Half of My Heart ✔️

11 | eyes on me

"You want me to drive you home?" Mya asks, slinging her dance bag over her shoulder. "We can stop somewhere to get dinner on the way. On me."

As tempting as that sounds, I sigh and say, "No, I'm staying back for a bit to practice my solo."

She nods in understanding. "Want me to stay back and wait for you? I want to memorize your solo and upstage you at the audition. It's a dog-eat-dog world."

I smile and shake my head. Mya isn't even going to the audition that I'm practicing for. "As tempting as that sounds, I'll have to decline. I'll be fine. We can hang out tomorrow night at my place."

She starts digging in her bag. "Sounds good." Then she throws a box of Cheez-Its at me that I barely catch. "Eat something, Scarlett. And don't stay too long. I know you've been stressed about school and dance lately, but get some fucking sleep. Or I'll put you to sleep myself. With my fists."

She holds up her small fists and snarls, and it's probably the least threatening thing I've ever see. "Thank you. For the Cheez-Its and the violent threat."

"No problem." Mya smiles then turns to leave. The studio is empty aside from the two of us, and we both startle when the door swings open.

Levi looks warily through the door, sees me, then walks in slowly, sliding his phone into his back pocket. "Hey, Crimson."

Mya smiles at him, then whips around to look at me. He's hot, she mouths. I roll my eyes and look back at Levi, who's looking up at the high ceilings.

I look at my watch. "You're half an hour late. Did your skateboard get stuck in a pot hole or something?"

His laugh echoes slightly in the large, empty room, and I smile. "Well you could've given me better directions to this place. It's harder to find than the fucking Chamber of Secrets."

"I thought you were going to say the female g-spot. I have a feeling you have a lot of trouble finding that too," I retort. Mya laughs, then smacks a hand over her mouth.

"Crimson, just because you've never been touched by a man doesn't mean you have to take that frustration out on me," Levi says, walking up and sitting next to me.

I scoff. "That's funny that you consider yourself a man. More like an overgrown prepubescent boy. I bet your balls haven't even dropped yet."

I feel his gaze on the side of my face. "If I were even remotely attracted to you, I might offer to show you how wrong both of your statements are," he says. "One night with me and you'd change your mind."

"As if you'd last for an entire night with me. More like two pathetic minutes," I retort.

Mya clears her throat and we turn out heads to her, remembering we're not alone. It reminds me of the other day when Professor Pavil slammed the textbook on our desk, ending our conversation. For some reason, I'm just as embarrassed.

"I'm Mya," she says, holding out her hand to Levi and looking between us. "I dance with Scarlett. And feed her. And drive her ass around when she lets me."

Levi stands up and shakes her hand. "Levi. I piss Scarlett off in class. Nice to meet you."

Mya looks down at their hands. "Strong handshake. My dad always said the better the handshake, the stronger than man."

They let go and Levi looks at me. "Hear that? My hands make me a man. Mya thinks I'm a man, Crimson."

I open my mouth to fire back, but my gaze gets caught on his hands. I have to admit, they are nice. Probably from playing guitar.