Chapter 20- Who are they??

Sitting at my favorite spot on campus, under a big shady tree, before our new session of dance classes starts. I am so excited for this year’s classes, I got to choose 2 different genres of dance. I chose contemporary because it is one of my favorites and jazz. I could have taken hip hop, but the academy doesn’t teach it like you see on the streets. It is more disciplined and that’s not the style I like. What I am excited about is that the 4th year students come in to help teach classes twice a week. Adam is a 4th year student this year, so he could be teaching my class. He won’t find out until he starts class today, but I am still excited about the chance that he might be in one of my classes.

“What are you smiling to yourself about?” Shaking my head, I am brought back to reality as I hear the familiar voice approach me. I look up from my book that I haven’t read a bit of and see Adam.

“Just daydreaming about you being in my class.”

“Don’t get your hopes up, we don’t know for sure whether I will be teaching you or not.”

“A girl can dream though.” Smiling Adam sets his bag down, pulls my book out of my hand, and closes it, taking its place between my legs. I wrap my arms around him and kiss him gently on the cheek.

“How was your morning?”

“Dull without you there, can we go back to the summer when we stayed in bed together for most of the morning?”

“As tempting as that sounds, we paid for people to teach us so we can follow our dreams, now tell me about your classes.” Adam turns to face me; he has a sly smile.

“My classes taught me stuff.” Before I can speak Adam’s, lips find mine, gentle at first, he runs his hand around my neck, tangling his fingers in my hair, pulling me closer to him, deepening the kiss. A few minutes later I pull away to catch my breath. Smiling at him.

“Did you even pay attention in class this morning?”

“Nope, I daydreamed at this moment.” Adam leans in again then stops, staring into my eyes I can see his smile in his eyes. I close the gap kissing him with a deep passion of wanting more yet knowing I can’t have more. As we release each other I can hear a male voice, “Gawd White get a room.” Adam whips his head around as if he recognizes the voice.

In an instant, Adam is on his feet, and without a word he is gone. I follow the direction he goes in with my gaze as he meets up with some guys I don’t recognize. He seems to know them quite well and they exchange one of those guy handshake hug things. I watch them for a few minutes wondering if Adam will remember me or invite me to come meet these guys, but he doesn’t so I grab my textbook and start my homework.

I must have gotten lost in my homework because it feels like no time has passed when my alarm on my phone goes off to tell me it's time to pack up for dance. I pack my backpack and realize Adam’s bag is still here. I look up and he is now sitting at the picnic table with the guys. I grab our stuff, and walk over to Adam and his friends, should I say hi, introduce myself or just drop off his bag? I look at my watch. I don’t have time for this. I have to go change and be in class in 15 minutes. I approach the table, and everyone looks at me, smiling at them, I set Adam’s bag down beside him.

“Hey, you left your bag with me and we have class now.” I wait a minute thinking he might walk me to class but he doesn’t move. Just looks at me and says.

“Thanks, babe I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” Awkwardly I wait for another few seconds thinking he might introduce me, but he doesn’t do that either. Under my breath, I mutter ‘cool’ and turn to walk away. Why is Adam being so rude, and why won’t he introduce me to them? We were seriously just making out and they saw us, but I’m not good enough to meet them. Shaking my head as I walk into the changing room. I put my bag in my locker and change into my unitard, put my hair up in a bun then head out to the studio to stretch. I can’t help but watch the clock and check the door repeatedly to see if he will walk into my class. He doesn't, my professor comes in and calls us all to the center of the room.

“Welcome second-year students to your Contemp. 2 class, as you are aware this year, we will have fourth-year students joining us 2 days a week to help teach the class. These students are here to help you improve your techniques, and reach the next level of success. Part of their criteria for their course is choreographing a routine, teaching it, and having you perform it. You will be divided into groups for this and at mid-term you will perform. Part of your grade will be based on how well you take direction, follow a routine, and perform. Now let’s meet your student teachers.” Standing there I hold my breath waiting to see if Adam will walk in. I can’t take the anticipation. I stare at the ground as the door opens.

“Class meet Katherine, Samuel, and Adam” I look and sure enough it is Adam my Adam, smiling we make eye contact and he winks at me. Wait, I'm kinda of mad at him for ignoring me, and not introducing me to his friends. I can feel my face changing as if to show I’m mad. I can see his change too. He looks confused.

“Now we will divide you up into 3 groups of 4 and assign you a student teacher, listen for your name and line up behind whoever you are assigned. Christina, Kris, Paul, and Vanessa you will be with Samuel, Jackie, Erin, Matthew, and Erica you will be with Katherine, leaving Danny, Molly, Cameron, and Veronica with Adam.” My Professor claps his hands quickly as we run behind our student teachers.

“Please take the rest of this time to get to know your group as you will be working closely with one another for the next several weeks.”Adam turns to face the four of us.

“Hello everyone, obviously my name is Adam. Contemporary dance has become my favorite genre since my second year here, but I am majoring in modern dance for the dance component of my studies. Let’s go around our mini circle and you can tell me your name and what’s your favorite genre of dance.” We all make a small circle, Adam looks to the girl next to him, motioning for her to start.

“I’m Veronica, my favorite genre of dance is probably Ballet.” The person next to Veronica goes, “Hey what’s up I’m Danny, my favorite would be hip hop.” It’s my turn.

“Hey, so I’m Molly, contempt. Is by far my favorite genre of dance at the academy, but I also love street hip hop.” Adam smiles and looks at the next person beside me.

“So obviously that means I’m Cameron, contempt. Is also my favorite genre, but Molly I love how you freestyle by combining the genres?” Blushing from the compliment, I look down trying to hide my face. I answer quietly, “Thanks, Cameron, I didn’t think anyone saw me dance like that.”

“Last year before class you would always be fooling around with moves before the professors came in. I loved watching you, you could see in your face that you had it all mapped out in your head and it would just flow out of your body.” Now I’m blushing even more, I shift my weight embarrassed he noticed that for some reason. Adam clears his throat.

“Cool so anyways, very good, nice to meet everyone. I want to get an idea of your skill sets for this genre so let’s start with some simple moves, let’s move into the room a little further, spread out slightly so you have room to move and we will start. Let’s start with the first position”

I stand with my feet parallel facing front, my arms at my side loosely, gaze downward, my spine curled, “Good, now let’s see your range of motion, I want you to go from this position, reach to the ground, up to your shoulders, reach left, over to the right, and back to the center of your body.” Veronica calls out to ask “Are you going to show us what it looks like?”

“No, I want to see what your style is. When you get simple yet vague directions, you put your own into it.” I slowly drop my hands to the ground cross my arms slightly, bending my knees, then straighten them as I roll my shoulders back bringing my arms out and back in to hug myself, I move up onto my toes, leaning my torso to the left while extending only my left arm as if I’m reaching for something.

I quickly pull my left arm back over my head looking to the right as I slightly shift my torso to the right as the left arm moves down around my head. Centering my body, I shift my weight to the left foot pulling both hands center across my chest. Feeling good about my range of movement and the moves I chose, Adam walks by but says nothing. He continues to call out mini routines, walking around us every so often he pokes me and pulls at my out-reached body part to lengthen my reach or stretch, but I’m not the only one he does that to. After what feels like an eternity our Professors call out for a cool down and stretch.

“Well done everyone, we will be doing the same thing tomorrow, now that I have seen what you are capable of, we tune into your strengths and weaknesses to make you stronger. But now let’s stretch, team up, and stretch.”

Cameron comes over quickly to help me stretch, Adam eyes us, but I ignore him, in here we are not a couple, or they will eat me alive. Cameron and I sit down on our feet to him with our legs spread, we join hands and take turns pulling each other to stretch our backs and thighs. We stand, Cameron comes behind me taking my arms backwards, and then I do his. We continue to stretch each other; Adam has not taken his eyes off us. I think he has seen enough when I lay on my back with my leg in the air, Cameron kneeling at my waist, practically hugging my leg as he pushes it toward my torso. Adam grabs his stuff and storms out of the studio. I continue to finish our stretch. I won’t see him now for another 2 hours as I have jazz next. I am not looking forward to seeing Adam, I feel like it is just gonna be a huge fight. I want to know who those guys were and why he didn’t introduce me, and I know he is going to have something to say about Cameron. The guy has a thing for me, but I don’t care for him other than a classmate. I walk out of the change room expecting to see Adam waiting for me, but he isn’t that weird. I walk out to the courtyard, maybe he is waiting outside for me. I look around and see him sitting on the picnic table, as I walk over to him, I can hear the voices from earlier shouting his name. I stop and watch as they join him. Weird, who are these guys? Well only one way to find out, I walk over to them.

“Hey, I was looking for you.” Adam opens his mouth to speak but his new friends beat him to it.

“Who me? You can look for me any day,” He elbows Adam, “Damn man she’s hot, she has any friends” Considering I do not know these fools I give him a dirty look, turn back to Adam looking at him expecting him to say something, but he doesn’t he just laughs. Really . . . two can play.

“Ummm yeah definitely not looking for you, and neither would my friends.”

“Ooh feisty, I didn’t realize dancers were like that. Tell us Adam, are all the girls your Mac is like this little firecracker?”

“Excuse you?” I look at Adam again confused. Why is he not telling these guys not to talk to me like this?

“Run along pretty little things, Adam’s busy, he’ll be free for kissing later.” That’s it, I turn on my toes and walk away. As I leave, I can hear them all making noises and laughing. I have no idea what is going on, but this is not how I thought my first day back to school would be. Who the fuck are these guys? I head back to the loft; he better not bring them here. I hop in the shower once I get home, throw up my hair wet, and put on some clothes. I make a quick salad for dinner, then start on my homework, which wasn’t much since I did most of it on my break at school. I look at the clock it is only 7:00 PM I grab my phone and call Lacey.

“Helloooo”

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Just working on an article, why what’s up?”

“Do you wanna grab a drink? Something weird is going on with Adam.”

“Say no more, where do you want to go?”

“Bedford?”

“Perfect, see you there.” I request an Uber then, run into my room, throw on a pair of ripped green jeans, and a strapless purple twisted tube top, pull down my hair, and put on a little mascara. Grab my phone and check on the Uber which is minutes away from my building. I throw my phone in my purse, lock up the loft, and run down to catch my ride.

I get to Bedford, Lace is standing out front waiting for me. We quickly hug hello and head inside. We grabbed a table on the patio just like we did on the first day we reconnected. This bar has become a natural hangout during the school year and a weeknight, although it is never dead.

“Okay so Adam, is this something we need drinks for or what?”

“Yeah beers sound good, I’ll go grab them quickly and then I will explain my very bizarre afternoon.” I get up, walk to the bar, and squeeze my way to the front to order.

I motion to the bartender 2 and point to the empty on the counter. She nods and brings them to me; I pay and turn around to see Adam with his new friends in the crowd trying to order. Let’s see what his dick friends have to say now. I take a drink of my beer and squeeze my way through the crowd right to them, purposely going between Adam and one of them, making sure I bump into the other guy. In the dirtiest voice, I giggle.

“Oops sorry”

“Oh, baby no worries, you can bump into me any day.” Eww of course this clown would say that, I look at him and flutter my eyelashes, then look at Adam and smirk. He looks concerned then looks away and back very quickly. I keep moving until I am back to Lacey.

“What’s with that look?”

“Oh, nothing, I just ran into Adam and his goonies.”

“Goonies? What the hell is going on Molly?”

“I’m gonna talk fast just in case Adam decides to come find me. So today at school we’re kissing outside, some idiot tells us to get a room, haha funny, turns out Adam knows them, he gets up walks away, spends our entire break with them, doesn’t introduce me, even when I walk up to them. Then he ends up not only being a student teacher in my class but I’m in his group. You would think I would be happy about that, but some idiot was trying to flirt with me from my group. Adam was so hard on us. Then he doesn’t even wait for me after school, he’s back with these clowns who try and hit on me right in front of him and talk to me like I’m some sort of piece of meat and Adam says dick all to them, still doesn’t introduce me, and now he is here with them and I haven’t heard from him all night. Like I want to know who the fuck these guys are and why is he suddenly too cool for me? Like we live together.”

“Wow, I was not expecting that. Okay so let’s think, where has he been lately that he might have made friends?”

“Nowhere, we literally know everyone, we have either been working, at home, or out with you and all our friends. I guess maybe they could have met him at his work, but it seems like they were long-lost friends or something. Like when they said hi, they were excited to see each other like it’s been a long time or something.”

“Okay so his past, have you met all of his friends?”

“Um I thought I did, in the summer we went back home and he introduced me to 2 guys he said he hung out with in high school, but they were so nice there is no way these are the same guys.”

“Are they from his program?”

“No, everyone dances at the academy in the afternoon and if they were from his program, I think I would have seen them around school before. Like I have never seen these guys before.”

“Can’t you just ask Adam?” Suddenly I can hear him before I can see him.

“Ask Adam what? Hey Lacey” I can feel my eyes widen in a what the fuck kind of way. I’m not turning around.

“Uh hey Adam, how’s your first day of your last year going?”

“Maybe you can tell me?” Lacey’s eyes widen now, and she just stares at me, then chugs her beer.

“Oh, would you look at that I need another one, I think I’ll go get another round, like now.” I give her this pleading look not to leave, and she looks at me in a this is awkward and I’m sorry to look, then walks away. Adam takes her seat, leans back in the chair, and looks me up and down.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“No how should I look at you, with adoring eyes like Cameron, or maybe I should talk about how amazing you are.”

“Okay that’s fine, you play this game here fine by me, why do you just tell me how to act because you're good at barking out orders, oh wait maybe you just want to sit there and say nothing while a bunch of clowns treat me like a piece of meat. No still not good enough, why don’t you just go back to your friends and continue to pretend like I don’t exist, and while you’re at you can also pretend that you don’t have a place to sleep tonight, actually that part you don’t need to pretend, because you don’t have a place to sleep tonight.”

“What the fuck is up your ass.”

“Up my ass? No sorry you don’t get to talk to me like that. It’s bad enough when your ‘friends’ talk down to me and you let them, I’m not letting you.” I stand up to walk away when I see Lacey hangin' out a few feet away awkwardly standing alone. Adam grabs my hand, I stop, but don’t look at him because I am on the verge of crying.

“Molly please I came here to talk to you, don’t walk away from me.”

“Say what you want to say, Adam.” I don’t move from where I am standing.

“Please sit down, I don’t want to make a scene.”

“What do you want to say, Adam.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not good enough.” I pull my arm out of his hold and walk right over to Lacey.

“Shots I wanna do them until I can’t stand.”

“Molly, are you sure?”

“Yep he wants to let them treat me like that and not tell me who they are I’m done.”

“Done? Like what do you mean done?”

“Like I told him not to come home tonight, now let’s make tonight no longer exist like my relationship.” We walk to the bar, I get the bartender's attention, and I order a tray of shots, she looks at me like I’m a little crazy, she holds up 1 finger as if to say one second, and the next thing she comes around the bar, motions for us to follow her towards the dance floor, she leads us to a table, whispers in my ear someone will deliver the shots to us. I shrug my shoulders and look at Lacey. Lacey smiles.

“Was this somehow you?”

“I might have given her a heads up if we came back and ordered something stronger than beer. It will be a long night. So, I guess she set up a table.”

“You’re a great friend.” A short while later the shots arrive, I down the first, second, and third, breathe for a minute, and take the fourth, five, and sixth.

“Molly slow down, I can’t keep up and I have to work tomorrow.”

“Fine but if you’re not gonna drink those I will.” Lacey cheers to the sky and downs her fourth shot, then shakes her head like it’s not good. She motions to the shots and I take them both.

“Let’s dance.” I stand up and the room spins, I sit down for a second, and the room is still spinning. Whatever, let's dance. I stand up again, and we head to the dance floor, those shots have kicked in, I’m not entirely sure what I look like dancing, but I know I feel amazing right now. Lacey leans in, “Hey, so what exactly do those goonies look like?”

“I don’t fucking know, like tall and fit and too cool for me. Why?”

“Because I feel like they are coming over here.”

“Is Adam?”

Before she can answer I can hear their voices, oh no, they are coming over here I can’t even. Lacey shakes her head no; at the same time, I feel someone’s hands slide down my side to the thighs. I turn around and it is the guy I bumped into earlier, I slap him across the face. He looks at me like what the fuck. I try to talk but I can’t get the words out, the room is spinning now.

“Lacey!”

I wake up but don’t open my eyes, my head hurts, my stomach hurts, my hand kind of hurts. What the hell happened, suddenly the previous night came flooding back to me. Oh god, where am I? I open my eyes slowly and look around, oh I’m at home, I’m still dressed in my bar clothes. I look beside me, but no Adam, my heart starts to hurt. I guess he didn’t come home with me, how did I get home? I grab my phone to see if I have a new message from Lacey and realize it’s only 6:00 am I open the message.

Lacey: Hey babe, hope you feel better in the morning. Love you long time too Well, that’s sweet but it tells me nothing about how I got home. I wonder what that creep did when I passed out. I need water and Advil. I get out of bed, and walk out of the bedroom towards the kitchen, when I turn the light on, I stop dead, Adam, Adam is home, he slept on the couch, why didn’t he sleep in the spare room? Oh, hell no those clowns better not be here I feel way too shitty to kick them out. I turn around and open the spare room door. I quietly peek in, no one is in there, the bed is perfectly still made. Hmm oh well I walk out to the kitchen to get a glass of water, I chug the first glass it feels so good, I pour a second and go to chug it too, halfway through it’s not staying down, I run to the bathroom. It is not a nice scene when all 8 shots come back up. I am finally done throwing up. I sit with the tub against my back facing the bathroom door when I notice a figure in the doorway, I jump. It’s only Adam, in a very deep husky voice he asks, “Are you okay?” I shake my head no.

“Can I come in?” I shake my head yes; I have no words for him today. He comes in and sits on the ground with me. We sat in silence for a few minutes.

“Molly, I know I owe you more than an apology, but let me start with that. I am sorry for yesterday.” I cut him off.

“For what part? Because from where I’m sitting, I don’t know if this is,” Adam stops me before I can finish my sentence “Stop, don’t finish that sentence not before I’m done talking. For all of it. I am an idiot, a jealous idiot, and a selfish idiot. They are old buddies; I knew they were in town checking out the campus yesterday. I didn’t think I would run into them while I was at school. When I saw them on break I was so excited I got caught up in talking to them. I wasn’t thinking to introduce you, then if Cameron gushing over you in class wasn’t nerve-racking, I couldn’t stand up and say back off she’s mine. I also had to watch him touch you, I was jealous and acted like an idiot, my old friends were still hanging around when we were done class, I have no excuse for the way I let them talk to you, I was mad at you or I guess Cameron that I wanted to make you mad and I could see they got to you and selfishly it made me feel better in some twisted way. Then I got caught up in hanging out, we ended up at the bar, I saw the way you were dressed and played it up like you were some sort of bimbo. I was jealous again and handled the entire thing wrong. But after all that I ended up punching Gerry because he was all over you on the dance floor, but you had already blacked out at that point. Lacey helped me get you into the Uber and up to the loft then she went home.”

I honestly don’t know what to say to him, I pull my knees to my chest wrap my arms around them, and lay my forehead on my knees. I sit like this for I don’t how long, I can’t keep sitting here though. I stand up, step over Adam’s legs, and walk out of the bathroom. I crawl back in bed and put the blanket over my head. I just want to escape this world. I hear Adam get up and go back to the living room. What am I going to do? I replay yesterday after school in my head. His friends were really rude, I get he was jealous and mad because Cameron was flirting with me, but I wasn’t flirting back. And this guy named Gerry, yeah, I do get why he thought he could dance with me, I kind of brought that on myself. I need to know who these guys are now. I throw the blanket off me and march out to the living room. Adam looks up at me, his eyes are red like he’s been crying. Stay focused Molly answers let’s get some.

“I want you to tell me who these friends are, how you know them, and why you want to be friends with meatheads like them?”

“Their names are Gerry, Simon, and Peter, I have known them ever since I started dancing, they went to the same studio as I did, we were the only 4 guys in the programs, we grew up together really, they weren’t always meatheads when we were in high school they were good guys, I haven’t seen them in about 2-3 years, they changed. I, I’m sorry babe, I was mad at first when you walked over, then Simon cut me off and I thought it was funny, I didn’t think it was offensive, I didn’t correct him about all the dancers I’ve been with because I guess I wanted them to think I am Mr. popular. As for Peter, there is no excuse for his comment, I should have stuck up for you, but I was mad at you.”

“I need to think.” I head back into my room, and Adam doesn’t move. I need to get out of these clothes. I take off my clothes, I might as well have a shower, I head back into the bathroom, turn on the water, and get in, the hot water feels good. I get dressed for school, pack my school bag, come back out, and drop my bag by the door.

“Are you going to school?”

“Yeah, it’s only the second day I can’t miss it. Aren’t you going?”

“Nah not this morning, I’ll be there for contempt. Though.” I nod my head, “Will you cuddle with me before you leave?”

“Sure.” I walk over to the couch, and sit next to Adam, but don’t reach for him, he wraps an arm around me.

“Molly please forgive me, please, I want to know what you’re thinking, but I don’t want it to be the end of us, I can’t control what other people say.”

“No, but you can control what you say. And not saying anything hurt me. Do they even know I was your girlfriend, or that we lived together?”

“They do now after you passed out and I ran out onto the dance floor, I punched Gerry, then scooped you up I came to my senses a little, I don’t remember exactly what I said but I know I said you ARE my girlfriend and we LIVE together. Why are you talking like it’s in the past?” I look at Adam, his eyes meet mine and I can see the hurt in them, and they start to well up. I can’t I love this man too much not to be with him, but I’m still mad. Maybe that’s just it I’m mad, I’m fucking mad at him.

“Adam I’m fucking mad at you, I love you and I can’t picture life without you, but yesterday made me mad, I’m mad that you didn’t say something sooner to them and I’m a little mad you never mentioned these friends before, also I don’t like them. Can you let me be mad for a while until I get over it?” Adam pulls me even closer and kisses my temple.

“I can live with that.”