Foundation of Dance

Chapter 5

Olivia

I opened my groggy eyes and the first thing I saw was Alexandra asleep in her bed, her bed hair was draped across her face and she was still sleeping soundly. I smiled and reached over to my phone on the nightstand and checked the time, 6am, the competition starts at 1pm but we'll be getting there at 12:30. 

I turn back over and grab 'White Fang.' I quickly found my page and started reading again, reading had always calmed me down after a panic attack, old books were my favourite and I probably read 'White Fang' over 50 times. 

'Since White Fang continued to fight, it is obvious that it was the other dogs that died. He never knew defeat. His early training, when he fought with Lip-lip and the whole puppy-pack, stood him in good stead. There was the tenacity with which he clung to the earth. No dog could make him lose his footing. This was the favourite trick of the wolf breeds - to rush in upon him, either directly or with an unexpected swerve, in the hope of striking his shoulder and overthrowing him. Mackenzie hounds, Eskimo and Labrador dogs, huskies and Malemutes - all tried it on him, and all failed. He was never known to lose his footing. Men told this to one another, and looked each time to see it happen; but White Fang always disappointed them.'

I continued to read until I noticed Alexandra stir out of the corner of my eye, she opens her eyes and smiles at me. She sits up slowly, she duvet pooling around her, rubbing her eyes she turns to me. "You feeling okay now Ollie?" She asks, her warm brown eyes reaching mine. I nod silently looking back down at my book, Alexandra nods to herself and pushes the covers off, she gets up and stretches and - oh my god she's not wearing pants. I use my book to cover my blush and prying eyes, Alexandra turns back to me with a sleepy face.

"You showering first?" She asks, her voice husky and thick with sleep. I shake my head not trusting my voice. She nods and retreats into the bathroom and shuts the door, she shower turns on and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and lean back against the headboard.

"Holy shit," I mutter to myself as I heard the shower turn on.  I shake my head and look back down at my book, I knew the plot off by heart but I still loved reading it. I hated Beauty Smith with a passion, I hated his treatment of White Fang, I hated his dog fights and I hated how he tried to steal White Fang back.

'Then there was his lightning quickness. It gave him a tremendous advantage over his antagonists. No matter what their fighting experience, they had never encountered a dog that moved so swiftly as he. Also to be reckoned with, was the immediateness of his attack. The average dog was accustomed to the preliminaries of snarling and bristling and growling, and the average dog was knocked off his feet and finished before he had begun to fight or recovered from his surprise.'

The bathroom door opens and Alexandra steps out dressed in a towel, my eyes widen and I bury my face back into my book. 'Don't look, don't look!' I mentally screamed. 

"What?" Alexandra teases, "we're both women."

I shake my head not looking up, "it's different," is all I say.

"Different how?" Alexandra presses, the amusement in her voice was evident, 'because it's you,' I wanted to say but held back, no way does she like me, she'd probably not want to room with me again if she found out I was bisexual.

"I'm not use to it," I chose to say instead, not a lie.

"Your so innocent, it's adorable," she smiles, "if you're not ready to see a naked body then close your eyes honey." She grins cheekily, I gaped.

"W-what about the bathroom?" I ask before she can drop her towel, she shrugs.

"Too steamy, the exhaust fan is broken."