1 Chapter 1

It was another humid evening in the middle of March, nothing unusual for the tropical island city.

A small group of guys, clad in baggy pants of various lengths and multi-colored t-shirts predominantly in white, black, and maroon, rehearsed a dance routine in a private studio. This was part of their regular routine, occurring every other weekday and sometimes on weekends.

Among them stood a lean, taller-than-average guy, distinguished by his long platinum blonde hair and flawless porcelain skin. Choppy platinum strands framed his heart-shaped face, giving him a somewhat feminine look, but his intense stormy blue eyes hinted otherwise. He wore long black baggy pants paired with a sleeveless white top, showcasing his tan mark-free lean arms.

"1, 2, 3… Spin, Kick, Kneel!" his confident yet calm voice guided the crew.

A girl silently observed him from the other side of the studio, her sharp brown-grey eyes sparkling as he danced.

She stood at 168cm tall, with a toned hourglass silhouette, flawless tan skin, and naturally wavy dark hair streaked with cyan, cascading down to the middle of her back. Today, she sported a loose-fitting sleeveless black crop top and high-waisted maroon sweatpants that accentuated her long legs.

These two were the best of friends, having shared everything since they were 12 and 7. They attended the same school, took their first dance lesson together, graced the stage for the first time as a pair, and even ventured into their first dance competition together. They were inseparable, that is, until recently...

The platinum blonde guy approached a taller brunette standing on the sidelines. The brunette wrapped his arms around Xavier intimately and leaned down towards his lips. Stormy blue eyes shifted to the side, catching a glimpse of adoration turning into pain that gave him some hope.

"Skyler!" called a beautiful girl with fair brown skin.

Startled out of her reverie by her name, Skyler turned to look in the direction of Aarna, the one who had called her, and saw understanding in her eyes.

"Are you okay? Do you want to take a break?" Aarna asked with concern. Skyler shook her head at the suggestion; it wasn't a big deal she told herself. It would be lame to take a break just cause she felt emotionally hurt and not to mention, completely unprofessional. 

"Girls! I need to review your part of the routine, and then we'll be done for the night," the object of her distraction announced.

"Just in time then." Aarna said reassuringly, giving Skyler's shoulder a comforting squeeze, before heading over to the crew leader, with Skyler trailing behind.

They rehearsed the group dance routine for multiple hours in a row before Xavier was finally satisfied. As they finished for the day, Skyler took a short break before working on her solo routine. The others lounged on the floor, eagerly watching Skyler dance—a treat they never tired of.

"Damn, Skyler, how do you move like that? You had me mesmerized," Jackson, a slightly taller Chinese guy, declared matter-of-factly.

"I know, right? No matter how many times I see her moves, I'll never tire of them," Faizal confessed dramatically.

"Careful, babe, you're starting to hypnotize me," Aarna teased playfully, earning a smirk from Skyler.

Xavier pulled his childhood friend into a lazy half-hug, a proud smile on his face. He had known and grown up with her since they were young, and he was proud of it. Skyler returned his hug hesitantly, prompting him to frown.

"Everything alright?" he asked, looking her up and down, well aware of her tendency to keep things to herself unless they were extremely important. She never hid things from him though.

Skyler simply nodded at him, and while Xavier didn't entirely believe her, he decided not to push it for now.

"Alright, everyone! We're done for the day, so pack up!" he told the crew as he sashayed cheekily over to his awaiting partner who grinned at Xavier's antics. 

The crew dispersed around the studio to collect their belongings. Skyler, however, hesitated upon seeing Rudy and Xavier laughing and teasing each other while packing. She pondered for a moment and decided to stay, not wanting to leave and potentially regret her actions later. She informed them of her decision.

"Are you sure, Skyler? I don't feel comfortable leaving you here alone," Jackson told her, going over to give her a hug, with Faizal, Aarna, and the others joining in. She allowed their affection and patted them on the back.

"I'll be fine, you guys go ahead," she reassured them with a small smile.

Xavier approached her, looking into her eyes. Recognizing the stubborn look in her eyes, he sighed and told her to take care before giving her a hug, followed by Rudy, who received a tight squeeze, as if Skyler was silently telling him to take care of Xavier. Assured, they left after reminding her to lock up once she was done with the studio and not to go home too late. 

Once alone, Skyler let the music play and lay on the floor, waiting for a song that resonated with her at that moment. When one came on, her body flowed to it, expressing the turmoil within, as she attempted to let go of something she wasn't quite ready to release.

Unbeknownst to her, a pair of dark eyes watched her dance, captivated by her movements.