ARIETEM

SOPHIE's POV

 

”One-two-three and four. One-two-three and four!” I clapped my hands along to the rhythm of ‘Hardest Love Song’ and watch the small group of dancers, which synchronized moved to the beat of the song and my counting.

 

“And down – turn right,” I made the move before them with my front to the big wall mirror and saw how they copied my move.

 

Smiling at them I turned, “Great work guys – this is getting pretty damn awesome! Wow – okay let’s take five and then I’ll show you the last part, kay?” It was a group of 16-year-old kids I trained – both boys and girls – this class was hip hop and this was definitely the advanced class.

 

Turning down the loud music, my thoughts started wandering from different dance moves to the fantastic evening yesterday. We had been eating Chinese at Molly’s art studio and had been having a great time. This morning Molly had woken before me and managed to clear out the entire washing-up without waking me. She could be as silent as a ghost if she wanted to. Just before heading out of the door she had waked me up with a smile and a cup of tea and warm socks – which were definitely needed. There had been freezing in the art studio.

 

I had stayed there till I couldn’t wait any longer and headed down here to the dance studio, were I worked as a teacher. I loved it here – the light rooms, that once had been a warehouse, was now divided into different rooms and with a cosy meeting room with vintage tables and a coffee machine. It wasn’t much or extremely fancy – but it was enough and there was plenty of room. Besides my choice of working here was not based on the money – it was a dance studio in an area of the city that was marginalised – not a place were people could afford paying for expensive dance education and equipment. To be honest the money I made was practically nothing – but I didn’t need them really, what I needed was a place to practise, and I could do that anytime and as long as I wanted here – as long as I taught my classes.

 

And as a bonus it was great working with kids like these – to help them give them a bright light in their otherwise grey everyday.

 

 

I checked my phone, as I noticed I had several missed calls. Six missed calls from Harry Styles, four missed calls from Louis, five missed calls from Niall.. the list went on. All of the boys had tried to reach me, I furrowed my brows and checked the massive amounts of text messages I had received as well.

 

From Harry Styles:

Pick up woman! Emergency – can you get a hold of Molly? We need to talk to her. Call me babexx

 

I guessed the rest of the messages were about the same – so I started typing Louis’ number, as my phone started to ring again.

 

“Hello - ?” I started.

 

“Oh thank god, she picked up!” I could hear Louis’ voice with a massive amount of relief in it.

 

“Give me the phone Tomlinson – you already got a girl,” I sighed as I heard Harry’s voice in the background. I automatically straightened my back and got that annoyed face expression. There was just something about that boy, which was so goddamn annoying. Maybe it was how extremely slow he talked? Or probably the way he always smiled crookedly and flirty at everything that moved.

 

“Sophie! You finally picked up – I’m not surprised you didn’t answer my calls actually but,” I cut him off.

 

“Styles – what is it. I am actually working right now!”

 

I could hear Liam in the background; “get the address you dumbass!”

 

“Oh yeah – were are you right now anyway?” Harry asked seriously.

 

 

I was not sure they were gonna be able to find the place, but I was only half through the class, so they just had to wait nicely outside till I had finished.

 

“Okay guys – let’s take it one more time from the top, you can follow my lead – and I’ll show you all of it with the ending afterwards, okay? So try to see if you can see how I use the different levels yeah?”

 

I turned the music back on, “One – two – three and four!” As it was pretty much a routine dance for me, I kept a look at my students and once in a while reminded them of specific parts that were coming up or details they maybe forgot.

 

As we had danced the stuff they had learned so far, I had practically forgotten about the phone call. “Okay guys – now I’m gonna show you the whole dance so you can see what you have learned and what it will look like with the rest of the moves!” I spun around to face my group of students – I had the mirror at my back and the music started again. As I usually I got completely lost in the series of movements and the beat of the music, just letting it float through my body. Without having to correct someone constantly it felt almost meditating to devote your self completely to the dance.

 

 

 

HARRY’s POV:

“Yup it’s here. Miss Angela’s dance studio!” After parking the car, we hurried in through the entrance. We reached a pretty boring meeting’ish room with some old couches with burning marks and a coffee automat in the corner. There was a blackboard with different posters showing of different dancing classes and stuff like that.

 

Music was playing loudly from… somewhere. It was the same music that had been playing quietly in the background of my call with Sophie – surely it must be her class from which the music was now floating loudly.

 

“Maybe we should wait for someone to…” Liam started but I headed for a door in the other end of the room following the music. I could hear the guys following me, as I continued down a dark hall with lots of doors leading into different bare dancing rooms. Most of the doors were opened, as to show a possible thief, that there was absolutely nothing of value. We passed a room, were a couple were dancing ballet without music, but I did not stop up to study it closer as I reached the last door.

 

It was half closed and I quietly pushed it open, as the song was still floating from the speakers. In the room a group of young people all wearing pretty street clothes and with a tough look on their faces were settled at the floor and in the big windowsill. It was the biggest room so far, I noticed, as I quietly entered the room further and followed the amazed gazes of the young people.

 

Sophie was dancing elegant and professionally in the middle of the room – with the back to the door, a big wall mirror and me. She was faced the group of people, probably showing how to do the dance properly.

 

I smirked, as the other guys followed me into the room and I leaned against the wall not able to take my eyes of her. Her shiny, long, dark hair in a messy ponytail, a pink tank top showing of her well trained body and a grey pair of sweatpants.

 

She moved with perfection to the beat of the song, creating details and moves, that almost seemed to make her fly – even though it was clearly hip hop she was dancing. It seemed to be as easy as breathing for her.

 

As the song came to an end, I couldn’t help but start applauding.

 

SOPHIE’s POV

 

I quickly spun around as the song finished. Someone was applauding. Harry Styles. Harry Styles was that someone. He was leaning against the wall of the room, along with his four friends. Liam seemed rather impressed and Niall sent me a smile, as he looked up from his phone – probably texting Molly. Urg.

 

I did not mind people seeing me dance; because I knew I was not bad at it. But having Harry Styles seeing my dancing was not good. It was not only the smirk on his lips – for a moment just as I had turned – there had been this look in his eyes, that almost made me blush. It had been so intense, that I had to escape his gaze.

 

“Hello there – I think you and Danielle should make a duo, Sophie!” Louis announced, as the first to react.

 

“Hey guys – I didn’t know you would get here so fast. Ehm – class this is .. ehm..” I turned to face my group of students, some of them were clearly giggling. I wondered if kids like these were fans of One Direction.

 

“Oh we know who they are already – “

 

 

“Well I think it was a great deal – we giving autographs and taking photos with everybody in return of getting their dance teacher before time,” I laughed at Niall’s words, as we headed through the meeting room of the dance studio. I had been changing clothes, as the boys had ‘entertained’ my dance group – which apparently had been One Direction fans. Or at least a majority.

 

“So what was it you guys wanted from me?” I asked, as I flung myself at the couch in the meeting room and took a sip of my water bottle. Harry quickly settled down beside me, the others at the opposite couch and Liam on a chair, since Louis, Niall and Zayn took up pretty much all of the other couch.

 

“I thought you guys always managed to get seated in one couch – no matter the size!” I giggled, but quickly shut up as I received some ‘don’t bring that up’ looks. I smiled innocently and looked at Liam who started talking.

 

“So you need Molly’s painting for the cover of your special-thing- edition album? Well that’s a great idea! What does she think of it?” I asked thrilled, as I leaned in towards the guys with new interest. I could feel Harry doing the same, his shoulder slightly touching mine. For some reason it sent a thrill up my spine.

 

“We can’t get in contact with her,” Niall said in a worried tone and looked down at his phone once again.

 

“Oh she’s at her grandparents’ – I don’t think anything is wrong. She just mostly like to shut off her phone when she’s there, so she won’t get caught up in messages and stuff,” I quickly explained and sent Niall a calming smile.

 

“Do you have the key to her studio? We could go get it ourselves and hear what management think of the idea – then ask Molly if she wants to do it,” Zayn stated thoughtfully and bit his lip.

 

“Yeah – I have an extra set of keys!” I said and quickly got up, before more of Styles’ skin would end up against mine.

  

“I can’t believe they said yes! Holy crap!” I shouted, as the very business’ish people whom we had just had a meeting with left the room and the door closed behind them. I jumped up from the chair and grabbed the nearest person into a giant hug, not even caring it was Harry until I let go of him again lowering my arms from his neck. He smiled warmly at me – with surprise in his eyes but joy. He did not let go of me – his hands planted firmly at around my waist, he just smiled down at me, as I awkwardly stood there not able to get free.

 

“Oh get a room kiddos,” Liam announced and as I turned to look across the meeting table – the four guys were smiling, no smirking at us. I lightly pushed Harry off me, “We wouldn’t wanna upset Larry now would we?”

 

Niall looked shocked and Louis whispered, “She mentioned he-who-must-not-be-named!”  Zayn started laughing and so did Liam, I sneaked a glance at Harry who seemed thoughtful and slowly we made our way down to the car, while I questioned everybody within reach about Larry – or as they called him ‘you-know-who’.