FRAT LINE|Year 2&3-KNJ✔️

++12++

++THIRD++

"I want to run through it one more time, ladies!" Raeya calls over the music. "You're all doing great. Malia, loosen up on the kicks and lower on your bucks. You're stiff. That's not the dancer way. We need fluidity." Her eyes stay on the 20 year old as she walks across the floor.

Malia holds her eye contact before rolling them and stretching her legs to try to loosen them up. She's trying the best that she can but she's still kind of sore. She'd be lying if she said that she wasn't in any way.

She never did take that ice bath that she said she would and she's not really getting a break with all of the dancing that she has to continue to do. But she'll be damned if she missed a practice or a game. Especially while she's in position of Coach.

"And you were late today. You're Captain. You need to be setting a good example for the freshmen." Raeya clasps her hands behind her back casually.

"I wasn't late." Malia speaks up. "Other people just get here 15, 20 minutes early."

"How does it look if others arrive before the Captain?"

"Like they weren't doing anything time consuming or productive before dance practice." Malia rebuttals, knowing that it's only the freshmen girls arriving that early. The other come five minutes early and her friends don't walk in until a minute or two before practice starts.

She doesn't mean any offense to the freshmen dancers but she knows that the only reason they show up that early is because they're bored. They've had that conversation before.

"It looks like you aren't taking your position as Captain seriously."

"I'm a junior with a workload and it's the weekend." Malia argues. "I'm not gonna get here 20 minutes early every practice just to prove a point. I've already done that. I'm Captain for a reason."

"And I was once right in your shoes, a Captain. Now I'm a Coach for a reason. Do you think I didn't earn both of my spots?" Raeya asks with a firm tone.

Their little back and forth has drawn the attention of the rest of the girls who are confused by the sudden animosity.

"Could never tell the way your team flunked out of regionals." Malia comments in a low tone. It's a mumble but meant for her to hear. "Couldn't even go pro."

Her friends' eyes widen as they look at her. A low blow, she knows. They all know. But she doesn't even care.

Her heart is beating a mile a minute and her jaw is clenched as she pulls up the band of her Nike leggings. There's an obvious attitude on her face.

"I don't know what your problem is, but maybe you need to stand out and take a breather." Raeya states. "As your Coach, all I'm doing is offering advice. I don't need the attitude."

"I'm good." Malia says.

"I wasn't asking."

"Okay. And I'm telling you that I'm not going to sit out." Malia crosses her arms over her chest. "We got 10 minutes left. That's enough time to run the routine and take the cool down period."

Raeya raises an eyebrow at her and Malia gets into the starting position. Her friends follow suite  leaving the rest of the girls looking between her and Raeya.

The older woman scoffs under her breath before walking to the stereo. "Last time, ladies then we're done for the day."

The air is tense for the remainder of practice. Malia focuses on herself as she dances, giving Raeya nothing else to say to her for the duration.