Red Pointe Shoes

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-three

"One and two and three and a four- Keep it together ladies! Don't forget the timing!" The instructor's voice can barely be heard over the jubilant music that plays over the speakers. It's followed by the sound of nine pointe shoes hitting the vinyl covered stage floor in a controlled landing. There's no time to react as we sweep into a circle, completing a string of ten pose pirouettes en dedans in sync. As the music builds up to a finish, I slide down onto one knee, spreading out my hands as the other eight girls fall into their various poses. "Okay, we'll proceed with the dances from the dolls!" I hurriedly make my way off the stage, stopping at the curtains to pick up my water bottle. As I look up, my eyes fall on a familiar face. Well, familiar-ish.

Evan, who's playing a life sized automaton of an astronomer, has a fuzzy Gandalf beard that's been hooked around his ears. I purse my lips as I straighten, brushing past him without saying a hello. Maybe if it'd been a week ago, I might've said hi- tried to patch things up, but things have changed now. Honestly, a part of me still aches for his company, but another sensible, matured side of me knows that he's let his chance slip away. It's been almost a week since I told him, but he can't even be bothered to send me a text. Life's too short to go chasing shadows and rainbows, we've got to make our own path instead of going down one that someone else has paved. 

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Nat pops up from the side, linking her sweaty arm through mine. "Did you just give Evan the cold shoulder?" I roll my eyes at her, scoffing audibly. 

"Don't make such a big deal out of it," She sighs at my reply and waits patiently as I undo my ribbons and pull off my pointe shoes, shoving them into my duffel bag. I swing it around my shoulder and stride from the dressing room, rehearsals having finished for the day. "Besides, it wouldn't have gone anywhere, anyway."

"You never know," Nat admonishes as she catches up to me, pausing to examine the papers on the notice board. A gaudy flier advertising the new Richardson's Fighting Championships has been pinned up, advertising the open floor prelimenary rounds. "Are you going to go?" 

"Maybe," I shrug, even though in my mind, it's already been decided. "Are we going to get dinner or not?"

***

The curtains draw back as the orchestra starts playing. The only light in the large hall comes from one spotlight as it sweeps the stage, highlighting a young girl as she skips across, starting the first scene. In the wings, a numbness descends upon me as I look out at the darkened audience. It's been so long since I've danced in front of a large audience- the last time was almost exactly a year ago. Maybe, just maybe, I am a little nervous. So much has happened since then, too, more than anything that's ever happened in my life combined. I've won the Championships, had my first date, and almost lost my best friend. It's then that I realise that for my whole life, I've been so focussed on fulfilling my dream, my mother's dream, that I've completely neglected everything else. 

People had friends in elementary school, they hung out with them after classes. What did I do? I said goodbye to a couple of classmates and made my way to the studio to practice. Even my fellow dancers chatted and laughed in the changing rooms after training, but all I did was sit in silence, trying to memorise the steps we'd been taught that day. All that changed when I met Nat. She made me go out with her, practically forced me to experience how it was like to be someone normal. I never realised how thankful I should have been to her. A smile curls my lips as I watch her dance from the side, carefree and lovely. It's almost like the last week had never happened.

My eyes stray to the audience yet again, finding familiar faces here and there. My father sits in the second row, in front of Danielle and Dylin. My breath hitches as I notice a boy. For a moment I think he could be Loyer, but then I remember that he's been sent to juvie. I can walk the hallways without having to look over my shoulders in worry for three months. Three whole months. It's a light sentence, but apparently, what he did wasn't that serious to warrant a harsher sentence. Still, for tonight I can dance, knowing that there's one less pair of eyes in the audience. 

There's a calculated lull in the music, and it builds up the anticipation as I bounce lightly on the spot, preparing myself for my entrance. A bright smile naturally comes to my face as I leap out from the wings, putting away everything else from my mind. I am no longer Avery, nor am I Sentenial. I am Coppelia, and I am betrothed. There is a sort of joy as my feet and arms go through the familiar movements. It is the sort of joy that comes from doing what you love, and can only be expressed through such. So I dance, and dance, and dance.

***

"You did great out there," Dylan exclaims as he yanks me into a hug. I laugh as Danielle's arms come around from the other side. "that was brilliant!" They smell nice and clean, but I'm sweaty, so I worm out of it and beam at Nat, who stands to the side. 

"We're going to that ice cream shop, want to come and celebrate?" Danielle offers, readjusting the straps of her handbag. 

"Nah," I decline, sending Nat a knowing look. She rolls her eyes with a smile. "I've got training after this."

Dylan arches an eyebrow, "Training? The recital's done!"

I send him a mysterious smile, "I've got prelimenaries tomorrow, so I can't afford to slack off just yet." It's open floor, so I know I'll be going up against many of the trained people from the sports side of the school, and not just the ones who are shady enough to know of the Underground. It may be harder than ever, but I have confidence in myself. Besides, if I could handle Loyer before, it couldn't be that tough, right? Waving to Nat and the others, I back out of the room. Inside my duffle bag is a set of yoga pants and a loose sweat shirt, comfortable things to fight in. There is no mask, there is no wig. What is inside, though, is a pair of red pointe shoes. 

END

A/N Fret not! There is still an epilogue that I hope to get up by this coming Sunday. :3