In Every Way

9

"Partner up!" Lawless claps twice while waiting impatiently for us to scurry to our partners.
Alister and I take our place, settling into the front center of the group. It's always a silent race for the best spot in class and we tend to do what we can to get here. Luckily for me, Alister has the same idea because we beat Jiada by half a second. Even after our questionably friendly coffee date I still don't know how to take her squinty, evil eye.
"Okay," Lawless starts, "let's go over the last eight counts from yesterday. Don't forget to support the hip on the lift, gentlemen."
He counts us in. Each couple moves in sync with the next as Lawless weaves through barking orders and snapping out corrections.
"More rotation," he tells Lillian.
"You need to pull up, Harry!"
"I need that leg higher, Carmen! We all know how flexible you are."
"Support the hip-" He stops to watch Alister and I. "That's it. Good job. Everyone stop." He holds his hand up for the assistant to turn off the music.
    We all stop, breathlessly wondering what he is about to do.
    "You two." He points at Alister and I. "Show everyone how the lift is supposed to be done. Apparently no one knows how to land a basic trick."
I suck up the rest of the air my lungs need to get through this close to impossible lift especially with everyone watching. It's anything but basic. It takes incredible precision and strength to get it exactly right and to land on the correct angle. Good thing my partner is just as punctual as I am.
We take a step into the middle of the room as the other dancers gather around. I prep, checking in with Alister with a single look, then I swing my leg into position, tighten my core, spot the mirror and let him take over with the actual lifting part. We hold position for a second more than we need to, I've learned Alister likes to show off when he can, until he pulls me down to my feet, letting me go with a soft release.
"See?" Lawless praises. "That's how you do it. Tomorrow I expect every one of you to look like that. Now let's go... again."
The rest of class is hard. We have to keep up our perfect lift streak which means our stamina is challenged, but I push through. I come close to giving out several times, like literally my left leg starts to shake from supporting my entire weight the whole time as I use my right to stretch into different split positions. Alister saves me by gripping harder for support and throwing me higher so I have more time to place my aching body. I wouldn't be able finish today without him.
We think as one in this routine, always aware of the others hands, hips, feet, and torso. I feel like I can genuinely trust Alister. He's proving to be a good match everyday by coming in and doing what he needs to do. I appreciate his drive as much as he relates to mine.
This connection reminds me of Cooper; how we move together too but in a totally different way. With Alister, it's strictly for dancing purposes, a professional relationship. With Cooper it's like... oh wow... it's like we're making love without actually touching each other. It's like we stand witness as our art binds as one, sucking both their hosts into the beautiful, creative expression that's forming as well. There is a much, much higher level of attraction there that is more obvious with each rehearsal we have together.
    At least, it's obvious to me. I have no idea what's going on in Coopers head. Although he did say he is really into me but I don't know what that means. Is he into me like, he just wants to sleep with me, or is he into me like the real me?
...Not that I should be pondering on this in the middle of spinning around Alister's body.
    Focus, Avery.
I have to remind myself to stay on track with my partner more than I'd like to. Before I know it class is dismissed and I'm walking out with Alister, Carmen, Harry, and Lillian. Jiada chooses to walk with a few other third years but I'm pretty sure everyone is okay with it. We can only handle so much of her dagger glares.
    As a group, we walk to the courtyard for lunch, talking about everything dance. It's cool to have people who speak my language. We're currently stuck on sharing the most absurd thing an instructor has said to us today. Alister got told he has monkey ears and Harry, clown feet.
    Carmen laughs hysterically at Harry. "It's kinda true!"
    "What?!" Harry scoffs. "What about, I need that leg higher, Carmen. We all know how flexible you are," he mocks Lawless. "I wonder what that could be abou-"
    "I don't want to talk about Lawless," Carmen stops him. "Although he did take a special interest in the over achiever couple over here."
    I look at Alister with a grin. "Congratulations, you've officially landed the role of over achiever. Don't worry, I'm one too, apparently."
    "You are and you know it," Carmen says.
    "What are you guys talking about?" Lillian questions.
    "Don't ask," Carmen points to an open spot on the grass. "Look! Hurry before someone takes it."
    A spot on the grass in the courtyard is like finding the x that marks the spot where the treasure is buried. I've yet to spend a lunch under the amazing architecture displayed above the equally as detailed steps of stone and patterned sidewalks. The pots of greenery and fresh flowers creates the perfect outdoor escape from being stuck in a studio all day. There is the perfect amount of sunshine flowing through the various openings in the canopy, enough to feel the positive affects of vitamin d and fresh air.
    Carmen's giggle distracts me from sitting down right away. I look at her questioningly. "What?"
     She takes her sweet time with the laugh, finishing with a slight, unbelievable, shake of her head. "You're so screwed."
    I'm assuming she's talking to me seeing as the everyone else has sat already but... what could she be- Oh. I see exactly why she's laughing at me. Cooper is currently walking under the arch to the main entrance of the courtyard. It's weird, since we're supposed to be rehearsing in a few hours. I wonder if something is wrong?
    "Are you going to talk to him or what?" Carmen forcibly grabs my lunch box and dance bag from my hands. "Go already."
    I don't need her encouragement to talk to him, I genuinely am curious why he's here. Part of me wishes he was here to give me bad news, because then, knowing his mind is on other things will whip me back into shape and have me hyper focused on my training... but on the off chance he is here to see me just because... Oh my gosh, he has a brown lunch sack in his hand and a gallon of water in the other.
I can feel this act of kindness reinforcing my draw to me.
    But it shouldn't, and I want to fight it. I have to hold onto the real reason I'm here. It's just hard because every time I interact with him that slips further and further away and now I'm desperately clutching with only the weak tips of my fingers.
    When I'm a few yards away I wave with a welcoming smile, feeling shy. "Hey," I say. "What are you doing here?"
    He holds out his offerings. "I brought you lunch."
    I take the bag to look inside.
    "Thought you'd need it after your first six hours of dancing. Ya know, energy for your next six hours."
    He packed a mixed greens salad, an apple, and banana. He also packed a deliciously enticing chocolate chip cookie. I look at him, knowing full well this is a jab at our cookie conversation the other day. He must not have taken it lightly that I don't eat cookies. It's not that I don't like or want the cookie it's the calories that come with it. I need protein after what I just did, not sugar. But it's a sweet gesture nonetheless.
"Thanks for this. You didn't have to."
     "I know," he shrugs. "Did you see the dessert I brought?"
    "The cookie? Yes," I giggle. "It's hard to miss."
    He smirks as if a plan of his I don't know about is working. "Balance," is all he says before, "see you in rehearsal?"
    That's it? He came all the way here- no. He went all the way to the store to buy this and then came all the way here to give it to me. What is your master plan, Cooper? Whatever it is... it's working.
    When I sit next to Carmen, all three of them are staring at me as if I'm supposed to spill everything.
    "He brought you lunch?" Carmen nabs the bag and dumps out its contents. "A cookie?!"
    I grab it from her and place it aside gently. "He calls it balance."
    Carmen looks impressed.
    Harry says, "I call it wide hips."
    "I'm salivating," Lillian stares.
     I ask Carmen, "Split it with me?"
    "Seriously?" Harry is in shock. "I can't watch."
    "What are you afraid of? A little sugar?"
    I unwrap the cookie. I should probably get this over with, even though I will thoroughly enjoy every second of eating it I will also be just as disappointed in myself. Or maybe I don't have to be. It is a balance, like Cooper said.
    "Wait!" Harry reaches for the cookie. "Can I smell it first?"
    We laugh at his seriousness. He takes a long, strong whiff of my cookie then a few other bites of his veggie sandwich. I have no problem sharing the cookie with Carmen. I'm grateful she is carefree about her diet. It's easy to get sucked into ballerina mode and not feel adequate enough even when you're surviving off of almonds and celery sticks. I never struggled with body image issues, and I really try hard to have a healthy attitude about food but in this environment, you can easily fall down that rabbit hole.
    "Who was that guy?" Alister asks.
    "He's helping me with my solo for the showcase."
     He doesn't look jealous, he's more confused. "I could have been your partner for that?"
    "It's a different kind of partnering. He's writing an original song and I'm choreographing to it. We just finished the intro the other day."
    "Wow." Lillian widens her eyes. "That sounds so... intimate."
    It can be at times...
"Where did you meet him?" Harry asks.
"It's a long story-"
"His name is Cooper and he is in a band!" Carmen over shares. "We ran into him at one of his shows and now Avery is in love."
"I'm not in love!" I nudge her. "Stop saying that."
"I thought you said you weren't interested in anyone?" Lillian comments on our conversation from getting coffee.
"I'm not."
"Why'd he bring you lunch then?" Alister eyes me.
"He's just being nice. It's no big deal."
"Just... be careful."
    "It's fine you guys. It's not like he's a murderer or something, calm down," Carmen hisses.
"How would you know if he's a murderer if you just met him?" Harry challenges for fun.
"Because she's hung out of with him like five times already. If he were, pretty sure she'd be dead by now."
"Or maybe he's taking his sweet time-"
I throw my banana peel on the ground. "Will you guys stop it?!" I laugh. "Seriously he's just a guy helping me with my solo. We're not in love. And he's definitely not a murderer."
"As long as it really is for your solo," Alister bites his protein bar. "Who knows what he thinks he will get out of it."
I don't even respond to him. I have no idea why they're being so annoying.
"You should bring him to the party this weekend," Carmen suggests.
    "Party?" I shake my salad to spread around the sauce. "No, I'm not going to another-"
    "It's not like that!" She cuts me off. "It won't be like the last time. It's totally different. One of the performing arts geaks told me about it."
    Harry rolls his eyes big time. "Be nice."
    "Just because they're geaks doesn't mean they don't know how to throw a real house party," Carmen says. "It's not like the bar, trust me."
    "She's right." Harry rolls his eyes again but for a different reason. "Those parties are legendary."
    "Doesn't sound too different to me," I say.
    "Ugh, just trust me! And seriously, invite Cooper. Tell him to bring his guitar."
    "To a party? Why?"
    Carmen lowers her gaze as if she is being drawn into an unfit mischief. "You'll see."