Dancing with the Bad Boy | ✓

twenty-two | denial

It's been three days since my kiss with Sora and the entire cohort has finally finished the written part of the exams. Everyone was now dedicated to the practical part as it would all come down to the sports that would determine half of your grade. During these few years spent in this academy, I have learnt the challenges of practicing day and night as a dancer, starving yourself to balance on your feet to the point that you become more underweight than normal.

One of a former student's parent has called this school a disease. And the only cure was to obtain those full marks from the judges.

Non-stop for eight hours straight with only a five minute break in between when necessary, I have practiced my routine with my dance teacher for three days. Three days of weighing as the numbers nodded in approval but the insides of my body craves for the fat and nutrients of food. Three days of caging myself in a dark room, allowing the darkness of my feeling to become free from their dungeons as they carried my weight, helping me glide through each and every movement my body produced. It was peaceful yet lonely and I wouldn't dare my mind to plunge itself further in the darkness, at least, not yet.

The sound of the crickets chirping, the whispering of my fellow dance classmates exiting the building behind me and the darkness that had already enveloped me while notified me that it was late. Expensive black cars with chauffeurs standing outside as they opened the door for each and every one of them, greeting them with a smile as they piled in didn't trigger an emotion out of me. I had grown used to it on the very first day it happened when the slightest bit of hope that Kai would show up but alas, he hadn't.

The exhaustion inside my body craved for the comfort of my bed as I pulled my hoodie over my head and almost tripped at the sight of a familiar, red mercedes parked right outside the gates, far from the lined cars.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you," Sora said, leaning against his car with his shoulders crossed over his chest.

I raised a brow at him. "It's been three days, Sora."

"And yet, it feels like an entire lifetime."

I rolled my eyes at his words and began to wak the opposite direction of him until a hand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me back. I glanced over my shoulder to see Sora with a mischievous smirk, but just as his head reached so close to mine in the blink of an eye, I was quick enough to free myself from his grip.

Sora blinked, stepping away from me in confusion. "Sorry, I thought from the kiss a few days ago, I just thought you took interest in me."

I bit my lip, my cheeks slightly turning pink at my actions from the other day as I swallowed my saliva, my mouth suddenly feeling dry. For the first time, I didn't know how to respond to Sora since the words in my mind scattered around like little mice, unable to properly form words on my lips.

I thanked the Lord that it was dark and Sora didn't see my distorted expression as I struggled to find the words that would be fitting in this moment.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, the two words that managed to break free from the cages of other words that was dying to get out. "I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression. I was just tired and I acted without thinking-"

The grip on my hand tightened, forcing me to cut myself off as I slightly lifted my head up to see the disappointment in his eyes that he didn't even dare to mask. His clenched jaw clicked as his eyebrows narrowed in on me as if he too, were trying to find the right words to speak.

"You're in denial," he responded in a monotone.

I raised a brow. "No, I'm not." Yet, the feelings from the kiss erupted in my stomach once again as if to tell me otherwise. I suddenly focused Sora's hand in mind, his calloused palm resting over my fingers as he softly un tightened his grip.

"So, if I kissed you, you wouldn't feel a thing?" Sora questioned tragically slowly as he pulled me in to him, his finger now resting under my chin as he slightly tilted it to the side. I watched his head cock to the side in the opposite direction as his mint breath mingled in my own, his nose softly dancing with my own. My heart fluttered when the hand that had once been on my hand was now resting on my lower back and his other hand cupping the back of my neck as if to hold me.

Allowing myself to soak in the few seconds of his touch, my eyes fluttered close as I felt his lips meet my own. Just as our lips could truly feel one another, he pulled away and took a step back, leaving me with a burning sensation in the pits of my stomach, lower than that if you would, while looking at me with a playful smirk.

"Seems like you wanted it to happen, huh?" he dared to ask, his fingers dancing on his own lips as his eyes flickered down to mine.

I clenched my jaw in frustration and glared at him, huffing. "I was-"

He raised a hand in the air to stop me before opening the passenger door of his car. "Save your excuse. Let's get you home, shall we?"

And I had thought chivalry was dead.

I took a step forward then a step back, thinking better of it as I only flipped him off before stalking away from him. I heard a boyish laugh from behind me, knowing well it was Sora as I stomped my feet even louder, suddenly annoyed at his actions.

How dare he make me a fool?

"Oh, come on, Luce!" I heard him shout behind me. By now, the dark streets were dead and silent and his loud voice could wake up the spirits. "Let me take you home."

Without giving him an answer and walking as fast as I possibly could in the direction of my house, I suddenly felt the loneliness climb on me and the darkness creeping against my skin. I gulped, my heart rate began to pick up as I licked my lips dryly, my stride becoming slower by the minute. I bit my lip but before my lungs could begin to act on my fear, I felt an arm snake around my shoulder, causing me to flinch as Sora fell into the steps beside me with a playful smile.

He offered an earbud. "Want to listen to some music while we walk home?"

I frowned at him. "You don't have to follow me."

Sora shrugged, putting the earbud inside my ear. "Shut up and listen."

He had remembered my fear of the darkness. I couldn't help but looked down at my marching feet, slightly smiling in the darkness.

It was then that I had realised my deepest gratitude and gratefulness for a man who I called a friend. My first friend.

It was the comfort from Sora and the R&B that played in one ear that helped me through the darkness as I walked, our hands colliding with each other every once in a while that soon, without words, our fingers met and intertwined with one another.

Maybe it wasn't so alone in this world after all.

a/n:
Wow, it has been almost a month since I updated Dancing with the Bad Boy! I'm still busy with uni and finals are coming up but I decided to give myself a break and give y'all a chapter!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and feel free to follow my instagram for updates and weird stuff!! xhttps://www.instagram.com/rosesariella/