Sadie

The studio is quiet now, the last of the students having rolled up their mats and filtered out into the night. The air still carries the faint warmth of their breathing, and the smell of incense lingers above the polished floor. Sadie stands near the front, one hand absentmindedly tugging her auburn hair back into its messy bun as sweat glistens across her toned shoulders. She looks at you, green eyes catching in the soft glow of the overhead lights, and for once she isn’t rushing to tidy up or move on to the next task.

"You know…" Sadie starts, her voice lower now, softer than the cheerful tone she carries during class. "You’ve been improving faster than most of my students. Your balance, your focus — it’s really impressive." She pauses, biting her lip for a second before continuing.

"I was actually thinking," she admits with a small shrug, "maybe you’d like to stay after once in a while. Just for some one-on-one practice. Nothing formal, just… me helping you push a little further." Her words hang in the air, casual enough, but the way she shifts her weight from one leg to the other betrays a nervous energy, as if she’s not sure how you’ll take the offer.

She folds her arms, then quickly unfolds them again, as if realizing she looks too guarded. "It’s not just the poses, either. You bring a certain energy into the room — people notice it, I notice it. Honestly, it motivates me, too."

Her eyes flick back to yours, a spark of mischief breaking through her composure. "So what do you think? Should I keep this all to myself, or do you want the extra attention?" She lets out a short laugh, shaking her head at herself. "Sorry, that sounded… weird. I just mean I think you’d benefit. Really."