The Life of a Juilliard Dancer Book #1

Chapter 5

     I woke up hearing a loud banging sound on a door or something. I slowly got up and saw that I was in my room. 

     "How did I get in here?" I asked myself. *BANG BANG BANG!*. I came off the bed and opened the door to see Alyssa. "You're late for class, today we're doing partners and wearing dresses with heels. YOU'RE HAIR DOESN'T MATTER!" she said sounding like she had gallons of coffee and when she was finished saying what she has to say she ran off. 

     I hurried up and took a bath, brushed my teeth and changed into a black long sleeve laced-back dress, my pink ballet tights because the dress was above my knees and my black dance heels. I quickly put my hair into a messy bun and I rushed to the studio. 

      I entered the glass doors to hear Zach's cocky voice saying, "you're late.". "I know, I know," I replied, "I woke up late, I'm sorry ok."." Are all the dancers participating in the partner section paired up?" he shouted. "No." I replied with a sarcastic tone. "Am I even in the partner section of the dance?". "Yes, you are and because you've reached late you get the last dancer available," he said with a smirk, "me.". "You have got to be kidding me." I yelled, "you planned this didn't you."." No, no I didn't." he replied with a big cocky grin plastered across his face."I'll teach you the last part after class because I showed it to them already." he said turning on the music. 

      "And five, six, seven, eight." The class moved in sync looking like a bunch of professionals and I was killing the hip hop choreo until the bridge came along; I didn't know what the hell to do and I didn't like not knowing. "Show me the bridge choreography." I said to Zach. "Lily you're good but there's no way you can pick it up that fast." he replied breathing hard. "Just show me." I said a bit agitated by his comment. "Fine, class take 5." He said before turning to me, "Repeat after me."

    I did as I was told. He broke down and retaught the partnered bridge choreography while the class went on their break. I borrowed Alyssa so she could dance with Zach to show me the correct technique on my end. "Last three steps. I will spin you out then you spin back in and I will dip you while you slowly put you leg up for the final counts." he said moving Alyssa in slow motion to give me a visual of what I had to do.

                 "Ok." I replied saying over the steps in my head and visualizing it in my mind as I switched places with Lissa. "Three, four, ready, go." I did the first two steps perfectly but then the third step caught me off-guard and I was stiff with the movement of my leg. "Perfect." Zach said visibly grimacing at me, " well not exactly but we'll work on it.". "Ok class back to work!"

     We practiced the routine until it was perfectly executed, well except for me and my stupid stiff leg lift. The bell rang for the end of our session rang two minutes before we were finished. "Ok guys!" Zach yelled, "see you'll tomorrow and whoever you were paired up with is your permanent partner so get used to him/her.". 

        Everyone began to file out the door including me but I was stopped dead in my tracks when I heard, "Lily!". "What Zach." I said changing directions and walking up to him while everyone left."Why do you choose to be stiff when I don't want you to be." he said in a confused tone. I put on an innocent tone and batted my long eyelashes at him, "whatever are you talking about Zachary?".

      "We're going to run this again." he said putting on the music. I did the choreo just as I was taught it but when it came to the leg part I stiffened up....again. "What's wrong?" he asked. "I don't know," I mumbled bending my head and looking at the floor,"...... I guess I'm kinda uncomfortable putting leg up near you.". 

        He smirked raising my head up to meet his piercing green eyes, "Lily, we're partners now you have to be able to trust me and be comfortable around me." Right then and there he looked totally kissable; is there a rule against making out with your dance captain. I shook the thought out off my head and nodded at Zach.