Kafi "Don't smirk Miller junior. You're going round the course with him twice as his punishment for dissent," coach Martin barks. Carlos sobers up quickly, giving coach a salute, before heading to the course start point. "Kafi, pace them out for a total ten minute run to complete the course twice," coach orders as Felix joins Carlos. Coach hands me a watch as I pass him. I stop briefly to put it on before joining the twins. "Team, behind them, only a one lap warm up. Move it to the line, we're wasting time here!" Coach yells and everyone runs to behind us. Ana stops directly behind me, squeezing my shoulder gently. I smile back at her before focusing back on the course. Coach blows the whistle so I take off, starting the watch as I do. Carlos and I match pace like this morning; Felix just on our heels. "Please don't run in sync, it's scary," Felix jokes. "If you can talk that smoothly you aren't taking this seriously," I reply, my breath catching slightly. Pascal catches up to us, keeping between Carlos and I. Felix picks up before falling into pace with me. "This isn't a ten minute pace," Felix comments off-handedly. "No it isn't. But you know what he's like, asks for a pace then expects you to be two minutes faster," I reply. "It's called getting better and knowing what coach is looking for," Carlos adds. "About that action photo strip," Felix starts and my head snaps to the side to look at Carlos. "That's what you were printing? Those pictures," I ask. "Maybe," Carlos replies. "I take it he wasn't meant to," Felix looks between us as he says it. "Bite me," I respond. "I would but someone has beaten me to it." I scowl picking up the pace easily; Carlos and Pascal join me seconds later. "Keep up Miller and stop insulting me or we'll do another lap," I say when I hear Felix one step behind me. "You pulled the last name card. I must be in trouble," Felix comments, "you've been listening to coach too much." "Just shut up and run before I kick you into next week." "Yes ma'am." Thankfully he shuts up and stays that way when we pass coach. I take a quick glance at my watch, four minutes it took for the first lap. "Faster than I set Patel," coach calls. "You always expect times faster than you set," I respond. Felix snickers and I backhand his arm causing him to drift to his right out of my reach. "Good girl," coach yells as we disappear down the opening straight again. "And he scolded about me saying you're a dog, he treats you like one," Felix comments. "Extra lap," I state causing Felix to groan. "Dug yourself into that one, should have stayed quiet," Carlos says. As I get changed into my dance sports bra in a private stall of the changing rooms, I hear a small commotion in the main area. I quickly throw on my loose dance over top, black dance shorts and flat dance shoes. Stepping out into the changing room I see a couple of the dancers trying to hold back Ana. "What's going on!" I bark causing everyone to turn and look at me. Instantly Ana stops, clenching and unclenching her fist. Timidly the youngest in the room step away as I walk towards the epicenter. "Let me ask the question again, what is going on?" I say loudly. Ana steps to the side slightly and I spot who is stood there. Jess and Via; who both look petrified. "Everyone else out," I say. When no one moves I yell "now!" They all scarper out the room with their stuff leaving me with Ana, Jess and Via. "Why were you attacking my co-captains?" I calmly ask Ana. She stares at the floor, avoiding my gaze. Then it hits me; she had one of her phases again. "I didn't attack them," she mumbles. Jess and Via look at me confused. They have small cuts on their arms and red marks on their faces. Ana definitely had a phase... "Ana look," I say softly standing beside her and tilting her head up gently, "they wouldn't do that to each other." Ana looks between them before hiding her face in my top and crying quietly, so I rub her back gently to soothe her. "I didn't know I done it. I just remember having a conversation and then being restrained," she mutters. The door bursts open; Max, Felix and Carlos appearing behind it. "Someone said about a fight as they ran from the room and someone else said about an insane Ana," Max comments then Carlos slaps him round the back of the head. "You can't say that," Carlos hisses quietly. Felix looks across at Jess and Via before glancing at me and Ana. I nod slightly and he sighs sweeping the hair out of his face. Carlos joins me, placing a hand on Ana's shoulder gently, "did you want to talk to my dad?" He asks quietly. Ana nods her head, still crying silently into my top. Via nudges Felix towards us and he rolls his eyes, but approaches anyway "come on An. I'll take you outside," he says. Ana looks at Felix before going over and hiding her head in his chest. Gently he picks up her up so she can hide her head in his neck. "See you guys backstage," Felix comments before leaving the room, the door shutting behind him. "What the hell," Via comments breathlessly. Carlos looks at me "You have to explain this one," he states. "Your dad is her therapist or psychiatrist or whatever he is. You know the things better," I point out, struggling with psychiatrist. "You can put it in simple terms." Me and Via slap him on the arm from each side for what he said. But Via catches where I punched him causing him to hiss in pain. Did I really hit him that hard this morning? Via pulls up his sleeve "oh, you've already been hit there. I thought you were being a wimp." "Yeah I've been hit there," Carlos comments, glancing at me. Jess follows his gaze "You done that?" She asks me. I look away from them watching me, trying to calm down the guilt rising within me. Carlos appears in front of me and I jump slightly. "I know you didn't mean to. Don't feel guilty," he says. "Don't feel guilty? I punched you on the arm at six in the morning. How is that not okay?" I protest. Carlos goes to wrap his arms around me but I flinch, so he keeps me at arms length; his eyes trained on mine. "Kaf, breathe. Just think of us: the pool, pillow fights..." Carlos whispers. I shut my eyes but that makes things worse. It's too far for that to help. "Don't forget the make out sessions," Via adds playfully causing me to smile slyly. Carlos rolls his eyes but chuckles at the same time. "Make out sessions? Wait Kaf's your secret lover?!" Max asks looking between us. "Give the slow one a medal," Via murmurs. "No, we make out because we have nothing better to do," Carlos responds to Max slightly sarcastically. I wrap my arms around Carlos' waist, tuck my head under his chin and listen to his heartbeat. "Stop messing with him," I mumble before Carlos starts nibbling my collar bone gently. "Not now." I slap his arm gently and he groans, resting his head on mine again. "But I've missed you," he protests quietly. "I'm sure you have. Stop being mean to our friend," I whisper. "Yeah, Kafi is my mystery girl. But you cannot tell Ana or Felix," Carlos says to Max. "Well William owes me $15," Max comments grinning. "Seriously, how many bets are based on me at the moment?" I question. "We picked names out a hat. I just happened to pick your name." "Smooth recovery. Better improvisation than Mr drama here." Carlos tickles me causing me to squirm slightly. "Your girl has a point. Your improv in photography was appalling," Jess adds. "So that was crazy Ana?" Via changes the subject. "Yeah. She's got this dual personality thing where she snaps, gets massively angry and violent. Then she calms down, denies and represses the memories, so she can't remember doing it. Then she goes really timid like you saw. She is never one for crying or hugs apart from after a phase. What triggered it?" I say. Jess and Via glance at each other. "One of the new ones said about how it is possible for you to be his secret lover. That of course made Ana angry. Then I may have said that it wasn't possible, due to you having only ever seen him as the brother you never had. That's when Ana flipped completely as if she knew something that the rest of us don't. As if she knows how you feel about Carlos," Jess explains. Wait, Ana flipped because Jess suggested that I see Carlos as a brother? I know I told Ana I have always thought there was something more between me and Carlos. Then why did she come up with this stupid task of keeping Carlos away from me? Unless she wanted to see how he feels about me and wanted to test him, to see if he will go against her. My head snaps up and Carlos raises an eyebrow. I look between Carlos and Jess before finally saying "that's odd." "That's what I thought," Jess mutters.
Kafi Carlos and I head to backstage; meeting up with Ana, who is back to normal, and Felix on the way. We head into our separate rooms backstage to change into our costumes for the night. I slip into a white shirt and a black, with multicolored flecks, waistcoat for my costume and stay in my black shorts. Instead of the black dance shoes I'm wearing at the moment, there is a pair of multicolored converse I need to put on. Ana is wearing a black playsuit with white stars and white converse. Her blonde hair contrasts the darkness of the playsuit massively. Noa is sat in a black and white jumpsuit. One leg was white while the other was black; the top half matching but the other way around. She is wearing converse that oppose the legs of her jumpsuit, making her outfit completely checkered. Lian is in a black and white checkered shirt with black shorts and black converse covered in glitter. Someone knocks on the door as I pull on my multicolored converse. "Yep," I call and Elesa pushes the door open. "You girls ready to have your hair done?" She asks. I grin as Lian sits down in the chair to have her hair done. About ten minutes later we exit the dressing room, ready for the performance. We say goodbye to Elesa and head over to the boys, directed that way by Corbin after she gives all of us a good luck hug. Collectively we freeze when the boys come into view. Carlos is who I notice first. He is throwing the top hat I have to wear for Kidz in the air and catching it again. He's in similar outfit as me; his shirt red and then a black tie, not quite done up properly, with colored flecks which matches his waistcoat. There's multicolored converse hightops on his feet with a pair of black skinny dance trousers. Felix is wearing a white shirt, red waistcoat and red tie not done up properly. He's got on a pair of black ripped skinny jeans and black combat boots. A top hat sits on his black mop of hair and a cane is tucked under his arm. William is just in a blue shirt, white jeans and black converse. Almost like a naval uniform as he was going to be working with dad during the last song. They stop when they see us too, judging us like we were judging them. The twins smirk looking eerily similar and I dread to think what is flashing across their minds. Carlos throws me the top hat which I catch and put on my head in one smooth movement. He chuckles before coming over and hugging us all, planting a kiss on each of our cheeks. "When did you turn into a gentleman," Noa jokes and Carlos rolls his eyes. "Getting into my role as the ring leader of doom miss," he says formally with a small bow causing the girls to laugh and me to smirk. Felix and William join us; William brings Carlos into a light headlock and ruffles his hair. "Your hair is meant to be messy, get used to it," William comments causing Carlos to push him away. Felix takes my hat before throwing it to Carlos who is already half way across the room. With a scowl, I chase him and corner him quite close to the others. "I'll only give it back if you give me a kiss," Carlos states, an eyebrow raised slightly. I glance back at Ana who is smirking at my discomfort. "You figured it out didn't you?" I whisper in his ear as I wrap my arms around his neck. "Why else would I offer," he mutters. I turn his head and kiss his cheek, taking the hat from his hands. "You never said where," I point out as I walk away putting the hat on my head when he looks at me stunned. Ana, Lian and Noa burst out in laughter as I join them. I look back at Carlos who is still trying to figure out what happened, so I wink at him causing him to smirk. Soon the drama teachers wave their arms and everyone falls silent as the principal introduces the Halloween performance. We grab our headsets, Carlos taking the advantage of distraction to give me a hug and kiss my neck. Felix stands off the stage, Carlos and I behind him. The other four are behind us with the other dancers flooding behind them. The stage is set up and ready, the lights out. There is four people from drama dressed as kings and queens, then another four dressed as government ministers and presidents. One lonely soul is stood center stage, reading out an order, a single spotlight focused on him. "It was agreed earlier today that there will be a computerized back up government system if..." The chants and music starts as we start marching on stage, Felix holding the cane out in front of him. The original guy looks at us as the lights increase "I don't know about you lot, but I'm out of here," he comments before running off the stage. I can't help grinning as Felix takes center stage, me and Carlos stood slightly behind him like guards. He was already well into his spiel of the opening verse. Carlos and I move back on the stage as the chaos unfolded before everyone's eyes. I honestly don't know how we have this many people on the stage. Corbin passes me or I pass her at least ten times. Fifteen times with Lian, geez that girl can move quickly when she wants to. I only pass Noa directly twice and William three times. Almost got knocked over by someone from the year below me. Managed to pass Ana seven times and Felix about seventeen. But the most astonishing thing out of everything, I pass Carlos 30 times. I don't even know how that is possible. However he did give me a smirk every single time, on a couple of occasions squeeze my hand and blew me a kiss at one point. How has Ana missed what he is doing tonight is beyond me... When Kidz started ending with just the chants, I had to stay standing as the rest of the dancers fell to the floor slowly like robots that had been deactivated. The amount of times I twitched to join them in practice was unbelievable; every single time I got yelled "Kaf, stay upright!" At me by the dance teacher. From my ending position I'm tilted towards Carlos rather than directly at the audience so he shot me sympathetic smiles every time it happened. He was stood by the yeller; I should be smiling sympathetically at him but he wouldn't take that. As the dancers fall to the floor; I take the hat off my head, throw it the air and then catch it again in my right hand. My head is tipped towards the floor slightly, my right leg extended and foot pointed along the stage. The music stopped after the chants faded out. Ana, Carlos, Felix, Lian, Noa and William were still standing too. Felix has his feet shoulder width apart, arm with the cane straight up in the air looking up at it. He isn't even shaking considering he is on the edge of the stage. William is stood behind me so I don't see his pose and it's the same with Noa. Lian, however, is holding her leg behind her in a scorpion. She is shaking slightly but that's understandable. Anyway, she was stupid to pick that as she knew the time she would have to hold it. Ana is standing simply with her hands on her hips and her hair falling round her face, making her look like the twisted angel she is. Wow where did that come from... Then I lock eyes with Carlos. He has the trademark Miller smirk that he seems to wearing more. His left arm is extended towards me, making it look like he wants the hat back. His other hand is resting on his waistcoat near the top of his tie. His stance is confident like he knew I would hand it back and he carried an air of importance around him even though he was frozen. I hear someone move beside me but I can't move yet. Then the person I least expected they would get to introduce us speaks. "And these people standing, apart from me, are our senior performers for the year. You would have seen them before, but just in case... This is Lian," Corbin says into a microphone that wasn't in her hand earlier. Lian stands normally and takes a small bow, breathing a silent sigh of relief. I smirk slightly at that. "Noa," Corbin states causing Noa to do the same as her sister, without the sigh of relief. "William." What kind of order is this? "My idiot of a brother, Felix." Laughs are heard from around the hall. Felix brings the cane down anyway, doing a dramatic bow. "Corbin don't call your brother that," Mrs Miller yells from the audience. "They told me to," Corbin replies pointing at the teachers. Carlos is trying not to laugh as he almost looks constipated. Oh Corbin I do love you sometimes. "Do you want me to use Anastasia or Ana?" Corbin asks Ana beside her but forgot that Ana has a microphone on. "Well you've thrown them both out there now so it's okay sweetie," Ana replies causing Corbin to go red as Ana took a bow. Corbin glances between me and Carlos before saying "my softie of a brother, Carlos." Carlos takes a dramatic bow as well while he mumbles "not a softie." Oh how wrong you are there Carlos. "According to them you are." Carlos scowls at Corbin but doesn't say anything. "The one who I've wanted to introduce to you lot the most since the start of my spiel, that wasn't meant to be interrupted," Corbin says before muttering, "stupid family." Laughter starts around the hall and Corbin smiles. "She's guaranteed to knock your socks off tonight." Thanks for the pressure Corbin. As if my face isn't red enough and a cramp isn't starting in my leg and in my hand where I'm gripping the hat far too tightly for me to be okay. "She's come a very long way from where she was." It's called the Atlantic ocean. I know I said I love you sometimes Corbin but you do ramble. "The person who is like a sister to me, Kafi." Now you're going to make me cry. I draw my right leg in, tuck the hat into my chest and then bow. "Thanks for nearly making me cry C," I comment standing normally. Carlos grins as quiet gasps and mutters were heard around the hall. "Anytime Kaf," Corbin replies with a wink before turning her microphone off causing a small bit of feedback and laying back down. That made everyone shut up about me. The lights start to dim as we all head to join Felix. He has moved across a bit as he wasn't going to be central, Carlos was. Again, Carlos wasn't happy about that but he had to be for the dance part. "Who dunked you in a glitter pot?" Carlos asked Lian on his left. I'm stood on his right between him and Felix. "Says the one who has been swimming in a blood pool," Lian retorts. "Actually, only the shirt did. I'm not dripping blood," Carlos replies with sass I have only ever heard him use on Felix. But now it's my line. "Actually you are," I say pointing out the fake blood dripping down onto the floor from his hand. Carlos whipped his round to me in feigned shock. "Oh my gosh she can speak," he gushes in the campest voice I have ever heard. He had repeated the exact words of a now very embarrassed lady two rows back. Her face is priceless. If I could laugh again, I would be on the floor. But I try to remain controlled. Key word; tried. Somewhere, Jess starts giggling quietly. "Really, I haven't noticed," I reply in the same manner, my hand on my chest, sarcasm lacing my voice. Via starts giggling beside Jess but shuts up again quickly. "You've only just started speaking and you're already being mean to me." Carlos feigns hurt by resting the back of his hand on his forehead dramatically. How is he doing this as I'm dying inside. The others on the stage are. Well the dancers cleared off when the lights dimmed. "Don't take your knickers off and throw them out of the pram," I say back, that was meant to be the end of the conversation. But Carlos had something else up his sleeve, quite literally. "You could have said earlier, I'm a bit cold now," he groans, flourishing a pair of knickers from nowhere. What is worse is that they're mine and probably would fit him anyway. I'm actually going to die... Jess bursts into laughter with the rest of the hall. Then when she tried calming down, she snorts sending her and Via into even more laughter. Max groans and fabric rustles, suggesting he slid down in his seat. I still have no smart comeback so I'm still there glaring at him. He chuckles before putting them in his back pocket. Felix moves onto the next part of the script as soon as he calms down as Carlos' improvisation left us all stunned. "She'll need that," Felix comments, taking the hat off my head and placing it on Ana's to his right. "Oh yeah, everyone just take one thing of mine," I comment sarcastically before I can think. Felix blinked at me trying to decipher what I just said. He clicked at the same time as Jess and Via did as they were laughing even louder. His eyes widen glancing at Carlos over my shoulder. "Don't kill the man," Carlos comments behind me. I whip round stepping closer to him, then he realised what he said wasn't the best thing to say. "Do not ever compare me to my father." Even I don't recognise my own voice. Carlos nods quickly, gulping quietly. To be honest, I wasn't liking angry Kafi either. The others went through their script as I constantly went between crossing my arms and resting my thumbs in my short pockets while bouncing on my heels slightly. Noa points to nothing at the back of the hall, making the audience turning round. She says "is that what I think it is?" That's my cue. I take in a quiet breath as I glance over at Carlos. He squeezes my hand but he isn't looking at me. His eyes are glazed over; that look meant he felt insanely bad. I slip my hand out of his just before the music starts. We all move forward slightly so we were stood just on the stage; the front of our feet hanging over the edge. "Standing," I start singing the song and all eyes instantly turn to us on stage. The others instantly join in, our voices working together. Lian and I take four steps back; Felix and William take six, while Ana and Noa take eight. Carlos, the lucky thing, only took two. We had to form a pyramid on the stage, which we did at the line: we will meet you. Then the back four turn their backs walking to the two tier elevated platforms at the back of the stage as they continued to sing. The three of us still stood at the front (Lian, Carlos and I) stopped singing at that line and started the routine. The dancers come back in different costumes. Gone were the evil monkeys and evil kids. Now, there are menacing creatures I can't describe due to the lack of light. But they don't flood in from back stage. They come from the back of the hall. At first they weren't noticed as they slid down the aisles toward the stage. Crossing the stage towards Carlos, he nods his head slightly. I take a small hop before picking up my pace. Carlos is knelt on the floor like he is proposing, but that is the last thing he is doing on this stage. When I reach him I spring slightly, my hands on Carlos's leg. His hands support my arms as he helps me flip to sit on his shoulders. My feet land softly on his back as we had done this plenty of times. I spread my arms out; Carlos supporting me with tense arms as he stands. Loosely I extend a leg and look at the ceiling. Carlos walks to the elevated platforms, then he climbs up and stands on the smaller one. I face the audience but stare at the back wall. Then Carlos drops me. Or well, that's what everyone thinks. A collective quiet gasp falls on the audience before I land crouched, unharmed, with my arms out. They let out their breaths as I smirk and Carlos moves to the centre of the small platform. We join in with the lyrics again; Lian standing the opposite end to me. The dancers slowly get up on the stage then we all join them on the main area. Quite soon I stop singing but I lead the dancers, apart from Carlos and Lian, in a mass movement section of the dance. The other six wove through the dancers behind me as they sing. Ana put the top hat in my hand as she passes me so I put it on my head. I don't falter once; even though Carlos' eyes at following me the whole time.