Holy shit this chapter ended up being longer than I initially planned out! I'm talking twice as long as I meant it to haha. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer – I don't own anything but my original content.
xXxXxXxXx
Slowly time passed in sunny Miami. It was one week until tryouts for Beauty and the Beast and one month until the ones for Swan Lake. It was mid October, to be specific. It took immense amounts of time and effort but eventually Ana regained some of her memory. However she wasn't sure if it was because she was training very hard or if it was because she hadn't seen Kamau or Gaal for a month.
After some time her confusion and sadness had turned into rage. She was so furious that Kamau and Gaal hadn't told her and Maria sooner. Granted they hadn't been speaking that long but that should have been one of the first things they mentioned! That was seriously some important information.
As far as she and Maria were concerned they never wanted to see them again.
Currently the duo was training in the studio with Becca. They were practicing for tryouts, each of them doing their best on Ana and Maria working even harder to remember their moves. They do not to tell Becca their ailments as it was completely unnecessary. Becca did not need to get involved and possibly have her life on the line as well.
Becca had asked how their love lives were going as they ran through their routine. Ana nervously gulped and said nothing while Maria piped up excitedly.
"Oh, I've been talking to Shawn, you know Ana, know the guy I met at the bar last week?"
Ana tried to remember who the hell she was talking about and faintly recalled a blonde haired jock that night. "Uh...you mean Mr. Quarterback? The one who wouldn't stop mentioning it?" Ana snickered and rolled her eyes.
Maria huffed and put her hands on her hips, "He's just proud of himself! Don't be jealous!"
"I'm not jealous, but I'm not conceited either."
Becca laughed slightly, turning into a double spin, "Maria forgive me but it seems like you always go for the self obsessed guys the way Ana talks."
"I do not!" Maria retorted, copying Becca's move to perfection.
Next, Ana led the set of leaps, ending with an improvised swirling turn. "No? So that um...Mike guy wasn't a total narcissist? I swear he carried a mirror in his pocket!"
"Oh, whatever! Not like the guys you date are any better!" Maria countered with a scoff.
Ana froze in mid-spin, losing her balance and toppling to the floor with a groan. She sat up, rubbing at her arms which she used to save herself from landing too hard. She wasn't bringing up Kamau again was she? She wasn't even drunk this time for fuck's sake! Hell, she wouldn't even consider whatever relationship she had with Kamau dating.
"You're seeing a guy Ana?" Becca asked brightly, sitting down beside her, completely ignoring that Ana had fallen over. Maria also joined them on the wooden floorboards, their bodies glistening with sweat and heaving from exercise.
Ana grimaced and fumbled over her words. Why do you always do this Maria? "Well…he's just a guy…I'm not sure where it's going…he uh…he's back in Montana."
Becca's smile fell some. "Oh, that's too bad! But hey, if it's true love it will work out! I hear long distance relationships aren't as difficult as people say. Especially in today's world, it's so much easier! You can text him or Skype, so it's not like you never see him, at least, just not being able to physically touch him. Plus, you can always make trips to visit each other!"
"Yeah, hopefully," Ana replied, shooting Maria a glare when Becca wasn't looking. Maria stuck her tongue out at her.
"Well hey! If you don't like distance, there are tons of guys in Miami! Speaking of…I hear there's a man who's interested…" Becca said with a playful glint in her eyes.
Ana scrunched her brow, "What? Who?"
Becca shrugged, "He might be a dancer at MDC…he might not be…"
Ana gasped, slapping Becca's arm lightly. "Tell me!"
The blonde giggled wildly, "I'm not telling!"
"You can't withhold that kind of information from me!" Ana yelled, about to tackle Becca to the ground.
"Alright, alright!" Becca grinned, waiting for Ana to calm down. "So, you know Adrien right?"
"Yeah! Is it him?" Maria interrupted excitedly.
Becca shook her head with a smirk. "No, but you know who he's best friends with? He just might happen to have eyes like a wolf?"
"Victor?" Ana and Maria squealed, blurting out the name at the same time.
"Maybe…" Becca laughed.
"Oh my god! Ana, Victor is so handsome! You should totally go after him!" Maria gushed, silently wishing Victor liked her.
"Yes! You definitely should. Adrien says he talks about you a lot," Becca added.
Ana blushed furiously, "Really? Me? But why?"
"Um, because you're gorgeous, funny, sweet, intelligent, a great dancer…need I go on?" Maria said, sarcasm in her voice. "Ana, come on, why wouldn't he?"
Ana frowned. I don't know, maybe because I'm involved with the Slenderman?
"Ana, have some confidence! Go talk to him before he leaves!" Becca pressed, encouraging her friend.
"Okay, okay. I'll go." Ana decided hesitantly. God, she was incredibly nervous.
"Ana get out of here! You know he leaves around four on Fridays! It's three-thirty!" Maria chided her, pushing on Ana's legs to make her stand.
Ana's eyes widened in shock and she hurriedly stood up. She fixed her hair and clothing, then wiping away the excess sweat with a towel. "How do I look?"
"10 out of 10 would take on a date," Becca replied with a chuckle. Maria burst into a fit of giggles and Ana smiled, trying not to laugh as well.
"We're being completely serious, you look great. Now go get him girl!" Maria managed to say in between her laughter.
With a new boost of confidence, Ana set off to find Victor. She was unsure where to find him, and she didn't have much time, so she asked around. After talking to a few people, she got a lead that he was in the Mirror practicing for tryouts. She quickly made her way to it, her heart racing madly. Before she turned into the room, Ana leaned up against the wall to compose herself. She slowed her heart as much as possible, which wasn't much. She was so excited to potentially have a new romance with someone. At the same time, she was terrified. She didn't know what would happen. Taking a deep breath, Ana rounded the corner and slammed right into a body.
Ms. Preston, to be precise.
"Oh crap! I am so sorry, ma'am!" Ana yelped, helping the woman to her feet.
Ms. Preston glowered at Ana for a moment, rubbing her back. After realizing she was not harmed, her glare dissipated. "That's alright Ana. Please, just be more careful. I'm not as spry as the rest of you."
Ana sucked in her cheeks in embarrassment. "Yes, of course." She felt her pulse race again, seeing Victor and Adrien in the back, talking animatedly about something.
"How is your training going," Angela asked sternly, studying Ana's appearance.
"Oh, it's going great! I just finished with Maria and Becca for the day and I um…need to…ah…" She trailed off, her eyes glancing at Victor behind them.
Ms. Preston caught Ana's gaze, and smirked. "I see. Carry on then, Ana." As she walked away Ana could hear her mumble, "What I would give to be young again."
Another deep breath and Ana began to carefully approach the two men. They'd been watching her apparently, because Adrien greeted her with a wicked grin.
Adrien was around Victor's height, which was a few inches short of six feet tall. His chestnut eyes are deep-set, and his hair was short and spiky, the color of desert sand. His shoulders are broad and muscular with small patches of freckles on his fair skin. There's a trace of a five o'clock shadow around his thin lips. He usually had a trimmed beard, but he'd probably have to shave it for the upcoming shows.
"Knocking over the director are we, Ana?" He chuckled.
She playfully punched his tanned arm, "Oh, shut up!" .
"Ow!" He feigned, rubbing the spot where she hit him.
Victor chimed in, a cheeky look on his face, "Hey, now, settle down children."
"You be quiet too!" She struck him as well.
Victor simply laughed, his wolfish hazel eyes staring directly at her.
"Ana, so what's up? You came over looking pretty determined." Adrien commented, a sly smirk on his lips.
Ana swallowed hard, pushing back a strand of ebony hair behind her ear. "I um…wanted to talk to Victor." She saw Adrien's smirk grow out of the corner of her eye. Ana also felt her cheeks burn as she blushed. Then, she barely saw Adrien covertly leave them alone.
"What's on your mind?" Victor asked, his voice was warm and like velvet. She nearly melted into a pool of mush.
"Well, I may have been told a little secret…about you…concerning me…"
Victor's eyes widened and she watched his face turn pink. He reached up with his right hand to nervously scratch his neck.
"Oh. That." He laughed sheepishly. "I guess Adrien told one of the girls, huh?"
Ana gave him a small grin. "Yeah, Becca."
"Right. Well…this is embarrassing. I suppose you're here to tell me that you just want to be friends." His gaze fell to the floor in sorrow.
Ana furrowed her brow in confusion. "What? No. That's not it at all!"
Victor instantly perked up, glancing at her in glee and surprise. "Really?"
She nodded. "Why did you think I would say that?"
He pursed his lips, scratching at his neck again. "Well…it happens to me a lot. Being a male dancer isn't exactly the babe magnet as you'd expect. They hear me mention the word ballet and immediately they seem turned off. So, I…" He trailed off. He sighed heavily, as if he were revealing huge confession, and continued talking. "I stopped dating for awhile. I haven't had a girlfriend for months now because I got so frustrated with the rejection. Then, you showed up, I got the first up close and personal display of your abilities…we became friends…and I…you made me want to start dating again."
Ana blushed crimson, her heart aflutter. She felt butterflies in her stomach, and she was hot under his gaze. "You don't mean that," she replied doubtfully.
Victor shook his head, "I mean it. Let me take you out and I'll prove it."
Ana bit her lip. Of course she wanted to go on a date with him. But what would Kamau do or think? Would he be furious with her? Wait. Who the hell was she kidding? They only kissed once, and it was better that way. She had to forget about Kamau for the sake of her life.
"Okay. I'll go with you, Victor." She said, still flushing like crazy.
Victor grinned widely, his white teeth shining. He appeared as though he would jump for joy. "Awesome! Is tonight around eight good for you?"
"Tonight is perfect." She couldn't remember if she had something planned with Maria. Oh well. Maria wouldn't mind anyway, especially for this kind of thing.
After that, Ana gave Victor their apartment address and her cell phone number in case he got lost. Once Victor bid her goodbye, Ana raced back to the studio where Maria and Becca were still training. They beamed seeing Ana's reddened and elated face, running to hug her.
"When? When's the date?" Becca squealed happily.
"Tonight!" She answered with just as much excitement.
"I know someone who needs to get home ASAP then girl! Vamos, Ana get going!" Maria joined in.
Ana laughed, "I know! I'm going!"
xXx
An hour and a half later, Ana arrived at the apartment, annoyed with the Miami congestion. "Stupid people need to learn how to drive in traffic!" She grumbled. To relax herself before her date, Ana decided to take a long bath with bubbles. The warm waters were calming and she nearly fell asleep. By the time she finished, Maria was home. Maria insisted that Ana let her apply her makeup. As soon as Ana brushed out her hair, dried and styled it, Maria got started.
The finished product twenty minutes later - which only took that long because they couldn't compromise – consisted of a thin layer of foundation, a smooth winged look thanks to mascara with a dab of an earthy brown for a smoky eye, and a light pink blush that complimented her skin.
Next was the colossal task of figuring out what to wear. Maria wanted Ana to show a lot skin and cleavage, while Ana thought that was unnecessary. She wasn't looking to hook up with Victor tonight. She just wanted to have fun. Considering the mess with Kamau, it was definitely deserved and overdue.
Eventually, Ana picked out a blue and green striped tank top with black jean shorts. She showed some cleavage, but not too much that it was distasteful. Slipping on a pair of black flats and fastening studded earrings, the apartment buzzer rang.
"I'll get it!" Maria yelled from the living room over the noise of the television.
Ana heard Maria answer the machine and Victor's voice came through the speaker. She allowed him access to the building and a minute later there was a knock on the front door. She cringed as Maria greeted Victor with, "Ana your man is here!"
Damn it Maria. He isn't my man yet. I mean…maybe? Potentially? It's just a date!
With a huge intake of air and letting it go, Ana glanced at her reflection. Her pulse was racing again, and she fidgeted with her fingers. It's just a date, Ana. Calm down already.Fixing her outfit one more time, she finally walked to her bedroom door and opened it.
Victor stood there in the doorway, chatting with Maria. His dark black hair was slicked back and she could see his striking eyes much easier without them shrouded behind his long strands. He wore an onyx form-fitting t-shirt that was probably a size too small. For his biceps at least. His muscles looked like they might rip the seams. Ana didn't mind though. It suited him. He also wore a pair of dark blue jeans and a pair of charcoal Air Jordans. There was a simple, yet elegant platinum watch on his left wrist.
Victor's eyes gazed at Ana in admiration with a grin. "You look great, Ana!" Ana smiled back at him, slowly coming to his side at the doorway. "I-I mean, you always look great…" He stumbled, a blush on his cheeks.
"Thank you," she said softly, to stop his nervous babbling.
Maria cut in, rushing them out, "Okay! Get out of here you two; I need to catch up on my novellas!"
Ana snickered, grabbing her purse and heading for the door. "I'll probably be back late, Maria."
"I'll have her home at a reasonable time," Victor promised with wink.
"You're damn right you will, young man!" Maria half yelled from the kitchen and pulling out a tub of chocolate ice cream from the freezer.
Victor and Ana laughed as they shut the front door behind them.
Down in the elevator they went, discussing Maria's antics. When they reached the bottom floor, Victor held open the main entrance door for her, like a true gentleman. He led Ana to his crimson Chevrolet Camaro. Her jaw dropped, as he explained it was like brand new; despite it being the highly sought after 1969 Z28 model.
"But how in the hell did you get your hands on one? Everyone wants this car!" She exclaimed in disbelief.
Victor chuckled as he helped her into the midnight black leather passenger seat. Everything was pristine. The wheels were sparkling silver alloy rims, the exterior itself were spotless and scratch free. The inside was devoid of trash, the dashboard and trim was freshly wiped clean and shined in the light, smelling faintly of lemon.
"This Camaro was my grandpa's. He let my dad have it, and now it's mine. They always kept it in perfect condition and I intend to do the same. It's my pride and joy. I could not imagine having another car." Ana nodded in understanding, settling into her seat and buckling up.
Victor turned the engine over and the muscle car roared to life. He fastened his seatbelt, checking his mirrors and adjusting the radio. The engine continued to purr as they began to back out of the parking spot.
"So, where would the lady like to go?"
Ana's mouth formed an 'o'. "You want me to pick?"
"Of course! I'm treating you, remember?"
"Oh. Alright…how about Little Luigi's?" She suggested.
"Italian?"
"Do you not like Italian food? I can pick something else…"
Victor laughed, "Ana I am part Italian, of course it's fine."
With that, Victor drove off in the direction of the restaurant. They chatted casually about how practicing for tryouts was going. Ana explained she was struggling due to nerves – and her ability to remember things, which she didn't mention out loud - while he said he was having the same issue but dealt more harshly with his posture and form. Apparently he injured his left knee when he was younger and it made it difficult to move certain ways. She never noticed during their practices.
A short fifteen minutes later, they arrived at their destination. Again, Victor assisted her out of the car and guided Ana inside. The sky was getting dark now, as the sun had almost completely set. The horizon was subtly illuminated by shades of pink and purple, reflecting onto the clouds. The interior of the restaurant was quaint, which Ana enjoyed. The lighting was dim and accompanied by a soft musical soundtrack playing in the background. Their hostess sat them at a table set for two in a cozy corner by themselves. There were a few other patrons at tables away from them. The hostess handed them menus and informed them that their waitress was Lucia. She also placed a lit candle in the center of the table. They were deciding on appetizers when Lucia stopped at their table setting.
Lucia was a fair skinned young woman, long brunette hair with blonde streaks up in a high ponytail. Her eyes were dark, a purple eye-shadow on her eyelids. She wore same uniform as the rest of the employees, a plain white button up shirt with black slacks, and an apron wrapped around her thin waist. Ana felt self conscious, noticing that Lucia was quite pretty. She worried if Victor would find an interest in her instead.
"Hi, I'm Lucia, I'll be taking care of you tonight," she said, her voice seeming bored and rehearsed. When her eyes landed on Victor, she instantly perked up. "Can I interest you in appetizers, drinks?" She asked, flirtatious eyes directed to Victor. Ana couldn't recall if Lucia had looked at her once.
Feeling strangely possessive, Ana spoke up, giving Lucia a glare. "We'll have the Cheddar and Mozzarella Herb Bread to start and..." She glanced at Victor uncertainly. Lucia's gaze never turned to her, only her notepad.
"Order whatever you want." He said sincerely.
"What beer do you have on tap?" Ana asked, trying to keep her envy at bay.
"We gave Coors, Miller, Budweiser, Sam Adams...basically any flavor you could imagine." Lucia replied disinterestedly.
"A Sam Adams Octoberfest then."
"I'll have the same," Victor added.
Lucia asked for their IDs, throwing Victor a lustful gaze as she looked their birth dates over. "Do you need a minute to decide on entrees?"
Ana growled under her breath, growing tired of this already. Abruptly and without thinking, she placed a hand over Victor's. "We need more time." She practically spat with venom.
Victor's eyes locked on to his hand in shock, unsure of Ana's move. As soon as Lucia left with a huff, he quietly called to Ana. "Um...Ana? Why...?"
Realizing her hand was still laid over his, she quickly pulled it back to rest on the table, her cheeks hot. "Sorry."
"Don't be sorry. I'm just confused I guess. It was sudden is all."
Ana twitched her lips in annoyance. "Yeah I know...I just...wanted her to stop."
"Stop what?" Victor asked concernedly. He was completely oblivious.
"You didn't see her flirting with you? Awful rude of her. I mean obviously we're on a date!" She angrily messed with her silverware.
Victor rubbed his neck, "Well...if it bothers you that much I'll tell her to knock it off if she does it again." He laid his hand across Ana's to comfort her.
Ana slightly smiled, "Okay."
A few moments later, Lucia returned with their beer and appetizer. To their surprise, she gave no seductive moves. She took their orders, Ana having a calzone with pepperoni, sausage, cheese, peppers, and olives. She went against onions, just in case there was romance later. Victor chose chicken parmigiana with added eggplant, which he claimed was his favorite Italian dish.
Lucia left again, and Ana remembered Victor still held her hand. His hand was warm and rough, calluses on the pads of his fingers. She felt very relaxed. She wondered how he felt.
They chowed on the cheesy bread, which was exceptionally cheesy - they had trouble pulling the pieces apart, which ended up making a mess they laughed over. Nonetheless, they thoroughly enjoyed it. Their beers were ice cold and refreshing, helping to calm their nerves.
Victor started up a conversation, taking a sip of his beer. "So, we've known each other for like a month now, and I can't believe this is the first time we've talked one on one."
Ana giggled lightly, "Yeah, I can't either!"
"First question, favorite color? Totally lame opener, right?"
"Completely lame! That's a deal breaker, take me home!" She made moves to stand up and leave, a grin on her lips as she sat down again. "In all seriousness, it's green."
"Mine too! But like a dark...forest type of green. I think it's soothing."
"I agree," she said, sipping her beer. "You went to college right?" She inquired, vaguely recalling he was twenty-five.
"Sure did. Bachelor's in Education."
Ana nearly choked on her drink in shock. "What? No way! You?"
Victor chuckled, biting into a slice of the bread. "That's what most people say. It's mostly a back-up, if dancing doesn't work out. You studied Criminal Justice, didn't you? Are you going to finish your degree?"
"Yeah I did...and honestly I'm not sure if I should. I definitely need to...it's just I'm scared I'll get stressed out with schoolwork and practice. MDC is going to come first over school. Not like it was in Montana."
"I could always help you out if you wanted," he offered.
Ana laughed mockingly, "You know nothing about Criminal Justice!"
"Hey! I'll have you know my grandpa happened to be a U.S. Marshal before he retired."
"I'll think about it," she replied, in between laughter.
They continued their playful banter for the next fifteen minutes, at which point, their entrees had been prepared and brought to their table by a different waiter. Lucia was serving another table nearby to Ana's delight. Hot and steaming, Ana took a whiff of her meal, smelling the spices of the sauce and the freshness of the bread. She bit into her calzone and nearly died from the heavenly taste. It was delicious. She offered a piece to Victor and in return he gave Ana some of his meal. They both ended up asking for more of the other's dish and joked about whether they ought to just switch plates.
Halfway through their plates, Ana saw Lucia come up behind Victor and carefully ghost a finger on his shoulder. Victor jumped in a combination of surprise and confusion, his mouth full of pasta. He swallowed hard, wiping away the sauce that got splattered all over his jaw. Lucia stared at him, a foxy grin on her face. Ana was throwing flaming daggers at Lucia in her mind, and she gripped her fork tightly.
"How is everything?" Lucia quizzed him innocently.
Furrowing his brow in anger, Victor gave Lucia a fierce glare. "Ma'am, if you touch me again without my consent I will demand for the manager." His voice was loud and clear for the entire dining room to hear.
Lucia's smile fell and she tried to play it off. "I don't know what you're talking about, sir."
"I think you know damn well what I'm talking about. My date says you've been flirting with me since we've been here and I'm finally noticing what she meant now."
"You know how we women are though; we always think other women are flirting with our men." Lucia tried to offset the situation, unaware that was entirely the wrong thing to say.
Victor slammed his fists on the table, his chair sliding backward as he suddenly stood up. He turned to Lucia harshly, glowering at her smug face. "Are you calling my date a liar?"
The room was dead quiet now. All of the patrons and employees had stopped in their conversations and in their tracks, intently listening in on them. Ana heard a baby whine as it knocked over a glass, spilling the contents to the floor. Ana gleefully watched Lucia stand there in horror at Victor's abrupt rage. She hadn't expected him to react like that.
"N-no, that's not what I meant-"
"What is going on? Excuse me, excuse me!" A woman from the back of the restaurant came running over. She wore a tan casual suit and her blonde hair with hints of it previously being brown showing on the roots was up in a tidy bun. Ah, the manager.
"Lucia, what is happening?" She hissed, attempting to keep her politeness in check.
Ana stepped in, "I'll tell you what's happening. This waitress has been harassing him the moment we were seated. Now she accuses me of lying about it, being jealous because she probably thinks she's prettier than me and has her head so far stuck up her ass she can't tell he isn't interested."
The manager shot Lucia a hard look. "Is this true?" Ana got the feeling this wasn't the first occurrence.
"Um...I..." Lucia muttered awkwardly, drooping her head in embarrassment.
"Go to my office. I will deal with you later. Marcelo!" She called out as Lucia shamefully retreated from the table, and a tall man with a buzz-cut approached them. "Marcelo, please handle Lucia's tables until further notice."
"Yes, ma'am," he replied courteously and walked away as fast as he had come.
The blonde sighed, massaging her temples from stress. "I am so, so sorry. I cannot believe she's done it again."
"This isn't the first instance," Victor concluded, relaxing to unclench his fists.
"Oh, no. This is the third time. Normally after one incident like this I would let the individual go immediately, but seeing as she's my daughter, I've given her extra chances. I suppose now it's time to fire her."
Ana nodded in agreement. "It's probably for the best. Maybe she'll learn from it."
The woman hummed to herself at that, thinking it over. "Either, way, I would like to apologize again for Lucia. Is there anything I could possibly do for you? Dessert perhaps?"
Victor glanced at Ana who shrugged. "How about a couple of cannolis?"
The blonde beamed, "Certainly! And just so we're clear, your meals are on the house." She hurried back into the kitchen, returning a moment later with said cannolis in a paper bag. "Here you are! Please enjoy the rest of your night!"
Victor took the bag from her, said his thanks, and held his hand out to Ana. She grabbed her purse and his hand, which gently grasped hers as they walked out. Ana felt awkward under the stares from the other patrons, desperately trying to avoid their gaze.
Once they were inside his Camaro, Victor hung his head. "Ana, I'm so sorry."
"For what?"
"This wasn't how I wanted this to go. I didn't want to cause a scene at dinner."
Ana reached out and softly stroked his forearm. "It's alright. I'm not mad at you."
"I know, I know. Ugh...I just wish we had a different waiter or something."
"Well, it's not your fault you're so handsome." Ana gave him a sly grin. Victor laughed, turning over the engine. "Oh wait, no! It's is your fault! Damn you for being so attractive!"
Victor barked out a louder laugh, beginning to drive away. "So where would you like to go now?"
Ana stared out the windshield at the dark sky, the moon was fully out now. The stars shone brightly, and the moon hung low tonight, reflecting on the ocean.
"Oh! Let's go to the ocean!"
Victor's hazel eyes gleamed in excitement and he smiled broadly. "That sounds awesome. Do you have a preference for a beach?"
Ana shook her head. "Not really. Maria and I haven't explored any that much to have a favorite. Closest one is fine. I don't want you going out of your way for me."
"What if I want to?"
"If you say so...Surfside beach it is then." She liked that he wanted to treat her, but she also didn't want him spending so much gas.
Glancing at the dashboard clock in the radio, she noticed it was nearing ten o'clock. Since most people were already in the clubs and bars, the streets were pretty much free of traffic. Victor raced around a few sluggish cabbies, revving the powerful engine. The roads were illuminated by bright neon lights of the night life, people on the side walk bar-hopping, and club goers waiting in long lines. The drive wasn't long because he drove expertly, timing the stoplights and zooming off, speeding just a bit.
When they arrived, Victor parked in one of the zero-charge parking lots. He shut the Camaro off, carefully locking the doors after helping Ana from her seat. He reached for her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. Ana blushed, smiling at him timidly. Victor guided them along the stone path to the beach, the ocean environment taking over their senses. The waves quietly crashed against the sand, the insects hummed lively in the dark. They could smell the salt of the waters and the rustling of the leaves from the light breeze. It was so serene and calming. Ana could feel the roughness of the sand as some of it snuck in her shoe.
"It's so beautiful..." Ana gasped in awe, staring at the wide open ocean before them.
"Yeah, it is." Victor replied, and she could sense he wasn't looking at the ocean. Ana's blush deepened. God, this is so cliché. I feel like I'm in a romantic comedy. Dinner ruined by some mishap, the 'yeah, she is' line of some variation, what's next? He saves me from danger?
They strolled along the shoreline, feeling at ease. In the distance, there were a few other groups of people enjoying the scenery. In the other direction, a large party was gathered around a bonfire, laughing and drinking their woes away.
After walking around for a bit, they decided to sit down and relax. Ana opened the brown bag, pulling out two of the cannolis. She gave one to Victor, which he instantly bit into, his face lit up in happiness.
"Oh, man! It's so good!" He proclaimed elatedly, munching on the delicious dessert.
Ana took a bite of the treat, finding it to be sweet and savory with a hint of fruity flavor. The ricotta cheese was on point and the crust was baked to perfection. She shut her eyes in bliss, relishing the taste. "Like heaven."
Several mouthfuls of the cannolis later, they were all gone, and their stomachs were quite satisfied. Victor patted and rubbed his abdomen chuckling to himself. "That hit the spot."
Ana grinned back at him. "Oh, hey, you have some leftover cream on you." She tried to point it out to him using her own face, but he couldn't find it. She wondered if he was pulling her leg as she scooted closer to him.
This close to Victor, she could see the small scar across his forehead he explained was from a football practice back in high school. She was also able to clearly see the flecks of brown mixed in with his green eyes. Ana held her breath as she gently wiped the white cream from his cheek. His eyes were deadlocked on hers, and she felt his hot breath.
For a moment, she thought Victor might kiss her, but she saw him gulp and turn his head in shame. He sighed quietly to himself, glancing at the sand. He's so nervous, she thought to herself. That's so sweet. I guess he really does like me that much.Carefully, Ana leaned up against Victor, pressing her body into his side. She laid her head on his broad shoulders, curiously looking up to gauge his reaction. He had stiffened some in shock, but relaxed quickly after. She could tell he was trying to hold back a gigantic smile the way his lips twitched. Trying to play it cool, she guessed, laughing to herself. Slowly, she felt his head rest on hers.
"I could watch the waves forever," she said dreamily.
"Me too," he replied contently.
"If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?"
Victor was silent for a moment, pondering the question. "I have no idea. Can I pick more than one?"
Ana giggled, "No! Just one!"
Victor groaned, thinking hard. "Fuck, I don't...um...I mean, I'd love to go back to Italy to see where I come from, but I'll probably do that anyway...so if it was like a once in a lifetime chance thing, I'd say Egypt."
"Why? I'd like to visit Egypt too, but what are your reasons?"
"Well, think about it. Egypt was one of the epicenters for the beginning of humans. We got writing, buildings, a successful medical system, ships...so much of what we know today is from the Egyptians! I'd love to go learn about it in person and see how we evolved."
"Same here! It would be such a great experience."
"What's your favorite or happiest memory?"
"When I learned to dance." Ana replied almost instantly. "I remember when my mom first took me to a dance studio and I felt so alive and happy. I didn't want to leave that day, but my mom signed me up for lessons, since she...y'know, hurt her leg and couldn't teach me herself. I was only there long enough to learn the basics but I learned so much. It was just months after her accident if I remember correctly, actually. I wanted to do everything she couldn't and that's still true today. I just want to make her proud."
"I think you are," Victor smiled sweetly down at her.
"Thanks," she returned his gesture, nuzzling his shoulder. "What about you? What's your favorite?"
Victor brushed at his neck, "Um...well..."
"Oh come on! I told you mine!" Ana nudged him playfully.
"Okay, fine. Just...it is a little sad." He warned her, and Ana encouraged him to go on. "First, to give you an idea, I'll start way back in high school. Freshman year, my dad had me join the football team, as all parents want their son to do. I reluctantly did it to please him. Late in the football season, I discovered my passion for dance as I watched my school's dance troupe perform at the talent show. They were graceful and poised, yet also able to transform to create powerful and eye-catching movement. I was hooked. Every day, once football practices were over, I stayed late, and began experimenting. I wanted to quit football, but boys weren't allowed on the dance team. One day, when I was practicing, a bunch of my teammates found me. They laughed and pointed fingers, taunting me, calling me a homosexual. I hate that stigmatization. Just because I'm a guy that loves to dance doesn't mean I'm gay."
"I hate that too. People are so judgmental."
"Yeah. I mean, there's nothing wrong with being gay. I just wish people wouldn't assume." Ana caressed his arm, running her fingers up and down his muscles to alleviate his anger. Victor sighed, continuing on. "Anyway, so my teammates ended up telling my coach. He didn't do anything about it and told them to leave me alone. I went through four years of teasing, belittling and even physical stuff. That scar on my forehead? Yeah. They pushed me into lockers. Then, finally I graduated and went to college. I immediately joined the dance team and was accepted among friends. By my first semester, I decided I wanted to make it my life. No one cared about what I did because everyone was too busy sleeping, eating, binge watching TV shows, studying, or drinking. No one had time to care if I was gay or not. I was so happy to stop being ridiculed for something I loved. Then, we began to participate in a dance competition with other schools. I begged and pleaded my parents to come and watch, but they never did. It really hurt me that they wouldn't support me. Eventually, I stopped talking to them. If they didn't want to help me achieve my goals, I didn't want them in my life. By the time the final round rolled around, I gave them one last chance. I sent them a letter, asking them to come. I got no response. When it was the day of finals, I was pretty downtrodden. All I wanted was for them to show up. I can't even begin to describe how happy I was when they surprised me. They apologized and admitted they ought to have been there for me the whole time. Then, when it was my team's turn to perform, we were rewarded with the first prize trophy. I'll never forget it."
"That's great that they finally accepted you. I can't imagine having to go through that."
Victor smiled. "Yeah. It actually brought us close together again. My dad actually handed me down his Camaro that day. Quite the winning prize right?"
"Best prize ever!" Ana grinned.
They ended up breaking out into laughter, when Ana's morphed into a sudden cough. She moved away from Victor's gaze and covered her mouth with her hand, gasping when she saw the blood dripping from it. Thinking quickly, she trickled the blood onto her thigh, hoping it looked convincing if he saw it.
He reached out to her in confusion and worry, "Ana?"
Ana jumped out of his reach and ran toward the bathroom, making sure to leave blood droplets for him to find. "I'll um...be right back!"
She heard him begin to chase after her, but his footsteps stopped, and he made a groaning noise. "Oh..."Thank fuck that worked! Ana slammed the bathroom door behind her, bursting through a stall and leaning over the toilet to heave up more blood. Why now?
A few minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom to see Victor sitting on a nearby bench. He glanced up in relief, walking to her. "H-hey, you alright?"
"Yeah...uh, sorry about that."
"It's cool. I-uh...understand with the uh...bodily function thing..." He blushed, feeling awkward.
Ana laughed nervously, rubbing her hand. "Right."
"So, you're okay now? I mean you were coughing and stuff." His dark eye-brows were scrunched in concern.
"Oh, that? I'm good. It was just a piece of cannoli stuck in my throat and came back up." She replied sheepishly. What a lame lie.
Victor looked completely relieved now. "Great. Did you need me to take you home? I...I don't want to of course..."
She bit her lip in thought. It was probably a good idea. "I think it would be for the best, just in case." Victor's face fell in disappointment. Ana felt awful. She really didn't want to, she was just afraid of what would happen. She didn't want anything happening to him.
"Okay. I'll take you back then, Ana. I want to make sure you'll be safe is all. I mean...I know you're just on your - you know - and I...yeah."
Ana laughed lightly. "It's fine. I understand."
She laced her hand with his as they walked back to the Camaro. She climbed into the passenger seat, buckling herself in and settling into it. Ana yawned, covering her mouth politely. Victor chuckled beside her, starting up the car. Before she realized it, she was out. A short amount of time later, Victor gently shook her awake. She yawned again, blinking her eyes.
"Huh? What's going on?" She asked sleepily.
"You fell asleep," he answered with a smile. "We're at your apartment."
"Oh. I didn't realize how tired I was..."
"Need help getting up to the apartment, Sleeping Beauty?" He said jokingly, a smirk on his lips. Ana shot him a deadpan stare, causing him to grin slyly at her.
Victor held her hand as he led Ana to the elevator, seemingly counting the seconds he had left. It was a slow ascend to their apartment floor. He breathed deeply as they approached her door, standing in front of it. "Here we are, apartment 6F."
Ana nodded wistfully, feeling antsy. Her stomach was in knots and her pulse was racing a mile a minute. Was he going to kiss her this time? She could see Victor was anxious, repeatedly touching his neck and twiddling his fingers.
"Well, I guess...I'll see you around then, Ana." He moved to pivot on his heels, sadly looking to the floor again. Ana panicked, her heart sinking. He suddenly turned back around, shocking her. "You had a good time right?"
Ana sighed in relief, casting him a bright smile. "Yes. I had a wonderful time, Victor."
"Okay awesome. I was worried that you thought this was a total mess. With the fiasco at dinner and then the incident you had at the beach...man, I was afraid you thought it was a disaster because I-"
Ana leaned up and kissed him.
"It wasn't a disaster," she said as she pulled away.
Victor smiled bigger than ever before, "Really?"
"Yes."
"Well...in that case. I want to re-do that first kiss. Properly."
Ana flushed as Victor wrapped his arm around the small of her back to pull her close again. He tenderly brushed a strand of her hair from her eye, his lips pressing to hers. Ana's heart was pounding, the butterflies going even crazier. Victor's lips were soft and warm, tasting like the lingering flavors of the cannolis. She vaguely heard static ring in her ears as they broke apart. Ana didn't want to stop kissing him, but she swore she wouldn't sleep with him tonight. Lifting her eyes to gaze at Victor, his hazel eyes smoldered down at her. His cheeks were slightly pink and his arm released her from his hold.
Slowly, she turned and began to open the front door. "Goodnight, Victor." She heard him softly reply "Goodnight, Ana" as she shut it behind her.
Relaxing against the door, Ana sighed happily. She touched her lips in awe; she still couldn't believe he kissed her. Or that she kissed him first. Her heart was still aflutter and she bounced up and down enthusiastically.
"Maria!" She called out. She had to talk to Maria about everything!
No response.
The lights were shut off, the TV she'd been watching was off as well. Ana checked the wall clock, seeing the time was just past midnight. There was no way she was in bed already on a Friday. The apartment was dead quiet, aside from the ticking of the clock.
"Maria?"
Ana cautiously ventured into the apartment. Nothing seemed suspicious or out of place, but she was still wary. She checked all of the rooms, but there was no sign of her.
"Maria where are you?"
xXxXx
Maria gasped heavily, glancing over her shoulder in fear.
Shit, he was catching up!
She pushed her legs to go faster, beads of sweat dripping from her forehead. Her chest was heaving from exertion and her body was tired. Maria barely managed to leap over a fallen log, quickly regaining her momentum. She ran along the path, weaving around the trees. The moonlight illuminated her way, but it was still difficult to see clearly. The air was earthy and fresh, engulfing her nose. The wind blew gently, the leaves rustling in the darkness.
She looked behind her again.
Closer and closer he got.
"Fuck! No!" She yelled out.
"I'm going to get you!"
She rounded a corner and she sighed in relief. The clearing! It was so close! Maria goaded herself to her limits, running even faster. She could hear the footsteps gaining on her, faster and faster they went. It was just feet away now! Maria shut her eyes from the extra effort, starting to feel a little pain.
"Ha ha! Beat ya!"
Damnit!
Maria scowled, coming to a sudden stop. "Seriously, Adrien?"
Adrien laughed, wiping sweat from his brow. "I told you I'd win!"
Maria huffed, using her blue tank top to clean up her own sweat. "Yeah, yeah." She was bitter. She was that close to winning!
"Don't be like that," he chided her. "You were the one who challenged me."
"You could have been a gentleman and let me win…"
"Maria, you can't expect me to be gracious like that when you throw a race at me. I'm competitive, you know that."
Maria sighed deeply, trying to expel her annoyance. "You're right…I'm sorry." She faced him with a smile. "I shouldn't be mad at you when you managed to get me out of the apartment, especially since I'm burning off all the ice cream I ate."
Adrien grinned, "See? That was my plan all along."
She laughed mockingly, "Right…"
Once the duo had stretched out their muscles and returned to their normal resting state, they continued along the path. Adrien had explained that this particular trail looped in a large circle, and they would end up back at their cars. They reveled in the serene calm of the night, the moon still lighting up the sky. Insects chirruped loudly among the trees and bushes, and that was the only thing they heard for awhile, aside from their own idle chatting.
Adrien talked about how he had been on the track team in high school and college, which was why he was able to control his stamina. Maria would have mentioned her time on the cheerleading squad, but she was afraid he would find her reason absurd. She'd done it to be popular, after all. Maria thought it would be better to be popular than ugly, despite Ana's criticism of her logic.
Further down the trail and deeper into the woods, they spotted a family of deer frolicking about. They watched them for a few seconds from afar, until one of the fawns looked over and noticed them staring. The family hurriedly fled, leaving Maria and Adrien in disappointment as they had wanted to take pictures. They carried on, Maria expressing an interest in going to the Miami Zoo, which Adrien suggested they ought to go some time with Ana, Victor and Becca.
Eventually, the woods got so clustered by the trees closeness to one another that the moonlight slowly faded away, leaving them in the shadows of the dark. Resourcefully, they whipped out their cell phones and began using the built in flashlights to guide them. The bright lights illuminated the trees in a creepy way, making Maria shudder. She saw eyes of nearby forest creatures lit up by the phone's light, making them appear ghoulish.
"Adrien, are we almost there?" she whispered fearfully, beginning to regret agreeing to go this late at night.
"I-I'm not sure…I think so…" He replied, his tone giving off the same sense of fear. "Let's hurry up."
Adrien started to jog apprehensively and Maria did the same, watching for dangers in front of them on the path, and beside them hiding in the trees' darkness.
After coming around a bend, they came across a wooden bridge over a gap in the pathway. Adrien went over it first, so he could determine its sturdiness. When he deemed it stable enough, Maria began her trek across. She was halfway there when one of the boards cracked audibly. Maria let out a shriek in surprise, and then an even louder one when the boards snapped completely, sending her falling to the ground below. She landed on the dirt with a smack and a cloud of dust.
"Maria!" Adrien called out to her, leaning over the edge. "Are you okay?"
Grimacing, she stood up, seeing if she felt any pain that she hadn't before. Thankfully, other than bruises and scratches, nothing was wrong. "I'm fine…I think." She reached around for her cell phone, finding it by its dimmed light.
Adrien sighed in relief, holding his head and trying to calm himself. "Can you get back up? Use the broken bridge as a ladder maybe?"
Maria nodded, walking to the collapsed bridge on the side where Adrien stood. She glanced around at her surroundings with her phone, finding nothing but a large black mass lying underneath an alcove. Staring harder at it, she saw a snout and sharp claws. She panicked, slowly backing away from it.
"Maria come on! What are you doing?" He yelled, startling her.
"Adrien, hush!" She hissed in a low voice, pointing a finger at the sleeping animal.
"Oh, fuck!" He blurted out mistakenly. His loud voice stirred the animal, and its head slightly rose up, its claws flexing and digging into the dirt.
Heart racing, Maria leaped onto the wooden planks, quickly making her way up. She winced as one of the pieces lodged in her hand, giving her a splinter. She nearly fell off with a scream, hanging on the bridge for dear life. Her scream completely awakened the creature as it let out a fierce roar. They could see now that it was a fully grown black bear. The bear snarled as it laid eyes on Maria, running over to her and angrily swiping at her legs. Maria shrieked, hysterically climbing the rest of the ladder. Adrien reached out to her and pulled her up, not wasting another second before dashing off.
It wasn't long until they heard the bear chasing after them. Normally, they would have left it in the dust, but after their five mile run and the race to the finish competition, they were exhausted. They thought of running into the trees to hide, but deviating from the path and getting lost would not be the best idea, they decided.
Suddenly, they were left in the complete darkness as their phones abruptly shut off.
"Oh, what the hell! I had plenty of battery!" Adrien scoffed, tucking his phone in his pocket.
Maria gulped hard as she vaguely remembered Ana mentioning tell tale signs of the Slenderman. Electronics don't work around them…fuck…! She silently cursed in her head. Why the fuck wouldn't they leave her and Ana alone?
Gradually, a grey fog began to form, enveloping the forest in a thick mist. "Gaal…" She whispered, desperately trying to find her way through it.
"Huh?" Adrien asked her in bewilderment, not too far ahead of her.
"Nothing…I said 'oh my god'…" She lied swiftly.
There was an quick unexpected crashing of the tree branches and a pained roar nearby, causing Maria to glance back. She noticed the bear had disappeared, and by the time she looked forward again Adrien was gone.
Skidding to a stop, Maria swore under her breath. Seriously? "Adrien?" She bellowed, tears forming in her eyes. Why did he leave her all alone?
"He is safe."
Maria whirled around to see Gaal standing behind her. She shrunk back in fear. "How can I trust you? You guys lied to us!"
"We never lied about anything. The fact that you had never bothered to ask about our existence until the night Ana met Abbaddon is your fault only. I swore that as long as it was under my control I would not harm either of you, and I meant it." He replied calmly, the fog starting to evaporate.
"You still kept that information from us." She retorted, crossing her arms. She hadn't expected him to protect them from the bear. She simply imagined that was the human side of him, still living within.
"Do you think that we enjoy being this way?" His voice was raucous and deafening in her ear as he loomed over Maria. "Do you think we wanted to explain to you that we used to be humans but now we're these…these monsters?"
Maria flinched away from Gaal, feeling his intense hatred. He really did absolutely loathe being one of them. She wanted to flee from him and escape the side effects, but her legs wouldn't move, as she was drawn to talking to Gaal.
"If you didn't want to change them why did you?"
Gaal let out a thundering derisive laugh. "Do you honestly think we did this willingly?"
Maria didn't answer, her eyes focused on the marring scars on his pale skin, and she patiently waited for him to continue.
"No…" He went on, beginning to pace in a circle thoughtfully. "We were forced into this. Abbaddon found us in a hospital in 1917…somewhere in New Jersey if I recall correctly. I suffered from a gunshot wound to my right leg. Kamau on the other hand…he fared much worse. Pneumonia perhaps? Anyway, I would have survived my ailment. Kamau was on the verge of death. That's how he chooses his creations. Their wellbeing. They must be weak and dying. I could have been spared from this but Abbaddon was greedy. He made a decision to experiment and try to change us at the same time. Obviously, it didn't work exactly right as I look like this." He finished disdainfully, holding his arms out as if he were on display.
"Why were you shot?"
"I was in the military. Not when I was shot, though. I had retired by then. I did my required time and I got out. I never wanted to join in the first place but it was mandatory for all men to register. One night, I came home from my job as a repairman. I had worked on military vehicles during my enlisted time and I enjoyed it so I figured I'd make a living out of it. I was ambushed in an alley, and then after that I remember waking up in the medical wing and my leg wrapped in gauze."
"D-do…you remember anything else about who you used to be? Your former name perhaps?"
Gaal shook his head. "I can't remember my name. I do know that I had a wife. Or…at least I was going to. My fiancée. I was going to be married."
Maria could sense the twinge of heartache in his words. She felt sad for Gaal, the tears coming back, and she forced them to stop. "Do you miss her?"
"I don't recall her enough to."
"I'm sorry."
"I am the one who is sorry," he said, causing her jaw to drop. "You and Ana should not have to suffer because of us."
Maria continued to gape at him, realizing again the effects were still lingering. "Please take me back to my car." She had nearly forgotten he was not human anymore because of his story.
Gaal reached out to her with a snow white hand, and she knew his intentions. She let his palm rest on her shoulder, and she shut her eyes, remembering when Kamau teleported with Ana. She felt everything around them disappear, and then she felt nothing at all. An empty void surrounded them until she sensed the forest return to reality. She became uneasy, feeling like she was going to be sick. Her sight was spinning around and she nearly fell over, but Gaal caught her with a tentacle.
"Ana did not seem to be affected by teleportation as you are…" He mused curiously.
Maria regained her balance and her vision stopped spinning. The car lot was to her left, where she spotted her silver Civic and Adrien's navy Nissan Maxima. "Yeah, but she also spent more time around Kamau…and kissed him."
Gaal doubted that was the reason, but as he had no other ideas, he let it go. "Your friend is in his car. I have wiped the events from the bear attack from his memory and he should only remember before then."
She nodded in thanks, turning to head for Adrien's car.
"I am truly sorry for resurfacing your Slender Sickness, Maria."
Maria grimaced, not looking back at Gaal. She knew he had vanished after that. She peered into Adrien's car, seeing him sitting upright, fast asleep. She gently tapped on the window, causing him to jolt. He relaxed as his eyes landed on her, and he rolled down the window.
"What's…what's goin' on?" He muttered, completely confused.
"What do you mean?" She replied, pretending to baffled.
"We were in the woods going on a run…weren't we…?" He scratched his head absentmindedly.
Maria thought on her toes, forming a suitable lie. "Oh, yeah. We made it, and I said I needed to go to the bathroom and you didn't want to leave until I got back to make sure I was okay. I guess you fell asleep," she laughed for added effect.
"Oh." He chuckled sheepishly. "Well, you're alright then?"
"Totally. See you Adrien!"
Adrien waved her goodbye, turning on his car, reversing out of the parking space, and driving off into the night. Maria climbed into her own car, leaning her head against the steering wheel and began to cry.
xXxXx
I want to thank everyone who's stuck with me! I know it's frustrating to have me update sporadically, but I hope this nice and long (longest so far) chapter makes up for it.
Review response to anon Kole, Cinaed is the first born. Re-read the section about Kamau explaining their history :)
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review and let me know what you thought!
xxKhaleesixx