Closer - Noah Centineo/Peter Kavinsky

Closer (Part 7)- nutcracker

Jay and Seth decide to stay over for a little while longer after Vi and Yaz go home. I leave them to play GTA on my playstation while I get dressed into something more proper, so I can practice my dance routine. Turning on the light switch to my dance studio, already makes me feel more at ease than any other place I know. The fairy lights around the room are plugged in, and the place just feels so damn magical.

I walk around the space, taking in the calmness of it all, before I sit down on the floor and stretch out. Tomorrow, I have dance class, and Madame Demonge would literally flip her shit if my routine wasn't spotless. I stretch my legs at the bar, and get into position, before the song starts.

The routine was choreographed by myself and little tweaks were made my Madame Demonge. Only very few girls at our dance school got to perform a solo ballet dance. However, I was the only one who got to make up my own choreography. I chose the Nutcracker theme because it was the first ballet show I visited with my parents 13 years ago, and it made me start dance. I found the tutus, makeup, music and the acting that was portrayed by dance so captivating. My mom signed  me up for ballet directly after, and she just thought it would be a little hobby I would quit by the age of 7, and then choose something else like soccer just like the rest of the kids. But, I stuck with it, and the teachers started realising I had real talent. Dance was there for me all those years, and it made me the talented and strong dancer I am today. For that, I was very proud of myself.

I leap, jump and twirl throughout my routine and give it my all. I end it on the ground with my eyes closed, panting like a crazy person.

"Slow down there," a voice cackles. I shoot my head up and look to see Jay on the couch. He's literally sitting on the edge of his seat with his elbows on his knees. He shakes his head to move the brown hair, falling down his eyes.

I stand up with my hands on my hips, still having trouble breathing. "Why are you even in here?"

Jay shrugs his wide shoulders innocently, pouting. "It's Seth turn and I got bored. Plus, I'm like the last person to not see you dance. I had to check if you were the real deal"

Right.. GTA is one player per Playstation only. I nod, understanding and go to the speakers to get a sip of water. I feel as if I'm being watched by him, and it's honestly kind of awkward since none of us are saying anything. I gulp down my water, nervously, and it echoes in the studio.

"Ella," Jay murmurs. I snap my head to him, surprised. Surprised, that he called me by my real name. Everyone always called me Elle as a nickname, as if Ella was too long of  name to say. It was refreshing to hear someone call me by my real name. I had almost forgotten that it was my actual birth name. I look at him questionably, not even having the slightest hint of what he is about to say to me. "They would be literal fools if they didn't accept you into Julliard," he says, with the uttermost genuine face that Jay Jones could give. I'm guessing Seth already told him about our future plans..

His eyes are twinkling under my fairy lights, and he gives me the shortest smile ever. "Thanks Jay. Its either that or The California Dance Company," I grin.

"Go to Julliard, Ella. New York is amazing. Dance is all the hype out there"

There he goes again with my real name.

"If New York is so great, why did you leave?" I blurt out. Okay, so I was extremely curious. Seth had mentioned private problems that I don't even think he really knew about. Then, Seth's mom mentioned something about Jay living  with his grandparents. So, what was the deal?

He looks surprised that I'm so blunt, but I can't help myself. I really wanna know. His chocolate brown eyes darken for a millisecond, but go instantly back to normal. "I don't like staying in a place for a long time. I like to get around and see new things. Seths parents were nice enough to let me stay for the rest of the school year, "he shrugs, as if it were no big deal. "Anyways, why are you thinking about California?"

Well, I see he's good at changing the subject. I stare at him for a few seconds, deciding on whether I should go back to the topic. He can't actually think that I would believe the BS coming out of his mouth. However, I decide on leaving it alone, since I see that he doesn't wanna talk about it, and me and him aren't close enough anyways.

"Yeah, I  mean Seth really wants to play soccer at UCLA and the dance company in California is great. He's also looking at soccer scholarships in New York, of course. He just thinks that he'll have a better shot in Cali. And I'm happy with both of my options," I explain.

"You sure about that?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah" I shrug. "It's all part of our plan"

"Right," he sighs looking at the ceiling. "The Plan"

I furrow my eyebrows, confused as to what hes trying to get at with that reaction. But, before I have time to reply the dance studio door bursts open, and I see a bubbly blonde followed by Seth, who looks annoyed. Tasha.

"Yoo hoo," she squeals. "I'm here to pick up these two idiots. Mom is so pissed that you two didn't come in time for dinner, so she made me come all the way here. You need to learn to answer a fucking phone, brother"

I scramble off of the ground and go to Seth. I'm immediately worried that the annoyed look on his face is my fault, since I was talking to his friend alone in my dance studio while he was by himself. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"She literally plugged out the Playstation in front of my face," he replies, pointing to a sneering Tasha. Sometimes, I was almost glad to be an old child.

"Oh," I glance back to see Jay squirming around for God knows what reason.

"Come on guys. Let's go home. I need some Mrs. Roger's food," Jay says, halfway out the door. A polite person says bye, but okay whatever. Seth kisses me goodbye and I hug Tasha on my way back into the house.

My mind drifts to the conversation between Jay and I, the pool today, and what Yaz wanted to tell me. I felt somewhat at ease after the nice day I had. However, the uneasy part of me wasn't content that I didn't know what was with Yaz or Jay. And if I didn't figure out soon, I knew that I would overanalyze as usual, and go about the situations completely wrong.

My eyes slowly start to close even after I hear our garage opening, signaling that my parents were finally home. But, today I was so beat from all the energy that I let myself fall into slumber. And it was the first time in a long time that I had slept so damn well.