Page 67 of This Is Love
“Tiny Dancer,” Logan chokes out, time finally catching up to us. He surges to his feet at the same time I do.
From my own mouth, her name bursts from my throat, raw with emotion. “Rya!” Scrambling now, we hurry, trying to exit the row of seating we’re penned in, desperate to get to her.
Through all this, Hazel has continued to dance, seemingly oblivious to her roommate. The girl has to be fucking cuckoo not to stop right where she is. But no, she continues to pirouette like this is her crowning performance, and there’s nothing strange here about her having taken over someone else’s choreography. Something vicious inside me claws its way to the surface. I’m sure of it now—there’s no way Hazel isn’t responsible for the things that have been happening to Rya.
If I were Hazel, I wouldn’t dance. I’d fucking run.
34
LOGAN
Even though we’reon our feet and actively trying to get past people, they won’t fucking move—not fast enough for my liking. It’s maddening. We finally burst free of the row and the idiots who are simply sitting there, staring at the debacle on the stage.
As we rush forward, I feel like we’re failing Rya. This entire auditorium is full of people watching the drama unfold. Only, I guess it’s been a handful of seconds at most since Rya appeared. It’s fucking strange how the passage of time can become distorted. Jaxon’s heavy breaths sound next to me, our feet pounding the ramp heading down to the stage area. Millie’s voice greets our ears as we run. “Close curtain!” she snaps, clearly agitated and not quite sure what to make of what this has devolved into in the last fifteen seconds.
Only in my worst nightmares have I been scared like this. Because as the thick material slides shut, Hazel stops dancing and turns on Rya, a twistedness morphing her face into something ugly. It’s the same fucking unhinged look she’d given me right before she accused me of assaulting her in the elevator. This fucking bitch has lost touch with reality.
I don’t have a clue if my shout of “Nooooo!” is aloud or simply reverberating in my head, but we get to the stage a moment later and launch ourselves onto it. Jaxon thrashes at the opening where the curtains come together, and I tear between them a split-second later.
My eyes bug out at the scene on the other side. Hazel has knocked Rya flat on her back and straddles her waist. She has her hands around Rya’s throat and is squeezing.Hard.
“You bitch! This wasmy dance!”Hazel’s accusation comes out in a shriek as her face contorts into a terrifying visage of hatred. “You think you’re such hot shit, but they never should have given you the ballet. It wasmine. I’m better, and you know it!”
With my heart violently bruising my rib cage from the inside as blood pumps hard through my head, I’m on them in three long strides. Skidding to my knees, I take one of Hazel’s arms while Jaxon goes for the other in an attempt to dislodge her, but she’s freakishly strong.
“Fucking hell, Hazel. Let go!” I shout, anger rushing from me at the same time worry for Rya spills from every pore.
She struggles for air, feet kicking as she claws at Hazel’s face and chest with one hand. Our girl is fighting back despite the fact that her shoulder is very obviously dislocated. As we forcibly tear Hazel’s hands from her neck, Rya gasps, “Get off me, you deranged bitch!”
Hazel shoots me the nastiest look as we pull her off Rya. Her crazy eyes flash at me as Jaxon belts his arms around her torso, pinning her arms to her sides. I see in that moment that she understands it’s me. Her breath falls raggedly from her lips, and she shakes her head erratically, screaming out her irritation before she focuses on her former best friend again. “You couldn’t have just let me have Logan, huh? You have Jaxon!” She screeches again, enraged.
The fuck. The girl is demented, kicking and jerking her body in a futile attempt to free herself. I have no doubt in my mind what her intentions would be if she were to get loose. Her wild psycho gaze is deadlocked on Rya. Too bad for Hazel, though—I see it in Jaxon’s eyes. He’d die before letting her get anywhere near Rya. Both of us would do anything to keep her safe.
With Jaxon handling Hazel, I focus on Rya, fully aware there are now staff members and other dancers swarming around us. “Rya, baby.” She hasn’t tried to get up, and that alone has me worried. My voice is hoarse as my hands hover over her body, unsure where to touch her. I don’t want to do anymore damage. “Can you sit up?” I rasp out, our eyes connecting.
She seems a little dazed. I gently brush a few strands of hair from her eyes that’d escaped her bun at some point during the altercation, my gaze narrowing on her bruised cheek. “Help me. I look pretty bad, huh?” Worry coats her features.
“You look stunning. Nothing and no one can take that from you.” I exhale hard as I sit her up.
Hazel bellows, thrashing like a fucking maniac. She’s surrounded by university staff who are attempting to calm her, but she’s having none of it. She catches sight of Rya and shrieks, “You dumb bitch! You even bought it when I suggested Logan fucked up our room! What kind of awful friend are you if you believed that?”
“Hazel, you’re embarrassing yourself. Enough,” Millie sternly bites out. “Calm yourself, young lady.”
Rya clutches at my arm with her good one, and I support her body as best I can. We stare into each other’s eyes, and for a moment, all we can do is shake our heads. We’re speechless. I turn, catching Jaxon’s gaze. He’s just as shocked.
Millie’s admonishment doesn’t faze Hazel, she only picks up steam, growling nastily, “I don’t know how you have them both panting after you. You’re nothing special, Rya! They weresupposed to see what aslutyou are when I had you drugged at the frat party, but no, they had to come bursting in like knights in shining armor.” She narrows her eyes on Rya before spewing more venom, mouth twisting as she snarls, “It’s just too bad you passed out and hit your fucking stupid head. The blood scared that dipshit from Tri-Beta I paid to help me. I wish he hadn’t gotten spooked, because I told him he could do whatever he wanted to you while you were unconscious!” She sucks in a breath and spits, “I fucked up your pointe shoes, hoping to throw you off!”
Holy fucking shit. Then my eyes bug out when I realize Hazel’s not nearly done. Her body practically vibrates with her fucked-up sense of righteousness and her own brand of psychotic rage. Teeth clenched, she glares at Rya, who is stiff as can be in my arms.
“Leave it to perfect Rya—you didn’t even fuck up your audition after I paid that idiot frat bro off to kidnap and scare the fuck out of you. He messed it all up.Again!” She looks around in a bewildered state of craziness that is downright alarming.
Glancing around, it’s very clear that I’m not the only one who thinks so. Rya drags in a breath, and I don’t blame her for the way she’s shaking. There’s only one good thing about all this. We have plenty of witnesses to Hazel losing her shit as she reveals the extent of what she’s done.
A moment later, I’m surprised when Rya looks up at me. “Help me stand, Logan.” I do as she requests, supporting her from behind as she leans against me, her body quaking. She stares directly at a heaving, angry Hazel. Rya’s chest expands as she fills her lungs before murmuring, “I hear every word you’re saying, but—why’d you do this? Make me understand what I’ve ever done to you besides be your friend.” Her voice is soft but strong, her question right to the point.
There’s a quiet rumbling through the crowd of dancers and professors present. Several of them comment before Hazel can answer.
“Great question.”
