Nothing Without Love: Dance Like This -Book I

Chapter Two

 Chapter Two

Push it, push it

To the limit, limit

Cause we're in it to win it

In it to win it, oh yeah!

I realize

that this is where my heart is

Now is the time

to finish what I started!

Can't worry 'bout

what other people might say

It's who I am!

Gotta live my dream my own way.

 I was working it on the floor in my dance studio, warming up for the day when I heard a knock at the door. I peeked through the window and saw Anita Vaseem waving at me. I got up from the floor and walked over to my iPod that was plugged in to the speakers. "Sorry Corbin Bleu," I said, pausing the music and motioning for Anita to come in.

As she closed the door behind her, she seemed to get all excited, "Have you heard about the masquerade? It's incredible! I got my tickets in the mail yesterday afternoon!" 

I smiled, "Yeah, I did. My tickets came yesterday too. I thought only staff members were invited though." 

She shook her head, "Miss Betsy was able to convince the chairman of the board that they needed as many guests as possible to donate and make it a big turn out for the children's hospital."

Anita Vaseem was a young Indian woman in her twenties. She taught culture dances at the academy and was my good friend. Her uncle was an ambassador here in the US for the United Nations. She wanted to devote her life to educating children about cultures and how important diversity in a society was. I had no doubt that someday she'd be running the United Nations herself and teach us all a thing or two about equality and diversity. That's basically how she landed the dance teacher job here. They didn't have a cultural dance department before Anita shuffled along and offered her services, making a solid argument about how fruitfully enlightening it would be for the academy to offer cultural dance. I was in awe of this woman for that very reason. Anita made everyone want to be better, simply by talking to them. 

I nodded, "Well then they're going to have quite a turnout. Is your whole family in attendance?" I asked her. 

"Yes, and they're all very excited. My father wants to meet all of my fellow teachers here, especially you," she said, shaking a finger at me.

I narrowed my eyes playfully, "Have you been talking about me again Anita?"

"Of course! You are the most talented out of all of us my dear! Surely you know that! And you're such a great teacher to your students. You're attentive and caring about their individual needs, and you don't tolerate disrespect in your classroom. That is key essentials in being a good teacher."

I felt glad by her praise, though I couldn't quite call myself a good teacher. I just did the best I could. "Thanks Anita, but there's better, more experienced teachers here at the academy than me."

Anita chuckled, "Except they don't have what you do dear." 

"And what's that?"

"Natural born talent. You were meant to be a dancer. The heavens declared it the moment your soul was created. I saw it, Miss Betsey sees it too. That's why she hired you in the first place," her slight accent made the words roll off her tongue with grace. She was upper class too, but she never acted like it. Another thing I liked about her.