Weeks have passed since Renan and I won Ms. Amdala's mini competition and had our dance recorded by AT&CP to be entered into CalArt's competition.

It was three weeks after that, that we were notified through email we won for California in the state competition and could now move into recording our video for Regionals.

When the results were supposed to be released, Renan came to visit me at the gym while I was training. Mr. and Mrs. Hender wanted to be there as well when we found out if we'd be moving on in the competition.

I remember being so nervous that I shoved my phone into Mrs. Hender's hand and made her open the email and read it before delivering the news. I saw her eyes frantically moving back and forth reading the greeting of the letter until her hand went over her mouth and she kept quietly repeating "oh my Lord, oh my Lord" until she finally looked up and screamed "YOU WON" before throwing her arms around me in a sudden hug.

I was so shocked I my brain couldn't function well enough to make my arms return her embrace. When we were done hugging, or really she was done hugging me, I turned around to look at Renan who was engulfed in the arms of Mr. Hender. The mountain of a man was jumping up and down lifting Renan into the air with each excited bounce. They had gotten pretty close once Renan and I started practicing more and more at the gym together and they smoothed the whole late night interruption debacle out.

Once Mr. H put Renan down, Renan sprinted straight for me and before I could register what was happening lifted me in the air and spun around smiling up at my surprised face before finally setting me back on the ground and wrapping me in a bear hug.

I eagerly returned it laughing as I said, "see Mathews, I told you we'd win."

~•~•~•~•~•~

Now it's the Friday before Halloween and Renan and I have three weeks to finish up rehearsing our routine, filming it, and then submitting it for judging.

This round was meant to show CalArts how well we can tell a story not just through dance, but through the use of the environment around us either of natural creation or a manufactured set and the art of cinematography. The theme is: Missed Connections, and like expected Renan came through with the perfect song choice and choreography.

Since it's a teacher-in-service day Renan and I took Kiara and Eli with us to the gym where Mr. Hender has been letting us use and redecorate the large attic for our video submission. Renan made Kiara swear on all her American Girl Dolls not to tell their parents about this and she promised her lips would be zipped for forever.

Last week we lugged two couches, a recliner, a coffee table, and other miscellaneous things we'd needed to create our set for the video. Which will be filmed by members of AT&CP once again because Renan was willing to hire them himself.

Eli and Kiara sit on one of the couches and watch our dance for the first time.

As the music begins, Renan and I act as if we're frozen in time, myself with one arm clutching a door handle like I'm about to leave and Renan grabbing my other wrist holding me back. Then I break away from his grasp and turn towards him. I reach out gently with my hand and caress his cheek as I tenderly press my forehead to his our noses so close to touching.

Giggles erupt from the side of the room and I peek over to look at Kiara and Eli who have their hands over their mouths to cover the sound and are looking at Renan and I with a mischievous look. I feel myself blush.

As I turn to face away from Renan and rest the back of my head on his shoulder he chuckles underneath his breathe.

"Hey," I whisper trying not to chuckle myself, "you're supposed to be frozen."

"You're right sorry," he states in mock seriousness before flashing a smirk as I walk away from him and cross the room.

Throughout the routine more and more giggles and sequels can be heard each time Renan lifts me in the air or spins me around his body or when we embrace each other tenderly and then hold each others gaze for a beat before separating suddenly.

I don't know why but I grow more and more self-conscious which each childish laugh, but Renan seems to grow more and more confident the darker the shade of red my cheeks become. He holds his face a little closer to mine than normal and he holds on to me a little tighter with each lift.

Not that I'm complaining.

We run through the dance multiple times back to back until finally when we end the dance with both of us sitting on the couch Renan dramatically lays down and places his head on my lap just after the music has stopped.

"Um what are you doing?" I question as he readjusts himself so his head is resting on my right leg and he lays on his side facing away from the couch.

"I'm resting my eyes," he states casually, "before we have to run through the routine again. Need to recharge, so do you."

I look down at him. "And you felt the need to 'rest your eyes'" I say making air quotes with my fingers even though Renan can't see them, "while using my lap as a pillow? Why don't you just, I don't know, stretch out on the other couch two feet away from you."

He yawns and nuzzles his head a little bit more into my thigh. I can feel my heart start to speed up in my chest. "Not as comfortable as you," he sighs.

I scoff but let a smile appear on my face because I know he can't see it. "And how would you know that?"

Renan opens his mouth to respond but is cut off by Kiara yelling from across the studio where her and Eli have been playing princess for the past 15 minutes. "Hey! Are you guys having a couch cuddle without me!?"

Eli and I make confused eye-contact with each other from across the room as Renan chuckles.

"Of course not Ki, get over here." He lifts his arm up and Kiara goes running over to the couch followed closely by Eli. She lays down in-front of Renan and he wraps his arm around her preventing Kiara from rolling of the now crowded piece of furniture. Eli lays down on the other side of me and rests her head on my left thigh.

Before I can even ask the question running through my head Renan speaks up, "sometimes when Kiara needs to take nap, or is sick, or is sad, or we're just up late watching movies on the weekend we have a couch cuddle where we grab a bunch of pillows and soft blankets and put them on the couch. Then I hold Kiara until she falls asleep."

"Mhmm," Kiara responds her words are slightly muffled. "Sometimes when I can't go to sleep Re even sings to me."

I chuckle and look down at Renan just in time to see his cheek tint pink. "Oh really," I tease and look over to my sister, "you know I think Eli might have a little trouble falling asleep. She doesn't usually take naps."

Catching my drift Eli confirms my assumption, "She's right. So you probably need to sing now." She gives me a mischievous smile. Boy do I love that girl.

Renan hesitantly with his eyes still closed starts to protest. "This was a bad idea," he states.

"Well you're the one who decided to rest your head on my thigh instead of on that nice soft pillow over there so this mess is your fault. Now sing."

"Yeah, now sing," Kiara demands.

Renan lets out a huff before grumbling fine.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey," he softly begins. I see Kiara instantly relax and snuggle in closer to Renan. A small smile tugs at his lips as he holds her a little tighter and I feel as if someone is tugging at the strings of my heart.

Their relationship reminds me a lot of Eli's and mine. I can tell that Renan would do absolutely anything for Kiara, even embarrass himself in front of me to make her happy. He's a good big brother, like how I hope to be a good big sister.

While Renan continues his soft singing I reach down and hold Eli's hand with my left and then rest my right hand softly on Renan's shoulder. I can tell this surprises him because he stumbles on a few words before singing properly again.

I then close my eyes and rest my head back against the couch, before drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

When I'm woken up a couple hours later it's by Mr. Hender's booming voice announcing he's brought us all pizza for dinner. My eyes shoot open and to my surprise I'm no longer sitting on the couch. Instead I'm laying down on my side with Renan's arms wrapped around my waist and his face pressed against the front of my ribs, his forehead just at my sternum.

"What the hell," I exclaim before pushing Renan a little to hard off me and he goes tumbling off the couch and onto the floor.

He groans clearly still groggy from sleep and clutches his head. "Dear Lord Eve, I pity the man who marries you if that's how he'll be woken up."

Mr. Hender can't help but laugh as he sets the pizza on the coffee table. Eli and Kiara come running over from where they were playing a second round of princesses.

I scowl down at Renan before offering a hand to help him up. He takes it and sits with his legs extended out it front of him on the floor between me and the table.

"Well I pity the woman who marries you if she'll have to wake up with your drool on her stomach each morning," I state holding my shirt taunt for him to see the little wet mark made from his saliva where his mouth was placed just above my stomach.

Without skipping a beat Renan shoots me a lopsided smirk and stares, "Next time I'll make sure you're the one resting your head on my chest with my arms wrapped around you. We'll see who's drooling then," he says with a wink before turning around and grabbing a slice of pizza.

This boy is not good for my health I think to myself as I sit there silently shaking my head. I feel my heart race for the second time that day.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

A/N:

Hey Y'all! Here's a short sweet chapter for you guys :) I've had a busy couple of days because of school work but hopefully this week won't be to bad.

The next couple chapters are gonna be sweet ones because after them let's just say things get real ;)

Thank you for every read, vote, and comment! They're greatly appreciated :)

Love Life & Live Well,
Anne <3

P.s. I may or may not have another book in the works as well 🤷🏼‍♀️😉🤭