Remi shows some simple steps where we had to move a step to the right and a step to the left and a few more. It looks simple enough, so I follow them and do the same. And then the rhythm merged with the beat, and we do the same moves but this time with smoothness, accompanying one beat to the next.
Still dancing, Candee inches closer to me and whispers, “If my eyeballs end up sticking to his muscles, please help me unstick them.” And I chuckle.
Despite having his back to us, Remi turns his neck and signals Candee to get back to her place, and she obeys.
I nod at Candee, grinning and mouthing, I will help you.
And as if these ass movements weren’t enough, they take it to another level. Now, we stand on one spot but swing our waist (more like our asses) from right to left to right in slow motion to match the beat.
I glance to my right. Candee’s gaze is on Nicholas and not on Remi and Layla, but she’s still getting the moves right—damn, she’s good at this. I look at her moving body and back at Remi. They’re bending their knees a little and turning their soles, keeping their toes in place, and then they’re swinging their ass from right to left. I try the same movement and … yes! This is definitely better.
This is fun, I mouth at Candee when she glances at me. She winks and blows me a kiss.
We do some more steps, and while Layla stays in front, Remi merges with the class, moving from one side to the other to monitor us.
“Okay, everybody.” Remi claps his hands together, and Nicholas turns off the music. “Feel good so far?”
There are nods everywhere, and the excitement on everybody’s face is evident. I look back at Remi and see his gaze on me. He raises an eyebrow, and I shrug, showing my indifference, but if the flush on my cheeks is any indication, he’ll know I’m enjoying this.
He shakes his head and gives the class his attention. “All right, everyone. Grab your partner. We’re going to do some circle exercises now.”
He shows the steps first, and then Layla and Nicholas demonstrate as a couple while Remi explains what they’re doing.
“Can you do that?” he asks, running a hand through his hair as he takes back his place in front of the class. We all nod and take our positions.
After ten minutes of doing some movement, which I’m not even sure I can call dancing, Layla stops us. “You three will need a little more help,” I hear her say, and glance up. She signals Nicholas to come and help.
“I’ll ta—” Remi starts, but he’s interrupted.
“I’ll pair up with Kaci,” Nicholas announces. He presses the play button and makes his way toward me.
This shocks me because I’m the one who is faltering, and therefore, I should have been paired up with the instructor and not the DJ, but since no one else found it awkward, I roll with it.
I peek at Remi, and his unblinking gaze follows Nicholas—the poor thing seems stunned too but shakes himself out of it. He motions Candee to join him.
I risk looking at her, and see she’s sulking, her eyes throwing daggers at Nicholas. When she reaches Remi, he circles his arms around her, and Candee looks at me. Her lips press in a non-amused smile, and she shrugs lightly.
And we move with the rhythm.
Nicholas turns out to be a surprise. He doesn’t talk much except to help me with the dance steps, but whenever he speaks to me, his voice is low as if he’s not instructing but having a conversation. For the duration of our dance, he looks everywhere but at me, keeping his hands lightly on my body—I don’t think it’s even called touching.
Candee glances in my direction a few times, and each time she has a mild, sad smile on her face. Five minutes later, Remi signals the end of the class, and we break apart. “Thanks for helping me today,” I tell Nicholas.
“You’re welcome. You’re doing pretty good,” he compliments, tucking a few strands of hair behind his ears and giving me a small smile before walking away. The joy I’m feeling inside surfaces on my face. I like him. He’s nice.
“He’s a fartsicle,” Candee grumbles as she joins me. “Why didn’t he choose me?” she asks, her voice whiny.
I shrug. “Maybe because he saw Remi and me having an argument the other day and didn’t want things to get awkward?” I provide, half believing it. Or he saw the lustful stares Candee has been giving him—this little thought I keep to myself.
We slip back into our sneakers, and I sling my backpack over my shoulder. As we walk to the exit, the skin at the back of my neck tickles. My shoulders tense, and for no reason, I turn around to find Remi’s gaze on me. A part of me is captivated by his amber eyes. Just as I reach the door, I catch his lips lifting at one corner in a cocky smile.
#OMG
FIVE
#HeCalledMeDarling
“I’m not going to let you die, I promise.”
“Stop talking to your belly.”
Candee gasps. “But my tummy is hungry. You’re killing her, Kaci,” she whines, rubbing her belly.
We came to school early today, and since we’re going grocery shopping afterward, we skipped breakfast, and now I’m seeing the errors in my actions. I shake my head, looking heavenwards. “Just let me finish this,” I say, filling out the form faster. “There,” I give the form to the woman in administration. Then, I take a bottle of water from my backpack and hand it to Candee. “Drink this.”
She shakes her head, and her lips start wobbling. “This Oliver Twist needs food. Pleaaaase …” she cries, her voice pleading. I make a mental note that Candee’s an even greater pain in the ass when she’s famished.
“Ugh.” I shove the bottle back in the bag and zip it. Candee grabs my hand and pulls me out of there. “Slow down, or we’ll mow somebody over,” I quip, but she doesn’t slow her pace. In less than a minute, we’re walking into a coffee shop. The smell that greets us makes my stomach groan.
“This is what heaven will smell like,” she comments as we sit.
“I agree. Have you been here?” I ask.
She nods. “Once, the day I arrived here. And after today, I promise you’ll want to come again,” she singsongs.
If the food at this place is half as good as it smells, I’ll definitely come again. “Now, you’re making me hungrier,” I say, grabbing my phone as a message drops in. It’s from Ryan. He’s been sending me messages every day, but I’ve deleted every single one of them. I roll my neck, getting rid of the tension there, and delete this one as well.
“Do you know how we say tits in Italian?” Candee asks, and I have no idea how we jumped to this topic.
I shake my head.
“It’s called tette. Guess now I’ll be saying, calm your tette, bitches—in an Italian accent.”
I suck in my cheeks. This girl has a natural talent for swear words. “I never want to hear you say tette ever again.”
“C’mon. Tette is more fun than tits,” Candee says, looking at the waiter behind me.
“Hey …”
I recognize this voice.
My heart knocks with my ribs.
My body sits straight.
#HotGuyAlert
I look up, and there he is, standing right next to me with a raised eyebrow and those ambers trying to reach my soul. “Damn ...”