"Nickolas Hilton, I swear I am gonna punch that handsome face of yours if you zoned out one more time" Joe blackmailed his best friend, who was sitting beside his punching bag.

It's Sunday, and Nickolas comes to see his friend after a tiring dance practice session, at his gym. Even though Nickolas was sitting beside Joe, his mind was somewhere else. To be precise, at an ice rink where he went yesterday to see his mystery girl's performance.

"I am listening," Nickolas said offended.

"Sure. You are" Joe said in a sarcastic tone.

"You are doing it again. You went to the show yesterday, right?" Joe asked, hands on his hips. Nickolas gave him a peek look, confirming his doubt.

"You have to stop it, Nick," Joe said in a serious tone. Nick sighed heavily.

"I'm trying, okay. But, I can't. You know what, yesterday she was unbelievable. Like, she was in rage" Joe gave him a confused look.

"Yeah. Believe me. She was like, she was trying to prove something to someone. She was like that typhoon in the rink. I almost lost my breath. Actually, we all. I'm damn sure that it was a spot choreography. She didn't practice it; she was living in it" Joe looked at his friend with wide eyes, who was explaining everything wildly.

"She was in pain, so much pain. And I couldn't help myself being curious about her. Trust me, I am trying, but I can't help it," Nick said in a helpless tone. Joe chuckled in disbelief.

"Nick, you said she wore a mask always. Then how can you know that she was in pain?"

"I know that Joe. I am a dancer too. I can see that in her eyes; the only organ she shows is her face. I can feel that, from the way she swayed her body, from the way she moved her hands"

"You know what? You are crazy," Joe said, removing his gloves.

"I am crazy for her," Nick mumbled, but Joe clearly heard that.

"Nickolas-"

"Hello, buddies," Joe couldn't confront Nick before that; Alex entered the room and addressed his friends. Joe and Nick are taken aback by the unexpected entry of the other one.

"Um? Am I.. interrupting something?" Alex could feel the tension in the air, and he really regretted entering unannounced.

"Um. No. We were just..just" Joe fought for some excuse.

"I get it. Wrong timing, I guess." Alex raised his both hands in a surrendering way.

"No man. It's just.." Nick contemplated whether he should tell him or not.

"It's fine man. No pressure" Alex tried to lighten the atmosphere.

"No. It's just about someone I admire," Nick said with a shy smile. Alex gave him an amused look.

"More like someone he is obsessed with" Joe murmured while sipping some water. He sat and leaned back on the wall. Alex gave Nick a surprised look.

"No. He is just exaggerating things." Nick waved his hand in the air like it was nothing serious.

"O-kay," Alex said grabbing the depth of the situation.

"Okay. Here it is. He is obsessed with a girl" Joe said in a serious tone. Alex looked at them to continue.

"A ballerina" Joe deadpanned.

"Ooh. So Hilton has a crush on someone" Alex said with a teasing smirk.

"It could have been better if it was a 'crush'" Joe air quoted emphasizing the word.

"So, you like her Nick? Is she someone in your academy?" Alex was curious.
Joe chuckled hearing him. Alex gave him a confused look while Nick looked down, being silent.

"Okay. Here is the thing. He saw a ballerina once in a studio he visited occasionally, and he became surprised to see her dance, as she danced well"

"Yeah. Normal. He is also a dancer. And?" Alex asked to continue.

"But he doesn't know her name, where she is from, even, he couldn't see her face." Alex knitted his eyebrows in confusion.

"Later, he saw her in a skating rink, he went again to the rink and found that she comes there every weekend, it's on Saturdays"

"So?"

"Alex. You are not getting what I am saying. He doesn't know anything about her, still, he goes there every Saturday, to see her, even though he can't see her duh"

"What do you mean by he can't see her?" Alex asked to check Nickolas like he was blind or something.

"No one can see her because she wears a mask!"

"WHAT?" Alex was shocked to hear that.

"Yeah. The girl always wears a mask. We don't know what she looks like. I bet her name must be fake" Joe said as a fact.

"But, why?" Alex was still in a trance.

"How would I know bro?" Joe shrugged his shoulders. Alex looked at Nick for answers.

"Now, you tell me. Is it just a crush? This mysterious ballerina cum skater makes things to him. He goes every Saturday to see her skating and always thinks about 'her emotions' she conveys with that ' mask'. He says that yesterday she was in 'pain'. And now he is lost thinking what must be her pain" Joe explained, dripping sarcasm in his voice.

"Nick?" Alex raised one eyebrow in a questioning manner.

"Look, Alex. I am sorry for that. But I can't help it"

"Why are you saying sorry to me? You just ask yourself if you are being in justice with yourself" Nick ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated.

"Look guys, I know. I shouldn't have done that. But.." he looked at his friends with a helpless look.

"But, I wanna know her. I wanna help her. She is alone, she is in pain. I know that. I can feel that. I just wanna meet her once and tell her that she is perfect, she doesn't have to be insecured about anything, she is just perfect the way she is. I just wanna make those eyes shiny." When Nick stopped talking, Alex looked at him like he saw a ghost.

"Here we go again" Joe shook his head in disbelief.

"Bro?" Alex said more like a whisper.

"You can see it, right?" Joe asked Alex, seeing his bewildered expression like he was agreeing with Joe that Nickolas was obsessed. Alex nodded absent minded.

"Then why can't you talk to her? Go to her, talk to her, know her" Alex said after some time, coming out of the trance.

"You think I didn't try?" Nick asked in a mocking tone. Alex gave him a confused look.

"Dude, I don't know her face. I tried to meet her in the locker room so many times after and before her performance, but I couldn't get her. She is like a fairy who magically appears and disappears before and after the show. Even if she passed beside me without that mask, I can't recognize her. The only thing she shows is her eyes, her blue eyes, and it is contacts," Nickolas said, disappointed.

"Point," Alex said, agreeing.

"Do you think she knows you?" Alex asked eagerly.

"I don't think so. Even though I wanted to know her, I silently watched her show. It's clear that she doesn't wanna get noticed, or be famous. She comes to a rink that has not been active for a long time. It re-opened recently. And she avoids crowds, like, she never came back to that studio where I first saw her. So, I respect her privacy. I am just happy to see her skating " Nick said with a genuine smile.

"And working his brain unnecessarily " Joe added with a bitter chuckle.

"It's not my fault man. You have to see her on the stage or rink. She looks like she lives there. She is brilliant in both ballet and skating. The way she moves her body, I just can't imagine that. She is a born talent." Nickolas said with a thousand-watt smile. By now Alex got that what Joe was saying before.

Nickolas Hilton is obsessed with a ballerina, a masked Ballerina!

"Let's see. Maybe God will give you a chance to meet her and talk to her" Alex said genuinely. He doesn't want to disgrace Nick's feelings.

"Thanks man. I hope so" Nick gave him a fist bump.

"Stop giving him ideas. He will again get lost in his dream world with that mystery girl," Joe said, offended. Alex chuckled hearing him.

"By the way, how's Katy?" Nick asked when he remembered their last night together. It was a disaster.

"Um, she is fine. She went dorm yesterday morning" Alex assured them.

"Sorry to ask, but my curious mind couldn't help. Who was that guy?" Nick asked making Joe and Alex surprised.

"Um, it's.." Alex hesitated to say.

"It's okay man. You don't have to, you know" Joe said to lessen the tension.

"No. It's fine. It's just, just her brother"

"What??" Both Joe and Nick asked in unison. Nick thought maybe he was her ex, but brother?!

"Yeah. Things are a bit complicated in her family," Alex said, scratching his nape. It wasn't his cup of tea.

"Yeah. We get it" Joe said, silently giving a warning to Nick to shut his curiosity. Nick gave him a blink agreeing.

"Anyways, she is fine. Went dorm after having breakfast." Alex assured them.

"And, Nate -"

"Hey, guys." They all turned toward the doorway to see who it was.

"Speaking of the devil," Alex said with a smirk.

"Hey Nate, " Nick waved excitedly while Joe smiled shyly.

"Joe was talking about you," Nick said with a straight face. Joe looked at him with a betrayed face.

"Really?" Nate gleamed with happiness.

"Yeah. He was saying it's good you didn't come today. But, bad luck, I guess," Alex teased both while Joe abruptly shook his head in panic. He never says that you know.

"No. I was, I was just asking about you," Joe said, defending himself.

"Relax. I know he is lying." Nate said giving a punch to Alex. Joe released the breath he was holding.

"I came to say sorry to you guys. I was a mess that night," Nate said, embarrassed, her cheeks painted pink when she looked at Joe. But he somehow found it cute.

"Oh come on, it's totally fine. Joe acts exactly like that when he becomes high" Nickolas didn't miss a chance to tease his friend while Joe gave him a death glare.

"Really?" Nate once again raised to cloud nine.

"It's fine, Nate," Joe said, scratching his nape, embarrassed.

"And, Lily invited you two to have dinner with us next Saturday." Joe nodded happily while Nick was lost in his thoughts.

Saturday?

"Uh, Saturday won't happen. I have to go to the club." Alex said, helping his friend. Nick gave him a thankful smile.

"Oh. Is Friday ok for you guys?" Nate asked both. They smiled excitedly and nodded.

"Sure. We will be there," Nick said, clapping his hands.

"And, call Katy too," Nick said, earning an amused look from his friend.

"What? The circle should be completed," Nick said, offended.

"Yeah. Sure" Joe chuckled saying that.

"Of course, she will be there. Lily loves her more than me" Nate said as a fact.

"The only thing I agree with is her." Alex gave her a thumbs up.

"No, thank you. " Nate made a funny face to her cousin, making others laugh at them.

"Okay, guys. I will see you later" Nate said to both Joe and Nick. Nick gave her a salute while Joe followed her to the exit.

"By the way, what was her name?" Alex asked after assuring Nate and Joe were away from them. Nick looked at him, confused for a moment, before nodding.

"No use, it's her professional name"

"Still?"

"Julianna," Nick said with a shy smile. Alex encouragingly tapped his shoulder and picked up his dowel bag.

"Good luck with her, Nick," Alex shouted while exiting the room without looking back. Nickolas chuckled hearing him, again lost in the memories of that mystery girl.

___________________

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