Hidden Valley (D. SWING)

IV. Trapped

Slim, lengthy fingers of mine tap against the metal legs of the chair in time with the rhythm of the dancers. Bodies turning and swirling scatter across rehearsal space as Paulette leads the pack of women. Cynthia was granted the chance to dance directly beside her. She is able to steal my attention for all of two bars.

I was thinking about what she said last night.

Her sense of entitlement is still obvious but her offering an apology is a step in itself. She never got the chance to completely explain herself, I'll give her that but knowing Cynthia, if she wanted the chance then she would've took it. She never took it and, much like her apology being a statement by itself, that says enough. I don't have any issues with that girl but she 'ought to keep all of her bad luck and karma to herself. I had enough of being her collateral damage. She don't got to stick around and wait for me to accept nothing from her. Apologize and step back. You can be cordial from a distance.

The tape cuts and the girls falls to the floor. Paulette remains standing as the girls thank the heavens for the mercy of their captain. She skips across to me, excitement written all over face. "Yo, what'd you think? You like it?"

"It was ill, Letty. Fuckin' fresh like a mothafucka." I rise from my seat. Paulette lifts her shirt, wiping her forehead with it, exposing her sports bra. "You and Kitty did that?" I just saw Kitty three days ago. She's growing faster than I expected. I remember when she used to sit on the steps of their house and play with her dolls. Now, she's getting ready for high school. I'll stuff any of them niggas in their shoes for looking at her wrong.

She grips her bottle of water. The plastic crushes as she inhales the liquid hydration in one breath. "Yeah, Kitty picked up the choreo in 20 minutes but it took me two hours to put together. The girl is a beast," laughs Paulette. "That was all I wanted you to see. You can jet, if you like. We're just going to keep working on the same number as yesterday. You saw them. They need the practice."

"Ai'ight. I'll be on my way. I gotta' clock in early after leaving early to come here."

Her lips poke out in a playful pout as she gently shoves me. "Awww, I'll cook you dinner." She knows my greedy ass won't turn down nothing she makes. Laughing based on my expression alone, Paulette turns on her heels with the intent of going back to her girls. She stops, her soles screeching against the floors. "Oh, before you go," she calls back to me. "A bunch of us are going to the Sugar Hill Friday night. You down or do you have a party to DJ?"

"Who all gone be there?"

"Me, Ali, Tasha, Gina, Morgan, and her two cousins."

My eyebrow perks with interest. "The twins or her two play cousins?"

"The twins."

I did plan on putting together my new equipment but I realized on my way here that I need a new adapter that I can't buy until Saturday morning. You can say my Friday night is open to hit the club, especially if the twins are going to be there. "Yeah, I'll be there." I grab my bottle of water from beside of my chair. Paulette and I dap up before she skips back to her group of dancers, removing her shirt as I open the door to exit. I knew she was gone do it sooner or later.

While the plan was to go home, I found myself sitting in my car a block away from the campus dance studio. The sun was setting just right. I don't get to really see the simple things like this because I am always so busy. Running around trying to do my music, doing an occasional show with the fellas, working as a mover, and DJing any party that'll pay me. I'm always on the go trying to figure out the next move... Whatever it is.

The unknown never scared me and after my whole life turned around my senior year of high school, I just been trying shit until it felt right. One thing I know for sure is Charlotte doesn't feel right. I got to get out of here. It's no way I'm staying here forever.