New York Dreams • mnz

Chapter 3

I only managed to get a Sunday off before my lessons started. On Monday morning, I stood in front of my formally empty but now chocked to the brim cupboard, trying to pick out the perfect leotard to wear on my first day. After spending about an hour trying on in vain different outfits, Chloe enters my room and sits down on my bed. "I see you're dressing to please, huh," she comments disdainfully. "There's gonna be tons of people there, Chloe! I need to at least look presentable!" I exclaim in distress, methodically pulling out numerous leotards to try on. "Oh, so Phillip's 'tons of people' now aye? Don't worry, leotards all look the same to boys. Just pick any random one, it doesn't really matter," Chloe snorts. "You don't understand Chloe. You've just always been effortlessly flawless. You'll never know what it's like having to spend all your energy every morning just trying to pick out the perfect outfit, but failing anyway," I retort, placing a bunch of leotards beside Chloe. Chloe turns to the leotards, glances through a few, then takes a simple black low-backed leotard with spaghetti straps and holds it out to me. "Just trust me this one time and wear this, will you. Besides, you just said I had good fashion taste," she says. "I never said anything of that sort," I grumble as I reluctantly took the leotard from her. I wasn't sure this one was good enough.

I come out of the bathroom dressed in the leotard Chloe picked out, only to find the girl herself already gone. Why am I not surprised? That girl is always on her toes and always on the go. The world never stops spinning with her. I decide on a grey cropped sweater and floral skater skirt to wear over my dance wear before heading downstairs. Josh and Chloe were already sitting on one side of the island, along with a stranger girl on the other side. She had silky brunette hair with blonde streaky highlights that flowed lightly down her back. I couldn't see the girl's face since she had her back facing me, but she sure looked familiar. As I approach the table, Chloe catches sight of me. "Oh my god, you're finally here Maddie! Remember Sophia?" Chloe says excitedly, gesturing to the stranger girl. Sophia? As in, Sophia Lucia? Why was she in New York too? Sophia turns around and meets my stare with a huge smile. "Maddie! I've missed you so much!" she exclaims, stretching out her arms for a hug. I run into her arms and wrap my own around her back. "I've missed you too, Sophia. I haven't met you in years!" I reply. When I finally pry myself out of Sophia embrace sadly and placed myself next to her at the island, Chloe slides a plate with eggs and ham over to me. I wasn't very willing to eat something so unhealthy at first, but the tantalizing smell shut my doubts up and I gobbled the food down eagerly.

~

In the car on the way to Joffrey, Sophia tells me she moved here last year after she too got a spot at Joffrey. She also mentions Phil several times throughout our conversation, definitely on purpose. I simply ignore the mentions and focus on what Sophia was telling me about the life here in New York instead, giving her an occasional nod and smile. However, deep down, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do about Phil. Meeting him was inevitable and we might even be in the same class, so the only solution was to face him.

But how was I supposed to face someone who found out I had a one-sided crush on him again?

- - -

Maddie's outfit is in the media bar <3

Sometimes when I'm writing, I confuse British english with American english and I'm just like "wardrobe or cupboard?" haha.

Also, I'll try to update every weekend but the next few weeks will be filled with tests so I can only try my best to adhere to the scheduled update days!