob ratio not being proportional and her "flat" brown hair. She says it comes from her "white" side and insists that her Filipino mother should've found someone of a different race to have a child with. I think she's beautiful the way she is, but she insists that I only say it to be nice. "I wish I could diet like that, but I'm addicted to chips and dip with Oreos on the side," she whines. I watch as she slides a family size pack of Oreos into the pantry.

"I'd love nothing more than to get my hands on some good greasy pizza and tacos," I sigh dreamily, imagining a luxurious bite into some cheesy bread goodness. She smirks a little, as she puts the bag of oranges into the refrigerator. "Any requests for me to cook tonight? I know you've been feigning for some ramen. I saw the two pictures you posted on your private story of ramen bowls yesterday night," Terry says, balling the bags into one and shoving them under the sink.

"How about I DoorDash some Chinese food and watch a little TV?" I offer. "I wouldn't mind having a little bit of a cheat day. I just have to make sure I get the vegetables instead of the rice."

Terry looks at me and smiles while nodding. I smile back and hop off the counter. I'm about to walk out of the kitchen when I get the urge to ask her a question. "Heyyy... sooo.... have you ever heard of Les Twins by any chance?" I question, sort of embarrassed.

I wince at the loud clatter of glass on metal. Terry's eyes are wide and her phone is now resting at the bottom of the kitchen sink. She looks at me slowly and picks up her phone. I watch as she types in her password and turns the screen around to face me. Her home screen is literally a picture of both Larry and Laurent mid dance.

"They are my secret obsession, Layton. You don't even understand," She whispers as if we aren't the only ones in the apartment. "I would die to just be able to spend a second in their presence. I've been watching them since I was 14 and I fall more in love with every video." Terry began to babble about how much of a fan girl she was for them, and I was almost afraid to tell her the news.

"Terry! Breathe. Breathe." I say soothingly, placing my hands on both her shoulders. She closes her eyes and breathes deeply, unable to stop grinning. "Don't freak out ok. Promise me." I insist. She opens her eyes again and nods solemnly. It's my turn to close my eyes and breathe deeply. "I am going to be choreographing a video for my ballet class, and Les Twins are going to be in it."

I look in her eyes which were growing bigger and bigger as the moments passed. I almost jumped out of my skin when she let out a loud squeal.

"AAAHHHHHH!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS??? WHEN? HOW? ARE THEY COMING TO OUR SCHOOL?!" I navigate her to the couch as she bombards me with an infinite amount of questions. We spend the next hour just talking about Les Twins and forgetting to order our food.

"You know they're in the newest Men in Black movie?" Terry asks. I look at her a bit surprised, because it's not typical for dancers to play roles in movies as well. "Damn. Forreal? I'm kinda pumped that I'm going to be able to work with these guys," I say, while imagining them being up close and personal to me. Terry and I start watching videos of them on YouTube from the TV in the living room.

We eventually get around to ordering our food and end up spending the rest of the night watching videos whilst stuffing ourselves with chicken and vegetables. I never thought I'd bond with Terry like this over something like dancing, but I always admired her taste in music and artists.

"Maybe I can find a way for you to meet them while they're here," I suggest. Her chopsticks fall as she moves quickly to face me. "Layton, would you really do that for me?" She looks at me with so much hope and excitement blazing in her eyes. I smile big and nod. "I'll do it for you. I promise."

I feel Terry's arms wrap around me before I could even react. I don't mind though, so I hug her back. Although, I can't help but wonder why I'd even make a promise like that before speaking about it to Ms. Winter...

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