Dedicated to @heaventurnedhell- for the beautiful cover above! Thank you so much💛

The funny thing is that I saw the person I based Mary Anne off of Friday night.

Chapter Fifty-Three: "Surprise."

"I HATE THESE assemblies."

"You never been to this kind of assembly." I told Mary Anne, leaning my head on her shoulder because this assembly was so boring I wanted to sleep. We've been stuck in this room for almost an hour and it was making me miss Chemistry.

"Do you really think I want to hear about how our choice in the arts can requires academics. 'We must get good grades to get into good schools. Universities and colleges look at English and Math the most'. Forget Math. Math sucks. I hate Math."

"I know." I laughed. She really did.

"I don't know how you took AP math," She mumbled. "And that you're going to take the exam in May."

"The way you speak of May is as if we're not already in the month."

Mary Anne shot up. From her slouched position, staring me right in the eyes with shock. "It's May?"

"It's May." I quietly laughed at her confusion. She's been kind of out of it. 

"Holy shit. We're graduating in over a month and I still haven't bought my prom dress."

"I know and same." A frown came to my face and I straightened up at bit, my eyes looking down at my classmates in their seats in the auditorium. I found Lucas sitting between two people, his eyes on the guidance counsellor who was speaking on stage.

As if he could feel me watching him, he turned around slowly, his eyes scanning the room before looking at me. He gave me a smile and I smiled back. His expression morphed into one of confusion and he gestured his thumb, silently asking me if was okay.

I nodded, turning to look back to the guidance counselor when Mary Anne nudged me, slouching to lean her head on my arm. "What was that?"

"I don't know. We're graduating soon, prom is soon, Worlds is soon. I'm tired." I admitted, running a hand over my face. Not just tired, I was stressed and thinking about the assignments I had to complete throughout this week and the next.

"It's almost over Sydney." Mary Anne assured me.

"That's the thing. I don't want it to be over. I don't really want high school to end just yet."

"Some of us don't. Especially when we have things that are making us hold back."

"You can say that again." I said, looking at Lucas again and sighing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Is this a joke? Why is he putting fake problems on social media?" Sarah asked, staring at the screen of Mary Anne's phone.

"No. No it is definitely not a joke." I mumbled, looking at the screen.

Sarah huffed. "You break up with one guy and he goes around spreading lies? I didn't even-forget it. He's not worth it. I hate high school boys."

Eduardo just so happened to walk over just in time. "What happened?"

"Remember that guy I had a texting relationship with before we actually started dating? Cody?" Sarah reminded him.

"You mean the boyfriend you never really talk about? Yeah. No offence, but it's still the dumbest way to a relationship I have ever heard in my entire life." Eduardo said, sitting down at the table next to Mary Anne. 

"Well I broke up with Cody because we weren't on the same page and started having differences-"

Mary Anne and I glanced at each other and before I could even speak, Mary Anne spoke first. "Differences? The trashbag cheated on you with Mikayla what's her face."

"Mikayla? The one that's part of the Wendell, Mikayla, Spencer, Ken square?" Eduardo questioned.

"Square?" I asked Eduardo.

"You know how people have like triangle relationship problems between like two boys and one girl or the other way around? This is a square-or some weird polygon because of how many people are involved in that tragic mess."

"Yeah that Mikayla." Sarah muttered. "So I broke up with him and he started saying how he was the one who broke up with me because I apparently cheated on him with Ken."

"Ken? The one that's part of the square?"

"Eddie, why are you asking like there's more than one Ken?" I had to ask.

Eduardo shrugged. "I need to clarify. There's that kid in grade ten whose name is Kenny. Maybe she was calling him Ken for a second."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Anyway, he's been trying to call me out for cheating when I didn't cheat on him and I've had multiple people confront me and stuff all day. I'm so tired of high school boys. They're too immature."

"Wait a couple of weeks. Then you'll be rid of them." Mary Anne told her.

"Countdown to the end of high school." Eduardo mumbled, pulling out his phone. "There are approximately-"

"Guys," Kim said as she approached our table, looking a bit distressed. "Have you seen Zen?"

I shook my head. "He's probably still in English. They had a test today."

Kim nodded and it wasn't just me who noticed that something was up. Mary Anne stared at her. "Are you okay?'

She paused then cleared her throat. "I just broke up with William."

"What? Why?" Eduardo asked, sitting on the table to face her.

"Because it wasn't working out and it would have never worked out anyway." There was probably more to it but she didn't bother expanding. And it was clear that by the look on her face it hitting her harder than she expected.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Zen, does it?" Mary Anne asked.

Kim shook her head. "No. It was my choice. Zen had nothing to do with it."

"Sorry Kim," Eduardo said then opened his arms. "Would an Eduardo style hug make you feel a bit better?"

"Thanks Eddie." Kim gave him a smile that didn't reach her eyes, accepting the hug anyway.

I slouched in my chair, not knowing what to say to that. What do you say to one of your friends who broke up with a teacher? I didn't get the chance to say anything, Kim had quickly moved onto a different topic, avoiding the one she had brought up.

I glanced at Sarah who eyes were flickering to Kim and her finger was tapping on the back of her phone. "High school's almost ending."

She sighed and for the first time since I had met her, she put her phone on the table, not even glancing at it. "I can't wait."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We should add a lift here instead. I feel like we're missing a count." I licked my lips, thinking about the dance Eduardo and I were working on.

Mrs. Yousiff has been working with both duets; the one with Eduardo and me and the one with Eduardo and Isaac. Isaac and Eduardo's duet was powerful but I didn't have any doubts about our own.

Eduardo though? He was killing it. From the small group numbers we had, to the duets and his solo? His solo was outstanding. It was so clear that he improved as a dancer.

Eduardo nodded, "Yeah I see what you mean. Okay, let's try it like this." After a few more run through, I went over to the side to grab my water bottle and bag near Ravi and Hailey.

"Hey Sydney." Ravi smiled at me and I took a seat next to them as Eduardo came over too.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Eduardo asked. 

"Hailey won't go out with me." Ravi said bluntly, leaning back on his hands.

My lips parted at that blunt statement and I glanced at Hailey who was avoiding our eyes on her.

"Um...okay?" I said because I wasn't even sure what to say. 

"No one is going to question why she doesn't want to?" Ravi asked.

"Did you ask her?" Eduardo asked Ravi.

"Yeah," He exclaimed. "But she said she just doesn't want to."

Hailey huffed. "You realize I'm still here right? You're talking like I'm not even in your presence. I don't want to ruin our friendship."

Ravi stared at her. "Why didn't you just say that?"

Eduardo patted Ravi on the arm. "Hey buddy, how about we take a walk and I'll tell you what it means to not come onto a girl too strong, okay?" Ravi cracked a smile when he rolled his eyes, getting up with Eduardo and walking out of the room.

I turned to Hailey. "You don't want to ruin your friendship? Is that the real reason?"

"Well that's a small reason. That and I don't like Ravi that way."

I hummed, saying the question I wanted to ask anyway. "You like someone else?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"No. I was just asking." I said trying not to suggest what I already knew and got up.

"Wait, you don't want to know who it is?" She asked curiously. 

"I don't have to know," I shrugged, taking a sip of my water.  "Unless, you want to tell me."

Hailey got up. "It's Joey."

I blinked, acting like I didn't already know that. "Cahill? Joseph Cahill?"

"Yeah." She said quietly.

"Interesting," I said acting surprised. "You guys have been talking?"

"Yeah, it was so weird because no one thought he was going to move on from Lydia. They all thought that he was going to go back to her but it's been months and-"

"Now you have a chance. Go for it." I suggested.

"Don't you hate him?"

"What does what I think about him have to do with you liking or possibly dating him?"

"Because you're my friend and I'd like to think that my friends could get along with..."

"Your future potential boyfriend?"

"Yeah." Hailey laughed and I smiled.

"Joey and I have differences but we're okay. We're acquaintances and he can be an okay guy. Go for it."

"Thanks."

"But don't expect any double dates in the future just because I'm dating his twin." I warned her and she laughed as she left the room, walking out of the room as well with some other people.

"Hailey likes Joey." I heard Matilda say.

I sighed at how I had actually forgot that there were other people in the studio when I turned around to face her. "It's none of your business."

"It doesn't have to be my business." But the look on her face told me that she was making it her business.

"You mean that it's going to be Lydia's business." I corrected at the mention of the green eyed girl that hasn't bothered me in a while.

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to," I informed her. "Why can't Lydia just move on?"

"I'm not answering your dumb questions."

"That's fine. Soon you won't have any dumber questions to answer. School is ending soon and I may never see you again."

"We're dancers. I'm eventually going to see you again."

"Maybe we'll be on better terms."

"Don't count on it." She promised.

I walked by her, grabbing my bag to head out of the room. I had taken one step out of the room to see Lucas leaning against the wall, with his phone on his ear. "No. Phillip give Greg back the phone...Are you serious? Tell Christian to pick you up then... Mum's with Joey...Did you not just hear what I said? Mum can't pick you up because Joey is with her, what makes you think Joey can pick you up...Then tell Christian that he has to stop at every stop sign and stop honking the horn when he sees a girl pass by. The last thing I want is for him to get arrested...okay good. I'll see you at home. Bye."

Lucas put his phone in his pocket and gave me a smile. "Greg had ice dancing and no one could pick him and Phillip up from the arena now."

"So you've entrusted your little brothers in the hands of Christian? Isn't he the same guy who had almost drove his car into a tree a couple weeks ago?" I asked, remembering the conversation I had with Greg about how his one of his older brothers can't drive for 'shit'.

'Yes. If he knows what is good for him then he will drive slowly. Very slowly." Lucas grabbed my hand as we walked down the hallway. "How was practice?"

"Good," I took my hair out of its ponytail when we reached my locker. "I just want to go home and finish that stupid project I have. I can't wait for school to be over."

Lucas chuckled. "Only have a bit left."

I sighed, opening my locker and some people passed us and turned, leaving the hallway empty. "Don't remind me."

Lucas frowned and I knew that the sudden thought that sprung to his head was the same thought that had been haunting me for the past days. "You know we're going to have to talk about it right?"

I didn't look at him. "Do we have to talk about it now?"

"Sydney, you can't keep pushing it off." 

"You're the one who keeps talking about living in the moment and not wanting to think about the future." I mentioned. 

"But we're avoiding it."

"I'm avoiding it because I already know what the decision is."

"What? What do you mean?" Lucas asked in confusion.

I opened my locker and dropped my dance bag at my feet to face him. "You implied it when you gave me this ring." I point to the one on my finger. "You said it that night when you were talking to my mom. You didn't say the words exactly but you implied it. You implied that we wouldn't be together after high school Lucas. I knew you weren't just saying it so that my mom would have no choice but allow us to be together. It was more than that."

Lucas exhaled. "I didn't- I didn't mean it like that."

"We didn't even talk about it but you already knew that we wouldn't be together. You didn't realize that? That you did that?"

Lucas tried to speak but no words came out of his mouth. I don't even think he did realize it.

"Look, you were being realistic. I get it. I wish you talked about it with me first but I get it. We aren't going to work out in the future. We probably won't even have time for one another especially since we're going to be achieving different professions. I get it, okay?"

"Sydney..." He reached out to take my hand again but I moved it out of his grasp, reaching forward to grab my textbook so that I can shove it into my bag.

Before I could take another book out of my locker to put in my backpack, Lucas pulled me towards him, making me drop the bag and all thoughts flew out of my brain when he kissed me.

And he was letting me know that he didn't mean it as he pulled me closer to him. That he didn't want this to happen as he dug his fingers in my hair. That he wanted us to last. When he pulled back, he cupped my face in his hands. "I'm sorry."

"I know."

His eyes dropped to his feet before looking up at me. "I didn't talk to you about it and I'm sorry."

"I know," I repeated. "But honestly, it was kind of obvious."

He whispered. "I don't want to do this."

"Neither do I but we have to eventually Lucas. We won't have time for each other. We won't be able to focus on one another. You'll turn out to be the next great Picasso or Van Gogh-"

"I'm not about to hack off my ear."

I rolled my eyes. "You know what I mean. You'll become something great."

"And you'll be a world known dancer. Famous for your talent and for your passion. I can't wait to see that day."

I sucked in a sharp breath. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'm going to miss you too." He pressed a kiss to my forehead before pulling back. "The way we're talking about it is as if we're about to break up this second."

"Well, we're not breaking up this second," I told him. "And we're here right now."

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, we are," He kissed me again before grabbing my bag from the ground. "Am I allowed to take you home?"

"Yes," I laughed. "Yes, you are. My mom said she was fine with that."

"And I'm allowed to come over this weekend to meet her properly?"

"Yes. It has been established that you and Liz are coming over. Why do you look nervous?"

"I kind of have a right to be nervous. Your mom is going to get to know me. What if I end up disappointing her and we end up back to where that weekend?"

"Lucas?"

"Yeah."

"Shut up."

"You shut up." He grinned and I rolled my eyes, closing my locker.

"Look, my mom is going to love you. She's already met you a hundred times you have nothing to be worried about."

"What if I accidently break something in your house? You know clumsy I can be." He actually looked like he was panicking on the inside.

"I know how clumsy you can be. I'll put away everything made of glass." I patted his chest. I closed my locker, putting my sweater on and grabbing my dance bag. Lucas reached his hand out and I took it.

"But seriously. what if she actually doesn't like me?"

"She's going to love you."

"How do you know that? I practically barged into her home with my brother to convince her to be with you."

"I know she's going to love you because I do. Now stop worrying."

Lucas sighed as we walked out of the building. "Fine."

"Now, Please tell me you're going to stop by the rink and pick up Greg and Phillip yourself."

"Of course. You really think I'm about to leave them with Christian in a car alone? No. I'm not endangering them." He already had his phone out.