In The Unlikely Event [updates begin may 3]

14 | culinary non-date

this chapter was so cute, i almost cried in single. kay, vote, comment, follow and all the good stuff

#

"Keep your posture tight! Head high, spine straight!" Ellie called out, projecting her voice over the music playing from the speakers. Sweat dotted my forehead, pooled at the back of the neck and slid down the sides of my face as I struggled to mirror Ms. Finley. "Come on! Quicker! Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow."

Ms. Finley's eyes were distant, travelling and wandering around the dance room. There was no extra energy backing her moves today, her usual smile absent with no quips calling for me to try and keep up with her. My eyes searched, unconsciously, for the seat Roman had taken up and almost stumbled over the last step when I caught him already staring. His mouth shifted into a small smile, and he mouthed something I couldn't understand. I shook my head, and his little smile grew into a wide grin. He mouthed it again for me, and I was still stuck on trying to depict what he said when the music stopped abruptly.

I tripped on the last step I'd missed, straightening myself out at the last second to prevent myself from joining the gum Ms. Finley always complained about.

"We're going to end things a little early today, guys." Her eyes scanned the dreary room. Once she saw she wasn't met with an objection, she clapped her hand in finality and nodded. "I'll see you guys next week, and we'll pick things up again from here. Practice those dance moves whenever you get the time."

Turning my attention away from where Ellie stood at the front of the room, I was met with the sight of Roman, an arm thrown over his grandmother's shoulders. He planted a kiss on the side of her head, shifting slightly to miss her swinging arm. That was weird since Ms. Finley never passed up an opportunity to take the endless stream of kisses Roman delivered. She shrugged off his arm with a scowl and followed the stream of people heading towards the doors. He glanced over at me and was met only with a shrug before he scrambled to catch up with her. Because for an elderly woman, Ms. Finley could move. I trailed behind them, keeping my distance as I headed for the water table.

"Do you..." he looked back at me. I shrugged again. "Do you want me to come up with you?"

She waved him away, her tone clipped as she said, "I'm fine, Roman!" His steps faltered for a second, his usual smile dropping into a frown, and I squeezed his shoulders gently as I diverted to the water table instead. My mouth and throat were as dry as the Sahara desert--or at least, it felt like it.

I was halfway through my second bottled water--the little small ones that made drinking them so sad--when Roman pulled up beside me.

I jerked my chin towards the door. "How's your grandmother?"

He ran his fingers through his hair and back down his face, exhaling sharply. He reached for the miniature bottled water. He looked over his shoulder and shifted his attention back to me. "I don't know." He looked behind him again and back to me. "I think it might have something to do with the death of Jesse."

"Jesse?"

"Her next-door neighbour here. They were pretty close, and since it was so sudden, I don't think she's taking it so well. Death has always been....it's always been hard on her ever since my granddad died."

"I'm--I'm sorry for your loss." I motioned to the direction of the doors. "And hers."

He cleared his throat and nodded. "Uh, I wasn't really close with Jesse, but...yeah. Thank you." He opened the cap and tipped his bottle back, keeping his gaze on me as I fiddled with the top of my own bottled water.

Looking away, I kicked at the small pebble that laid by my feet and nodded. "Yeah, no problem."

"Yeah," he echoed.