⭒𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨 ⭒

Practice Makes Perfect

10:45AM

"Chin up! Twirl gently not like a tornado!" Ms. Viviana commanded, clapping to the beat of the music. I huffed, gripping the skirt of my dress. "I'm.. trying.."

  I spun around the room only to fall on my butt. Jane grabbed my hand, pulling me up. I brushed off the dust from my dress, groaning. "This is hard. Maybe i'm not cut out for the lead role." Jane gave a short smile. "You got this. Let's just try again?"

After a few more times of twirling around the room rhythmically, I was finally decent at the task. I sat down on the bench, breathing heavily as Jane loosened my corset for me, pulling at the strings. Ms. Viviana looked at me, humored. "Not everything is easy first try, Jasmine. It's good to tell yourself that practice makes perfect!" She smiled at me sweetly before opening the tall doors to let someone inside the auditorium.

  Leah walked inside, glaring at me for a quick second before greeting the teacher. Jane rolled her eyes. "Okay.. time to get you out of that dress. It's Leah's turn." Jane frowned, leading me into the dressing room.

I stood in front of the tall mirror that met my height. Jane helped me unlace the corset, pulling off the long fabric from my body. I sat down on the bench, taking off the glamorous heels. Jane took the clothes and put them on a hanger. "Okay.. do you wanna stay and watch Leah's performance? Or do you wanna just step out?" Jane looked at me, leaving the clothes neatly hung on the metal bar.

"Let's stay." I said, changing into my regular grey sweatshirt and jeans. "I want to see how much of a competition she is."

Jane nodded, and I led her out from the dressing room. Leah was waiting outside. She pushed past me, shutting the door. I rolled my eyes. What was her deal? I never did anything to her besides steal her brother.

  Jane and I sat in the auditorium seats. We looked over, spotting Leah walk onto the stage. The room went quiet as everyone in there watched her carefully.

  Her pretty white petticoat bounced from under her long blue skirt. The sound of her heels clattering across the stage was the only thing we could hear. Her hair was pulled back into a loose but pretty braid. I crossed my arms, upset. I hated Leah, but she looked amazing.

  She paused, waiting for the music to start. When the music began, Jane and I looked confused as this wasn't the same music I rehearsed to. Leah curtsied, turning over to somebody who walked onto the stage after her.

Gabriel?

He wore royal finery and a long cape. He looked at Leah and gave her a passionate hand kiss. Leah giggled, putting her hand on his shoulder as he slipped his arm around her waist.

Then they began to waltz.

Leah's skirt flowed nicely behind her as they danced together. Instead of being two separate bodies, they became one. They danced sweetly, their faces inches from each other.

I found myself tensing up. My insides began to boil. My palms were sweaty. This feeling was familiar, but I couldn't figure out why I was feeling it. I watched as they flowed together like water.

Jane turned over to me. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." I sat frozen. Leah looked at me, smiling at me proudly as she danced with Gabriel.

I looked down at my lap, stumbling as I tried to get up from my seat. "Jasmine? Where are you going-" "I'll be.. back." I interrupted.

I pushed through the auditorium doors, stumbling down the corridors. I could hear the taunting music from down the hall. My stomach began to rumble, tearing me from the inside out. A loud ringing from inside my head started to drown out my own thoughts. I made my way to the bathroom, locking myself inside the stall. I sat down on the dirtied floor, looking up at the ceiling.

  The image of them dancing together was burned into my mind, like a horse being branded with a glowing red hot branding iron.

I covered my ears, burying my face in my knees. My eyes began to water as I felt a harsh sting of jealousy. It kept on stinging me constantly.

I heard a short but small knock at the stall. "Jane, I need some alone time-" "Not Jane." A deep voice echoed from within the bathroom. I looked down, spotting a fancy pair of shoes and an expensive cape hanging low.

"Gabriel?" My voice became low. I was shocked that he had followed me into the bathroom. I opened the stall door, wiping tears from my rosy cheeks. ".. What do you want?" I questioned, crossing my arms. I stared up into his eyes. He was still oddly wearing his prince finery from the auditorium. Gabriel smirked, walking closer to me. I kept backing away until he cornered me back into a wall.

He reached his hand forwards, and I closed my eyes, uncontrollably blushing.

  Gabriel slipped his hands behind me, pulling out a half empty tube of cherry lipgloss from the top of the toilet paper roles. "Leah left something." Gabriel walked towards the stall door. "Practice makes perfect, Jasmine." He smiled teasingly before walking out of the girls bathroom, the sound of his footsteps becoming lighter and quieter. 

  I stood alone, the bathroom killing me with it's silence.