Vanessa loves attention. In an unfulfilled relationship, with no desire to be unfaithful for now all you can do is watch.
Chapter 1 Vanessa- The Studio
I laced up my ballet shoes, and stretched forward grabbing my toes. A chocolate brown curl fell in my face and my piercing green eyes looked up from my brow with a devilish smirk. I stared up at Luca, knowing with one look I could drive him crazy. Even though lately all he was doing was driving my crazy, and not in a good way.
He was not a badboy in the fun exhilarating way, but more like a man-child with an annoying temper. I have loved him for eight years, but i was so sick of him. He wanted to own me, and all my attention. But all I could think of is if the unnamed man would pass by again. Don't get me wrong, I would always love Luca. Being in love still, well that is another story.
Luca sat down with his arms draped over his knees looking at me like his patience was running out.
"I am ready to go babe, I have attire to order for the athletes"
"Then why did you come" I responded calmly.
"Well I didn't realize you'd be here all morning, unlike you I actually have a job to do".
"Rude!" I screeched back
" I didn't mean it in a mean way" he rolled his eyes. Then what other way did you possibly mean that, I thought to myself. Its not that I didn't have a job. I had just graduated college and was tutoring kids online. It wasn't much, and not what I wanted but he didn't need to rub it in.
I danced in a big private gym, that also trained athletes. I was sure he was one. He was tall, about 6'4" with dark hair, dark eyes and tan skin. Similar to Luca but so much more mysterious to me. Luca had light brown shaggy hair and deep brown eyes, about 6'0" tall. The mysterious man would pass by everyday on his way to workout and watch me for a few seconds. I did everything to get him to watch me more. I would count the seconds his piercing gaze trailed up and down my body. I would stair back at him through the mirrored wall I danced in front of, feeling his strong gaze at my back. The longest he watched me was 11 seconds, but I craved more.
With Luca here, I knew he would just passby but I was still waiting. "How much longer?" Luca asked with a sense or urgency in his tone letting me know he was ready to go. "Go ahead and go, I will uber home" I replied flatly. He came over kissed my lips hard and cold then slapped my ass, "Call me when you're on your way to my place" he said over his shoulder as he headed towards the door. I didn't bother responding so he waited at the door, looked at me with an annoyed glare and shouted "Love you!" with his usual temper. "Love you too" I smiled, knowing if I didn't he would just start an argument about my enthusiasm. Our lives were so intertwined, but I could feel our finality nearing. That is, if he could let me go. I saw him exit the door, but pause for a moment.
My heart started beating so fast I felt like it would jump out of my chest, my palms sweating. I knew Luca paused seeing the unnamed man about to pass. Luca had seen him once before, and ever since made a point to come to the studio when I was dancing often. The man was walking with two friends, his same height and stature. As he passed by he looked over his shoulder into the studio, only pausing for a brief moment. I gave him the same playful look I gave Luca earlier. I was still stretching now reaching for my left toes as I looked up at him. His face was never easy to read, cold and expressionless but I could have sworn for a quick moment I saw heat flash behind his eyes. I quickly averted my gaze as I saw Luca watching me from the mirror behind the man and his friends. Thankful my smirk was so subtle, Luca may not have noticed.
I loved Luca, I did not want to hurt him. I didn't even know if I was ready to leave him but I loved when the man watched me. Luca and I had broken up before, and I knew if we did again he would have another girl within a few weeks. To piss me off but also because he could not be alone. It not like we were together right now but he sure did act like we were. I had told him I needed to figure out my life after graduation single, he agreed but continued as if I'd never said that.
Luca gave me a knowing glare as he turned on his heels and left the studio. Suddenly, I did not have the energy to dance. I came here everyday anyway. I unlaced my ballet shoes, slipped on my black sweats over my tight shorts and pulled on my white and pink gym shoes leaving my long sleeve black top on that showed up my curves and busty chest. It was time for me to watch him. I never explored the gym, I didn't even know if I would be able to find him but I tip toed around like I was scared of being caught.
This place was huge, but he couldn't be far if he had to pass my studio to get to his workout room.
The hallway smelled like cleaning solution and rubber. I could see the maids cart by the room next to mine but she left at 8 am and it was already 10 am. I peeked into the room, next to my studio and saw two men boxing. One with sparring gloves and the other with punching mitts. I could barely hear the punches landing with the near sound proof glass, the man with the sparring gloves looked my way and paused for a quick second. Within those quick seconds his partner hit him across the face with the punching mitts and they both laughed. I smiled, looked down and kept walking. I was used to men gawking at me.
I passed several more rooms; Taekwondo classes, gymnastic rooms, basketball courts, tennis practice. This place was giant, and everyone in here was either a professional athlete or rich enough to own a rent a small studio space for personal workouts. There were bigger spaces surrounding Cloud 9 were professional teams owned space for their training facilities. I had been walking for what felt like 10 minutes, where was he?