Unpredictable (A Dance Story)

Chapter 35

Walking through the halls of a hotel occupied by dancers wasn't an easy feat.

"Ella, wait!"

"Are you competing?"

"Will you take a picture with me?"

After taking twice as long to get to the first floor where Miss Sarah was staying, I could do nothing but laugh to myself. With a bounce, I knocked on door number 32.

"Hey Miss Sarah, Abbie said you were looking for-"

I stopped when I saw her flustered expression.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not exactly sure," she started slowly, "But the medics at the Master Class just told me that I'm needed at the hospital. It's Holden."

My mouth opened wide. "Wait, what?"

"They didn't tell me anything. I just thought you might want to come with me."

"When?"

"Right now."

I turned and quickly made my way to the lobby, brushing quickly past anyone trying to talk to me.

***

The antiseptic smell of the hospital flooded my senses and I closed my eyes for a second. Was this what it was like for him, when I'd been in the accident?

Miss Sarah made a beeline for the reception desk and I followed anxiously.

"Holden Anderson?" she asked.

The woman smiled and recited a room number for us. Miss Sarah thanked her and we headed to the elevator. I bounced on my heels, wondering if Abbie or the others even knew anything was wrong. I stepped off the elevator, following Miss Sarah as she navigated her way to the room. We both stopped outside, looking at the bed closest to the door with the notorious golden hair. He was laying with his back to us.

"No casts or anything," Miss Sarah breathed, confused. "Do you want to go first? I'll give you a moment."

I shrugged one shoulder and stepped into the room, reaching out my left hand to touch his shoulder. "Holden?"

He turned to face me, looking a little pale and tired. Other than that, nothing seemed to be wrong.

"What happened?" I asked, a little worried.

He flashed a weary smile. "Nothing's wrong, Ford. I'm fine. I just passed out."

He had the same playful tone to his voice as always. I shook my head and made my way to the clipboard at the end of his bed. "You're dehydrated!? Holden, did you eat or drink anything today?"

"Well..." he paused for a moment. "I woke up late, but I had to stop at Starbucks for you. I know how much you love Starbucks. I just forgot to pack myself anything to eat. I honestly don't know what I was thinking."

I closed my eyes for a second, my thoughts drifting to a strange place. It was essentially my fault that he was extremely dehydrated. Nobody had ever been as good to me as Holden Anderson. And I'd always been really awful in return. If I had the courage to text Scott after our first 'date' explaining how I couldn't be with him because of my feelings for Holden...Why couldn't I show Holden how much I cared?

"Holden, I-" I started, but Miss Sarah walked in just then.

"What in the world did you do???"

I saw the eager light in Holden's eyes fade as I was cut off. He turned to Miss Sarah with a tired shrug. It was just then that I noticed how bad the dark circles under his eyes were.

***

"Yeah," Abbie sighed, "He didn't look very good at the master class. Doesn't surprise me that he was so dehydrated." She turned her attention back to the juniors on stage. "Oh God...We're at Nationals and she can't even point her foot???"

Miss Sarah sat down next to me on the end seat of the aisle. "Aaahhh, much better."

"You've literally gone to pee 5 times," I said, rolling my eyes at her.

"You'll understand some day," she said with a wink.

That's when my eyes went wide and something clicked in my head. She wasn't paying attention to me anymore, her face with turned to the stage as the music for a new number started to play. All I could notice was the way her stomach had started to protrude in a bump so small that even those closest to her wouldn't be able to tell.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. Holden was asleep in his hotel room for the rest of the day, but I slowly typed out the news: "99.9% sure Miss Sarah is pregnant"

An hour later, I got my response. "Now I feel stupid. Never even crossed my mind. But at the same time, ewwwww"

"Why 'ewwww'?"

"There's a tiny human living in her stomach"

"You WOULD find that gross, you're such a boy ;)"

"Excuse me, Miss Ford, I am a man"

I smiled and shook my head, glancing up at the stage. With a gasp, I locked my phone, ending the conversation with Holden. The juniors were about to start my choreography to Rules.

"How does it feel?" Miss Sarah asked.

"To know that my dancers are about to blow everyone else out of the water?" I paused. "Pretty freaking great."

She beamed, pulling me in for a quick hug. "That's the girl I trained."

***

I knocked on the hotel door, switching from foot to foot nervously. Holden opened it for me, looking a lot better than he had earlier. His room was stocked with bottled water and food, courtesy of the hotel and hospital staff.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Much better..."

I handed him a cookie from the box I'd received earlier.

"Thanks!"

I smiled and walked into the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. "What are you watching?"

He sat down next to me. "Don't laugh, but 'House Hunters International,'" he said with a grin, not the least bit embarrassed.

I snorted. "Remember when you said you were a man?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You didn't just say that."

"But I did," I teased, sticking my tongue out.

"That's it...you asked for it, Ford."

With that he started to tickle me, jabbing at my sides, poking at my left arm, squeezing my legs and calves. I swatted at him with my working hand, squealing and laughing. "Knock. It. Off. Holden. Or. I. Swear -"

He pulled me close to him and I curled my legs into a little ball, leaning my head against his chest. He held me tight in his arms and I relaxed. I could've stayed like that, curled up in Holden's lap watching House Hunters on TV, forever.

***

Heyyyyyyy guyyyyysssss, this story is starting to wrap up :)

What do you think about Ella and Holden??? Is anybody going FINALLY because I know if I was an unsuspecting reader, that's where I'd be at this point! Lol

Leave your comments below! How do you think this is gonna end? What would YOU like to see happen??? And what are your opinions on everything???
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