Lie Until You Laugh

25- Revealing Secrets

“I’m canceling practice today,” Penn states in front of the whole dance class on Monday morning as we finish stretches. “In celebration of our win against the other class. You can thank Stella, Sienna, and Mason for your day off.”

Everybody starts to cheer and I smile, pretty happy that we get a full day off and I have more time to sleep before tonight. Chase told me that he hired a personal chef for the night to make dinner and it’s going to be really fancy. I don’t know why he’s so eager to meet Penn (well, he’s already met him, but he’s meeting him as my boyfriend for the first time), but it’s kind of nice, I think. I wish I could say the same thing about Penn, but he’s not excited about this at all for understandable reasons, considering Chase has not tried hiding his distaste for Penn at all.

“I got up this morning for no reason?” Stella wonders incredulously as we all pick up our bags again to leave the studio to head back to our dorms.

“At least we can go back to sleep,” Mason reasons. “The other class doesn’t get this gift, so just take it and shut up.”

“You’re right,” Stella sighs. “More beauty sleep for moi.”

We’re about to leave through the double glass doors when I feel somebody wrap a strong hand around my wrist. I turn around, expecting it to be Penn and I frown in disappointment when I see that it’s actually just Anthony.

“What do you want?” I ask him not unkindly. I mean, I pretty much hate the guy, but I’m in a good mood today so I don’t snap at him.

“Gianna wants to talk to you,” He tells me.

 I shrug at him. “I really do not care.”

“Well she told me to tell you to meet her by the gym after practice tomorrow,” He explains.

“See!” Stella exclaims. “You were being all innocent and trying to get me to forgive you when all you’re going to do is go back to her. You’re so fucking pathetic, Tony.”

“Being friends with Gianna sure as hell beats being alone and because you won’t talk to me, I’m talking to her,” Anthony snaps back. “Just be there tomorrow, okay?”

“I’d rather not,” I say evenly.

He clenches his teeth and I notice that Ada and Darren are standing behind him. I don’t know if they just showed up or I just didn’t notice them before, but they’re there. Mason, Stella, and Brian are standing beside me so we all look like we’re about to start this huge group fight or something right inside the door of the studio. “You’re really starting to piss me off, you know,” Anthony finally tells me with his fist clenched by his side.

“What are you going to do?” I wonder with a laugh. “You’re going to hit me or something?”

“I’m not stupid, Red,” Anthony laughs back. “I wouldn’t hit you- not with your boyfriend in the next room.”

He’s referring to Penn, who had gone into his mystery room after he dismissed us, so he’s not here to see all of this. Anthony is just teasing though, because he doesn’t know that he actually is my boyfriend now.

“That’s probably a good idea,” Penn states, apparently not in his back room anymore as he’s walking towards us with his arms crossed on his chest. “Get out of here before you piss me off.”

Anthony rolls his eyes but leaves without saying another word and Ada and Darren follow him after sending us all dirty looks. When the door is shut behind them, I turn and look at Penn.

“I was dealing with it,” I tell him, embarrassed that he thought that he had to come rescue me from Anthony or something.

“I know that,” Penn laughs.