I hand him the check, and he takes my hand. “Yes?”
“Would you want to go out for dinner at some point?”
I look at him. “I’m busy. I have a lot of classes to attend so if you don’t mind working around my schedule.” I wouldn’t mind going to dinner with him. He seems pretty nice at least.
“When are you free tonight?”
“I’m not,” I say. “My last ballet class is at five until seven, and then I have a math test to study for.”
“Tomorrow?”
Well isn’t he pushy? “Around six tomorrow work?” I ask.
Samuel smiles and kisses my hand gently. “That works just fine, April.”
“Alright. Shall we meet here?”
“Outside of the office works,” he says.
Samuel finally releases my hand, and I head back towards my school for my final class of the day.
Chapter Two
I watch as April runs off and wince. Poor girl, she seems sweet. Though I feel bad that I got her in trouble with her teacher, this catty girl beside me is starting to make me mad.
“Yeah, you’d better run.”
I bite the inside of my cheek as I clench my hands in rage. The girl beside her, a rather tanned girl with glasses, sighs and shakes her head.
“Why are you so rude to her?” I demand as I cross my arms.
“Because I don’t like her.”
Well, why not? She seems rather sweet to me.
The girl beside her with a boy cut glares at the catty leader girl before she looks at me, I think her name is Ash. “Because she’s competition. Jennifer’s always like that, even when she shouldn’t be.” She looks at Jennifer, who is currently looking at her with loathing. “You promised. Three days only. And you broke that. So I can say all that I want.”
Well, Ash has earned my respect. “For a sport and art that needs synchronization you seem to be out of sync,” I commented to Jennifer.
She huffs and glances at her group. “Let’s get going.”
I stick my tongue out at her retreating back. I do not like her. One bit. She seems to think that because she came from money that she is better than everyone else. I do too, but you don’t see me acting like that!
Ash looks at me with a sad expression before going after her friend. She crosses her arms as she walks. “One of these days you’re going to go too far. Why can’t you just give her a break? Trash talk and even the occasional prank is one thing, but I can’t stand seeing you torture someone just because they’re good at what they love doing.” I see her shoulders hunch as she walks. “That’s not the friend I remember.”
“I just can’t lose…” Jennifer says. “I can’t believe you can’t see that.”
I wince as I finish packing up my camera before heading to my college so I can edit everything I’ve collected.
As I sit in the darkness of the editing room looking at my film I sigh. My thoughts are scrambled, thinking of the pretty ballerina. I could tell that her hair was wavy at the very least and a lovely color of dark honey. The darkness of her leotard brought out the slight olive tone her skin has.
I run a hand through my hair and shake my head. I need to get her out of my head! It’s not like I’ll ever see her again. New York City is huge! So it’s not likely she lives in my apartment building.
I start by cutting out the part where April fell then move on to add it to other parts. I know that my teacher will be annoyed that I focused on the hidden talent I was looking over.
April was too pretty not to notice. Granted Jennifer would be considered beautiful compared to her, but her personality removes all view of beauty. After a bit of editing, I stop for the night and head home, where my roommate and friend, Dodge, is currently playing his guitar. I chuckle.
“Right, where I left you.” I settle onto the couch and sigh happily. I still couldn’t get the ballerina out of my head.
Dodge stopped playing his guitar the moment he heard my sigh. “Well, you sound like you had quite the day. What happened?”
I chuckle and glance at my friend. “Well, I met a Ballerina today.” I knew he’d want to know how so I continue. “I was filming at her school. She was just a little doll with honey brown hair and those piercing green—”
“Eyes?” he finishes and gives me a look that let me know that I am out of luck.
“You’ve met her.”
Dodge raises his hands and wildly gestures. “We may have—bumped into each other, yes,” he said hesitantly. “She was in a rush too and dropped her shoes. I have to chase her down to give them back.”
I groan and rub my temples. “Well, I have a snowball chance of asking her on a date now that she’s met you.”
“Actually,” says the voice I know is Sammy and look up to see our college buddy walk into the room. “I already asked her on a date.”
Dodge groans. “Aren’t you engaged?”
“Not for much longer. She doesn’t’ love me, and I don’t care much for her.”
I glance at Dodge as we both say “Break up with her first!”
“Don’t worry,” Sammy says. “It’s all taken care of.”
I smack my forehead and sigh. “Why do I not believe him?”
Dodge shakes his head. “Because no one would?”
“And why is that?” Sammy asks as he leans against our doorframe.
“Because there are things you can’t prepare for,” Dodge says simple as he picks up his guitar and starts playing it again. “Also, in love or no, girls don’t like getting lied to, just warning you, they’re gonna find out, one way or another.”
“I highly doubt it, but thanks for the warning.”
I roll my eyes and start cleaning my camera, ignoring Sammy. “Yeah, whatever. Go terrorize someone else, Sammy. We have things to do.”
As soon as Sammy left the room I cross my arms and glance at Dodge. “What a jerk. April is going to be so mad when she finds out. One of us should tell her.”
“Tell her what exactly? I mean, she barely knows us, she’s supposed to take our word for granted.”
I sigh. “You make a good point.”
With the realism setting in I went to work on my camera and cleaning it up from the day’s adventures.
Chapter Three
When I got out of my math test, I sigh. I have nothing to wear on a date! Especially on a date with a rich boy who owns the place I live. This is not going to end well is it? Don’t be a pessimist, just breathe, April. I glance at my watch, two hours. Right, hopefully, Sarah is home, so I can beg her to help me with my makeup at least.
I noticed that once I got home Sarah wasn’t there. She must be out looking for another play she can support. So I opened my closet and started rummaging through it. I take a dress my mom had given to me. The outfit is baby pink, a ruffled skirt that stops at my knee, with long filmy sleeves, and the top looks almost Chinese with the four clasps on the bodice. With my white flats and pantyhose, this dress might work and make me look cute.
I take a shower and when I get out Sarah was waiting for me, like a little puppy dog. I dry my hair and glance at her. She has her nose wrinkled and a frown plastered on her face.
“What?” I ask.
“Are you really going to wear that horrible baby pink dress on your date tonight?”
I roll my eyes and cross my arms. “Yes, I am. It’s a pretty dress, besides my mom gave it to me.”
“Sure, it was pretty, back in the 70s! This is the 80s, modernize, pookie!”
I shake my head at her not wanting to get into this. “I’m wearing that dress no matter what you say. So are you going to help me with my makeup or not?” Sarah smirks, and I don’t know if I trust that look or not yet. “Nothing too crazy, okay!” I specify. I don’t want to look like a rockstar reject like she does at times.
“Fine, fine. Pretty yet casual.”
She tugs over her makeup bag that is quite literally an old plastic bag from a grocery store with bits and bobs in it for makeup. The firs
t thing she pulled out was a pencil, and my eyebrows shot up.
“Oh no, I’m not trusting you with a pointy object near my eyes!”
Sarah laughs. “I’ve never poked myself or anyone else with the eyeliner. I swear. Now look up.”
I comply as she does my eyeliner. Once she finishes with that, she pulls out her other tools, and my eyes grow bigger as I notice how dark the colors are.
“I’m going to look like a raccoon!”
She rolls her eyes as she gets to work on my makeup. I don’t complain while she does it, but inwards, I’m freaking out! I’m going to look horrible! She tugs out a lipstick container, and I’m pleasantly surprised that it isn’t deep red, but rather a lighter pink that matches my dress.
“There, my artwork is complete. Look at yourself.”
She holds up a mirror. My eyes are dark around the lash lines, and a little bit at my crease of my eye, and then the color starts out as a bright fuchsia and fades to a light pink once it hits my brow. My cheeks are a flushed color that makes my contours stand out. And then to finish the look my lips are the same pink as my dress. It honestly didn’t look that bad. In fact, Sarah has turned me into a model. My jaw drops as I continue to look at myself in the mirror.
“Am I good, or am I good?” she asks.
“More than good,” I answer. “It doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would.”
She helps me shimmy into my dress so that I don’t spoil my makeup and nods. “The makeup helps the dress not look quite so—” She breaks off and I roll my eyes.
“Ugly?” I supply helpfully.
“I was going to say retro.”
I shake my head. “You’re a horrible liar.” I slip on my flats before heading out the door. “Don’t stay up, okay?”
“Oh, pookie, you know I have nothing better to do, right?” Sarah says with a slight pout.
I laugh. “Right, have fun.” With that, I head out the door and downstairs to meet with Samuel, fifteen minutes early.
~
He was late, of course, he was late. The one day I’m actually early, is the day that someone else doesn’t show up on time. I rake a hand into my hair and sigh softly. Twenty minutes late. Don’t freak out. He hasn’t stood me up. I take a few deep breaths as I lean against the wall.
When Samuel shows up almost twenty-five minutes late, and I smile a little bit.
“Hello,” I call to him.
“Sorry,” he says. “I ran into some problems with other tenants in the building.” He offers his arm towards me. “Shall we, April?”
I take his arm, what a gentleman. I smile as he leads me to his waiting car. He drives us to place that he had gotten us reservations in silence. For which I was grateful. I always feel a little bit awkward talking to people, especially when I don’t know them. Why did I agree to this? Oh, right, he didn’t take no for an answer.
We sit down, and he orders champagne called Brut Rose while we look over the menu.
“Can I get a virgin pina colada, please?” I ask.
Samuel chuckles.
“I’m only twenty, Samuel.” What is his deal? Be a gentleman and then become a little weird as the date goes on?
“C’mon,” he says. “Live a little.”
I shake my head at him. Geez, he was pushy. “No, thank you. I prefer to live on the safe side of the street. So tell me, why did you ask me out?”
“You are pretty, and I wanted to get to know you, that’s all.”
I raise my eyebrow. “You wanted to get to know me based on looks.” Well, that’s a boost to my confidence. Hey, April, all you have going for you is your looks! I roll my eyes. “That’s it?”
“And you seemed sweet.”
That’s a little better. I sigh again.
“Why did you say yes?”
You wouldn’t take no for an answer? I shrug. “You seemed rather nice.”
I hear someone slam a glass on a table a few rows down but don’t pay too much attention to it.
He continues to look at the menu. “I do want to know more about you.”
That seems innocent enough. “Well, what do you want to know?”
“I want to know what you are doing with my fiancé,” Jennifer’s voice asks behind me. “Really, Samuel? I knew it wasn’t working. But you could have told me the truth instead of going behind my back, dating other women! Did you even know what day it is?”
My jaw practically hits the floor. “You’re engaged?” I growl. He has definitely lost points. I don’t care that he’s my landlord. He can’t kick me out over a lost date.
Jennifer taps her foot waiting for him to say something.
“It’s January 20th,” he says.
“It’s my birthday,” she informs him, and I don’t think her voice can get any colder.
“I can’t believe—” but that’s all I got out before Jennifer slaps the heck out of me and then hits Samuel. She proceeds to rip an expensive ring off of her finger and tosses it at his face before storming out. I toss my glass of water into his face and stand. “I’m leaving.”
He reaches for my hand, but I pull it out of his reach. “I can explain,” he says. “It’s not—”
“What I think?” I ask. “You were an engaged man that asked me out on a date. Not to mention it’s her birthday. Goodbye, Samuel. Don’t come near me again unless I have to pay you rent.”
I flag down a taxi to get a ride back to my house before Samuel can follow me. I sigh as I lean against the car door, trying so hard to keep it together. This is why I don’t date rich boys. They think they’re so privileged and can do whatever they want!
It isn’t long before I’m at my apartment building. I walk towards Dodge’s apartment and knock on the door. I sniffle, already feeling the tears forming in my eyes. He answers the door and is instantly worried.
“Whoa, hey, what happened?”
I hug him, crying into his chest. “He was a liar! And it was her birthday!” I break down.
He awkwardly hugs me back and whispers. “Hey, it’ll be okay…”
“No, it won’t,” I sniffle. “My career will be over if they hear about this at school! Slutty April was off with an engaged man. Doesn’t matter if nothing happened!”
“Hey, what happened wasn’t your fault.”
Dodge looks around, and the look on his face says he hopes the neighbors hadn’t heard my outburst. I blush and wince.
“Hey, come on in, some of these walls are paper thin.”
I grimace and enter the apartment, feeling horrible. “Sorry, Dodge.”
“Hey, it’s no problem,” He says, closing the door behind him. “… What exactly happened? If you don’t, mind me asking.”
I run a hand through my hair and sigh. “So last night he wouldn’t take no for an answer, and he insisted on going on a date with me When we got to the place it turns out that Jennifer was there for her birthday!”
Dodge groans. “I’m so sorry, April.”
I sigh. “Jennifer smacked both of us, and I threw the drink into Samuel’s face. And then I came straight here…I don’t know what to do, Dodge. I really don’t.” I run a hand through my hair.
“Just, try to calm down a bit.” Dodge gestures to one of the seats in the apartment. “Have a seat. Would you like something.” He rubs the back of his neck nervously. “Something to wash off your makeup, maybe?”
I wince and place a hand on my face gently. “That bad?” I hadn’t even realized it was running. “I would like something to wash my face off, Dodge.”
He leaves for a moment and returns with a warm washcloth. I take it and move to the bathroom so I can get my makeup off and thank Dodge for it.
I hear the door open but ignore it as I finish washing off my makeup.
Chapter Four
I was getting home pretty late from schoolwork and exhausted when I got inside the apartment. I noticed Dodge in the kitchen and nod to him.
“Hey,” I say.
Dodge nods to me, but I can tell he’
s a little distracted. “Hey, how’s it going?” he asks.
I place my camera on the counter in the kitchen before sinking into one of the chairs we have in the apartment and sigh. “Okay, I think. I might need your help looking over my finished video later, it’s for my final which is due which is only a month and a half away, but—” I break off when I see April wander out of the bathroom with her swollen eyes and freshly scrubbed face. I guess the date didn’t go so well last night.
She doesn’t seem to notice me as she gives a small smile to Dodge. “Thanks for listening,” she says and then she sees me. She blushes and starts twisting the ends of her curly hair in her fingers. “Oh, uh, hi! I didn’t know you lived here too, Luke.”
Huh, I thought Dodge would have mentioned that to her. Guess not. Dodge gives me an expression that clearly reads: you didn’t tell her? I respond with a raised eyebrow and a grimace.
I smile at April. “It’s nice to see you again, April.”
“Y-yeah,” she says. “I haven’t seen you since that one time in class.” She glances at the clock on the wall before waving at us. “I gotta go home before my roommate worries about it.”
Suddenly there was a loud bang at the door, and I glance towards it. Who the heck was calling on us at ten-twenty at night?
Dodge moves gracefully and purposefully to answer the front door and stop the police-like bang. At the door stands a woman with curly dark brown hair down to her shoulders. She’s wearing a tiger-striped shirt in browns, black boots, and tight leather pants.
“Can I help you?” he asks, deadpan. I think like me he likes the sound of the banging as much as I do, which is not at all.
“Have you seen—” She breaks off once she sees April and runs over to her, hugging her tightly. “Pookie!”
April squeaks and hugs her back. “Speak of the devil.”
“You had me so worried!” the woman says, still holding April.
“U-uh, this is my roommate, Sarah.”
Dodge raised an eyebrow. “Alright, then.”
“Uh, nice to meet you?”
Sarah smirks as she looks us over like we’re just a bunch of meat. I don’t like that look.
Love's Sporting Chance: Volume 1: 6 Romantic sporting novellas Page 38