Chapter Ten

The four friends got to the road and waved themselves good bye before going into the cabs waiting for them. The got down from the cab paid the driver off before heading into their apartment. Casey dropped her bag on the couch while sitting tiredly on it.

"Don't you think, you should go and freshen up?" Astoria asked seeing how lazily Casey was sitted.

"Yes, I will have a bath but not immediately, I'm so tired right now and also famished." Casey replied holding her stomach in the process.

"Hmm," Astoria exhaled, "you are so unbelievable." Astoria said as she started walking over to her room. Casey smiled knowing Astoria actually believed her when she said she wouldn't be going to have her bath immediately. She stood up from the couch and grabbed her bag from besides her and went straight into her room.

Casey walked into the sitting room few minutes later after having her bath and decided to go and get herself a glass of water because she was tasty. She held the doorknob and opened it only to be welcome with the sweet aroma of meal Astoria was cooking.

"Wow, this is going to be delicious?" Casey commented.

"You can say that again." Astoria said boastfully.

"I don't think this food will even have any taste, since you are becoming so confident." Casey teased her.

"What!" Astoria exclaimed with a frown and Casey laughed. "Come on don't be like that it's annoying." Astoria said and Casey grinned trying hard to stop herself from laughing further.

"Anyway, what are you making?" Casey asked after she had succeeded in suppressing her laughter.

"You now remembered to ask after all this while." Astoria said.

"Come on just tell me already instead of dwelling on what happened previously." Casey said trying to make her stop going back to their little fun time and just tell her what she wanted to hear.

"I love dwelling in the past." Astoria said.

"Ahhh," Casey sighed. "Yes that's the right thing to do." Astoria grinned.

"Ok whatever, I will find out by myself." Casey said walking towards the pot but Astoria quickly jumped on her way and blocked her from going any further.

"Come on Astoria stop this." Casey requested.

"You were teasing me few minutes ago and you were enjoying it but now it's my turn to tease you." Astoria smirked.

"Ok I'm sorry for teasing you but please don't tease me." Casey pleaded but Astoria shaked her head negatively.

"I have to do what's I have to do, besides you started it,so it's my turn to end it." Astoria grinned and Casey frowned and ran out of the kitchen before Astoria would do something else. She knows Astoria wouldn't stop no matter how much she plead so it's was best if she leaves the kitchen that very moment besides she would still know the food she was preparing later when they are in the dinning room.

Astoria smiled seeing how Casey has left the kitchen running like she was being chased by a wild animal. Astoria was actually very ready to continue teasing Casey. But it seems Casey has already known her mind that was why she had ran away. She shaked her head negatively and continued with her cooking.

Astoria set up the table after a cooking and called Casey to join her as they eat lunch. Casey raised her head from her meal and stared at Astoria for a while before speaking up. "Astoria what are you plans for today?"

"I actually planned to go to dance studio after lunch." Astoria replied with a smile plastered on her lips.

"What!" Casey exclaimed. "Why?" Casey asked.

"Why what? I don't understand?" Astoria asked.

"Why are you going for dance rehearsal everyday now?" Casey asked.

"What's wrong, you know I always go to the dance studio regularly." She pulsed for a while before she continued. "So why do you look surprised and shocked?" Astoria added.

"Astoria, I know all that but I'm really just scared after yesterday." Casey pointed out.

"Oh now I understand," she said tapped Casey shoulder softly. "Actually yesterday I would have come back earlier but." Astoria stop for a while before she continued and narrated all what happened at the studio. Casey nodded and sigh.

"But please be careful today, I don't want you coming back home late again." Casey warned.

"Ok ma'am, I won't ever come him late again." Astoria said.

"Ok that's better." They both ate the rest of their food in silently.

Astoria took all the wears she would be needed to rehearse at the studio and waved at Casey before going out.

Lia and Leo were sitting in the couch at their sitting room. Leo's mind drifted back to last night event with Astoria.

"Lia have you deviced a means to be always with Astoria always?" Leo asked Lia who was busy with her phone.

"No, I haven't yet." She replied still focused on her phone.

"After what happened yesterday and all the tensions that came with it, you still choose to be comfortable without being around Astoria?" Leo asked again.

"Oh about that, I don't really know how to go about it, but do you have any plans?" Lia asked.

"I thought we agreed you were going to join her in the dance rehearsal?"

"Oh yes, that's true but it totally slipped my mind. I will call her up immediately." Lia said and exit the game she was playing on her phone and dialled Astoria number. Astoria phone rang severally without her taking the calls.

"She isn't taking her calls." Lia complained.

"Then try calling Casey,so we would know where she is currently." Leo advised.

"Ok," Lia said and dialled Casey number instead. Casey picked up almost immediately.

"Hi Lia." Casey spoke from the other end.

"Hey, Casey, how are you doing?" Lia asked softly.

"I'm good and you?" Casey replied.

"I'm also doing well," Lia said. "I actually wanted to ask if Astoria is there with you?" Lia asked.

"Oh Astoria?" Casey asked.

"Yes, she isn't here," she pulsed for a while before she continued. "she actually went for her usual dance rehearsal." Casey added. Actually Lia gasped knowing that Casey allowed her to go after what happened yesterday but just tried calming herself.

"Why were you asking about her, did something happen?" Casey asked but got no response.

"Hello Lia are you still there?" Casey asked.

"Yes I'm here," Lia responded.

"Why weren't you responding before now?" Casey asked.

"It's nothing, I was actually calling her but she wasn't picking up,so I thought of calling you to know if she was there with you." Lia said.

"Oh not at all, she isn't here." Casey replied.

"Ok then." Lia said and disengaged the call. Lia turned over to Leo who had been staring at her to say something.

"Astoria isn't home, she has gone to the dance studio again." Lia spoke up.

"Now you have seen what I'm talking about,so what do we do now?" Leo asked.

"I don't really know but maybe I should just go over to the dance studio now." Lia suggested.

"No, you can't do that, it will seem suspicious." Leo pointed out.

"So now what do we do?" Lia asked tiredly.

"I think you keep calling her, and just hope she is fine." Leo said and Lia sighed and dialled her number again.

She called her several times until she finally picked up when Lia was already getting frustrated with calling.

"Hi Lia," Astoria said as soon as she took the call.

"Hey, Astoria, I have been calling you since forever." Lia complained.

"Ahhh, I'm so sorry, I wasn't with the phone." Astoria quickly apologized.

"Anyways that's fine, so I remembered to tell you, I want to join you in the dance rehearsal." Lia said.

"Oh mine, I totally forget," Astoria complained.

"Oh okay but can I come over to the studio now to meet you?" Lia asked.

"I would have loved to but that won't be good and I can't wait for you, because I'm about heading home now." Astoria said, picking up her bag.

"Ok then, so when are you going there?" Lia asked.

"That will be until tomorrow." Astoria said.

"Ok that's fine then." Lia replied.

"Yes bye then." Astoria and disengaged the call. She picked up her belongings and went into something a little private to change from her dancing clothes. She arranged her bag and started walking out of the changing room.

She got to the door but a huge figure stood at the entrance blocking her way. She looked up to his face and saw it covered with a mask and she widened her eyes and slowly moved backwards but the guy on a face mask followed behind her.

"Please who are you?" She asked, shivering but he didn't answer; rather , he kept walking towards her.

"Please don't hurt me, I didn't do anything?" She said as hot tears clouded her eyes.