Part 2
KIERAN'S POV — Break Time
I retied my shoe for the third time, even though it wasn't loose. I just needed something to do—something to look at that wasn't Kiara and Luke talking across the room.
They were sitting against the mirror, sharing water, laughing about something.
Laughing.
I didn't even know Luke could laugh in the middle of practice.
Ram was stretching quietly beside me, not paying attention, but I couldn't tear my eyes away.
Why did it bother me?
It shouldn't.
Kiara was just the new girl. The one messing up the spacing. The one I didn't ask for. The one who walked in and… did her routine perfectly like it was no big deal.
She was good.
Too good.
Maybe that's what annoyed me.
But the way Luke talked to her, like they were already best friends? The way she smiled back? That irritated me more than it should've.
Luke never smiled like that at practice. Not at me. Not at Ram.
Why was she getting that version of him?
I tightened my laces again, jaw clenching.
Stupid shoe.
Ram glanced at me. "You okay?"
"Fine," I snapped.
He went back to stretching.
I hated that I sounded annoyed, but I couldn't help it.
Across the room, Kiara laughed again—this time louder. Luke said something that made her shake her head and smile. He nudged her the way friends do, easy and natural.
Why did that make my stomach twist?
It wasn't like I wanted to talk to her.
I didn't even like her.
She questioned me. She challenged me. She didn't listen when I told her how the routine was supposed to go. She came in and acted like she belonged.
…But maybe she did belong.
No.
No, that wasn't the point.
The point was, we came here to practice, and Luke was wasting time flirting—no, not flirting, just… being friendly. Too friendly.
Friendly in a way that pulled Kiara away from the routine. Away from me.
I hated how that thought felt.
Ram stood. "Break over soon?"
"Yeah," I muttered automatically, but my attention stayed locked on Kiara.
She was leaning toward Luke, listening to him. She looked comfortable. Settled. Like she'd already found someone to rely on.
Why did that bother me?
I didn't know.
And I didn't like not knowing.
Something hot and sharp twisted in my chest, something I didn't recognize—something that felt like someone messing up my choreography without permission.
I stood up abruptly.
"Break's over," I called out, louder than necessary.
Luke looked up, surprised. "Already? It hasn't even been—"
"I said break's over," I repeated, sharper this time.
Kiara blinked, confused, but she got up.
Good.
We needed to work.
We didn't need… whatever Luke was doing.
As everyone moved back into position, I avoided looking directly at Kiara. But every time she stepped into my peripheral vision, something inside me tightened again.
I wasn't jealous.
I wasn't.
I was just trying to keep the group focused.
That's all.
At least… that's what I told myself.