Chapter 3 Vanessa- Where are you

He hadn't left my mind since I saw him four days ago, and he hadn't passed my studio since. All these thoughts racing in my head. Where did he go after he passed my studio everyday? He did not need to pass my studio, but yet he did almost everyday for the past 3 weeks. Besides Sunday's. Another mystery. I knew they had their first game of the season on Sunday but they would still be in the facility everyday. I checked the clock, 10:31 am. He usually passed by now. I huffed, slipped off my ballet shoes and threw on some slides.

Leaving the studio feeling defeated. I opened the door the bright sunlight flooding into the building and the warm from the sun instantly making my body feel hot. September the weather was so bipolar. Yesterday was fall, and today felt like summer again. I walked through the parking lot and heard some distant chatter, my eyes followed the noise and about 15 cars ahead of me there he was. He was leaning against a car, talking to two players in front of him. He caught my eyes, while he squirted his water bottle into his mouth from a foot away. He wiped the corner of his lip while he looked me up and down. Then went right back to his conversation. The two players turned to look at me, up and down their eyes followed my body. They turned back to Colson, and said something that made him smirk. Heat pooled in my stomach at the sight of him. His skin was tan, his eyes a chocolate brown, behind those eyes I knew there was a hundred stories. His friends turned to walk to their cars and Colson stayed leaning against his car staring at me. Expressionless, I couldn't read him. I got to my car that was across from his and about 5 cars before. I shot him a glance, looked down and jumped in my car. I backed out and started driving away, he didn't move from his spot. I could see him pick up a phone call through my review mirror with a flirtatious smirk. I should have known he would have a girlfriend. Not that my situation with Luca really made me available anyway.

I got to Luca's condo and of course Sam was already there making herself a smoothie. "Want one" she asked but I knew she didn't mean it. I contemplated saying yes just to see how she would react. "Im good, thanks". I had just darkened my hair and cut layer for the fall, and ironically looking at Sam today, her hair looked identical to mine. I did a double take, and rolled my eyes as I headed for the shower. I need to wash off my annoyance, every time Sam copied me I couldn't help but get so frustrated. She did not do it in imitation is flattering sort of way but more of I take who you are and make it me, if anything it could seem like I was copying her with how loud she was in being me. Hair was silly, and I did not care. A lot of people change their hair for fall, my exact color and cut was a little too ironic but whatever. I was really annoyed when she started taking ballet classes and acting like what I have done since I was 7 was something here and I did together. I didn't care to give it any attention, because in the past Luca would chalk it up to me being so dramatic.

I peeled off my ballet tights and sports bra, jumping in the shower letting the warm water run down my back. I danced all my life, not just ballet but hip hop too. I used to do ballet just for strength, flexibility and coordination. I also loved hip hop more but after graduation and heading into my adult life, ballet was what I did more of. I stilled danced freestyle hip hop on the weekends, and left the weekdays for ballet. I even tried experimenting with the two which was a strange concept that hadn't really been done much. If anything ballet and hip hop were to worlds apart. Growing up doing hip hop more, the ballerina's were also a completely different genre and my hip hop team also made playful jokes when i left hip hop class and went to ballet down the hall.

I was pretty quiet for the rest of the night. Luca was yelling, laughing and cursing with his friends playing video games. I read my book and made some tea. I had already taken a shower today but every single night like clockwork I drew a bath.

Luca woke me up at 7 am

"Come with me to the warehouse" he pleaded. I nodded my headed slipped out of bed and into the car without even looking in the mirror, brushing my hair or teeth. I stayed at Luca's sometimes during the week cause it's closer to the studio but I went to my moms after the studio until after dinner, sometimes staying there sometimes going back to Luca's. Luca's house had more space, an insane kitchen and more lavish bathrooms so I liked being their sometimes to get ready, cook and relax. Sometime's I barely even saw him. We arrived at the warehouse. I always wondered why the picked such a desolate location for the warehouse, off the beaten path down a country road and near a cornfield. I mean who even builds a warehouse in farmland, and why so far from their facility. It was at least twenty minutes away without traffic. We bounced in the car while the tired rolled over rocks and onto dry dirt. Pulling up in front of the warehouse, I went to get out but Luca put his hand on my leg. He looked at me sternly.

"Stay here" he said in a firm tone. Luca jogged over the the warehouse next door to the one I knew as his. He opened the door, I got a faint sight of what was inside and my stomach dropped. Purple fluorescent lights shined on hundreds of what looked like marijuana plants, It couldn't be could it? I rolled down my window to see if I could pick up on the scent, but all I smelled was grass, dirt and cows.

He ran back to the car.

"leave now" he tossed me the keys and didn't explain further. I stared at him blankly and he demanded again in a stronger, more fierce tone.

"Now!". I slid over to the driver side but the key in and pressed on the grass. The car skitted over the dry dirt leaving a cloud of brown in is absense. i forgot to roll up the window and coughed as I struggled to roll it up and speed off. As I sped off coming down the same desolate road I saw three bullet proof jeeps that looked like they were army grade. What the fuck is Luca getting himself into?

The next morning I pulled into the parking lot, thinking back to yesterday trying to remember Colson's car. Im sure it was one of many, but yesterday he drove a black porsche suv. I did not see in the parking lot. I checked my phone, it was 9:30. He usually didn't pass my studio till past 10. There was a gentle breeze but it was still hot out. The scent of apple fritters danced in the air and I turned around to see butter's bakery across the street making a mental note to get that after I danced. When I got to my studio there was a small package in the center of the room. I undid the bow and unwrapped the packaging. The most beautiful satin red ballet shoes laid inside. There was no note, and no name. I couldn't help but notice it was the same blood red color of the Foxes. i was wearing black tights and a black long sleeve top with an open back. I laced up the red ballet flats, these were sexier than my usual pink pair.

I turned on an erotic slow hip hop song and began dancing. After about thirty seconds I could feel his eyes on me. I was in the splits, with my back leg bent touching the back of my head. I slowly turned my head to the mirror in front of me, reflecting him in the glass behind me. He stared at me as I dropped my bent leg back done swung both my legs in front of me not breaking eye contact. Heat pooled in my stomach, my whole body felt like it was on fire under his gaze. His eyes staring at my shoes. It was him who gave them to me wasn't it?

I danced touching my body, spinning, stretching my legs in the air all while staring back at him through the mirror. He stayed and watched till the song ended. His face expressionless. Without skipping a beat, the second the song was over he turned around and walked out. The second he left I felt cold an empty. He was so alluring but something about him felt so dangerous. I sat there for another twenty minutes not really able to dance, instead just replaying the scene of me dancing for two minutes in my head over and over.