falling ~ tiny pretty things

4

It was the next morning and Bailey woke up to an empty bed next to her. She remembered hearing Bette leaving at 4 or 5, but she can't remember. She had a long day ahead of her.

Bailey got up and started getting ready. She had a hard time on focusing on things in the morning so she hated mornings. It was the music that distracted her but she couldn't do anything without music. 

When she finished getting ready, she headed out to get breakfast. She's been wanting to go to this café for a while so she decided it was the day. She walked in and there was only one guy working.

"Hello and welcome" he smiled at her as she walked in. "How may I help you?"

"Just a small coffee please" Bailey told him and he rung it up.

"So, how's your day going" he asked as he started making the coffee.

"It's only 7 in the morning" Bailey shrugged. "Not sure yet."

"Very true" the guy asked. "What's your name?"

"Bailey" Bailey answered.

"Bailey" he repeated. "Pretty name."

"Thank you" Bailey smiled.

He finished the coffee and handed it to her. "Pretty face too."

She started blushing and smiled a little now realizing she could say the same to him, but she shook it off. "How much?"

"On the house" he told her. "I'm Matteo."

"Pretty name" Bailey repeated what he said earlier. He smiled at her. She then turned to walk out and as she got to the door she turned to face him again. "Pretty face too."

~

"You finally went to that café" June said as the two walked to the studio.

"Oh, yeah" Bailey nodded. "It was cute there."

"Like one of those cute cafes" June laughed.

"Hey" Bette walked up to June and Bailey as the two walked into the studio. "My toe nail came off today."

"What" Bailey questioned knowing how bad that can hurt. "You should probably ask to sit out today because it can make it worse."

"Hell no" Bette shook her head.

"Today's very important" June backed Bette up.

"Did you at least doctor it" Bailey asked.

"Yeah" Bette nodded. "Band-aid."

"That's not enough Bette" Bailey said.

"It's fine" Bette put her hand and Bailey's shoulder. "I got this."

"Junk off" Topher walked into this studio. He walked up to the three girls. "Bette, June, places."

Bette and June smiled at Bailey before going to their places on the barre.

~

"Partnering" Topher started to the class who was now in a new room. "It is about working together but, it's also about opposition. About finding a language of reach and response. A partner doesn't have to be a friend. Nureyev was 20 years younger than Fonteyn. Hallberg and Osipova, they did not even speak the same language. But through dance you will find a bond or you will die trying." He then went on to assign partner's. "Neveah with Oren. June, you'll dance with Nabil, and Bette, you will be with Shane."

This shocked Bette, Shane, June, and Nabil. It was supposed to be Bette and Nabil, but it obviously got switched. Bailey already knew this partnering wouldn't work because Shane and Bette do not fit together. Obviously Bette knew that too because she went on to complain to Topher, and it didn't fix anything.

As class continued, people started working on the routines for Sleeping Beauty. Bailey lost a lot of hope that Bette would get the lead now that she was with Shane.

"And that's right" Topher said as he watched the dancer's. "Pique into fifth. Tombe straight from that attitude, no hesitation." The door shut and everyone to see who had walked in. It was Madame Dubois and Ramon Costa. Topher sighed and rolled his eyes when he saw them. "Turn out those petit battements ladies. No one needs to see that transition en face! Nabil nice elevation on that lift. Evgeni get her further over her leg. Bette, no, it's straight into passé releve. There's not extra pas de bourree. Stop cheating."

"Hold my hips, not my waist" Bette told Shane. Shane then spun her, which didn't please Topher.

"The transition from the pirouette into the attitude is late" Topher corrected. "You need to get the leg out and lift under the thigh."

Shane and Bette kept trying before Bette pulled out of Shane's grip. "Well I can't if he won't put me on my leg."

"That's not the problem" Topher shook his head. "You need to spot faster, anticipate the arabesque, and get over your box."

"But if Shane" Bette started but got interrupted.

"Enough" Topher snapped. "I didn't correct Shane. I corrected you. Again. Show me the pirouette." Shane and Bette tried again and failed again. "No that's not working. Let's try another section. I can't look at this anymore. Take it from the corner into the jetees." Everyone walked to the corner.

Bette, Shane and two other partner's were up first. The boys went first starting with a leap and turns. The girls did the same as the guys before the linked back together. They continued dancing as people waiting for their turned practiced.

"Shane, faster hands" Topher started correcting. "Bette, find your center. Close your ribs and up, up, go up!"

Shane threw Bette into the lift. Bette lost control. Her foot. She fell flat on her face. The whole room gasped.

"Lordy fuck" Shane reached down to help her up. "Are you okay?"

Bailey stood up from her seat. "You okay Bette?" She reached down to help her up. Bette chose to get help from Bailey because now she was pissed at Shane and probably everybody.

"I'm fine" Bette snapped at Shane. "I'm okay Bailey" Bette said calmly to Bailey.

"Are you sure" Topher asked.

"Yes" Bette assured. "Yeah." She then started limping a little. "Let's do it again."

"I'll spare you" Topher said. He then turned to the class. "If you don't prepare properly for a lift, it will never work. If your timing isn't in sync, you need to find a way to save it, to adapt. Has anyone been paying attention?"

"We have" Neveah called, volunteering her and Oren. 

"Well all right then" Topher nodded. "Show me the second half."

As they started, Madame Dubois and Ramon Costa started leaving. Neveah and Oren obviously impressed Ramon enough to make them both stay though.

There was passion and tension when they danced. They impressed everyone in the room including Ramon. Bette felt like her chance was now gone. Everyone felt like their chance for the lead role was gone.

After they finished, it was silent for a moment. "Thank you" Topher nodded, breaking the silence. "We'll continue tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's spoken for" Ramon corrected. "Tomorrow we begin auditions. The rep for this term is no longer The Sleeping Beauty. Tomorrow, I work on a new ballet." There was mummering among the students of anger and disappointment. "We'll create a ballet of passion and darkness on the edge of desire. We tell the story of Jack the Ripper."

"The sex maniac who killed those women like a hundred years ago" Shane questioned while Topher stormed out of the studio in anger.

"We'll find something more appropriate" Madame Dubois corrected.

"What could be better" Ramon questioned. "We live in a dark, twisted world of loss, lies, and brutality. Monique Dubois, you have your ballet." He then started walking towards the door. "Auditions tomorrow. Go."