Goals Off Court | SatoSere

Chapter 44 - Extra Lessons

When Ash agreed to the competition, Serena decided it wouldn't be good for him to practice everyday. She didn't want him getting burned out or injured and between dance practice and basketball; she felt it would be too much.

He disagreed, of course, but he supposed in the end he was thankful for it since it gave him time to do what he was now about to do. He shouldn't have been in the dance building on a Tuesday, but he stood outside the door, about to swallow his pride so far down, he was certain it no longer existed.

Ash swung the door open and dropped his bag on the floor.

"I'm here," he announced, looking at the self obsessed boy standing towards the front of the room. "I'm on time, just like you said. I don't know why you thought I would be late."

"Your punishment before was due to time management." Drew sighed. "I only assumed you'd get caught up with anything. But if I'm being frank, it simply seemed like something you'd do."

"The hell do you think I am?" Ash grumbled, yanking his shoes out of his bag. He plopped to the ground and began to tie them up on his feet. "A delinquent?"

"More or less." Drew smirked at the vein popping on Ash's head. "You're more straight-edge than I thought."

Ash walked angrily to the middle of the room. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You seem like a delinquent," Drew answered bluntly.

Ash's eyebrow twitched. "I'm on a scholarship, twinkle toes. Just because I don't dance around all prissy and whatnot like you doesn't mean I'm a delinquent."

"It's not about your extracurricular activity choice," Drew corrected blandly. "It's about how you act."

Ash felt like pulling strands out of his head hair by hair. "Fucks sake, man! I didn't come here to argue with you."

He was genuinely about to regret these damn extra lessons. The day prior, when Drew kept coming for his throat, Ash called him into the hallway.

"Look, you always have things to say and I hate it," Ash began, trying to lower his annoyance of Drew tolerance rate. "But you seem to know what you're doing and I want this dance to be perfect. I'm not messing around, so teach me how to lead better."

Drew somehow looked confused, unsure if Ash was serious about wanting his help. "You want me to teach you?"

"I just said it, didn't I? I want you to teach me how to be a better lead." His voice went down a notch in the middle of his talking. "For Serena."

Drew's eyebrows raised. Impressed or amused—Ash couldn't tell which it was. "You really do like her."

This was embarrassing, but Ash was determined to be the best at this competition. He wasn't going to let anyone get the best of him even if that meant sucking up his pride to take advice from the snob dancer himself.

"Keep your voice down!" Ash said, louder than the point he didn't want to reach. Comical. He then glanced towards the door. "I swear if tell her or anyone else—"

"It's fine, Ash." Drew's hand was up to stop whatever threat had yet to leave his lips. "Meet me here tomorrow around nine and don't be late. I'll send May home."

Now, that's why Ash stood in the middle of the dance floor on a night when he technically wasn't supposed to be there. He was getting extra lessons from Drew.

"Are you ready?" Drew asked, standing expectantly in the middle of the room. "I hope you realize what me 'tutoring' you entails."

Ash rolled his eyes. Maybe he didn't want to do this anymore. Maybe he should mess around and just deal with learning from Serena. She was a far better teacher anyway.