"Ack!" I startled at the gigantic hand that dwarfed the crown of my head, ruffling my ponytailed hair, "Leo!"
"You ready to dance it up?" he asked, ignoring my protests.
"Yes," I rolled my eyes, attempting to smooth the top of my head back down, "If you step on my toes, I'll..."
He raised his eyebrows expectantly and his black-curly hair fell into his face as he leaned down to examine my expression. Like the rest of the students in class, he wore regular, daily attire; an allowance Coach Carter had made for the entirety of the ballroom-dance section. The ladies were even permitted to bring in heels if they so desired. An opportunity I took up eagerly. My own second-hand dancer's heels peeked out from the hem of my slightly-long denim jeans.
"You'll what?" he prompted.
"I'll tell Anne that you complimented my dancing," I folded my arms over my chest.
"Oof," he flinched like he took a physical hit to the chest but casually recollected, averting his eyes to a newcomer approaching, "Hey there, Locke."
"Warde," Trevor's icy tone wholly contrasted Leo's casual cadence. Too wary to turn his back on the vampire, he turned toward me. "Sara, I was wondering if you'd like to pair up for ballroom dance."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Leo already asked me."
Trevor's next words were preceded by a slight pause, "Does Mason know?"
"Yes, Trevor," I chimed, with an off-key chuckle.
"Aniya looks like she needs a partner," Leo suggested, his own tone a little razored.
After Trevor retreated a good distance, Leo met my eyes.
"Can't take a hint, can he?"
"Apparently not."
"Let me know if he keeps bothering you."
"No. I've got one more thing to try before intimidation."
"You've done a lot already," he pointed out, his voice dropping to a whisper as Coach Carter began instructing. He'd already taken up the leading position, dominant hand up and forward. "Mason's even getting irritated with the kid."
I eyed Leo's posture. My stomach overturned and acid began to creep up the back of my throat. No doubt my heartbeat skipped faster and faster with adrenaline. Leo watched with measured patience. I shook out my hands, feeling the sweat already sheeting across my palms.
I swallowed hard on the discomfort and reached.
"Bring your hand down," I instructed, raising an eyebrow.
His tongue clicked in disappointment. He'd been robbed of watching me struggle to reach all the way up by his tall shoulder. "And I haven't tried everything just yet; I'll be denying him in no uncertain terms next..."
"I feel like your body language and tone said it all just then," he noted skeptically, his voice rumbling and ominous. Once again, I'm struck by the familiarity of his features. Or was it the brotherly over-protectiveness that struck a chord just then? Whatever it was, I found I could tolerably place my hand in his. "And the way in which you said you were already spoken for is, in fact, a denial to his face."
"He's just a kid, he'll learn eventually," I said as Coach Carter instructed the class to step up to our partners. I tried not to think too hard on the fact that Leo had to touch my waist, but he left his hand to only hover like a ghost's instead, "But I will have to tease Mason for getting jealous."
"What, like you're not a kid yourself?"
His narrowed eyes focused on me and, though there was a smirk on his lips, he was trying to catch me in a slipup. I gritted my teeth, covering the fact that he nearly had.
"Girls always mature quicker than boys," I chided, reaching to place my left hand lightly on his shoulder.
"So that's why you're wise beyond your years?"
"You're trying to catch me in a lie of some kind," I noted, smirking as he led me into a perfect loop of a waltz. "That's like fishing in a chlorinated swimming pool. Besides, I thought we were having a nice brotherly-sisterly moment there where you get mad over random boys coming to talk to me."
Other pairs about the room danced slowly, formulaically in time with Coach Carter's beat.
"Don't weasel your way out of this," he pointed out with mock solemnity, "You really think you're that good?"
"Or perhaps I'm not lying."
"Doubtful."
His face relaxed, watching as Coach Carter signaled to repeat the most recently learned step. I breathed deeply, steadying as I waited patiently. Coach then fiddled with the old stereo and our first song echoed throughout the cavernous gymnasium.
"What are you worried about with regard to my alleged lying?" I inquired as he angled his hand, leaning into the first step in-time with the music.
"Mainly that you'll let my brother down."
"It's hard to say if I should really be in a romantic relationship, given my recent history," I admitted, brow wrinkling as my feet effortlessly followed in the shadow of his. Our classmates gawked, but Leo adeptly avoided all standing obstacles. "I'm taking things slow, but perhaps I shouldn't be attempting this at all."
Leo raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"You've always been so unashamed; what's with this hesitancy?"
Nibbling on the tip of my tongue, I silenced. Dancing around these topics with Leo seemed to be even more dangerous than with Mason. He never held a snooty-scholarly air about him, but he possessed an instinct unrivaled by the others. Or perhaps he was just more willing to blurt out what everyone else was already suspecting.
His hand opened a bit, fingers relaxing and pulling me forward into a gentle, slow spin. With my off-hand, I flourished as if tossing the hem of an imaginary dress in my wake.
"Where'd you learn to dance â your poise is excellent," his eyes narrowed slightly, but his mouth was still light and smiling.
"Ballroom dance competitions?" I suggested, returning my hand to his and allowing him to guide me past Trevor and Aniya, who were tracing a box into the gymnasium floor with their movement.
"Are you asking me or telling me?"
"It depends; was that a convincing enough answer?"
Leo snorted, "Alright, now you're just doing that on purpose."
"Fine. My family taught me."
His eyes relaxed, shoulders lowering, "Don't think that was a lie... we're getting somewhere."
"You know, we can talk about you too."
"I'm not the mystery here," he shrugged off my attempt to divert, "What other styles of dance do you know?"
"Most of them. My brother and I stayed pretty up-to-date on new and emerging routines."
"The mystery deepens."
"What? How?" I demanded, cocking my head.
"You seem old to me."
"Excuse you!"
He scoffed, "Oh stop with the mock outrage. You talk about things like you've been around them for a while. Like, a long while. 'New and emerging styles' sounds like something an arts history teacher would say."
"Are you trying to tell me that you think, I'm... what? An alien? A vampire? A zombie?"
I dropped my jaw and groaned, sagging in his grip and shuffling my feet in a mummy's waltz. He stared back, expectant.
"You're serious," I realized, arranging my features to simulate quiet shock.
Mockery isn't working! Shoot! Anger? No, getting angry would look more suspicious. Sadness?
He gripped my hand tighter so I squeezed twice on the cold fingers, requesting that he ease-up. It took a long second, during which my heart panicked again. Eventually, he obliged.
"I'm homeschooled not a freak of nature," I mumbled, ducking my head to watch our feet for a few moments.
He watched, but I didn't lift my head; I worried he might see the uncertainty in my eyes.
"Sorry," he said eventually, twirling me, "I'm just trying to look out for my brother, that's all."
"I know," I admitted quietly, nodding to Coach Carter as he gave a hoarse compliment to our progress across the room, "That reminds me of how my own brother was."
It was Leo's turn to stay quiet. Unfocused, his eyes fixated on my face without seeing it and I looked away.
"How did you and Anne meet?" I asked conversationally, voice an octave higher.
Leo obliged my unspoken plea.
"She rescued me from near-death," he said simply, one corner of his lips tugging up in a half-smile. "I'd been rescued by an angel."
"W-oah," I stuttered, amazed by his candor, "From what?"
"It was a long time ago," he reminisced a little too-absently, as if not recognizing the wild nature of the information he'd just divulged. Especially since I was expecting something along the lines of the foster-care story they'd clearly parroted to the town. "She's stronger than she looks; she carried me to help."
"I thought that you met at the high school here."
My voice is tiny.
"Well," he paused, looking down with sudden chagrin, "Yes."
"You don't look like you've had a near-death experience."
"Doc - Paul - Dad, did a good job," he shrugged, and I noticed the faint smile as he talked about the paternal vampire.
"And, you just fell in love with Anne after?"
"Well, she was with me through the recovery and, as I got to know her better, she improved upon me which is saying something. She'd already been the most beautiful creature I'd ever encountered."
"Improved on you," I echoed, trying to shake the weirdness from my tone.
"She's a movie buff and a mechanic of the highest order â she's a guaranteed ace at working with tools."
He wiggled his eyebrows.
"Ha," I allowed the consolation laugh.
"And she's a skilled seamstress," he added, taking the hand from my waist to pick at the shirt he was wearing, "Not an interest we share, but one that comes in handy whenever I'm reckless."
"She's very accomplished for her age," I noted lightly, examining the change in his expression as I do so.
"She's a diamond among gravel."
A dopey smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He didn't pick up on my insinuation. Or perhaps was ignoring it.
"Whenever I've seen her, she's always seemed so standoffish."
"She's opinionated, strong-willed, and dominant; she's not easy to impress or become friends with. It's a thrill to be the one who pushes to match her stride-for-stride."
"Is your relationship competitive?" I wondered.
"No, not... well, kind of? But it's not like either of us gloats at the loss of the other. In fact, I don't think anyone really loses between the two of us. Each of us comes out the better â whether it's a debate, a contest of charisma, who can please the other more-"
"Ah yes, what pleases us," I cut-in quickly, my tone airy, "Like, she empties the dishwasher and you one-up that by vacuuming the bedroom? Acts of service are very pleasing."
"You're such a prude."
"I'm cautious," I corrected him, and he conceded with an unperturbed nod of the head, "Not everyone can or should have love at first sight."
"My life has been forever improved."
"It's a pretty dangerous concept," I cocked my head, "What would you have done if Anne weren't your person?"
He spun me once more, back-to-back with Trevor. Just beyond Leo's shoulder, I saw Trevor's narrowed eyes hesitate on Leo before snapping back with a yelp as his partner stepped on his foot.
"Wander till I found her, I guess," Leo finally answered.
"Guess you're not the type to wonder about 'what ifs'."
"Nah, no point if they're personal, but I do like a good hypothetical-moral dilemma," his eyes found mine again, "Like whether or not to let someone dangerous keep their secrets."
"It's human to have secrets. It's rude to assume you're welcome to a person's deepest thoughts."
I shuddered.
"Tell that to Mason," Leo muttered with a mischievous smirk, shaking his head, "He likes reading people and he likes the challenge you present."
"So that's really it then," I snapped, feeling my heart begin to race, "Trying to mess with me is just a game to you all? That's why you and Kira are starting to meddle in this, now, right? Who can get me to spill first?"
"No - "
"I'm taking this seriously but clearly this is just entertainment for the lot of you - "
His fingers curled tightly around mine and placed his hand firmly, fully on my waist. The words died in my throat when panic wholly took the reins. Leo was quicker, cuffing my body into a tight vice against his chest and holding. And I shut down. Every muscle locked in indecision, frozen with one thought:
I'm going to die!
"Chill out," he muttered, relinquishing my hand; moments later I felt him holding the back of my head.
I couldn't speak and to make matters worse, tremors began to wrack my fingertips through to my torso. And, for some odd reason, I could hear the ocean as if I were standing at the shoreline.
Center yourself.
I sucked in a frenzied half-breath.
Calm is the mind, calm is the spirit.
The mantra helped halfway, yet it was a conscious, difficult effort for the rest. But taking a heaping drag of vampire-scent brought my wits back around me. The sound of roaring waves receded, the taps and scuffs of gym-shoes and heels returned, and I was able to absorb an odd reality. Leo's bear-hug, despite his dangerous nature, despite all of my instincts, was comforting. For a fraction of a moment, a familiar scent alit my nostrils; a sun-baked smell laced with the scent of baked-goods, rocky-earth, and mountain-air.
The scent of family.
In my next breath, it was gone.
"Warde, Luzio, no PDA!"
"She's having a panic attack, Coach," Leo called and I heard the rumble of his tenor from deep in his chest, "She needs a minute."
"I'm okay," I squeaked, though my voice was rickety.
"You're going to sit down," he insisted, gripping one of my shoulders and pushing me back to inspect my face, "Yup, you're pale as a ghost. We're going to sit."
He marched me to the edge of the gymnasium, spun my back to the wall, then clomped a hand down on my shoulder. When my knees inevitably collapsed under the pressure, he gripped my upper arm and eased me down.
"Oi, your legs aren't noodles they're not supposed to bend like that," he poked my knee experimentally from where crouched at my side, "Put your feet flat on the floor and tent your knees in front of you. Yep - like that - now put your head down; makes it easier to breathe or something."
"Or something...?" the words breezed through my lips, "You don't know?"
"Annie used to... anyway, I didn't think you were going to pass out from a conversation. Especially since you tend to be so combative."
"I'm almost sad that I've disappointed you."
"Hey, there you go," he smirked, but kept his gaze politely averted by watching couples dance in squares across the gym, "Regardless, anyone with enough bravery and humor to tease Annie of all people is still a national treasure in my book."
"You respect me because I pranked your girlfriend?"
"That sums it up."
He peered into my face again, then gave my cheek an uncertain poke. He'd have used a stick to do the job if he had one; I was near-certain of that.
"I'm alive," I groaned in protest.
"Good, cause Coach Carter is bringing over some water."
Sure enough, I heard the uneven gait of the middle-aged gym instructor come up from the right. Slowly, I lifted my head.
"You alright, Luzio?" he asked, awkwardly proffering a paper-cone cup full of water.
"Yes, I'm okay."
"Do you need a guidance counselor?"
Coach's confusion and insecurity etched deep fissures across his tan forehead.
"Ah, no thank you," I refused gently, "About a year ago, I lost my mom and brother in an accident and sometimes it just... creeps up on me. That's all."
The smile I forced was a thin, pursed line.
"I'm sorry for your loss," he said, the lines on his face easing with this information, "This sort of thing takes time so take as much as you need. Alright?"
"Mhm."
"Is your dad doing alright? I, er, heard that he goes abroad for work."
He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed to be admitting his role in propagating small-town gossip.
"Yes, but he's wrapped up in his job. I think it helps him."
"I..." he hesitated, then moved slowly into a crouch; I could almost hear his knees creak and groan, "I don't know if it's meddling, but it might help; the chief of police - Chief Scott Murphy - lost his own daughter two years ago. This town doesn't have unlimited resources of the psychiatric kind, but a good-old-fashioned talk with someone who's been through the ringer like yourself... it could help. He's a good fellow, a safe sort of person, I've known him for years."
"He's at the police station?"
"And Sally's Diner for most dinners during the week."
"Thank you," I said, managing a more convincing smile this time, "I'll reach out."
"Give me a day or so to let him know you'll be around," Coach Carter decided, achingly straightening his leathery knees, "He's a cautious person, being a cop and all."
"Of course," I nodded as he thumped away.
"Huh."
I glanced at Leo, noticing that he'd rocked back onto his butt. He slumped over partially-outstretched legs and had watched the exchange over a set of loosely crossed arms propped over his tented knees.
"What?" I asked a little harsher than I meant to.
A smile twitched onto his face, "Hey, the attitude is back."
"Sorry," I muttered, ducking my head.
"I'm simply fascinated by the recommendation."
His expression softened as he quieted, surveying me more solemnly than before.
"I'm sorry," he finally said, "I took things too far. I can be worried about my brother all I want, but I really shouldn't be taking that out on you."
"I'm sometimes more callous than I mean to be too, so I get it. But this isn't a game to me."
"Don't worry about it," he shook his head, "And for what it's worth; Mason's not playing around either."
An odd warmth began to rise up from my neck into my cheeks at that revelation.
Leo reached out and dwarfed the crown of my head with one hand, re-ruffling the hair I'd managed to regain control over. This time, I closed my eyes despite the brevity of the gesture. And when he finished, I didn't bother to smooth my hair.