Free An Exceptional Twist by Kimi Flores Page B

made of money, Stefen. I do okay financially, but
there’s no way I could pay for my own space. I don’t charge the
kids. Their families deal with enough.”
    “That’s very
admirable.” Damn, this woman is
amazing.
    “We all need to do what we can to give back,
and this is what I have to offer. Plus, seeing them smile is an
awesome reward.” Her gigantic smile was priceless.
    And he was starting to realize she had a
heart to match.
     

     
    Leah was still nervous about how Stefen
would react once the kids ran in and started hugging him. It was
her favorite part of the class, but it could be overwhelming for
anyone not used to being around kids that faced intellectual and
physical disabilities.
    Will he judge them?
    Running a little behind schedule, she walked
through the front door with Madison and Stefen in tow, carrying all
of her extra equipment. Stefen’s arms were full.
    “Which one are we in tonight?” Leah asked
the receptionist, then looked at Stefen as his eyes took in the
older brick building.
    “Last door on the
left.” Ugh. She
hated that space.
    It was one of the original rooms in the
studio and had a strange, musty odor. Stefen held the door for her
again, and she tried to hide her grimace as they all walked down
the long hallway, past a few other classrooms. All eyes naturally
turned in their direction as he past.
    Oddly enough, Stefen didn’t even pay
attention.
    His eyes are glued on me? What is he trying
to prove?
    As soon as they entered the room, two of her
students came barreling into her. “Ms. Leah!” they screamed in
unison.
    Getting the wind knocked out of her, she
laughed as soon as she caught her breath. “Hey guys, are you
excited to get started tonight?”
    Simon spoke first, pointing at Stefen.
“Yeah, but who’s the dude you brought?”
    Snickering, she understood. Her young
student had Down Syndrome and was partial to being overprotective.
Not to mention the fact that he had a crush on her and made it
known to any male who stepped into the studio that Leah was off
limits.
    “Do you remember Madison’s daddy, Caleb?”
she asked him gently.
    “Yeah.” Simon appeared to be skeptical.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he peered at Stefen through his
thick bifocals.
    “Well, this is his cousin.” She motioned her
hand toward Stefen.
    “And my uncle,” Madison chimed in as she
trotted away with Amber, another student.
    Extending his hand, Stefen greeted Simon
with a warm smile. “Nice to meet you.”
    Narrowing one eye, Simon looked at Stefen’s
outstretched hand, then at his face like he was trying to see if he
was for real. After a brief stare down, Simon accepted his
handshake. “Ms. Leah is my girlfriend, and when I’m all grown up,
she will be my wife.”
    “Good for you, man. She’s
a real beauty.” Stefen glanced up at her, causing her breath to
catch. He’s only saying it because of
Simon, but man I love hearing Stefen call me beautiful.
    “Yeah, she is,” Simon agreed. “And she likes
when I dance for her.” Simon began to strut his stuff in front of
Stefen, shaking his hips and busting into his best running man.
    Stefen looked at him sincerely. “Dude, you
have some serious moves. You’re gonna have to show me how to do
those so I can find a girlfriend, too.”
    “Maybe later. I have class now.”
    A few other students had arrived, and after
checking the time, Leah was disappointed that only five were able
to come.
    Gathering the kids, she announced, “Okay
guys, let’s begin.” With Madison directly behind her, everyone took
their place, including Stefen.
    Facing the mirror, she couldn’t believe he
was going to participate in the class and not just sit on the
sidelines like the parents and caretakers. If that didn’t make her
want to burst into tears, than scanning down to his now bare feet
and pink toes surely would. There was a side to him that he kept
hidden from the world and it was such a shame. She liked that he
was opening himself up