Adam shook his head. He was rarely aware of much beyond the music and the movements of his body when he was dancing.
"Good classes today?" His dad asked.
Adam grabbed his water bottle from beside the CD player and took a couple of long gulps. "Yes. They all worked hard." He wiped his mouth and then, still carrying the bottle, moved to the centre of the room where he sat and began to stretch out his legs to stop them from cramping. "I don't think Jess is ready for exams this time round, though."
His dad nodded thoughtfully. "Even with extra coaching lessons?"
Adam paused, leaning forward over his legs. "That depends on how much effort she's willing to put in. She has a defeatist attitude and tends to get upset when she can't do something immediately, rather than pushing on and trying again." He stretched further forward, reaching his toes with ease. He could feel the pull in his lower back as he stretched a little further.
"I'll speak to her." His dad hovered in the doorway, tapping the doorframe with one hand.
"Is... everything okay?" Adam asked.
"Luc's coming to stay for a while."
Adam froze. "What? Why?" He didn't try to hide the venom in his voice.
When Luc had decided not to come back after university, Adam had been glad he’d stayed away.
"We're struggling, Adam," his dad said softly. "Your mum thought Luc might be able to help us drum up more business."
Adam stood and strode to the towel he'd thrown over one of the barres. "We don't need Luc's help."
"I don't think you realise how bad the situation is."
Adam rubbed the towel over his face and hair, which was damp with sweat. "Maybe because you haven't told me?" He hunched his shoulders and half turned to face his dad. "Why don't you fill me in?"
"We're not bringing in enough to cover all our outgoings. Not by a long shot. We re-mortgaged the house, but that money is running out too." He sounded defeated, which made Adam's blood run cold.
Adam gaped at him, hating himself for not knowing how bad things had gotten.
"If we don't turn things around, the business will fold in a matter of months. We'll lose the house, too." His dad looked down at the ground. "We've tried to come up with ideas to get more students in, but numbers are still falling. Luc's job is marketing. If anyone can perform a miracle, it's him."
Adam snorted. "You should have told me how bad things were sooner. I could have done something to help."
"Done what, exactly?" his dad asked. "You've already picked up extra classes."
Adam looped the towel over his shoulder and drank from his bottle again, as he gathered his thoughts. They'd let the other two dance teachers go a couple of months earlier and he and his parents had picked up the extra lessons. He hadn't asked for any more money, to cover the extra hours he was working. He'd known things were tough. He just hadn't realised how dire the situation was.
"Can't we get someone else to help?" he asked eventually. "Does it have to be Luc?"
His dad shrugged. "Can you think of anyone else who'll give us their time for free?"
Sighing, Adam shook his head. "He's not staying at the house, is he?"
His dad's desperate expression gave him the answer he hadn't wanted.
"Be nice," his dad warned. "I don't want any animosity between you two."
Adam held his arms out. "If there is, it's on him. He's the one who turned into a prize jerk for no reason."
He and Luc had been close once—best friends even—and then suddenly, around fourteen, Luc had changed. On good days, he'd given Adam the cold shoulder. On bad days, he'd been nothing short of a mean-spirited bully. By the time Luc had gone to university, they hadn't even been on speaking terms.
"Adam..." His dad sounded weary, like he was ready to give up.
"I'll be civil," Adam said through gritted teeth.
"That'll do, I guess. Come on, let's lock up and head home."
