Two

THIS IS IT.

A moment that had been five years in the making.

And that was why she was dancing around her bedroom like a ballerina.

Or a lunatic with delusions of being one.

Take your pick, world.

But right now, she was just so, so happy, she felt she would burst if she didn't do something. And so while A Summer Place played on repeat in her mind, Cat twirled, jumped, and glided to her heart's content.

Arms in first position, but with her fingers meeting to subtly form a heart.

Arms in second position as she leaped as high as she could (which was not that much, unfortunately).

Arms in third position as she stood in front of the curtains and flashed a coquettish smile as if they were her gentleman partner in a waltz.

Oh, what a beautiful, beautiful day it was to dance!

Piroutte!

Sauté!

Glissade!

Because today was the day that—-

"What are you doing?"

—-Sarica of all people would catch her bowing, tiptoeing, and spinning in front of her gilded full-length mirror like her body had been possessed by the spirit of Christine, and she was practicing her moves for her beloved Phantom of the Opera Raoul.

Aaargh!

You're not supposed to fall for the villain!

And FOCUS!

Because right now, her extraordinary talent for shipping a couple that was never the OTP wasn't even her most pressing concern.

Rather, it was the girl with bubblegum-colored hair and whose emerald eyes were presently narrowed at Cat from the doorway.

What do I even say?

A frown slowly formed on Sarica's forehead. "Is that a new workout?"

I don't believe this.

Cat didn't know whether to laugh...or question everyone else's sanity.

SSS.

It stood for 'super serious soul', and she had personally come up with the term after the numerous instances that someone had caught her doing something silly—-

But because they think I'm SSS...

Everyone would always end up rationalizing what they had seen, and Cat wouldn't even have to say a word.

Like now.

Sarica had already assumed her silence meant 'yes' and was now talking about something else.

"Just can't believe..."

Cat was having a hard time concentrating on Sarica's words. A part of her was still marveling at how the other girl hadn't thought her earlier actions weren't weird. At all.

"Catch you after breakfast?"

"Um..."

Sarica gave her an odd look. "Um...what?"

"Um..."

"Tell me all about it later. I need to be downstairs before Massimo and Ysabel."

Sarica had to throw the last few words over her shoulder as she hurried towards the stairs.

Phew.

Cat was glad of not having to lie to Sarica, but this time, she also made sure to lock her door before turning to face her reflection on the mirror.

Unremarkable dark hair, unremarkably serious face, unremarkably slender body.

Perfect!

These were the things about herself that she once struggled to understand and accept, but the five years that went past had given her peace and clarity.

She was made to be this way because she was only meant to be seen by those who truly mattered.

And as unbelievably as it may be, one of those people was Ezio Marchetti.

This is it.

After five long years, she finally had a chance to make it right, and even though it still didn't make sense how someone as beautiful as Ezio Marchetti was part of God's plans for her—-

She was done questioning it.

She was done questioning God.

Today was all about seizing what should have happened five years past.

Carpe diem!