Chapter 58 Sharing fears
Uriel's POV
"How's your red wine?" Ryder whispered from behind me, cutting my reading off.
I paused.
My shoulders stiffened, my cheeks red from fresh embarrassment and shyness.
I still couldn't get over that day.
"It's menstrual flow, Ryder." Smirking, I explained to him.
"Red wine."
"Would you drink it then?" I raised my eyebrow at him, tilting my head to the side.
"Ew, no." He eyed me, his face scrunched up in disgust.
"Exactly, Ry. Exactly." I nodded at him slowly. Then I pinched my eyes closed, avoiding his gaze, "and would you stop bringing it up? That day haunts me!"
"Girl, I'm traumatized." He whispered. "But I did handle it well." His tone was cocky.
Chuckling lightly, I shook my head.
It was true that he handled it well though. I expected him to freak out after finding out that his bright colored sheets were stained in my blood.
Holy shit.
I just wanted the ground to swallow me whole.
Sue me, I wasn't one to keep track of my period. I was that lazy.
Come on, I know I'm not the only human that's built like that.
"But are you good?" He poked my back, making me glare at him.
"It's finished. It only lasts 5 days and it's over. It's also a 23 days cycle. I hope you can let me be now." I groaned, covering my face with my book.
"Hmm." He smirked, relaxing back into his chair. He didn't disturb me for the rest of the day until we were done with our last paper.
Everyone was jubilating and sharing their plans for the little break as the bell rang for dismissal.
"H-hey!" Cain was the first person to approach me once I entered the crowded hallway.
"Hi Cain."
"So, it's in the next three days, huh?" He rubbed his hand on his jeans, his eyes holding grief.
"You ready?" I forced a smile down my lips. We agreed not to rehearse until the D-day so we didn't mess it up with tension and all of that.
"Yeah. I'll... I'll see you. Goodluck."
Something about how he spoke to me felt off. In fact, the way he scurried past me was also off.
Something just didn't feel right.
Well, I assumed it was the cold feet and moved on.
My eyes met that of Ryder's when I got to my locker. His face was straight as hell and he seemed not to be paying attention to what Michael was telling him. Then Michael followed his eyes trail and met my eyes, a sly smirk forming on his lips.
I raised my hand to wave at him with a bright smile. Ryder turned away immediately, leaving Michael without a word or two.
The guy.
"Girl, we're having fun this break!" Kathie wrapped her hands around my waist and Chloe's waist, pulling us together to her sides.
"I have a lot of places in my head." Chloe squealed
"Except we have short holiday lessons." Lance flashed a flier to Kathie's face. Then he looked at me, smiling sheepishly as he said, "hi, Uri."
"Hi." I forced a smile on my face.
"It only takes 3 hours. There's still enough time to explore." Kathie showed us the timing. It was from 11 AM till 1PM.
It was indeed a lot of time.
"And it's not every day. Just thrice a week. Sound even cool." Chloe smiled
"I heard we'd be grouped into study groups." Lance added. "I hope you and I get into the same one." Lance smiled at me.
Kathie and Chloe looked at each other and then at Lance, before turning to me.
"Uhhh... How about us?" Kathie left our waist, folding her arms at him.
"All of you." Lance chuckled. "Uri and I are just so close these days, sorry."
We were?
I didn't know what to say.
Honestly, Lance was giving me some awkward vibe and I didn't know if I was just reading wrongly or it was just normal?
Maybe he was just trying to come around us. Or just me?
But the possessiveness.
I know it was all brotherly but -
No. It was just that.
I wasn't going to assume things.
"Hey Kay. Can we -" Mason nudged his head to whatever direction. Kathie bit her lips, smiling sheepishly.
"I need to - we have to -"
"Just go!" Chloe pushed her, giggling.
"Are they dating now?" Lance asked once they left. "Or just hooking."
"Ask her when you see her, Lance. We all do not know and we don't talk behind our friend's back remember?" I told him sternly.
I caught Chloe looking over at Peter. Aha! I didn't even get the full gist to if her plan worked.
"I'll be right back." Chloe's cheek turned red as she patted my shoulder lightly, her eyes not leaving Peters'.
"Looks like everyone has their own person." Lance chuckled, standing close to me.
"They've been dreaming about that for agessss." I laughed, genuinely happy for my friends.
"Except us." Lance spoke again, looking at me.
"Yeah -"
"But not to worry because we're each other's person." He laced his hand through mine, squeezing tight. "Right?"
My throat suddenly felt dry. My eyes fell to our entwined hands, a weird feeling creeping up my spine.
"Oh shit! I need to find Cain and tell him something important." I lied, pulling my hands away abruptly.
"Oh, sure. Call me!" Lance yelled.
Since when?
Sneakingly, I left the school environment because I didn't know if I'd see Chloe and Kathie today again and I couldn't face Lance anymore.
Maybe we could all hang out after tomorrow, as a team.
That's how it had always been.
_•_
Anyway, I lied.
I couldn't just stay and not practice at all
So, I was trying to perfect my introductory solo dance. Though we scrapped it off but it still felt like a warm up to me.
As the day drew closer, my anxiety topped the chart until it broke the scale.
Tell me why I didn't take coffee but yet, I was wide awake by 3 AM, counting down to 7 AM, where I'll go to school.
Not knowing what to do or any other person to call, I let my hand randomly pick...
"Hello?" His voice was groggy and thick, I barely heard him.
My heart thumped loudly, as I contemplated if I should end the call or not.
"Uriel? Are you good? I can hear your damn breathing. So fucking loud." Ryder growled lowly.
I bet he was cussing me out in his heart.
"I didn't know wolves sleep at night." I teased, clutching my sheet tight, as if to transfer some anxiety.
"I'm listening, Kinky."
My heart melted, hearing that he was paying closing attention to me. He didn't fall for my distraction.
"I... I'm just scared about tomorrow. There'll be a lot of eyes on me and - I don't know if I can do it, Ryder."
"Hmm. Look how tables turn." He mocked, yawning loudly. So boyish. "Look, I trust you, Uriel. You're such a brave lady and - they'll love it. Don't overthink it."
Sighing, I slowly released my grip on my sheet.
"Tomorrow will come and go, just like every other day. Just dance like the dying chicken and hope your weak ass partner catches you. God I hate that boy."
I chuckled, hearing him whisper the last part.
"Thank you, Ry." Smiling, I told him. "Would you be there tomorrow?"
I wanted him to be there.
It was going to mean a lot to me.
"Nah. It's not my setting, Uriel. Now, shoo!"
Beep!
The line went dead.
I blinked once and then twice, just staring at my screen.
Curling into the bed, I heard my heart break into two.
So unsupportive.
I was about to sleep when a text from an anonymous number popped in my screen, sending new loads of nerves down my whole body
Anonymous:
You'd regret dancing tomorrow, bitch.