In the Air (The City #1)

by Serowka, Crystal

  "Dad!" I called out, running through the halls. My shoes squeaked along the linoleum flooring, echoing through the air. "Dad!" I called out again. No response. Room 515 came into view, and I pushed the door open, eager to see my father in the familiar hospital bed. The door screeched, opening to a deserted room. There wasn't any furniture in sight. The dingy wallpaper was peeling at the corners, and the smell of rot flooded my senses.

  I ran out of the room, tripping over a vacant wheelchair that was pushed against the wall. My kneecap screamed in pain as I stood up and rushed off in the opposite direction. I bounded down the corridors, still shouting for my dad. When I finally reached the end of the hallway, my hands met the wall in front of me. I knew there was nowhere left to run. I knew my dad was gone. Suddenly, my name was being called, the sound coming from behind. When I turned, I saw Samson wearing the familiar smile that had the power to relax me.

  "I've been looking everywhere for you."

  I jerked awake. I had been having the same nightmare for the last year. This time, Samson was in it, and I wasn't frightened when I woke up. I actually felt comforted.

  Samson stirred and turned over, a smile on his lips. "What are you doing awake?" His arms tightened around my body.

  "I couldn't sleep. I had a nightmare," I confessed. I was very selective about telling people. The only two who knew were my mother and my therapist.

  "A nightmare? Are you alright?" he asked in a soothing tone.

  "I've had them almost every night since my dad passed away. It's no big deal."

  I could tell Samson didn't believe me when he grabbed my hand. "Hey, I'm here for you, if you want to talk about them."

  I took a deep breath, realizing I actually wanted Samson to know. It would be better for him to know, to let my demons out.

  "I'm always in the same place, the hospital where my dad spent his last days. It's deserted and I'm the only one there. I run around the building, searching for him, yelling his name at the top of my lungs, but I never find him." I felt my throat constrict and knew I was on the verge of tears. "By the end of the dream, every time, I'm reminded that I'll never see him again. It's like I relive his death every night." A tear fell down my cheek, and I was thankful for the darkness of the room.

  Samson pulled me into chest and began lightly rubbing my back. His hands found my cheeks and he brushed away the fallen tears. "I'm here."

  Two simple words. I lay in Samson's arms and cried until finally, I was able to fall asleep peacefully.

  "Good morning." I opened my eyes to see Samson staring at me. His head was resting in his hand and his other arm draped around my body.

  "How long have you been up?" I was slightly mortified to be this close to him, not having brushed my teeth.

  "Just for a few minutes. Don't worry, I wasn't watching you sleep." His laugh filled the silence of the morning.

  "You probably were, weirdo." He reached out to tickle me, but I threatened him with my knee. "I dare you," I challenged.

  "You wouldn't." He tested, but retracted as soon as he felt my knee slightly move.

  I turned to look at the clock. It was still early, and we didn't have to be at class for another few hours. Either way, Kingsley would want details about where I had been all night, so instead of rushing back to my own room, I took my time.

  "We've got a little while before class." I started kissing Samson's neck. We were still naked from last night, and just feeling his skin against mine turned me on.

  "Didn't get enough last night, huh?"

  "Fine, forget it."

  Just as I started throwing off the sheets, Samson grabbed my body and pushed me back down, placing his weight on top of me.

  "You're not going anywhere," he said, lightly nipping at my neck.

  "What are you going to do, tie me to your bed?" I joked.

  "That's an idea, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have to tie you to anything to get you to stay." Samson kissed my shoulder and moved up to my ear. He moved his weight off of me and lay beside me. His fingers traveled down the side of my stomach, stopping just below my hipbone.

  "I like the way you taste." His tongue curled behind my earlobe. "Right here." He lowered his body and bit down lightly on my collarbone. "And especially here." I moaned in response. When his hand moved down to the inside of my thigh, my body immediately shivered in anticipation. His breathing quickened as he pushed my legs open and slid his fingers into me. I realized he was almost as good at controlling his fingers as he was at controlling his feet.

  "Samson," I moaned. I wanted more than just his fingers. I wanted all of him.

  He rolled onto his back and pulled me on top of him. My hips began to move, and Samson's eyes rolled back in his head. After a few minutes, Samson sat up, bringing us closer together. Our bodies were pressed against each other, and I could feel the sweat forming between them. We moved in perfect rhythm. Samson's movement became more urgent, and soon my body followed. We lost all control.

  An hour before class, I left Samson's dorm and headed to my own. I tried my best to sneak in, knowing Kingsley would be asleep. The moment her sheets rustled, and she cleared her throat, I knew I was about to be interrogated.

  "Look what the cat dragged in."

  I turned to see Kingsley sitting up in her bed, an evil smile dragging across her face. "You have no right to talk," I snapped.

  "How's lover boy? Everything you imagined and more?" Her sarcasm made my skin crawl.

  "Instead of worrying about me, you should worry more about trying to get back on Madame Dampier's good side."

  Yesterday, Kingsley wore red pointe shoes to class. Madame Dampier demanded that Kingsley switch to her proper shoes, which Kingsley, of course, refused. She was kicked out of class for the rest of the day.

  "Like that's going to stop me from wearing whatever the hell I want? She needs me in her class. I'm the best dancer she has," Kingsley remarked. Everyone that attended Juilliard thought they were the best.

  Changing into my dance clothes, I thought about the events of last night. It was one of the best times I'd ever had, and I couldn't believe how deeply I already felt for Samson.

  "Fuck, this guy just does not get it!" Kingsley snapped, tossing her phone on her desk. She stood up from her bed, wearing nothing but a thong and a white tank top. "Do you have any idea how boring it is having every guy you meet obsess over you? There's no challenge."

  Kingsley reminded me of every one of my guy friends from back home. I'd heard them say the same things. It made me worry. Maybe I should have made Samson chase me before sleeping with him. When I left his room, we kissed goodbye and he kept pulling me back for more. With the promise of spending more time together that night, he finally let me go. There's no way Samson would suddenly regret what had happened between us.

  Shaking my own thoughts away, I focused on Kingsley. "Who are you talking about this time?"

  "This guy I met at a bar in Brooklyn. We had sex in the bathroom and now he's asking if I'll be there tonight."

  "You had sex in a bathroom? That's disgusting." I almost puked thinking about the amount of germs in a public restroom.

  "Oh please, Mary Poppins, it's not gross at all. The only thing my skin touched was Wren's." And I thought the image of having sex in a bathroom was gross.

  "I'm actually sort of surprised you found out his name."

  "This one–" Kingsley smiled, her face lit up. "He was ... different."

  "But you're annoyed by him now?"

  She didn't answer my question at first. For a moment, she stared off into space, before finally looking back at me. "Something like that." Kingsley was being vague which could only mean one thing: She had feelings for this guy.

  "Are you going to meet him tonight?" My curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to know more about the guy who had caught Kingsley's attention.

  "Might as well. I need to get laid."

  The girls in room 2725 wouldn't be lonely this evening.

  My life had gone in
a completely different direction than I ever imagined. The breakup with Aubrey was still on my mind, but at the forefront was every single moment I'd shared with Natalia since meeting her. She had only left my room a little over an hour ago, but I already missed the feel of her body against mine. My feelings for her were growing stronger every minute.

  The last thing I wanted to do today was go to class. Since I had already missed two days, I needed to show up before Madame Dampier considered me a lost cause. I was getting dressed just as Myers walked into the room. I was glad he hadn't made an appearance when Natalia was here.

  "Hey, man." I nodded in his direction while lacing up my shoes.

  "Just stopping in to pick up a book." He grabbed a textbook and threw it in his bag.

  I didn't care enough to ask Myers why he avoided this room. I just hoped he wasn't plotting my ultimate demise.

  "I'm just heading out to class." I grabbed my gym bag and walked to the door. "You've got the room to yourself." I am definitely getting my own place next year.

  The classroom was already full when I arrived. I looked around for Natalia, but didn't see her.

  "Mr. Callahan, I see you're feeling better?" Madame Dampier plodded over to me in her heels, the loud clicking sound echoing throughout the room.

  "Much better. Thank you for asking." I started stripping off my shoes and track pants. Guys who danced could wear whatever they wanted, but we chose to wear tights. They showed your form much better than anything else could. The comfort of them was exceptional and allowed me to move more easily than if I were wearing anything else. When my dad told me how ridiculous I looked in tights, I laughed at his ignorance. Some people would never understand male ballet dancers, but that was their problem.

  "I hope you don't miss anymore class this year, Samson. Right now, you're one of my top students, and we wouldn't want that to change." Madame Dampier looked at me sharply. There were great dancers in my class, but none came close to my abilities, except Natalia. I nodded and smiled, making it a point to bite my tongue.

  I sat down on the ground, grabbing my shoes from my bag just as Natalia and Kingsley walked into the room. Natalia looked my way, her smile piercing into me. She said something to Kingsley and made her way over to me. Kingsley looked at me, her face full of disdain.

  "What's on your mind, Callahan?" Natalia joined me on the floor and began putting on her shoes.

  "Your roommate hates me."

  Kingsley gave me the finger before walking to her partner.

  "She hates everyone."

  Natalia's shoulder bumped mine. She barely touched me and I felt a wave of heat. I leaned in and kissed her neck.

  "Samson!" she hissed. "We are in class. No PDA!"

  "Are you serious?" I was surprised she pushed me away.

  "Yes," she responded, embarrassment flooding her face.

  I stood up and reached out my hand to help her up. "C'mon, Brooks. Let's show these kids why we're the best."

  She laughed and grabbed my hand. Madame Dampier walked around the room, silently studying each student. I wasn't sure if she was taking attendance, or making mental notes of whom she despised. I guessed the latter.

  "You all know how to dance. That much is clear." Madame Dampier walked to the front of the room, her eyes darting to each one of the students' faces. "You're here to develop your talent. Think of Juilliard as a bridge. Right now, you're a student. After, you'll be a professional in the real world. You'll be an artist." The word professional rang in my ears. "For the last week, we've been working on partnership. I've seen the chemistry all twenty-six of you share. I want to introduce you to the piece we will be dancing this year." Excitement roared through my stomach. This would be my first job as a Juilliard dancer. "The song I chose is called, 'River Flows in You,' and it will take a lot of work to make your movements as beautiful as the music. I demand to see feeling in this piece." If I was dancing with Natalia, displaying my feelings would be easy.

  The music began. All of the dancers stood, listening to the ethereal sound coming from the speakers. The piano filled my ears, and I imagined moving my body to it. I was already in love with it and I hadn't even seen the choreography Madame Dampier had in mind. I looked over at Natalia. Her eyes were closed and she was swaying her body. I knew she was in love with the music just as much as I was.

  Madame Dampier began teaching the choreography and it wasn't long before I was covered in sweat. She wanted the dance to be intimate, and I was happy that I would have an excuse to dance as close as possible to Natalia.

  "No one else is this close, Samson." Natalia tried to push my body away from hers.

  "That's because they don't know how to dance like we do."

  I remained close. After an hour and a half of jumping and lifting, and not even coming close to learning the entire piece, class was over. Natalia and I were both exhausted. Neither of us had gotten enough sleep last night and I was okay with that as long as Natalia was the one keeping me awake.

  "I should walk back with Kingsley." Natalia looked over at Kingsley, who was standing against the doorframe. "But I'll see you tonight, right?"

  "I have a surprise for you tonight," I said obscurely.

  Natalia's eyes squinted in response.

  "Don't worry, you'll like it."

  "What time should I be ready?"

  "I'll come and get you in a few hours. We need the daylight."

  Natalia nodded and turned to walk away. I wanted to kiss her goodbye.

  Next time I will.

  My hair was a tangled mess and my skin was sticky with sweat. All I wanted to do was shower and take a short nap before my date with Samson. Just thinking about tonight made my stomach jittery. Kingsley took off, saying she had to meet up with a friend. I was almost positive she was meeting up with the guy she'd been texting non-stop lately.

  Rounding the corner to our dorm room, I stopped when I saw a girl leaning against my door. Our eyes met, but I didn't recognize her. She looked lost. Her face was blotched and her eyes, though a beautiful honey color, were bloodshot.

  "Can I help you?" I assumed she was a Juilliard student, since there was no other way she could have gotten up to the residence floor.

  "Are you Natalia?" Her voice was hoarse. She studied every inch of my body.

  "Yes, who are you?" I was creeped out. This girl looked like she'd been through hell and back. Her clothing was pristine, but her long, red hair was a tangled mess. Her mascara had run down her cheeks. I imagined how beautiful she was when put together, but right now, she looked as if her world had turned upside down.

  "I'm the girl whose life you've ruined."

  With her words, I knew exactly who she was.

  Aubrey. Samson's ex-girlfriend. I was going to be sick. Sweat began to bead on my forehead and all I could do was stand there, speechless.

  "You're Aubrey."

  She nodded her response. "Samson's told you about me?"

  I'd never been in this type of situation before. I didn't know what to do. I felt as if I betrayed this stranger somehow.

  "Listen, I don't know what's going on between you and Samson, but–"

  "You've ruined everything!" Aubrey shouted and stood up from the floor, dusting off her skirt. She walked closer to me, our noses practically touching. "I hate you."

  My breath quickened. I'd never been in a fight before, but at that moment, I thought Aubrey was going to claw my eyes out. She was filled with rage, and I was the reason for it. I backed away before speaking.

  "I know it must seem like I've stolen your boyfriend, but–"

  She cut me off. Again.

  "It doesn't seem like it at all. You stole Samson from me!" Her voice rose again, and students in the hall stared in our direction.

  I wished Kingsley were here. She would have stepped in by now and put Aubrey in her place. I felt my purse vibrate, but I didn't dare answer it. "Aubrey, can we please talk somewhere else? Let's grab a coffee." We needed to be in a quiet place, to talk about th
ings privately.

  "There's a coffee shop down the street, I think it's called Cafe Lalo. Meet me there in thirty minutes," Aubrey said as she bumped my shoulder and walked away.

  I was left trying to decide if actually meeting her was the best idea. We'd be in a public place, so she couldn't kill me or anything.

  I opened my door and threw my gym bag down. I checked my phone and had a missed text from Samson.

  "You mentioned hating heels, but wear a pair tonight. I'll take care of the pain if they end up hurting by the end of the night." I frowned at the screen. I couldn't even get excited about tonight because of what I was soon to face with Aubrey. Should I call and tell him Aubrey was here? I decided to leave him out of this, at least for now. Aubrey was here confronting me, so I had to deal with that on my own. I brushed out my hair and put it in a ponytail. I threw on a pair of jeans and flats, grabbed a jacket, and headed for Cafe Lalo.

  The cafe was busy. I scanned the shop for Aubrey. She was already seated at a table in the back corner of the cafe, looking down at a menu. I nervously approached, taking a seat opposite of her. She looked up from her menu, resentment filling her face.

  "Do you make it a habit of stealing people's boyfriends?"

  "I didn't steal anyone's boyfriend. Samson left you, there's a difference."

  Aubrey slammed her hand onto the table, shaking the water glasses.

  "He wouldn't have left me if he hadn't met you! Do you have any idea what you've done?"

  I didn't know what to say. I would never ruin someone's relationship for my own happiness. I felt like a child being yelled at for doing something wrong.

  "I'm sorry if it seems like I stole Samson, but–"

  "You conniving bitch!" She cut me off. "Are you so stupid that you don't realize what you've messed up? Whatever delusion you have in your mind of you and Samson, it's not going to happen. Samson is and always will be mine."

  "Samson didn't choose you!" My voice rose. I didn't steal anyone. This was Samson's choice, and he made it by himself.

  "Samson chose me every day for the last eighteen years!" she screamed, halting all conversation in the cafe.