Tethered ? Awsten Knight

Part 28

"I think you're the best dancers on my roster."

I looked up then, seeing a stupid smirk from Erik that I wanted to wipe off of his face.

"That's way too kind, Frank." Erik said.

I hated this lunch already.

"What if there was a way to market the two of you together?"

"Oh-" I started, but our waitress came over and I paused, nervously twisting my ring again.

I hated this. What a trap.

We all ordered our food - and I had no idea how much of it I was going to get down.

I didn't like the direction this conversation was going in.

And I had no idea how I was going to explain it to Awsten.

"Anyways." Frank said, looking between the two of us again. "What do you both think about that?"

"I don-"

"I think it's a great idea." Erik cut me off.

"I really want to be marketed as a solo dancer." I said firmly, looking between the two of them, then at the dish of bread in front of me. "That's something that's really important to me and always has been."

"You don't think the two of you is a good idea?" Frank asked.

"I think that as a woman in entertainment, it's hard enough to be taken seriously and I don't want to be part of a package deal. I want to be known for my dancing skills and how hard I have worked individually. Having a partner in dance is never something I've been interested in."

"Heard," Frank nodded, shooting me that smile of his and I saw Erik clenching his jaw a little. "Moving on to the next subject then, both of your schedules for 2022...An opportunity did present itself. Do you want to tell her Erik, or should I?"

"You can tell her."

How the hell did Erik know already and I didn't?

"The Weeknd is going on a world tour starting in late February and his team has requested both of you."

"Wait, what?" I asked him.

"You two are our best dancers and are a part of the best dance company in Los Angeles," Frank told me, and I shifted in my seat. "Erik also knows the choreographer, right?"

"Yeah, I do." He shrugged and I could tell he was holding back a grin.

I didn't know how to feel, or what to do.

Awsten was going to be pissed about this.

I'm pissed about this.

"It's a great opportunity, Tatum." Frank said to me.

He was right. The Weeknd was huge. It would look great for me...

But doing this with Erik...knowing he had a thing for me - and after this whole marketing the two of us together thing.

It left a bad taste in my mouth.