𝑶𝒏 𝑴𝒚 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌

1 ~ New Shoes

Tuesday, October 4th, 2022

Los Angeles, California

7:30 PM

"Gosh, Leo, mom told you to do one thing while she was gone! Take care of me!"

"It's not my fault you have to buy a new pair of Pointe shoes every two weeks!"

"I can't control when they die."

"They're shoes, Brooklyn, shoes can't die."

"You're not the one who does dance, I suggest you shut your mouth." I slammed the car door as I got in, setting my dance bag on the carpeted floor.

"Don't you dare slam the car door! Mom and dad just bought this car!"

"Right, sorry, but can you please start driving? Mrs. Brown won't be pleased if I'm late." I begged Leo, and luckily he listened.

~

7:56 PM

I opened the door to The Allergo Ballet Studio. Just as I thought, everyone was already there. "Brooklyn! Care to tell us why you're late?" Mrs. Brown asked me.

"I had to get a new pair of Pointe shoes since they died a few days ago. There were a lot of girls getting shoes." I explained.

"Hurry up and get your shoes on. Competition is coming up quickly, and we haven't even gotten spots because of you girls." Mrs. Brown lectured us as we tied our Pointe shoes.

It felt as if the ground was on fire when I started moving in the shoes, I really should've broken them in when I had the chance. "Walk over to the bar, and we'll start our warm-ups." I put my left hand on the bar, looking at the girls next to me before lifting my right leg into the air, holding it tightly as I pulled my leg over the top of my head.

"How do you lift your leg so high?" Mia asked me."No one else can go that high." I smiled.

"I just stretch every day for an hour or two."

~

We walked away from the bar and grabbed our dance bags before going upstairs. Mrs. Brown cleared her throat while holding up a sheet of paper, "So for the dance, I figured out the spots, Mia, go to the back right corner. Chloe, go next to Mia. Emma, go next to Chloe, which ends our back row. Starting off the middle row is Jessica. You are in front of Mia. Ava, you are next to Jessica. You go on in front of Chloe. To end our middle row is Amelia. You are in front of Emma. Now our front row, our best dancers. Starting is Evelyn. You are right in front of Jessica. In front of Emma is Sophia." This has to be a mistake. If everywhere is taken but the front middle, that means..."Brooklyn, you are in front of Ava, front middle."

I felt all eyes go on me, I am in the middle, me out of all people? They only put the best dancer in the middle. There is no possible way I am the best. Really?" I asked, in disbelief, Mrs. Brown gave a soft smile and nodded.

"Since we finally got spots, we can update the dance. I was thinking that at the very beginning, Brooklyn could hold her front leg extension for eight counts. Everyone else will be off of the stage, one by one doing leaps across the stage, just to go to the other side behind the curtains."