Finding My True Self | Protector 5.1

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

       Monday after school, D.A.N.C.E had a dance rehearsal, but Zayden said he was feeling a bit sick so he was just going to head home. I really wished Zayden would realize that I knew him better than he thought I did. I could tell when he was lying, and right now, he was.

       I wouldn't doubt it if he was lying just so he could skip rehearsing the duet with Echo.

       Well, two could play that game. If he wasn't going to rehearse with her, I was.

       "If you're feeling sick, I could drive," I said. "I need to go somewhere anyways, so might as well."

       "So....you'll be using the car?" Zayden asked.

       "Yeah," I said. "Why?"

       "No reason," Zayden muttered before pulling the keys out of his backpack, then tossing them to me. He totally was planning on going out somewhere anyway, but he didn't want me to know about it just in case I told Dad that he wasn't really sick.

       We got into our car and I drove to our house. Before Zayden got out of the car, he asked, "How long will you be gone?"

      "Don't know," I said. "Why? You need the car? Because if I recall, you did say you're not feeling well."

       "No, I don't need the car," Zayden said. "Can't I just wonder how long my brother will be gone for?"

       "Not when you're mad at me for no reason," I said.

       "Like I've said, you're imagining things," he said before getting out of the car and closing the door behind him, then heading inside the house.

       I sighed and got out of the car as well, only so I could go to my bedroom and quickly change before grabbing a different backpack from my school one and placing some things in there.

       I pulled out of the driveway and headed to the dance studio. I still couldn't believe after the way Zayden had been acting, I was going to be saving him from not wanting to rehearse the duet. I was actually going to show up as Zayden, not myself.

       Well, part of it was because I still didn't want everyone to know I could dance. That would only make the comparisons between me and Zayden, and even me and my parents, a lot worse.

       But the other part didn't want Zayden getting kicked off the duet, no matter how horrible of a duet partner he has been. I was really hoping he would get his act together because dancing and competing in competitions meant the world to him. He would be broken if he got kicked off. He just didn't realize what he was putting at risk right now.

       When I pulled into the studio, I turned off the car and pulled down the sun visor to look in the mirror. I took off my glasses and placed them in its case in my backpack before putting in contact lenses.

       Kingsley was right. I was too nice for this world.

       When I was done, I got out of the car and headed into the studio. In the main studio, everyone was working on the group dance except for Echo. She was just watching.

       Dad noticed me and looked over. "Hey, I thought you weren't feeling well," he said.

       "Yeah, I'm only feeling a bit sick, but I should at least try rehearsing today since the competition is soon," I said.

       "Okay, you and Echo can go rehearse," Dad said.

       Echo got up from the bench and before we could leave, I saw Kingsley gave me a look as if he was asking me what I was doing.