Red Pointe Shoes

Chapter 12

A/N Sorry for the wait, I had my end of year exams. But all's sorted out now! Enjoy the chapter :)

Chapter Twelve

Evan and I linger on the roof for a while longer, enjoying each other's company. He tells me a little bit about himself, and I tell him of my father. Apparently, Evan has a younger sister who wants to learn to dance, so she can dance with him. In his words, she's "eight and already irresistable." I find that adorable, and find myself wondering if I would be a good older sister. I don't seem to have that generous patience that Evan has, so I'll probably be a terrible sister. We slowly learn small facts about each other that shouldn't matter, but does. By the time I'm walking back to my room, a little bit of worry has been lifted from my heart.

"Where were you?" Nat demands, tapping her foot on the ground. Is that what a mother looks like when their daughter breaks curfew? Nat would make a good mother, I can already imagine her surrounded by her very own children. They'll have her wonderful personality and signature black hair.

"With Evan, on the roof." I reply, a smile coming unbidden to my lips. I can see interest flicker in her eyes, but she pushes it away and reconstructs her stern expression.

"We need to talk."

"You're breaking up with me?" I cry instinctively, before remembering that a) I'm not a lesbian and b) I'm not even dating Nat in the first place.

"What?" She furrows her brows in confusion before shaking her head. "Never mind. I meant that we need to talk about last night."

"I used protection, I swear! If there's a baby, I'll care for it too!" I widen my eyes comically, chuckling on the inside. Oh dear God, Evan is rubbing off on me. "You're just setting yourself up, you know?"

A reluctant smile wrenches itself onto her expression, "It's impossible to stay mad at you, have I ever told you that?"

"Loads of times," I laugh, sitting down on the bed and gesturing for her to join me as well. I wait for her to settle down upon the wonderful lovely fleeced blanket before indicating for her to speak. Now that she's calm, it'll be easier to have the Talk.

"Okay, Avery," she starts off, fidgeting slightly. "About last night." She glares at me comically, daring me to make another joke about it. "I don't know, I mean, I thought that you wouldn't jump to conclusions, that you would trust me enough to let me explain."

"I'm sorry, Nat. I just- I mean, I thought we stayed away from them and... and if you were even interested in one of them, I assumed I would be the first one to know." I mutter guiltily. Does it sound too self absorbed? I mean "I assumed I would be the first one to know." Really? That's a signature Disney blonde line. Nothing against blondes, but it's better than delving into an explanation of typical stereotypes and such.

"I thought so too, but it just happened so fast, so unexpected. He was suddenly so nice." Nat muses, tucking a strand of jet black hair behind her ears. "I'm not even sure if I really like him. I was just being nice." I smile reluctantly, accepting her explanation for now with a slight nod. "But if he lays a hand on you, even the smallest finger, you just say the word and I'll make sure he doesn't live to apologize." I warn, trying to settle some of the lingering unease within me. In spite of my friend's warm forgiving smile, there is a seed of ice in my chest, burning insistently, sending tendrils of doubt snaking into my heart.

It seems the end of this mess is yet to come.

***

Sweat beads my forehead as I step into the familiar multi purpose sports hall that serves as the Underground's nightly meeting place. Some would think it's suicidal to have the events on school campus, let alone a few hundred meters away from the faculty room. Our principal and teachers don't live in the school, except the nurse and matrons who are in charge of our welfare. Their rooms are out of sight from this hall though, so we're safe.

I slide the back doors open and dump my butt on a bench in the girl's locker room, resting my forehead in my palms. If the rosters are right, which they usually are, I'm scheduled for a fight with Loyer- the first since the Championships. I would by lying if I claim I'm not the tiniest bit nervous, because I'm only a mere few thoughts away from literally shaking at my knees. It's not like me to get this scared but Loyer will be giving tonight's fight his hundred and ten percent- possibly even more than the effort he put in for the Championships. It pains me to deny this, but in some aspects of fighting, Loyer is better than me. He has strength, wits and speed on his side, coupled with a ferocious will and he's all set. What do I have?

Before I can continue with my pathetic little pity party, the sound of a bag slamming onto the benches echoes throughout the small room, and I look up to see a red haired girl rolling her shoulders and warming up. She's another one of our fighters- and a pretty decent one at that. Nicknamed Lady Luck, she can hold her own against the average fighter and such, but she's too rash, letting her emotions guide her actions in the heat of a fight when it matters most. She catches me looking and sends me a smile before relaxing and leaving against the lockers.

"So I heard that you're rostered against Dante today- good luck with that. He's out for the kill tonight." As if to accentuate her words, a loud crash of a body hitting the floor rebounds, followed by the roar of a crowd. Dimly I hear the voice of the announcer, muffled like I'm in a fast fading dream.

"And Dante completely pulverizes Alpha, he's on a roll tonight folks!"

I shake off my apprehension and turn to send Lady Luck an indifferent shrug, trying to come off as nonchalant and unafraid. She's smirking though, as she brushes past me she hisses, "Best of luck to you, word's out on the street that your win was a fluke- tonight's match will finally prove it."