Page 19 of Rome: The Ballerina

Royce’s name darted across the screen. A smile rested on my face, making itself at home. The decision to answer the call was instant.

I removed an AirPod from the case and pushed it into my ear. The call connected immediately.

“Royce–”

“Ro.”

And, then there was nothing. Snickering from her end of the line widened my smile.

“Good morning, baby,” she made out.

“Is it your destiny to worry me, Ro?”

She was Ro. I was Ro. We were Ro. To each other, but not many others.

“It is, my love.”

My spirit settled. I rounded my shoulders as I exhaled. Everything felt fine, but Royce had a way of making mebelieve nothing was, even if only for a second. She worried me, something awful. It was a gift and a curse.

“How has your morning been?” I asked, sighing.

“It would be better if you agreed to have coffee this morning. I could use a pick me up.”

Pausing, I took a look in the direction Sac had disappeared in. He was still missing.

“Ro?”

“Yes. I’m here.”

“Did you hear me?”

“Yes, Royce. I heard you. Do you hear that?”

“The chatter in your background? Where are you?”

“No. My heart,” I questioned, placing a hand on my chest. “It’s beating? It’s wild. It’s untamable. It’s driving me mad.”

Another pause silenced the line.

“Royce–” I called out. “Say something.”

The ruffling in the background let me know that she was altering her position. Her spine was straight. Her ears hardened. Her brows crinkled, making their way to the center of her forehead. Her head leaned in, hoping to hear better. I didn’t need to see her to know these things. Iknewher. I felt her. Everything about her.

Hesitantly, she began again. “You met someone.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. Just as well as I knew her, she knew me.

“Not just anyone, Ro.”

“You met him,” she corrected.

Nodding dramatically as if she could see me.

“Yessss,” I breathed out. “Yes, Royce.Him. He’s not a figment of my imagination, baby.”

Emotions swelled in my chest.

“He’s real,” I choked out, feeling the weight lift from my chest.

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