The Butterfly Project (Student/Teacher)

Chapter 4

Happy Birthday to me, I was excited that today I could be getting my license. My dad said he would be running a little late but it was no big deal. I could stay in the art room or something, or work on the dance for our individual project. I needed to decide on that. However today I got so many happy birthdays, it was crazy how many people knew me, or maybe they just read it off of my Facebook. After the last period I went to the dance room.

            “Hi Mrs. Leone, do you mind if I work a little bit on my dancing? I have some time to kill.”

            “Sure thing, I just have a small elective teachers meeting to go to, but I trust you just lock up when you’re done.” Mrs. Leone was just grabbing her back.

            “Thanks.” Our project for dance was supposed to just see what we are capable of creating. I framed it towards my life slightly. I set it in bipolar moods. I would start with some light ballet added on with a little hip hop, then some gymnastics movement. I did gymnastics up until last year when I went to the hospital I have always thought about returning and still might, then to finish it off freestyle. I like it a lot. I started stretching and made up some dance moves a little bit. I set my iPod on shuffle, and then my song came on from my floor routine from last year in gymnastics. I stood at the corner of the room and waited my cue. I started my routine, and I finished with a double back flip landing in a split. When I finished I heard clapping. I turned and saw Mr. Marks in the door.

            “You scared the crap out of me.” I stood from the split and then stopped my music.

            “You’re really good.” He walked over to me.

            “Thanks. I did that before um…last summer.”

            “Why don’t you do it again?”

            “With everything that happened this year I just can’t right now.” I thought about how I would do it tomorrow if I could but I couldn’t wear a Leo with the shape my thighs are in.

            “What happened last year? I know that you were in the hospital but for personal reasons that couldn’t be shared without consent.”

            “I…I don’t really want to talk about it.” I bowed my head in shame.

            “It’s okay, I’m not pressuring you into anything, but I’m always here.”

            “Why do you care so much about me?” I asked curiously.

            “You just seem like a very nice student and I take pride in good students.”

            “That’s not it, why are you always winking at me and smiling at me and blushing?”

            “I forgot to say Happy Birthday.” He smiled. He was definitely trying to cover up whatever he had to say.

            “No way, you are not changing the subject, but thanks.”

            “Honestly, you are the only girl who hasn’t thrown themselves at me and I do like that about you.”

            “There we go.”

            “Leah? You have blood on your leg, are you like on your period or something.”

            “Oh real nice, but no it must be from a scratch that I got last night from my cat, yeah, maybe with all the stretching and flipping it opened up.” I lied. Why would he ask me about my period? I forgot about last night, I got really upset and just slipped with the blade…damn.