Chapter 12

I stayed after school to watch Jet’s football practice with Annie the next week. Tucker had gotten sick just days after things had come out with Mom, our stolen kiss obviously too soon. Even Leo had gotten sick. I felt like the walking plague, infecting anyone and everyone I met. Almost literally, because even though I’d technically gotten well almost a week ago, I still felt run down. Enough to where I was skipping my day at the studio, since Leo was out anyway.

I laid back on the long metal bench of the stands, pulling my light, crop top hoodie over my eyes to block the sun. A light cool front had blown in, making it just enough to consider a sweater when you were out in the wind.

Annie was set up on the bench below mine, her homework spread in front of her. She took turns, three Calculus questions for another ten minutes of watching Jet and the team.

He’d really been doing awesome, but I knew his spirits were down after homecoming. Another recruiter was scheduled to be at this week’s game, and he’d been roping some of the guys into staying late, helping him run plays while he and Coach Riojas talked strategy and how to improve his chances.

It was almost like it had become Jet’s obsession. Something that I’d never heard him stress about wanting so much before was now all he talked about, and I hoped for his sake that a scholarship came his way.

“Ugh,” I heard Annie grumble after a few minutes, and my brow furrowed.

“What?”

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.” But hearing how pissed she sounded, I couldn’t let it go.

“What happened?”

“Nothing you need to worry about.”

Okay, because that wasn’t cryptic. I sat up. “What, Annie?”

She released a frustrated puff of air. “Just…freaking Zane. He won’t stop looking up here. I love watching Jet at practice, but ugh, does it suck that he’s on the team now. He doesn’t usually stare like this, though. It’s got to be cuz you’re here.”

I cringed.

“He’s gonna get reamed out by one of the coaches if he doesn’t quit,” she added.

My eyes glanced at their own volition, catching number thirty-four looking up after shoving his shoulder into the blocking bag to move it several feet down the field.

I rolled my eyes. I didn’t know what to do to get Zane to forget about me. He probably even thinks I’m here to watch him. My stomach rolled at just the thought. So many of my feelings for him were tainted after that night.

“I’m thinking of making some homemade chicken noodle soup tonight. Taking some over to Tucker,” I mentioned, watching with Annie as Jet made a long pass at the other end of the field. Noah leapt with a perfect catch, running into the endzone.

Annie’s lips quirked up in a small smirk. “He’ll like that, I bet.”

“What?” I asked, reading more in her expression.

“Nothing.” She shrugged. “It’s just weird still, hearing how coupley you two are. Don’t let Jenna think you’re taking over her territory with the cooking thing.” Annie pointed a finger at me.

“Jenna bakes. And she’ll love it if I bring over soup.”

“I know. I’m just teasing.”

We watched the rest of practice before heading home with Jet, and I headed to the kitchen while he and Annie went upstairs. I smirked, all too aware of what they were probably getting up to.

Get your head out of the gutter.I scolded myself. It felt like it was always there nowadays, ever since Tucker had exposed me to the world of sex. I doubted Annie and Jet would get up to too much with me downstairs, but either way, I wasn’t going to interrupt. Just in case.

I’d just turned the soup down to simmer when my phone dinged with a text.

Leo: Check your email!

I frowned and pulled it up, nearly dropping my phone when I saw the email from Baste Academy.

After visiting our sister camp, Abstract Arcs, and watching your performance, we’d like to offer you an audition for our prestigious program…

My eyes whizzed over the rest of the email, and I literally started bouncing as I screamed.

Footsteps pounded down the stairs, and Annie and Jet came racing over.

“What? What happened?” Annie sounded panicked, her eyes darting around the room as I jumped up and down, clutching my phone to my chest.

“I got it!”

“Huh?”

“I got it!”

“Got what, sis?” Annie huffed.

Jet gave me an amused look. “In her defense, you’re not making much sense.”

I shook my head, because how were they not getting how big of a deal this was?

Leo: Did you get it, too??

Me: Yes!!!! Ahhhh!!!!

“Izzy!” I looked up, surprised to see Annie’s outright frustration. “What did you get?”

I held out my phone, and Jet took it, my face beaming. “Baste Academy! They want an audition!”

Annie blinked before a smile slowly formed on her face. “That’s awesome. Congrats.” She opened her arms, and I grabbed her, bouncing up and down again. Jet just watched, laughing.

“That’s seriously great, Izzy. When is it?”

I nodded at my phone with the email. “In a couple of months. December. Oh! I have to get ready. I have to start preparing.” I yanked at my apron strings. “Shit. The soup.” I was making Tucker soup. I grabbed the strings again, my hands fumbling in my excitement as I tried to retie, and Jet laughed, tugging me back by the strings to fix it. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” He was still laughing. “And I thought I was excited about recruiters.”

I shot him a playful look, sticking out my tongue. I was so freaking excited. I caught Annie’s expression out of the corner of my eye. The one she didn’t want me to see, and I stopped.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” She shook her head, clearly not.

“Annie…”

“I’m sorry.” Her voice grew tight. “I’m being awful. This is amazing for you, and I’m so happy for you, but at the same time, I’m not. I’m just not. I know you’ve been dreaming about dance school. It’s been the reality for years. But my dream has been the four of us at college together. That won’t happen now if you get this. So, while I want you to get this, I really do, I also don’t.”

She dropped her head, and Jet reached out to rub her back. Meanwhile, my heart swelled because everything she said? I got it. Down to my toes I got it. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere not near her or Tucker or Jet next year. But this was my dream.

I stepped forward and pulled her into a giant hug, making sure everything in it told her what she needed to know. Everything I felt. When we finally pulled back, our gazes met, and we nodded. Both of us understood.

“Always.” Our voices mixed as we squeezed each other’s hands.

“And five, six, seven, eight,” I counted, Leo and I falling into our steps with the music. We made it to the second chorus when Leo broke rank. “No. Nope, not working.” I hit pause on the sound system as he linked his hands behind his head to pace in front of the mirror. “The pattern just isn’t flowing right. We can do better. You’re awesome. This routine is awesome, but it’s just missing…” He rubbed his fingers together.

“Something.” I nodded, my hands resting at my hips as I contemplated how to fix it. He was right. It was good, great even, but for Baste Academy, we were shooting for phenomenal. The best we’d ever done.

“How about we change the motif before the spin instead? I suggested. “We could go from this,” I demonstrated one of the moves we’d already been using, “and go into a backflip. Then I can jump or go into an arc where you catch me and flip me around over your back into a lift?”

Leo nodded, considering. “Okay, I’m intrigued. Let’s give it a try.”

I reset the music as we took our places and counted us off again…

“Perfect,” Leo beamed, sucking in deep breaths from exertion. He gave me a hug after we’d run through it a few times and then pulled back, tucking his head into his elbow as he was attacked with a cough. “Break?” he wheezed.

“Yeah,” I agreed, grabbing my water as I caught my breath. I toweled at the sweat that was beading across my chest and abdomen, then dabbed at my brow as I went to sit on the mats. “That cold’s not letting up, huh?” I asked when Leo sneezed a few times. “It’s not from what I gave you, right?”

He threw me a dismissive wave as he took a seat next to me. “Nah, I mean, that virus started things off, but this cold came after. It’s like my immune system never got a chance to get better before this round of crap hit. Not that I have time to sit back with it. December will be here before we know it.”

I nodded. It was already mid-October, and we’d been cracking down, countless hours in the studio here and even in my garage some evenings. We were determined to bring this audition all we had. Leo sneezed again, and I flinched, leaning away. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Just need to rest for a bit.” He leaned back, the dark strands of his hair pressing against the wall, and he breathed deeply for a minute before facing me. “Seriously, though, you’re a freaking genius, Izzy, with choreography. Tell me you’re not going to chicken out on this audition.”

I winced. “I thought I’d been keeping that pretty well to myself.”

He scoffed. “Ha, your doubts are written all over your face. Especially any time you mention Annie. Or Tucker. How’re things going with that?”

“Alright.” I couldn’t help but smile, sitting back as the room began to spin. Whoa, more water. I’d been bad about that lately, just getting lost in the dance. I’d forget. Ever since that virus, I was wearing out faster, my immune system on its own sinking line. But I didn’t have time to listen to it.

“Just alright?” Leo nudged my leg with his. “I saw the way he watched you that time he came here. He’s a goner for you. I like him better than that Zane guy. Jealous asshole.”

I nearly spurt out my water when I laughed. “Yep. That about sums him up. And you’re right, things with Tucker are amazing. And yes, I start to doubt some about the Academy when I talk and or think about Annie, or him, or even Jet, but…” I trailed off, not even sure what I was trying to say.

“But nothing.” Leo gave me a serious look. “Baste Academy doesn’t offer auditions to just anyone, and you’d be a shoo-in. Just think about all the opportunities you’d have if you got in. A college dance team won’t be anything compared to the Academy on your resume. Or any other dance school.”

“I know. I know,” I insisted between long pulls from my water bottle. I knew he was right. The Academy would be fantastic. My dream. They specialized in all kinds of dance, and they had a great program for our favorite contemporary modern style. We interchanged with hip hop some, too, but that was our main go-to. I sighed. “It’s just more complicated for me than it is for you. I want to go. I’m going to audition, but it’s hard. I’ve never gone longer than dance camp without seeing Annie, and I don’t know if I could not live near my sister.”

“The twin thing.” Leo nodded, pursing his lips in consideration.

“I know Baste Academy would be amazing, though.”

“Then do it.”

“I am. The audition, at least. I’ll have to worry about whether I do go or not later.” There was so much to still think about. So much in the air. I didn’t even know if I’d officially get in.

Leo frowned, obviously not getting the answer he wanted. Which honestly wasn’t the answer I thought I’d give, either. I’d been so sure when that email came in. Then I heard Annie. It was just so complicated.

“You’re very frustrating sometimes, Donovan. You know that, right?”

I rolled my eyes, getting up, then held out my hands to pull Leo to his feet. “But you love me, anyway. And right now, we need to perfect this dance.”

“Well said.” He perked up again.

We were in the middle of what had to be our tenth run-through when the room started to tilt again. Ignoring it, pushing through, I came out of my backflip and leapt into my arc, spots dotting across my vision as Leo caught my waist. I tried to blink them away, my head spinning as I held my position in the air. The last thing I remembered was the spots spreading into blackness just as Leo twisted me around to his back for the lift I’d never make.

“Izzy, Izzy!” The voice broke through the cacophony of fleeting images I couldn’t quite see. “Izzy!”

My eyes opened to find Leo kneeling beside me, his features stressed with concern as he tapped at my cheeks.

“Oh, thank God,” he gushed when my focus returned. “Are you okay?”

“Dizzy,” I managed, still trying to get my bearings. “Give me a minute.” I crossed my arms over my face, taking long, slow breaths until the room felt still again. “What happened?” I looked at Leo.

“You fainted when I was spinning you around for the lift. Thank God for the mirror, or I wouldn’t have noticed in time. I barely managed to catch you.”

“Thanks then. That fall would have sucked,” I tried to joke.

Leo sat back, shock still prevalent in his expression. “Shit, Izzy, that seriously scared the crap out of me. Are you gonna be okay? Have you eaten? What happened?”

“I ate. But it’s been a while. Like five hours ago when I had a snack.” I winced when I checked my Fitbit, seeing it was past nine. “I could probably use more water, too.”

“Here.” He reached for my bottle, helping me sit up, and I took several long sips.

“Thanks.” I smiled, already starting to feel better.

Trying to look stern, Leo pointed a finger. “Just don’t do that again, okay? I’m not built for that shit.” I laughed, and my stomach gave an enormous growl, drowning it out. Leo grinned as he pulled me to my feet. “Come on. I think that’s our cue to call it for today. Feel like our favorite place?”

My stomach rumbled again just at the thought. “Mmm…yes, please.”

We headed down the sidewalk that connected the storefronts of a string of businesses and ducked into our go-to soup and sandwich shop after a long day’s practice.

The scent of buttery bread, cheeses, and soups flooded my senses as we pushed open the door, making my stomach growl again. Luckily, the line wasn’t long, it was so late, and Leo ordered a meatball sub while I ordered a tuna melt with a side of broccoli cheese soup. We filled our drinks and found a booth along one of the half-walls that separated the different seating areas.

“Oh, my God, it smells so good in here.” I grabbed my stomach. “I’m so freaking hungry. I feel like I could eat a horse right now.”

“I hope you do.” Leo’s brow raised as he gave me a stern look. “You can’t push yourself like you did today without eating, Izzy. You know that.”

“Well, it wasn’t like you thought to take a break, either.” I took a sip of my drink, feeling the cold liquid hit the bottom of my stomach, it was so empty.

“Okay, you’ve got a point, but damn, that freaked me out.”

“I know. Me, too.” I gave him an understanding look. “I’m sorry.”

“Nope, I’ll only accept it if you eat all of that food you ordered.”

I grinned. “I’ll do my best. I’m gonna go see if it’s ready.”

“No,” Leo stated when I started to slide from the booth. “I’ll get it. I don’t need you passing out again or anything. In fact, you should call Annie or Tucker or someone to come pick you up. I’m not okay with you driving after passing out like that.”

“Yes, Dad.”

Leo raised a teasing eyebrow, pretending to be serious. “Damn straight. And don’t you forget it. Now, seriously, call someone or I’m giving you a ride instead.”

I released a deep breath when he left, pulling out my phone. He was being a bit ridiculous. It’d only happened because I hadn’t eaten, but I knew Leo meant it. He’d had my back as much as Tucker and Jet when Daddy got sick, and he wasn’t letting me leave here without a ride.

Me: Can one of y’all come pick me up? I overdid it at dance today.

Annie: I told you you were pushing too hard. And I can’t. I’ve already got Archer in bed. Can Leo give you a ride? Or, guys?

Jet: Stuck under a mountain of homework from hell, but I can come if you need me.

Tucker: On my way.

Me: Thanks. At the sandwich place across from the studio.

“Tucker’s coming.” I put my phone away just as Leo was getting back.

“Good.” He slid our trays on the table, and my mouth watered as the smell of heated tuna and steamy soup hit my senses. I quickly picked up one of the halves of my sandwich, and I audibly groaned when I took a bite, the flavors bursting in my mouth like a melody.

Leo laughed, taking a bite of fruit before picking up his own, and we ate in silence as I downed my entire sandwich and half my soup.

“Ugh, I’m so full.” He groaned, setting the last bite of his sandwich back on his tray. “Sorry, little guy. You must be sacrificed.”

I gave him a look, shaking my head. “You’re so weird sometimes.”

“You know it.” He grinned. “I’m gonna go to the restroom and stop by the frozen yogurt machine on my way back. You want anything?”

I held up my spoon. “Still working on mine. And I thought you were too full?”

“There’s always room for dessert, Izzy.” He rubbed his stomach as he stood. “I’ll be back.”

Taking another bite of soup, I was surprised when someone slid into the booth across from me. My eyes widened in alarm when I saw Zane’s smooth smirk staring back at me. He was in that leather jacket he’d worn when we first met, and if I hadn’t experienced the other side of him, I’d say he looked sexy as hell. He was sexy as hell. On the outside. But I knew a hint of what lurked on the inside now. What he was capable of.

My nerves went on alert. The hairs on my arms rising in warning.

“May I help you?” I raised my brow, doing my best to keep my apprehension from my voice.

“Just enjoying the view.” Zane winked. “It’s not often I get to see you without someone else around. I’ve missed you.”

“The feeling isn’t mutual.”

His eyes flashed, and I swallowed. “Bullshit. You can deny it all you want, but you and I had something. Something deep. A connection like ours doesn’t just die.”

“It does when one person cheats. Even if you hadn’t hit me, that would have been near impossible for me to forgive, Zane. I know you hate hearing it, but we’re over.”

“No.” He shook his head, looking all too smug as he slid from the booth. “We’re not.” He leaned down, his lips just a breath from my ear. “You’ll be coming back to me. Sooner or later, it will happen. I’ll make sure of it.”

My breath caught in my throat, and he lingered, just a moment with his nose tucking beneath my jaw before he disappeared.

My breath gushed out once he was gone, my hands shaking as I swiped the feel of his breath away from my jaw. Because, what the hell?

“You okay?” Leo asked, a cone piled high in his hand when he came back.

I nodded like I was on autopilot, and he frowned before glancing up, his face shifting to relief. I turned, wondering what he saw, and all the knots twining throughout my body unraveled when I saw Tucker striding up.

“Hey,” Leo greeted, the guys exchanging nods. “Not sure what’s up. She was fine a minute ago before I left for the bathroom.”

Tucker looked down, his eyes raking over my expression in concern. “You okay?” He grabbed my chin between his thumb and index finger, and I nodded.

“Just the usual. Zane finding me when I’m alone.”

His eyes flashed, and he slid into the booth beside me as Leo cursed. “Seriously, Izzy, are you okay?”

I nodded, tucking my face into my boyfriend’s arm, drinking him in. The protection just his presence provided. The calm. “I’m fine. He didn’t really do anything. Just the same old thing about him wanting me back.”

“Not going to happen, princess.” Tucker pressed a kiss to the top of my head, making my heart swell.

I know. I was Tucker’s. My heart. My soul. Every single piece of me belonged to him.