turn, feeling the intensity of being so close to him, always touching him, and trying to remember the positions Mrs. Svenko wants me to get into while we swing, just to make it that bit more elegant as we move. We swing for several seconds longer, then spin down closer and closer to the net, so that I’m only a little way from it when we drop into it. Zachary lands on top of me briefly, his skin against mine, and it’s hard to ignore how good that feels, but then we’re climbing down, back to the floor to start again.
We rehearse it three or four more times, making sure that we can do it perfectly. Each time, it seems the air between us has gotten hotter and hotter, as sweat begins to form on my chest and his. By the end of it, my muscles are shaking, and I can only stare breathlessly at Zachary. He stares back. This act has been physically the hardest that I’ve worked on, but it’s been tough being that close to Zachary too, after spending time with him in his parents’ store. Something about the way he’s looking at me tells me that he feels the same…that every pore of his body wants mine.
We have to move away from the space we’ve been rehearsing in then, because Banford and Sandy are working on the same act. Sandy looks great in a tight red leotard that matches her hair, but the two of them glare at one another as they work their way into position, looking like they hate one another for every second of it. That’s enough to make me laugh, just at the thought that they can dislike one another so much, so soon, and I’m surprised to hear Zachary laughing along with me.
We head back to the changing rooms and I go into the one reserved for women to shower and change back into my street clothes. I come out to find Zachary just walking out of the male dressing room. He smiles as he sees me.
“Are you walking home alone?” he asks, and the offer there is obvious. Obvious, and awkward too.
“Thomas has been coming by after work at the restaurant to walk me home,” I say. “He’ll be along soon.”
Zachary frowns at that. “Are the two of you together? If I’d thought that you were, I wouldn’t have asked you to go with me to my graduation party.”
I shake my head. How can he think that there’s anything between Thomas and me? The thought of me having something with Thomas is… it’s just ludicrous. I’ve known Thomas practically forever, but it’s more like he’s a brother to me, although lately, with those kisses, I think Thomas wants more. I blushed remembering those kisses and how nice they were, but I’ve had this crush on Zachary for so long. “No,” I say at last, “we’re just friends.”
“Good.” Zachary steps closer, his hands going to wrap around my waist. “After that training session with you, I don’t think I’d like it if he were more.”
I find myself blinking. Did he really just say that? He leans in closer, until his forehead is touching mine. Is he about to kiss me? Oh, I hope so.
“Leela,” he whispers, “there’s something I have to tell you.”
Something catches my eye and I glance over to see Michael Nelson walking past. There’s something suspicious about the look he sends our way. Zachary reaches up to brush my cheek with his thumb, so tenderly. That gets a knowing smile from the knife thrower, before he walks off.
Zachary leans in close again. Please let him kiss me. He doesn’t, though. He starts whispering again instead.
“Leela, you have to be very careful here. You can’t afford to trust anyone.”
“What?” I stare at him, trying to make sense of it.
“No, don’t pull back. If we talk normally,
We rehearse it three or four more times, making sure that we can do it perfectly. Each time, it seems the air between us has gotten hotter and hotter, as sweat begins to form on my chest and his. By the end of it, my muscles are shaking, and I can only stare breathlessly at Zachary. He stares back. This act has been physically the hardest that I’ve worked on, but it’s been tough being that close to Zachary too, after spending time with him in his parents’ store. Something about the way he’s looking at me tells me that he feels the same…that every pore of his body wants mine.
We have to move away from the space we’ve been rehearsing in then, because Banford and Sandy are working on the same act. Sandy looks great in a tight red leotard that matches her hair, but the two of them glare at one another as they work their way into position, looking like they hate one another for every second of it. That’s enough to make me laugh, just at the thought that they can dislike one another so much, so soon, and I’m surprised to hear Zachary laughing along with me.
We head back to the changing rooms and I go into the one reserved for women to shower and change back into my street clothes. I come out to find Zachary just walking out of the male dressing room. He smiles as he sees me.
“Are you walking home alone?” he asks, and the offer there is obvious. Obvious, and awkward too.
“Thomas has been coming by after work at the restaurant to walk me home,” I say. “He’ll be along soon.”
Zachary frowns at that. “Are the two of you together? If I’d thought that you were, I wouldn’t have asked you to go with me to my graduation party.”
I shake my head. How can he think that there’s anything between Thomas and me? The thought of me having something with Thomas is… it’s just ludicrous. I’ve known Thomas practically forever, but it’s more like he’s a brother to me, although lately, with those kisses, I think Thomas wants more. I blushed remembering those kisses and how nice they were, but I’ve had this crush on Zachary for so long. “No,” I say at last, “we’re just friends.”
“Good.” Zachary steps closer, his hands going to wrap around my waist. “After that training session with you, I don’t think I’d like it if he were more.”
I find myself blinking. Did he really just say that? He leans in closer, until his forehead is touching mine. Is he about to kiss me? Oh, I hope so.
“Leela,” he whispers, “there’s something I have to tell you.”
Something catches my eye and I glance over to see Michael Nelson walking past. There’s something suspicious about the look he sends our way. Zachary reaches up to brush my cheek with his thumb, so tenderly. That gets a knowing smile from the knife thrower, before he walks off.
Zachary leans in close again. Please let him kiss me. He doesn’t, though. He starts whispering again instead.
“Leela, you have to be very careful here. You can’t afford to trust anyone.”
“What?” I stare at him, trying to make sense of it.
“No, don’t pull back. If we talk normally,
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