Close As Enemies

Twenty-Seven.

Now Playing... I Hate You I Love You 

    The atmosphere of the dance studio wasn't the same without Nikki.

When I walked in to the studio for practice, it seemed dimmer, as if without Nikki, the place didn't seem as bright anymore. She would have been sitting in the middle of the room, stretching while her head bopped along to whatever music was playing in her headphones, and she would smile at everyone who walked in, but when I would walk in, her smile would grow the biggest it could, and she would motion for me to join her. Without her, I sat in our usual spot, and suddenly, it seemed empty, almost like it was wrong for me to sit there when she wasn't there.

I stretched my legs, attempting to ignore the fact that my best friend wasn't there to make the beginning of practice more enjoyable. All I could focus on was the silence. Then, all the girls were huddled around me, and I glanced at them, noticing the sadness in their eyes.

I tilted my head. "What?"

"We just wanted to say we're sorry." GiGi spoke, staring at the ground. "We know Nikki was your best friend, and we can't even imagine how hard this must be."

The other girls nodded, and I stood, crossing my arms over my chest as I looked away from them. "Thank you..."

GiGi shook her head, stepping closer. "Molly, I'm especially sorry. I shouldn't have been mean to you, and--"

"It's okay." I shot her the best smile I could muster up. "It's in the past."

Suddenly, her arms wrapped around me, and at first I hesitated, but then I hugged her back. She sighed, holding me tightly. "You never deserved what I did to you. And trust me, Wes went to bat for you every single time I did something wrong." She pulled away, softly smiling. "You're the strongest person I know, and I admire you for it."

"Thanks, GiGi. I hope we can be friends after everything."

Her smile grew. "I'd love that."

The girls stood in the formation for our group dance, and Miss. Lauren started the music. We left Nikki's spot open, seeing as there was no way that spot could ever be filled. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, and I danced with everything I had. We practiced the dance a couple times, and I fixed some minor things before practice ended.

"Alright girls, good job today." Miss. Lauren gathered us in the middle of the room, smiling proudly. "Tomorrow is competition day, and I would like all of you to be there by five so we can practice before it starts. I'm so proud of all the work you've put in!"

We grabbed our stuff before leaving the studio, and once I got home, I sighed in relief. Even though it was different without Nikki there, I knew in my heart she was watching and guiding us from wherever she was.

When I walked through the front door, the house seemed eerily quiet. Nova wasn't anywhere to be found, and when I walked upstairs, there was no sound whatsoever. As I walked past Wes' room, I noticed he was standing by his mirror, phone in hand.

"Yes, I understand." He paused, scribbling something down on a piece of paper on his desk. "No, it's fine. I should be ready by then. Thank you."

Once he hung up the phone, he released a deep breath, but when he turned around and his eyes landed on me, he nearly jumped out of his skin. "Molly! H-How long have you been there...?"

"Like a minute." I shrugged, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Who was that?"

His eyes averted from mine, and he scratched the back of his neck, a sure sign he was hesitating to tell me the truth. "My aunt's boss. I, um, tried to call her at work but he wouldn't let me talk to her."