An Intricate Dance

The preparation for today’s interview was surprisingly easy. Part of me must have missed this over break, and another part of me was glad I’d put so much work into preparation for an interview with Ria before, meaning I had a lot of information to work with already.

There was one part that I wasn’t ready for, however.

And what I wasn’t ready for, was staring at me, frozen in the doorway.

Ria looked completely shocked, but I also noticed a few other emotions that I couldn’t quite make out.

The one other thing, and the part I was surprised about, was the skipping of a beat from my heart. I thought that I’d gotten used enough to her presence to be fine with today, but something about her reaction caught me off guard as well. Maybe it was the time away, or maybe something else, I wasn’t sure.

Her gaze was locked on mine, indicating that something about me was the reason for her shock. I eventually managed to look away, welcoming her in along with the others as I did.

She sat across from me, next to Tillie, and I saw that she’d managed to lose her surprise, or at least hide it well.

“Surprised to see me?” I asked, half joking, half wondering what had happened.

“Yeah, I thought it was only Marcus.” She said, matter of factly.

“Although I’m happy that you’re here.” Ria added.

“Not that I had a problem with it just being you Marcus.” She added again, her face getting a little flushed from the attempts to not offend anyone, which I don’t think were necessary.

Marcus and Tillie both glanced away, trying their best to hide smirks.

I didn’t know Tillie as well, but from what I did know she seemed a lot like Marcus in many ways.

“We ready?” Marcus asked, saving Ria from more embarrassment.

Everyone murmured their agreement and the interview began, light yet packed with good insights to the team’s inner workings.

It was by all means a good interview for us, and the direction Marcus and I planned seemed to be well received by the two athletes.

On one particular question, Ria beamed excitedly before answering, and I found myself struggling not to show my excitement at her enjoyment of my question.

While I’d experienced a lot as a reporter, I’d never had an interview that was so smooth as this one.

All four of us understood each other completely, the inner meanings behind questions, the subtle hints in complex answers leading us to a follow-up.

I’d worked with all three of them previously, but not until now was I truly able to appreciate their talents in this regard.

I was working with true professionals. Three individuals who understood every aspect of their craft and were able to put it flawlessly into words.

After about half an hour, we finished up with our final question and all sat back, relaxing after the intense focus.

It was like no interview I’d ever done in many ways. Previous interviews had always felt like they were in multiple parts. There was the question, and then there was the answer.

This time, the two parts became one, fluid, continuous motion. An intricate yet simple dance between the four of us.

I caught Marcus’ expression as he looked over at me. Part of his look was obviously acknowledging the same conclusion I’d drawn. Yet there was another aspect of his gaze that was about something else. It was curious, and a glance at Ria gave me a hint at its nature.

Today’s interview was very productive and fruitful, yet it did one more thing. It showed all four of us just how well Ria and I got along.

While the hike and shopping trip after had gone well, part of me was unsure that the way we’d interacted so well was a permanent fixture in our relationship.

Despite my concerns, today proved that not only had nothing changed, but we’d become even more in-sync.

Ria noticed Marcus’ look, and seemed on the verge of saying something, but after a few seconds hesitation, decided not to.

I wasn’t sure if she just didn’t feel like sharing, or if she was unsure about what she wanted to say.

I decided to explain to Marcus and Tillie that we had become friends recently, and had gone on a hike together before break. I didn’t see any reason to hide the information from them, trusted friends as they were.

Also part of me just wanted to avoid any more questions from Marcus, who seemed to be more and more pushy as of late.

Tillie glanced over at Ria, and the two shared a look that I couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

We wrapped up the meeting after another quarter hour or so, getting off topic a few times but eventually circling back.

As Tillie split off from the group, Marcus announced that he needed to stop by the library, and suddenly it was just Ria and I as we walked towards her dorm.

“It’s good to see you again.” She said to me, not even waiting for Marcus to leave earshot to begin our conversation, seemingly in a rush, as if making up for lost time.

I agreed, and then we talked about the interview for a bit.

Right after I finished explaining how Marcus and I would have the project ready for the start of the second semester, I decided to ask about something that had been on my mind.

“What were you going to say earlier?” I wondered aloud.

I wasn’t really all that concerned, but I’d wondered what made her want to second guess herself in that moment.

Her face grew bright red as she looked at the ground beneath her feet.

I was about to change the subject for her when she surprised me with her answer.

“Join me for training tomorrow.” She said, not asking a question of me, but deciding.

“I’ll tell you then.” Her voice was full of determination, as if making a final decision, and I couldn’t help but notice that my heartbeat had started fluttering.