CHAPTER EIGHT

Chapter Eight

On Wednesday, after breakfast and classes, I go to the studio to dance. I cannot afford to give Ms. Azizen the pleasure to yell at me once again.

      Today, I am wearing my teal gfreen leg warmers again because it makes me feel special and unique. Something I have not felt since the day I was rejected for the role of the Sugarplum Fairy. I stretch at the barre before beginning my routine. I dance with my eyes close, harnessing all the energy stored in my joints and my marrows. All the anger, jealousy and resentment turn into the fuel for my limps and torso. I hear some gasps and mutterings, they sound awed. I let a smile creep onto my face. I am gaining back my luminosity. Soon, Ms. Azizen will regret not casting me as the Sugarplum Fairy.

    When I am done, I open my eyes to find the other dancers staring at me. They break into applause. I catch myself grinning from ear to ear.

    “You are amazing. . .”

    “That was awesome!”

   “You did splendid, Gigi!”

   Adam walks to me with a huge grin and his eyes gleaming like two orbs. “That was spectacular, Gigi. You are such a prodigious dancer.” He leans in, the breeze of his cologne filling my nose, rendering me fazed and dumbfounded. I cannot believe that Adam is complimenting me. The air around us seems charged with electricity and I begin to think, will he kiss me here, in front of everyone?

    “What is going on here?” I hear Ms. Azizen thunder as she marches into the room in a very un-ballerina-like manner.

     Our adoring audience scuffles into position but Adam holds my hand and raises it to his lips. Before I can let out a yelp of protest, he presses his lips to the back of my hand and staring deep into my eyes, he says, “You humble me, Gigi.”

    I open my mouth and close it again. I am giddy with euphoria and dizzy with love for this endearing boy standing in front of me. I wonder what he sees when he looks at me.

    “Gigi and Adam, my ballet class is not for coitus. Please vacate my class if you cannot conduct yourself in an orderly fashion!”

     Adam looks at me with mischief glistening in his deep brown eyes. For a minute, it seems like he is about to drag me away with him out of the studio and the school. I imagine eloping with him, laughing and giggling as we do. We will abandon ballet and have a grand adventure instead. But the moment passes and he releases my hand but not after giving me a sly wink.

     Cleo appears, grabbing him by the arm, she pulls him away. She goes out of her way to avoid eye contact. I am surprise that she is still angry with me. But it is not her fault, I have not been a good friend to her.

     After the practise, Cleo slinks away before I can talk to her with Adam at her heels. I wonder why they have to go to dinner together. Maybe they want to discuss the routine further? I do not think so. Thinking about them makes me sick to my stomach. I want to follow them and spy on them but I reject the thought, I will not stoop so low. What if I am caught, what will Cleo think of me then?

     Instead of me going to the refectory for dinner, I go to my bedroom instead. I exchange my leotard, tights, leg warmers and pointe shoes for a T-shirt, skinny jeans, my favourite pineapple socks and boots.

    When I leave the school building, I do not know where my destination is. Should I go to a bookshop and pick up a romance novel? I have been dying to do so for some months now. I do not remember the last time I sat back and read a good book. Should I go to the park and sit on a bench for a while?  Watching the passers-by used to be consoling to me.

    The sky is a damp grey by the time I reach the park. The chilly breeze that ruffles my hair and whispers into my ears tells me that I should have carried an umbrella or a raincoat but it is too late now. And I do not want to return to school until it is nine-thirty. Curfew is by ten. Perhaps the rain will be soothing; I hope it washes away all my sorrows.

     I watch people run helter skelter trying to get home before the rain starts. The sky grumbles, throwing the people into frenzy. And all of a sudden, the rain begins to fall like a gentle shower. Music swells in my head and like a puppet; I stand on the bench and raise my hands high above my head. My eyes flutter close like I am anticipating a kiss from my lover and I begin to dance a routine that is engrained into my brain cells.

   I do not know how long I dance but I know that the rain increasing in urgency and intensity. What will people think of a dancer under a rain and on a park bench? Pure madness! But I throw caution to the winds and let myself go.

   I realise that I am crying by the time I stop dancing. When I open my eyes, a small crowd is standing before me, shielded by the rain by umbrellas and raincoats. They are hooting and clapping for me! I cannot believe that I have managed to draw attention to myself twice in one day!

    I break down into a mess of laughter and sobs as I dip into a low cutesy and jump down from the bench. The crowd slowly disperse. I can read admiration on their faces as they hurry away. I am glad that I was able to entertain them.

    Thunder claps loudly making me shriek like a child. I begin to run back in the direction of the school.