You and Me (Plus Everyone In Between Us)

The Argument Killed the Rising Stars

My entire dance experience consisted of Just Dance in elementary school because it was too cold to go outside during winter.

Now I was back inside a dance studio with Ray, a flurry of backup dancers, and another choreographer named Cody. He had a clean undercut with a small tuft of brown hair on the top and wore a loose tank top and sweatpants. I was supposed to be learning from him.

I didn't want to learn. Every bone in my body had itched for me to confront Ray right now. Of course, she was STAN. How could I not see it this entire time?

I didn't have time now. All I have time to do is go over intricate choreography in the mirror, which I attempt to follow, but my lack of rhythm makes itself evident. Ray, on the other hand, follows easily, as the moves flow against her body perfectly. Lennon analyzed me from across the room, holding her big-ass iPad.

"You're going to put your arm up like this," he instructed, and I mimicked him. "Put your two feet together and jump from side to side. Ready, 2, 3, 4."

We were immediately dancing to his counts again, and I was already out of time, and I forgot the moves again.

"Stop!" Lennon yelled. "Can you guys do it again? I'm not sure Ezra got it."

My cheeks turned hot at her calling me out, and we went over it again. I finally got some semblance of normalcy in the routine, and I was able to follow some basic beats, but even then, I was practically out of breath. It was even worse when the track we recorded yesterday played and I sang over it.

As the music blasted, I did the choreography, but then I forgot to sing. When I started singing, I mixed up the dance moves. It's so uncoordinated that Cody stops mid-way and pauses the music. Heat filled up my cheeks.

"Cody let's talk," Lennon said, pulling him over as we all waited. They talked in hushed whispers, but the way Lennon kept eyeing me made me immediately guess the reason for the conversion.

I practically lunged for my water bottle and guzzled down every last drop like I had been trekking through the desert.

Ray walked up to me. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," I hesitated, looking away from STAN– I meant Ray.

"How come you're Black but can't dance?" Ray blurted. I almost choked on my water.

"Huh?"

"I'm serious," Ray said. "You have not a single rhythmic bone in your body and we've barely made any progress during this entire session. You need to step your game up."

"What? Are you going to post about how I can't dance?" I hissed, growing bolder.

Ray's eyebrows rose to confusing levels. "What?"

I stood up to where I could see her. "Don't act dumb. I know it's you."

"Know what?" she pretended.

"You're STAN!" I accused. "You've been blackmailing me this entire time because you want me out of the competition!"

"I would defend myself, but I'm not sure whether to feed into this delusion you have," Ray spat.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and showed the thread to her. "Look?"

Her eyes narrowed at the screen. "That isn't me," Ray revealed. "Why would I go as far as to try to ruin your career like this? Trust me, you're not that special. If I wanted to beat you, I could just be better than you."

Humiliation sunk in me. Was she really telling the truth? Was I overestimating how much she hated me?

"What?" was all I could say.

"Just because someone doesn't talk to you, doesn't mean they hate you, Ezra," she hissed. "I thought you didn't like me!"

"I tried to be friends with you," I argued. "You seemed so hostile."

"When was I ever hostile?" Ray asked me.

"The first day," I brought up. "You clearly got upset when you saw me in your room. You lied about me going for a walk the first day and allowed everyone to leave without me."

Confusion ran over her face. "I was tired the first day! Sorry that I wasn't jumping for joy at the sight of you. And that night at the party, you told me you were leaving early. That's why you left the party early! I didn't know you were hungover."

I tried to recollect my memories of that night, but I couldn't muster up any clear picture. All I remembered was a faint recollection. And Andre.

Did Ray not hate me like I thought she did?

"You know," she continued. "I've never had any reason to hate you, but now that you come and accuse me, I just might. I wanted us to be friends! That's why I picked you!"

Guilt ran through me. Maybe I was just being unlikable.

"Are you two done?" Lennon asked, annoyed.