Page 89 of Damaged Boys Don't Fall For Bubbly Girls

She rubs my shoulder. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I’m just, uh, you know, stressed. With school and stuff.”

She nods. “I hear you. It must be hard juggling school and friends, and playing Clara. Are you sure you can handle it? Because it’s okay if you can’t.”

“I’m sure. I’m not giving up Clara for anything.”

She chuckles. “I know you can handle it all, Lexi. You’re a strong young woman. But if there’s anything you want to talk about, any concerns, you can always talk to me. Or Dani or Jasmine. We love all of our dancers and want each and every one of you to feel happy and safe here. Okay?”

I nod. “Thanks. But you have nothing to worry about. I’ll be more than ready on opening night.”

“I just want to make sure you’re okay. I couldn’t care less about the ballet if you’re not feeling all right.”

“Thanks for looking out for me, but I’m good. Look.” I perform the dance number flawlessly, which has Zuri clapping. “See?” I ace a few more ballet moves, then bow down. “You have nothing to worry about.”

She rubs my back. “I’m glad to hear that. Just remember what I said—we’re here if you need us.”

After we hug, she wishes me good luck and returns to her class.

I focus on my dancing, pushing any thought of Brock out of my head. I can’t allow my worry over him to mess me up. There are so many people counting on me, and I need to do whatever I can to knock my performance out of the park.

Without that distraction, I manage to perform extremely well. I do a small victory dance and cheer for myself. But my eyes once again trek to the door, hoping Brock will magically appear and cheer along with me.

He doesn’t.

I force my gaze away and continue to rehearse.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Brock

My guts are all twisted as I climb the stairs to Lexi’s house on Saturday and raise my finger to ring the bell. But I hesitate, swallowing the huge lump in my throat.

I’ve gone back and forth about this. I don’t want to do it. But I have to.

This isn’t about me—it’s about her. I need to do what’s best for her.

So after taking a deep breath, I shut my eyes for a second and ring the bell. My heart thumps in my chest as I wait for someone to answer. Feels like it’s taking forever.

The door finally opens, revealing Mrs. West. Her face morphs into a bright smile, one so similar to Lexi’s. “Brock! Good afternoon. How are you?”

“Fine.” I force a smile. “How are you?”

“I’m great.” She widens the door to invite me in. “Lexi is in her room. Would you like a drink?”

“No, thanks.” I doubt I’d be able to get anything down my throat.

She pats my back. “All right. Go on up.”

I thank her and climb the stairs to Lexi’s room. Her door is open and I can hear music playing. Peeking my head in, I find her at her desk, biting her lip as she does her homework. Hmm. Homework on a Saturday? Studying her, she seems a bit bothered. Probably because of me. But what can I do? I’m trying to help her, to do what’s best for her.

Clearing my throat, I knock on the open door. Lexi’s head shoots in my direction and her eyebrows rise.

Slowly, she gets to her feet. She doesn’t say a word, just stares at me. And I stare right back at her because I have no idea what to say.

She tucks some curls behind her ear, but they pop right back out. I wish I could twirl my finger around them like I did the other day. “Um, hi,” she says.

I shove my hands into my pockets, mustering the best smile I can. “Hey. Doing homework on a Saturday?”