[Chandler Winslow]

She might have been gone a few years and the school might have changed both states and layout, but finding the auditorium had been easy. She'd spent so much time there, dancing and performing. It was like a second nature to her by now, even if she hadn't really danced since she'd left.

Looking through the glass windows on the door, Chandler found her eyes automatically drawn towards the familiar blonde, just the way they'd always done. Years might have passed, but some things never changed it seemed.

She opened the door, the feeling of anxiety throbbing at the pit of her stomach. She took a seat at the back row of seats. There were more people dancing, but her eyes remained on one.

[Calliope Gallo]

It was a little daunting to be leading anything these days. Though Callie had great confidence in her own abilities, it was another thing entirely to put herself at the front of the class and teach people how to do it. She'd never really thought she was capable of that kind of leadership. To her credit, she was doing better than she thought she would. She was nice and patience and really, just kind to people, and that made a world of difference.

She didn't really look when someone walked in, because it wasn't odd to have people watch these kinds of things anyway. She was busy praising a set of people for making their way through the potential struggle that was a difficult section of a new routine.

It took time as she tried to pay attention to the direct people around her, but curiosity got the best of her eventually. As she finally did look out, blue eyes peered to the back of the room. When she realised her mind really wasn't playing tricks on her with that familiar face, all she could do was stare.

[Chandler Winslow]

She hadn't expected to be seen. Not really. It seemed as if the group and their teacher had their hands full. She would never have blamed her for not noticing and in truth, maybe it had been better if she didn't. It took the blonde a while and while Chandler could still enjoy being nothing more than a fly on the wall, she spent the time watching. 

She was as graceful as ever, if not more. The way her body moved had been entrancing even back then. She couldn't pull her gaze away.

Their eyes locked and for a brief moment, Chandler felt the urge to stand, walk away and never look back. Instead, she put two fingers to her forehead and as one corner of her mouth tugged upwards, she offered the blonde a salute. It seemed like the safer option.

[Calliope Gallo]

Pressure practically burned in her skull in the precious few seconds where Callie could keep her gaze. She took a slow breath in, feeling the way it dragged her shoulders up out of their little slump. There was something toxic about being under a watchful gaze, especially one she desperately wanted to impress.

The odd salute sent her way forced her teeth into her power lip in a weak attempt to suppress a smile. She had never been one to hide her feelings well and this was no exception.

"Let's, umm..." She hummed briefly in the break, catching the expecting eyes that followed her every move, "Take five, okay?"

And then she tried her best not to seem excited when she left the stage they used. Walking down the aisle felt like a kind of moment of truth situation. After all, there wasn't much to stop her from leaving again. It wasn't as if she knew what to say to her either.

[Chandler Winslow]

It was in that moment Chandler felt grateful she hadn't been given empathy as a power when she'd manifested. Even without it she could sense the intense emotions in the room, but maybe that was just her. Her chest tightened and she could feel the cold claw of anxiety scrape along her insides. She did her best not to let it show. She'd always been good at that, she thought, hiding her emotions.

Chandler sunk into the chair, propping her legs up on the seat in front of her. She didn't drop her gaze when the blonde moved, but she did have to take a deep breath, as if preparing herself. She was reeling. 

Maybe she would have preferred it if she'd stayed down there a little while longer. But then again, maybe Chandler was being more of a coward than she cared to admit. "Hey," she said once the blonde reached her. Her head tilted in curiosity as she finally broke eye contact and looked behind her, staring at the people on the stage. "You're a teacher now."

[Calliope Gallo]

Well, she didn't run off again. That was good. Callie mentally called that a win. She left a good bit of distance between them still, and though she felt the great urge to hug her - physical as she often was - she tethered her hands together behind her back instead.

She wondered how best to explain herself. Immediately, she wanted to point out that she didn't really consider herself a teacher. She even opened her mouth to express the fact, but she stopped herself. That didn't matter right here.

"You're here." Callie offered instead, like that was bigger news than the profession she'd fallen into, "That's... Wow." At least the smile she couldn't help indicated that that was a good wow.

[Chandler Winslow]

Eyes fell back to the blonde, just like they always had. She had that kind of magnetism that made it hard to keep your eyes away from her for too long. Then again, maybe Chandler was just biased. Even now. It seemed as if the blonde had something to say, but decided not to. She wasn't about to press her.

Chandler felt a sudden urge to be childish. To point out that she wasn't here for her, or that she didn't know how long she'd stay, but really, what was the point? What good would that even do, besides making things more awkward than what they already were. "Yep," she said instead, offering the blonde a shrug.

Nonchalance was likely the better route to travel.

"So are you." She didn't know if she'd expected Callie to stay around after the move.

[Calliope Gallo]

The short response she got forced Callie to hold her breath for a few seconds. Maybe it would have been better to stay away in the first place and let her sit in the back like she wanted. It was odd how quickly one person made her doubt herself. She did her best to let it go and listen.

"I never left." Callie replied on instinct, and instantly her eyes went a little wide. She heard how that could have sounded, and how it would easily be taken.

"I didn't mean-" She tried, and fumbled over the right words. Now was the time to say anything else, "I meant, like, when everything moved, so did I." She continued on, well aware how much worse she'd probably just made anything.

[Chandler Winslow]

Chandler knew better. She knew that the blonde never said or did anything out of spite, but even the brunette couldn't help raising her eyebrows at the statement. She was tempted to speak up, say something. Anything. She kept her mouth shut instead, her lips flattened into a hard line. She knew better.

Callie tried to have her face and all Chandler could do was stare. She needed to let it go. It didn't matter. She didn't want to know. Not about him.

"And you got yourself a fancy teaching job in the process." She nodded towards what she assumed was the blonde's students. It seemed like the safer topic. The healthier choice. "Good for you." It felt awkward. It felt strained. But at least they were acting like adults. That had to count for something.

[Calliope Gallo]

There was that look. She knew it wouldn't take much to be on the receiving end of that scrutiny. Callie very much doubted she had any merit with this girl anymore, so it wasn't surprising to be judged in such a way. She already knew she didn't deserve much.

"Yeah, it's good. I mean, it's fun, and it was better than just chaining myself to a desk trying to study something I don't really care about." She'd never been book smart. She'd never been the type to be comfortable with restrictions. Of course Chandler knee that already.

"Are you staying in town long?" Callie asked then, edging the topic of conversation as far away from herself as she could.

[Chandler Winslow]

She was happy for her. Claiming anything else would have made her a scorn hypocrite. She was exactly that, but she didn't have to show it. Besides, something like this, working with other people and teaching them the one thing you did perfectly... Well, Chandler could see why she'd picked it. It was fitting. Really fitting.

The conversation then turned, the arrow now pointing at Chandler herself. She offered her a one shoulder shrug. She could have lied, but there was hardly any point in it. Callie would have found out sooner or later. "For as long as it takes me to graduate," she offered instead. 

Had she ever told Callie about her passion for taking photography, or had their entire relationship consisted of dancing, cheating and hooking up? "I'm studying photography here now."

[Calliope Gallo]

Callie never expected to see her again. Time went by and memories easily faded into the background when contact was completely severed. Now she was back, and she was staying. For at least a year, Callie could guess. Further still, she was following a line of interest in photography.

"Oh, that's awesome." She replied genuinely. She really had no idea her former friend had an interest in photography, but she'd always been one to praise those who went after an artistic future. "I'd totally love to see some of your work sometime." After all, she was sitting here watching Callie do just that.

Had she always been one to skate across the surface of something so serious? Leaning forward, Callie pressed a hand to the back of the chair in front of her. "Were you looking for me?" She asked then, now that the stock standard questions had been answered.

[Chandler Winslow]

Would it be unfair to deny the blonde such a simple gesture? It was none less personal to show Callie her work, when she was right here doing the exact same thing. Perhaps the brunette was giving it too much thought, but then again, that was what had gotten them into this mess in the first place. Had Chandler let well enough alone, maybe she wouldn't have left in the first place. "Yeah, sure." It wasn't as much a definite promise as it was a maybe, but it was hard to promise something you didn't know you could keep.

Who knew where the two of them would be in a week from now? Maybe this was all there would be to it. Chandler wasn't even sure if she was interesting in reconnecting with the blonde. But then, she was here, was she not?

"No," she replied before she could even consider the question. It came too quickly. Sucking in a breath of air, she continued. "I was feeling nostalgic." After all, she'd spent quite a few sessions dancing in the old school's auditorium. "But I suppose it's silly. It's not even the same room."

[Calliope Gallo]

Truthfully, Callie had no intention of trying to hold her to that potential promise. Given the fact that she had no idea what was now hiding under the surface of this interaction, she couldn't believe anything would come to fruition here. She practically forgot what was likely considered of her given the last time they spoke. Heartbreak clouded that volatile memory, so she left it alone. It wasn't worth digging up now.

That was a fast no. Fast enough that her eyebrows raised and she looked physically taken back. Nostalgic? She supposed she could see where that would come from, but as she so rightly pointed out, it wasn't the same building. It was enough of a break to have Callie look around, considering the similarities, the differences. "Tell me about it. It might be different, but it's still my favourite place here." She explained, glancing down at her own hand. Fingertips idly brushed the back of the chair. She watched it for a few seconds before she lifted it back up again.

"So, yeah, okay. I should get back." She decided. That was enough heartache for one day.

Wasn't it? rocking back a step, she let her eyes filter back up to that long lost, familiar face. Parted lips threatened something more crucial, but in the break she tried her best not to give any more. "I, uhh-" She started, shrugging her shoulders lightly, "I missed you." There. She said it. Simple enough words left hanging in the air, and she could take them however she wanted.

[Chandler Winslow]

She noticed the way her eyebrows rose at her words and Chandler's first instinct was to reach out. But that was what had gotten her in this mess in the first place, was it not? It seemed safter to just keep her distance. Maybe it wasn't what was the kindest thing to do, but it felt like the best thing to do. Callie glanced around then and Chandler took the moment to study the blonde; She looked older, barely, but still the same. "Yeah," she said silently. "Some things never change."

Chandler didn't know whether she felt relieved or disappointed when the blonde announced her departure. But she was in the middle of class it seemed. It would be unfair to keep her. "Can't leave your students hanging too long," she mused, a smile touching the corners of her lips.

The brunette's attention turned back to the blonde then, brows furrowing. A silent sigh fell from her lips at the words and she could feel the muscles in her stomach clench. It wasn't what she wanted to hear. She'd have preferred getting yelled at instead. It would have made it easier for Chandler to stay pissed instead of feeling guilty. "Yeah," she said, dragging the word out. She pressed her lips into a hard line. Certain things had never come easy to the brunette. Especially not when it made her feel vulnerable. She couldn't get the words out. Not the right ones anyway. "You should, uh, get back to your students." She cast her gaze away. "I'll see you around, yeah?"