Chapter 9

The Studio

The raven-haired girl led him to a part of town that he recognized. There were a lot of brownstone buildings with quaint shops, homey storefronts, a theater, and restaurants. He'd spent many times venturing with his parents, friends, and past dates. But never in the middle of the night. Compared to regular business hours, it looked like a ghost town. It was a little eerie; he had to admit.

"What now?" Eli asked, turning off the highly noticeable roaring engine to Morty. He pulled into a lonely parking lot with not a car in sight. Not that he expected other civilians during the weekday and at this time of night.

"Follow me and be quick," Julia demanded, pulling on the hearse door to exit swiftly. "—Also, do everything I say."

"Yes, ma'am."

Eyebrows confused, he followed. As if this outing wasn't odd enough. His girlfriend's cryptic language wasn't helping to ease his mind of worries and questions. He jogged to catch up to Julia's quick pace. "So, are you going to tell me what we're doing here?"

His girlfriend came to a halt in the middle of the road and turned to look at him with a warm smile that, if truly manifested, could've shielded him from the chilly evening. Raising herself on her tiptoes, she gently kissed his cold lips, followed by one more kiss on his cheek, leaving a warm embrace. "I need you to trust me, Eli," she soothed, "that's all I ask."

His shoulders relaxed a bit. "Okay," he breathed, "I trust you."

They continued to cross the road, Julia leading him between two brownstone buildings and down a dark, dingy alley. There was some light coming in, but mostly it was packed with industrial-sized trash cans. When they reached the dead end, Julia grabbed a nearby crate and used it as a step stool to climb on top of one of the rusted metal bins.
"Careful," Eli warned as he watched her maneuver her way as if she'd done this a million times...

Once on top of the tall trash cans, she reached out to a fire escape ladder hanging just a little lower than it should.

Perfect, she thought.

Lowering the ladder with a screech of stubborn metal, she ushered Eli to hop onto the dumpster while she turned to climb the ladder. Julia wasted no time on the first landing of the fire escape. Turning back down to check on Eli, she helped him up safely as well.

"How do you know how to do this?" Eli inquired, a little out of breath and heart racing.

Julia merely pressed her finger to her lips to signal for him to keep quiet. She made a follow-me motion and continued one more flight of steps, still trying to be as stealthy as possible under cover of darkness. Once at the top, Julia went explicitly to the first window and jimmied it lightly until it opened up for her. Using her fingers to wedge under the window, she pushed the glass upwards and pried it wide open. The dark-haired teen swung one leg over and through the entry, blindly trying to touch the safety of something steady with the tip of her toes. With a sigh of relief, Julia found the confirmation she was looking for. With nothing in her way, she fully entered the rest of her body and landed in the quaint lit room. Eli followed right after.

Inside was a bare room with a piano nicely tucked in one corner. There were mirrors all along the walls, giving them a 360 infinite effect even in the dark. There was no light, but the full moon cast a blue tint lighting from an opposite window. It was enough for them to see inside.

"Woah," Eli sighed, "what is this place?"

"This is an old dance studio I used to work at. The owner used to let me teach the toddler classes for free studio time."

"Oh," Eli merely spoke, pacing around the room and taking in more pieces of information about his girlfriend. "I'm starting to grasp that ballet has been a pretty big part of your life." He turned back to face the raven-haired girl. In the moonlight, her hair almost had a bluish tint he found mesmerizing.

Julia removed her long black coat, the material dropping with a soft thud and exposing her delicate ballerina outfit. She wore her usual black leotard, pale pink shirt, tights, and leg warmers. The raven-haired girl plopped herself down on the ground next. She had a pair of pointed shoes around her neck, tied together by a neat bow. She grasped the tied pointed shoes and began working on placing them on her feet, removing the simple flats she had on.

"So are we gonna get caught? How do you know to sneak in?" The emo teen questioned once again, watching her work on the bulky silk shoes.

"I got observant. I noticed no alarm or cameras—home isn't always great as you've seen first hand," Julia explained, realizing she wished that wasn't the case, "and I would stay here some night from time to time. I'd lie and say I was at a friend's house or something." Julia worked on the elastic band and placed it strategically around her foot. "Of course, that was a lie," she mumbled, "not that anyone really cared."
Eli eyed her with the softest expression. He had to admit that he was so glad his parents were nothing like hers, and Eli never had to flee the comfort of where he lived because he didn't feel safe or welcomed. He was fortunate enough that he had Cece and Bullfrog. They were both alive and well. A little unconventional at times, but overall, his parents were the most incredible guardians he could've asked for. He didn't know what he'd do without them. His heart swelled at how fortunate and loved he was.

Eli cleared his throat, not knowing what to say to her misfortune. "—Umm, so what exactly did you bring me to see?"

Julia finished shuffling about with her ballet shoes, inspecting her handy work. "I think these still have some give," Julia mumbled. She started stretching after that, bringing her hand down to her toes and forcefully bending each foot forward and backward.

"I stretched before we left, but I guess over stretching never hurt anybody," Julia added.

Carefully, she brought herself up with the clunky shoes neatly placed on her feet. Eli just stared. That's all he could do when she stood up straight and tall, almost as if an invisible string was pulling her up from the top of her head. She brought her hands slightly bent in front of her, her legs stiffly together, and both feet snapped at the heel but pointed in opposite directions. A moment later, she raised her feet to be in one of the most awkward upright positions he had ever seen.

"Woah," he breathed. It was weird seeing the body move like that. He'd never seen it, incredibly up close.

Julia flexed her feet, bending them both forward and backward.

"I'm not gonna lie; that's pretty cool and freaky at the same time," he commented.

"Isn't it?" Julia smiled brightly. She brought out her phone from her bra and played an instrumental piano piece, letting the low sound encompass the space. Tossing the phone towards Eli, he managed to catch it.

Without another word, the teen boy watched as his girlfriend moved gracefully across the room, unable to describe to himself what he was witnessing. All he knew was that it was mesmerizing. Julia's steps and the music were the only sound in the room. His girlfriend would create fast and intricate movements where the music needed her to while being on the tip of her foot. Her arms skillfully rose and fell with so much power yet grace. The footwork will forever be embedded in his mind as one of the most extraordinary things he's ever seen. He would wince from time to time, especially when her feet came down hard.

Each step Julia's feet made was heard with a harsh thud, but she only made herself look light as a feather. She'd stretch her leg so high up; he wondered how much time and dedication it must've taken to master so much skill. Eli could barely touch his toes. Her leaps in the air were by far the coolest. He even let out a gasp. The teen boy made a mental note not to ask her if being on the tips of her toes hurt when dancing. His girlfriend made it look effortless. She danced for the duration of the song. And when it was over, he could see her chest rising and falling with intensity as she held her final pose, her arm high up in the air and a proud smile plastered.

"Bravo," he let out with a clap, still cautious that they were currently trespassing.

Julia proceeded to bow and giggle. "I'm super rusty. Definitely not my best. My turnouts need to be faster—my arms are weak—I should point my toes more sharply."

Eli moved toward the ballerina and kissed her. "Are you kidding me! You're perfect."

"You think?"

"That's the coolest and craziest thing I've ever seen," he exclaimed, moving closer to his girlfriend.

"Probably not perfect enough for Julliard…" she spoke in disappointment, her gaze distant.

"Juilliard—like—THE Julliard," he emphasized, making sure he heard correctly. She nodded.

"You applied?" Eli inquired.

She nodded again. "—but I'm probably not getting in."

He ignored her previous statement, his mind starting to work into overdrive. Eli's whole Degrassi career, he's been working towards getting himself to NYU and so sure he was getting in. They were both headed for the same city after high school. "I applied for NYU and I'm probably gonna hear back any day—Julia, this is a sign!"

"What's a sign?"

"Us meeting the way we did. The universe was bringing us together. And then you came to Degrassi, stayed with me, and applied to schools in New York—don't you see it?" He didn't contain his newfound excitement as he grasped her shoulders.

Julia wrinkled her forehead, still not catching on.

"—We're destined to be together! You and I both in New York. I'll be learning more about directing, and you'll be dancing!" His girlfriend was glowing with the moon, looking almost luminescent. The timing felt like something out of a fairytale.

"You and I in New York," Julia repeated with a broad smile, "t-together?"

"—Can't you picture it?" Eli asked, not skipping a beat. He could imagine their evenings in their cramped studio apartment cooking dinners together. Or strolling through Central Park on the weekends. Maybe they could get a pet cat or dog—And, of course, frequent sex on the bed they both shared day in and day out.

Julia sighed longingly, breaking him out of his fantasy. "Yes…I actually can," she admitted.

Eli scanned her muted blue eyes and could see exactly what his girlfriend was imagining and so much more. She didn't even have a home; at least with him, she could finally have that. He could be her protector. Heart rushing from the mere idea, Eli didn't warn her when he went in for another kiss. Julia reacted instantly, reaching to wrap her arms around his neck. The quiet of the room only intensified every breath between the parting of their lips. Even the shifting of their clothes seemed deafening. He couldn't help but caress the soft fabric on her hips where his hands landed. An eager Eli opened his mouth wider, allowing Julia's tongue to slip into his. He let out a deep sigh at the sensual excitement occurring in his mouth.

Both his hands didn't linger on her hips. Instead, he roamed them down to her ass. It wasn't big, but it was perky and round from all the ballet, he assumed—which he was grateful for. He caressed it before he finally squeezed onto it, enjoying the sensation in his grasp. So much so that his mind started to wander some more….

Julia broke apart from his lips enough to look him directly in the eye. "I didn't know you were an ass kinda guy."

Eli couldn't help but feel a little called out. Taken aback, he cleared his throat, "I'm into a lot of things. Especially anything that has to do with you," he said honestly.

It was Julia's turn to be caught off guard and be embarrassed. She looked down at her feet, her skin flushing hot and her cheeks flooding with blood. She was glad it was dark, and Eli couldn't see her visceral reaction.

"What? Too corny?" He inquired.

She peeked back at him. "No….If I'm being honest, you make me feel like no one ever has."

Her boyfriend took a healthy gulp. "Well, I'm glad there's no competition then," he spoke into her hair, the warm breath making her giggle.

"So would it be weird—to umm—to ask about all my past competition then?" Eli didn't dare catch her eye directly, focusing on analyzing her body language through the mirrors. Her muscles stiffened slightly. Neither of them had ever talked about their past—not that it mattered truly. But now, he was curious. Maybe even a little jealous, but he tried to keep the green-eyed monster at bay this time.

Julia nodded, thinking back at her past male 'friends.' She didn't know what to call them. She'd never had a boyfriend. Ballet was technically her longest relationship and what she'd entirely been devoted to most of her life. So much so that she only had time for simple dates and hookups.

"Well, I've never had a boyfriend before. You're my first when it comes to that," Julia admitted, interlacing her fingers into his. She nudged him, and he followed, leading them both to sit on the polished wooden floor.

"But I'm not your first first," he blurted. Eli could hear how much of a stupid guy he was acting with his line of questioning and implications, but he couldn't stop. Again, it wasn't like it truly mattered. He loved Julia so much regardless.

"Nope," Julia answered simply, "someone beat you to that a looong time ago."

"Huh," Eli responded, "interesting…." He was learning so much about her.

"Yeah, I was thirteen, and he was fourteen," Julia added. The dark-haired boy's breath immediately hitched in his throat.

"—Sorry!" He coughed and regained his composure, "I thought I was an early bloomer."

"Oh really," Julia's eyes glistened with curiosity, "how old were you when you lost your virginity?"

"It was like three years ago. I was fifteen when I got sent to some music camp for the summer. It was awful," he chuckled, recalling his horrible first-time experience, "I was a nervous wreck."

"Yeah, I can't say I remember mine being good either," Julia admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "I didn't try hooking up with anyone again for another two years. I had a dance partner who later figured out he was gay, but during our time together, we experimented with each other a lot."

"Oh, did you now," Eli remarked, giving her hand a playful squeeze with his fingers. "I can definitely say I'm jealous of this guy."

Julia chuckled and hit his arm lightly. "And then it was just random hookups from time to time. Nothing special to report."

"Have you ever been…you know—tested?" Eli said, allowing a brief second pause, "probably a little late to ask this question now since we've been sleeping together—I mean—I've been tested before, too—I'm okay, by the way!"

Julia soothed his shoulders to get him to calm down and let him know she wasn't offended by his line of questioning. "That's good that you told me. I've been sorta wondering?"

"—Why haven't you asked?"

Julia shrugged her shoulders in uncertainty. "Embarrassed, I guess you'd judge my history a little."

Eli mentally smacked himself. He hadn't responded the best to her losing her virginity news. Or even seeing her with Christian-kid. "I would never." He closed the space between them with his lips and gave her a quick kiss to reassure her.

"I'm all good, by the way, so no need to worry," she awkwardly stated. Going over sexual health and history was never enticing. It was evident by the awkwardness between them. But Julia was happy they'd got it out of the way.

"So," she began again, meeting her blue eyes to his green, "any more girls I need to know about?"

Eli smirked. He started the conversation, so it was fair that he finished it. "The camp girl was a one-time thing—I didn't dare try again for a while. Then there was this girl who worked at my dad's radio station, manning the record store. We hooked up a couple of times on and off. She was a little older and knew waaay more. But she was very guiding, which was nice 'cause I had no idea what I was doing."

It was Julia's turn to smirk. "I owe this girl a lot then."

Eli merely smiled and continued. "And finally, I met Imogen…." He spoke his friend's name as softly as possible.

Julia scrunched her eyebrows. She recalled the name but didn't know where.

Oh, wait! It hit her—the girl with the quirky outfits and glasses.

"We were a little intense for a bit. Mostly due to my bipolar starting to kick in full force…."

Julia recalled not taking a liking to the strange girl.

"—But we're friends now. Good friends and nothing more. Plus, she's dating Fiona too—So."

"You had sex with her?"

"Umm…yeah."

She couldn't picture them together in her mind. Not that she wanted to. This possessive need to keep the two far from each other was growing. Julia didn't realize how furrowed her eyebrows were when she noticed him watching her. She forced herself to relax her face.

"Are you jealous?" Eli cocked his head to the side and tugged the corner of his lip up at her.

"—Fuck no." She was growing a little irritated. Julia rolled her eyes in the process.

"That's too bad because that would've been hot." Eli grasped her hand and maneuvered her closer to him. He proceeded to wrap his arms around her torso and had her back lean into his chest.

"I don't want you to worry about Imogen or any other girl for that matter. I love you so much it's kinda crazy…." Kissing the top of her head and basking in her warmth.