Flirting with Danger Bk 1

“How do you do that anyway?” I asked, laughing so hard it hurt my stomach muscles.
“I don’t know, but I was kicking my leg up high behind me so much. If it wasn’t my butt it was something else, but it was definitely something.” she said and I just kept laughing.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t laugh at your pain.” I said, making myself stop laughing and sitting back up.
“It’s okay. I laugh at yours all the time.” she said and I nodded.
“You know,” I said, lying on my back on my bed, looking upside down at Sue. “You should really come practice with us. It’s really fun and you know what? Since they’re professional dancers, they always have new moves and stuff. It’s awesome! Plus, they’re just a great bunch. Wait, have you even been over there yet?” I asked.
“Yeah, just last week.” she said and I flipped over so I could see her right side up.
“Really? How come you didn’t tell me?” I asked.
“Didn’t I?” she asked, a confused look on her face. I shook my head.
“Oh, I’m sorry Kota. I guess I’ve just been out of my head since,” she paused, “it happened. Ivan’s really the only one who’s been keeping me straight.” We both looked down and had a moment of silence.
“It’s no problem. I wasn’t angry or anything, I was just asking.” I said, making sure she wouldn’t think I was one of those people who expected you to be the same after one of your parents died. Because I wasn’t like that.
“Well, I know I haven’t been spending very much time with you, but I promise I’ll make it up to you.” she said and looked at me like she was confessing or something.
“Sue I’m not mad. I mean, I haven’t exactly been making plans for us to get together. I’ve been so busy juggling Connelly, the guys, and my Louis problems.” I said.
“Okay.” she said and looked back down.
“But,” I said and she looked up at me. “If you really want to make it up to me, come practice with us. I promise you’ll love it.” I said and she smiled.
“Okay.” she said and I nodded. “And enough of all this serious stuff. I want to be happy.” she said and I nodded again.
“Okay, you wanna hear something?” I asked and she nodded eagerly. “Connelly wants me to do two dances at the competition.”
Her eyes popped and her jaw dropped. “What? How does he expect you to do that in four weeks?” she asked.
“I know, that’s what I said. Then he said he did it all the time and I thought, ‘That’s because you’re a professional!’, but I couldn’t say no to him.” I said, smiling and picturing his face.
“I understand that. Ivan has me doing so many flips and jumps, we might as well be dancing on a trampoline.” she said.
“Besides, Alister knew I was making all kinds of excuses.” I said, shaking my head.
“Wait. You mean Alister is nice to you?” she asked.
“We’ve been friends for a while now. Why?” I asked.
“I thought he and Mira hated you.” she said and I smiled.
“Wait a minute. You’re way behind here.” I said, smiling and shaking my head.
“Well fill me in!” she said excitedly and I obliged. We talked the night away until we slipped into sleep on the bed, on top of the covers and dress pictures.
The weeks passed like days, Sue practicing with us all, and us all doubling our already tremendous practice time. It was double the time each session and double sessions each week. I was so busy with my job, barely got through my homework before running off to practice, and was neglecting my boys more than ever. I just hoped they didn’t hate me, but then later found out they were as busy as me.
Plus, to add another problem to my load, Connelly had begun acting so strange. He was suddenly jealous of every guy around me, Louis especially, and never wanting to leave my side, even when I was working! I tried talking to him, to see what was wrong, but every time I did, he would just shrug it off and say he just wasn’t feeling like himself. I even tried to talk to Ivan and their family, but they wouldn’t say a word, which was even stranger. It made me a little uneasy to be honest. There was something going on, and I was going to find what it was out sooner or later.
***
Then, before I could even blink an eye, it was the first Thursday in March and we were boarding the plane bound for Italy at five in the morning. And even though Chase couldn’t go, he still came to the airport to wish us luck, along with Jack and Jason. They were stopped at the metal detectors and I gave them each a hug and peck on the cheek.
“Wish me luck boys.” I said. They all nodded, in a daze. Their faces were completely relaxed and stupidly happy, their hands on the place where I’d kissed them. I turned around and saw Louis’s jealous expression quickly vanish while Dale just kept on smiling, laughing at the boys on the inside.
“See ya later boys.” he said, draping an arm around my shoulders and turning around so he could snicker. I did too, quietly, and shared an amusing look with Louis, who was close beside me.
We all boarded the plane together, lucky enough to get seats that set us in a cluster. I was of course beside Connelly, who was starring moodily out his window, and I guessed he saw me kiss the boys. But I pushed my ever growing annoyance away and he could just get over it because the kisses didn’t mean anything.
Sue was opposite him, snapping pictures of the ground below while Ivan sat next to her and opposite me since our seats faced each other. And behind Ivan and Sue’s seats were Dale and Louis.
“Can you believe we’re actually going to Italy!” said Dale, he and Louis on their knees and looking back at us, him over Ivan and Louis over Sue.
“Yeah, and we’re going to be there for three days!” Sue said happily.
“I can’t wait ‘til we get there.” I said with happy sigh.
“Oh Kota you’ll love it — Italy is very beautiful this time of year and the beaches are spectacular.” Connelly said, looking over and smiling at me. He took my hand and squeezed it.
“Beaches? But I thought it was too cold for that.” said Dale, giving him a confused look, Sue and I mirroring it.
“The weather’s different in Europe.” he said. “It gets pretty warm this time of year. Definitely a time for swimming.”
“But I didn’t bring my bathing suit.” I said.
“Yeah, me either.” Sue agreed and Dale and Louis nodded.
“Don’t worry, you can get one when we get there. They have the best shopping.” Connelly looked out the window with a happy smile.
“Have you been there before?” asked Louis.
“Yeah. I have.” said Connelly, looking like he was going home.
“Our family has been connected with Italy, and most of Europe, for a long time.” Ivan explained slowly, glancing at Louis and then looking towards his and Sue’s window as if to see Italy below.
There was a moment of silence, during which Connelly continued to stare out the window, Ivan looked down at his fidgeting hands, and a stewardess asked Louis and Dale to sit down. But then a few minutes after she left, Dale and Louis returned to their knees.
“So, what’re we going to do when we get there?” Dale asked, looking at me expectantly.
“Well, I mean I know we’re going to Cervia, but I don’t really know where that is.” I said.
“You mean you didn’t look this up?” Sue looked at me and I shook my head. “Me either.” she said and then giggled.
“I guess I’m just a bad traveler.” I said, smiling slightly and giggling too.