Chapter 18: PEH Dance Practice
The group made their way across campus towards McArthur. As they walked towards McArthur, the atmosphere was noticeably quieter than usual. Aria, Emily, and Marcus exchanged occasional glances but mostly kept to themselves, each lost in their own thoughts.
Arriving at McArthur around 1:50 pm, they settled onto benches, waiting for the arrival of their two late members. While waiting for the members, 10 minutes passed and the mood was still awkward not until Marcus decided to break the ice.
"So, napractice niyo na ang routine guys?" Marcus asked, trying to lighten the mood. His voice carried a hint of cheerfulness, attempting to diffuse the tense atmosphere.
Emily nodded with a hint of pride. "Oo naka-practice ako kaonti last night. Tinulungan ako ng dancer kong boyfriend ko eh,"
Marcus chuckled softly. "Ayos ah, may personal coach na si Em,"
Aria also chuckled at Marcus' comment and then sighed, "Wala ako nakapagpractice, inuna ko ang pagreview ng lessons. Magpractice sana ako pero I forgot,"
Aiden, tapping his foot impatiently, chimed in next. "I practiced and even worked out a new formation. But honestly, this delay is annoying. They should've been here by now."
As they waited for their late members, Aiden's impatience was evident as he tapped his foot repeatedly.
"Yeah," Aria agreed, trying to keep the conversation light, "Pero at least nandito na tayo at ready."
"Wait, i-chat ko sila," Marcus said as he opened the Messenger and quickly messaged in teh group chat.
"Member 1 and 2, nasaan na kayo?" ---Marcus
"Naka chat nako, wait muna tayo sa reply," Marcus said.
After a brief wait, a response came through:
"Sorry, medyo matagalan kami kasi may inakaso lang sa school," ---Member 2
Aiden got mad. "What the hell, we already agreed to meet up by 2 pm," he grumbled. While looking at his watch, he continued, "It's already 2:05 pm for God's sake,"
"Relax oi. At least nagreply, kalma ka lang diyan Aiden," Aria commented.
Marcus nodded. "Tama si Aria. Anyway, pwede naman tayo mag-start na ngayon Aiden," he suggested, trying to keep things moving.
"....Okay," Aiden sighed but agreed, pulling out his phone and connecting it via Bluetooth to his speaker.
"Stand up everyone, I'll arrange your position during the dance," Aiden said as he gestured to his groupmates.
He arranged the formation where Marcus is at the back, Aria and Emily were positioned in the front, and he himself stood alongside them. Since there were six members, they positioned themselves strategically in 2 rows.
Once everything was set, Aiden pressed play on his phone, and the music filled the area. They began to replicate the dance movements they've seen in the video.
Marcus and Emily weren't dancers, but they did their best to follow along, mimicking the steps as closely as possible. Aria and Aiden, especially Aiden, who were more experienced dancers, had precise movements and energy.
As they danced, Aiden's skill and passion for dancing became apparent. His movements were fluid and confident, executing each step with style.
After finishing the 1st trial of their dance, Marcus couldn't help but compliment Aiden's dance skills. "Wow, ang galing mo pala sumayaw Aiden!"
Aiden flashed a confident smile, appreciating the praise. "Thanks, Marcus! You're doing great too,"
Then, turning to Aria, Aiden added, "And Aria, you're really good at dancing huh."
Aria forced a polite smile, masking her discomfort, "Thanks sa compliment."
Inside, Aria struggled with mixed feelings. While she acknowledged Aiden's dancing prowess, she couldn't forget his past behavior. His argument with his ex-gf left a bitter impression on her.
Aria maintained a professional demeanor during practice, focusing solely on the dance routine.
Throughout the rehearsal, Aria kept her interactions with Aiden good but distant. She avoided prolonged conversations and focused on perfecting her dance moves, keeping her emotions in check.
Meanwhile, Aiden noticed Aria's reservations, sensing her distant demeanor but he payed no mind of it and continued on to the dance.
Minutes later, their two missing members finally arrived, albeit late, causing Aiden's frustration to resurface. He clenched his fists, struggling to keep his composure. "Guys, we agreed on 2 PM sharp; seriously, be more responsible,"
Member 1 and Member 2 apologized profusely, explaining their reasons for being late. Despite Aiden's visible irritation, they quickly joined the group to catch up on the routine.
Aria observed the situation quietly, inwardly sympathizing with Aiden's frustration but maintaining her distance. She redirected her focus back to the dance routine and occasionally chatted with Marcus and Emily.
They finally finished perfecting the dance routine by 5 PM. Exhausted but satisfied with their progress, Marcus suggested, "Kain tayo panghapunan?"
Member 1 and Member 2, feeling guilty for their tardiness, politely declined, citing other commitments.
Aiden, despite his earlier frustration, agreed, "Yeah, dinner sounds great."
Even though she is with her friends, Aria hesitated for a moment. She appreciated the offer but wasn't sure about spending more time with Aiden outside of practice. However, she didn't want to appear standoffish, so she nodded in agreement.
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