Welcome to Magnolia Academy, where privilege meets passion and secrets lurk behind every perfectly polished door.
Meet Alayna Baker, the academy's golden girl with a razor-sharp wit and a reputation that precedes her. The one who is untouchable and...
I can already imagine him barely able to get one of his toes trying to twirl, his whole body trembling and just then he falls back on his ass on the grass. His chiselled jaw hanging low in defeat.
Blond hair sticking out in every direction and to complete it all the shadow of the grand archway of the garden of scientia contrasting the sun rays falling gently in the garden, the flowers and the trees. All while Josh lies down like a dissected frog and everyone posts this marvellous sight online.
Lovely.
"I didn't, Josh." I look at him, my mind buzzing with the vivid scenery, "You were right." I hesitantly admit. Even if I want him to look bad, I can't deny that this confession is equally bad, if not less. Who the hell ends up fighting with their own blanket and falls down on the floor...rolling around like a sack of potatoes? By some twisted game of fate, I do.
He cackles, bent over his stomach, loud. I blink once, twice and thrice. He doesn't stop. Just wait Josh. "How's your head, sweethe-" His sentence is cut off by his own cackling. I look around and notice that we have quite an audience.
I practically plead with my eyes, 'I don't know this guy, people.' They have their cameras out now. Perfect. Note the sarcasm, darling.
"We would not want anything to happen to it now, would we?" He looks at me, his laugh threatening to slip out again, "Considering, that's the only thing going on for you." Josh wheezes. His audacity never seems to disappoint me.
"Yes, sweetheart. Is your head good?" That voice, "I would hate to have an easy win." Caleb Smith. The devil's advocate.
Just great.
"Kind of you to care, darling." I practically sneer the words out. Caleb soothes the place where his heart should be, "You wound me, baby." He winks. Caleb Smith is a menace to society and should be immediately arrested for it. "Does it hurt, love?" I pout, "Though I wonder how?" My eyes scan over his chest, "It's not even there." His right eye twitches, his voice deeper, "Would you like to test that theory out, honey?" Jade eyes penetrated my soul.
Unfortunately, my soul is not for sale for the devil. Or my heart, for that matter.
"STOP!" Josh's booming voice cuts in, "I'd rather watch paint dry than witness you guys being-'' He scrunches his nose in disgust, "-in love." We both turn our heads towards him, jaws hanging in hell. He did not just say the L-word. "I mea-it-uh-I have to go," He swallows, "I'll save seats for-uh both of you."
As he begins to sprint in the other direction, Caleb tugs on the back collar of Josh's coat, stopping him from his sweet escape. "Not so quick, you still owe her a dance, ballerina." How long was this guy eavesdropping on us? "Plus, I'd like myself a good show as well." He releases Josh's collar and straightens it.
His voice is rough when he addresses me, "You put up a sweet bargain." I look at him and then at Josh, "I try." My voice carries the ease of nonchalance. We have drawn quite an audience. I have to admit that even though we are far from my desired place for this ordeal, it still does the job well.
Josh tosses his coat out to me and starts to execute a pirouette by starting in a proper ballet position with his feet turned out, back straight, and core engaged. His arms assume a classical arm position, and he focuses on a fixed point as a spot for balance during the turn.
The preparation includes a plié, followed by a relevé onto his toes with heels lifted off the ground. In the turn, Josh displays, surprisingly, great strength and finesse. Huh-? Wh-? How?
Flawless.
The students gathered erupts in a choir of cheers and claps. A fan throws her scarf at Josh which he catches one-handedly and wraps it around his neck. He even has the audacity to wink at the crowd and throw a smug smirk at me and Caleb.
I crane my neck up to catch his expression while he leaned down to see mine. Our eyes lock, both wide in shock. His smile morphs into a sly smirk, "You know, this must be the second time you have lost this session." His eyes scans at Josh crowd surfing, "And the session has just begun. How disappointing, Densetsu."
Densetsu.
"You sound amused." Honestly, this makes me intrigued. The only bet I lost was seeing Josh plummet. How was I supposed to know that he knows...at least something?
What's the second thing he has up his sleeve?
"How can I not be? You lost our bet." He chuckles and disappears into the crowd, "Long live Josh!" Yet his voice was easily distinguishable. Just brilliant. Now I have to deal with an imbecile bet with no warranted escape.
"Long live Josh." I whisper under my breath, "Bastard."
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