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The amount of times that I’ve noticed Delila looking sad lately is around one-hundred. When I came into this, she was always so classy, prim and witty. Now, she’s like a shell of the person she once was.
“I thought I’d give you all an update on the dates that we are looking to go back on the road. I know that a lot of you are disappointed that we didn’t get to finish the international tour—”
“—we’re mainly wondering why it started in the first place?” Maya snaps. Only Maya would step to her mom like that.
Delila holds her stare. “We had our reasons.”
Maya rolls her eyes and stands, making her way out of the practice tent that’s set up in the middle of the oval field.
“As I was saying,” Delila adds, her attention coming to me briefly before flying around the room. “Two weeks. We need to get paperwork in order and marketing out before we venture off but at the same time, we have days lost so we need to get back on. I would like all of you to get back into training. The time in Kiznitch and travel is time lost. Time we ca
She takes a small pause—when I say small, I mean it was small enough for me to use every single swear word against her because fucking ru
“You are to train every single one of your acts once a day. No choosing whatever you like and doing the next one the day after—do them all.”
I groan, tilting my head back so my hair trails down the back of the chair.
“Saskia, that includes you. I know it’s a lot to ask because of how many you have, but you’ll thank me later.”
Bet I won’t.
I nod, hearing her loud and clear. I actually would love to have my mind taken off the fact that Killian is ignoring me and acting as if I didn’t exist, I’m somehow a billionaire, and I have some secret family last name.
Everyone starts to pile out, but I stay. Kenan squeezes my hand. “What’s wrong?” He tucks me under his arm and presses his lips to my head. “Two weeks then we’re on the road and the silence will turn into the crowds cheering.”
I chuckle, shuffling down a little while unzipping my hoodie, exposing my sports bra. “I’m fine, Ken.”
I stand, tossing my hoodie onto one of the chairs in the front of the ring. I know that Kenan is trying to help. I get it. I would do the same if I knew someone had openly hurt him in such a way that Killian had me, but I can’t dwell on it any more than I already have.
Once everyone has left, I flick through my phone and push play on a random song in my library. Something easy that I can warm up with. I want to practice all day today so that I don’t have to all day tomorrow. The song plays and I move around, stretching out my legs and bending into child’s pose.
“Want a buddy?” Perse asks. “Rose was supposed to be with me today, but she has the flu.”
Rose is one of the other girls who came in with Perse in the same ma
“She okay?” I ask, gesturing out to the stage. I flick my hair over and pile it all onto the top of my head into a high pony. “I noticed she didn’t look well today.”
“She’ll be fine.” Perse tosses her slippers onto the ground in front of us. “I think it’s a mixture of jet lag too.”
“I get that,” I grumble, stretching out my legs, reaching for my toes.
“I was going to ask you something, but I wanted to check with you before we go on the road.”
I bring my eyes up to hers. She has my attention.
She takes a seat beside me and copies my stretch. “Do you want me to find somewhere new for Callan. I love my group, but I can’t have tension between any of you because it will show during the performance, and she’s in the wrong by taunting you with Killian.”
I never liked Callan. She wasn’t someone who I could picture being friends with—even when I first met her on the flight to New Orleans when they first picked us up. Part of me thought she resented me because I wasn’t on the boat with her, and another part of me just thought maybe she was someone that I just didn’t vibe with. I let it go. I never let opinions of me reach my soul.
Shaking my head, I answer, “No, I’ll be fine. Her and Killian are fine with each other.”
Perse doesn’t answer and I bring my eyes to her. She offers a small smile. “I’m not worried about you, Saskia. It’s her that I don’t trust. I know girls like her, and beside the fact that Val and I are fine now, I don’t think Callan shares the same morality that Val had beneath her ugly.”
“You’re right,” I agree, standing back to my feet. “You can make a decision because it’s your group, but just know that for me, I’m not bothered.”
After warming up, we slip into an easy routine, dancing between each other and laughing. I genuinely enjoy Perse as a person. She’s easy to be around, so before we know it, we’ve been dancing for two hours.
“I need to practice on my fire bending.” I take a long swig of water, sweat dripping down my chest.
“Your act is by far my favorite out of all.” Perse chuckles, swiping her face with a towel.
“It’s not easy but it’s not hard.” I start walking toward the back room to find all of my equipment. A few people are training now too, with the Six Demons and Angels. I’m sliding the box out with all of my things when I hear the bikes start up at the back.
I freeze. Counting to ten, I force my panic to chill out. We have to share this same floor, so I need to get used to it.
Once the box is at the front of the center ring—a safe distance away from the wheels of death—I grab my phone out of my hoodie pocket and take my AirPods out with them, co
But they’re all gone.
Guess I get to skip out on one of my routines tonight.
I’ve just scrubbed up in the shower when a text comes through.
Perse: Come over to King’s. We’re having drinks and a cookout tonight.
Flicking back a text to Perse. I’ll be there in 30.
Val bursts through my door just as I’m getting ready.
“We have to look hot.” She hurries through my closet. “Have to.”
“Val?” I ask, squeezing my towel. “What are you doing here?”
She’s shuffling through my clothes in my suitcases when she finally stands to face me. “We have to make Maya and Killian feel pain.”
I laugh, making my way to my lingerie suitcase. So many damn suitcases.
“This is a sweet house. I’ve always loved it.”
There’s an awkward pause, but I shove it aside.
I find a black and white lace set. “Yeah, I like it. It’s something I would’ve built myself.”