"Don't worry. I'm trustworthy. And I feel so so privileged." He raised his free hand to cover his heart teasingly. He wasn't dumb enough to ask for something he knew she was bound to say no to, so when he decided to cash in he wanted to make sure the moment was right. "I love the honesty. I'd rather know someone was coming for me than to think someone was my friend two seconds before they stabbed me in the back. It would drive me nuts." Scott raised his lemonade to take another long drink. "Not anything you probably want to hear. Still fighting professionally. I've broken my nose twice and a few fingers here and there since the last time I saw you but other than that it's going good. The money is good and I have enough to stop now if I really wanted to but I like it. It's a nice way to wind down, which sounds weird if I think about it too long. But I'm good. Honestly, I think I'm in the best place I've ever been at so I'm pretty proud. Oh, and I got my GED last year. I have the stupid thing hanging on the wall at my apartment."
"You are." She teased right back, finding it so easy to fall back into their rhythm once more. They might have grown up quite a bit since the last time they'd ran into each other, but she could still see that charming pain in the ass in there. "As do I. I don't believe I've ever had the patience for bullshit but I definitely don't have it now." Mariela nodded, much preferring forwardness now a days. "Right now, this really major show in New York is sending out representatives to check out the territories to scout talent and it's bringing out the best out of us. No backstabbing, no conniving, it's very let the best dancer win. Which is going to be me, of course." Mariela's eyes grew a bit wide as Scott spoke of what he'd been up to. "Are you really?" She asked him turning to take a good look at his features. "And you'd tell me if it wasn't, right?" Mariela pointed at him, meaning that. Now, she wasn't going to mother him but she wanted him to know that she was down to hear him out whenever he needed an ear. "It doesn't sound all that weird to me. I dance on my tip toes for a living, I know a thing or two about what you're referring to." She said. "Good, you deserve that." Mariela stopped in her tracks as he spoke of getting his GED. "Wait, why didn't you lead with that? C'mon. " She laughed, as she began to clap for him. "Congrats, Scott. Seriously, that's huge."











