"that was amazing everyone! keep practicing and i'll see you all next week." lola grinned, waving at the small class of children as they thanked her and waved goodbye.
she walked slowly to the back of the room, pushing back a few baby hairs that had started to curl in the humidity. the water bottle standing on the piano was calling her name and lola hadn't realised how thirsty teaching made her.
she'd had a two hour class of her own that morning starting at eight, and taught three back to back two hour classes straight after. it was four in the afternoon and lola was ready for bed.
feeling considerably more alive after a few mouthfuls of water, lola lifted her leg onto the barre, turning her body around and leaning forward, letting out a sigh of relief as she felt the familiar stretch.
"miss?" a quiet voice made her stand to attention again, moving her leg off of the barre and turning to face the figure in the doorway.
it was anthony, one of the youngest students in the class; a tiny little six year old with a talent for tap and his chubby hands clutching his dance bag.
"hi anthony. is everything okay?" she asked softly, taking in his wider-than-usual eyes and nervous expression on his face.
"my mum isn't here yet to pick me up and there's a guy outside." he said earnestly, his voice trembling slightly.
"a guy?" lola furrowed her eyebrows, a cold feeling spreading through her. why didn't she just walk them up? "anthony, did you see if he talked to anyone?"
he shook his head quickly and an immediate sense of relief hit her.
"you come up with me and wait in reception with me sweetheart, and i'll go and see who the guy is, yeah?" he smiled brightly at her suggestion and nodded, skipping up the stairs before her.
anthony took a seat in reception, swinging his legs back and forth idly as lola took a deep breath, before opening the door and leaning out to see who the 'guy' outside was.
leaning against the cream coloured walls, wearing the same track hoodie he'd work the entirety of high school and with his hair longer and shaggier than she'd ever seen it, was nate.
a frown fell over her face as he turned to look at her, a slightly cocky smirk being all she got in response.
"hey prima ballerina." nate drawled, pushing himself lazily off the wall and turning to face her properly.
after a moment of hesitation, lola stepped outside fully, closing the door gently behind her so little anthony wouldn't hear their conversation - however short she intended it to be.
"you need to leave. you're scaring my kids." lola had never heard her own voice sound so blunt, crossing her arms to shield herself from nate.
"i came here to talk to you though." the sickly sweet tone dripping from his words made lola feel slightly sick to her stomach, and she stepped backwards slightly when he leaned forwards.
"we don't have anything to talk about nate. leave the outside of my studio, you are scaring my kids." his entitlement made her almost shake with frustration, and lola couldn't help but wonder how she could ever have loved him.
had he always been this awful?
nate whistled lowly, the smirk not dropping from his face.
"damn. your boxer boyfriend has made you mean."
lola's entire body went cold. she knew none of her friends would've told nate about luke. she hadn't spoken to him since he called ashton. so how did he know?
YOU ARE READING
in the crowd • luke hemmings
Fanfiction"you're always who i'm looking for in the crowd"
