Off Pointe

Your Lips Will Reveal the Truth

On Point

A Sell Out Success  

By Rena Rouge

Can you believe it? With only one week left to go until the biggest ballet event of the season, the Agreste School of Dance has SOLD OUT! You heard me! The Nutcracker is completely sold out after only 4 days of tickets being available.

This is the quickest year so far which can only mean one thing... everyone is as excited to see the Miraculous performance as much as we are — especially the non classical ballet performed by Adrien Agreste (22) and Marinette Dupain-Cheng (19).

I'm not going to lie, I'm more excited about the duet than Christmas itself. Those lucky enough to get tickets. I'll see you all there!

*****

It had been a few days since the performance at the community hub and they were now mere days from the Christmas Gala. Adrien was proud of everything they'd accomplished and even though his father was forcing him to perform the pas de deux with Lila, he and Marinette had been working double shifts in the studio — at Agreste, and with Tikki. They were ready to perform and Adrien was excited. For once in his life he was excited.

They were just finishing up their final rehearsal of the week when the studio was ambushed by an excited looking red head, one which was suddenly looking a thousand times more healthy.

After finding her late at night in the studios, Adrien had accompanied Alya home. They'd talked and talked, Adrien relaying his own experiences of dancers who'd 'disappeared' thanks to the cold, harsh words of his father and the impact that bestowed on their bodies. He hoped he'd made a difference as he threw compliments at Alya and cursed at his father. The more he thought about the famed and loved Gabriel Agreste, the more he hated the guy!

Most of the previous evening had seen Adrien reading and rereading his contract, trying to find a loophole wherever he could. He wasn't entirely sure what he wanted from this anymore, and the thought wasn't as scary as it had originally been. Maybe it was time to look for a new dream.

As Alya skidded to a halt, she looked between Adrien and Marinette, before nervously brushing her hair from her face.

"Hey, I didn't realise you'd still be here Adrien."

He let out a small laugh as he pulled his hoodie over his head. "The interview I had for the programme was changed so we've used the extra time to practise. Did you need Marinette for something? Sorry if I've been hogging her."

"I — um —" She looked past him, obviously glancing at Marinette, before turning back to him. "No, it's fine, sorry. I was just going to grab my girl and go. We — um — we have plans tonight."

Ahh, there it was! The awkwardness of going out and not inviting him. He didn't know why people always felt so uncomfortable around him, it wasn't like he thought he should be included, he didn't really care.

"Well, she's all yours now." He grabbed his bag and took another swig from his water bottle. "Have a good evening girls. See you tomorrow, Marinette."

He started to head to the door, considering which movie he should watch tonight when the sound of his name had him turning back.

"Actually?" Marinette sounded nervous only to be evidenced by her playing with her fingers in front of her body. "Would you like to come with us? It's only bowling and maybe laser tag, but it should be a fun night."

Bowling? Laser tag? He'd never done either of those before, but it always looked like a lot of fun from the American sitcoms he watched.

"I'd love to," he said far too enthusiastically for a guy in his twenties, quickly regaining some self control, he coughed before trying again. "I mean, as long as that's okay with everyone, I don't want you all to feel like the son of the owner is out spying on you or something – and I cannot believe I just brought up my father like that."