The Last Dance

THE ORPHAN

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCING ME

HARLEM, NEW YORK 1981

My knees were shaking, my palms were sweaty, I squeezed onto my thigh as my heart began to race. This moment wasn't just any moment for me, this moment was a moment of history, for this moment would have changed my life forever.

(ANNOUNCER)
Ladies and gentleman, we now introduce you to the one and only , the queen of modern dance, for this young woman have made history around the world, this young lady has a gift like non other , for there will never be no other like her, ladies and gentleman, stand on your hands and feet and let's welcome the one and only Ava Jolie!!!!!!!!!!!"

(AVA)
I'm scared Ms. C *sheds tears*

(Ms. Carter)
Baby don't worry, this is the moment you've been dreaming about, go make your dreams come true baby do it for the world

(FANS)
AVA! AVA! AVA! *scream and shouts*

(Ms. Carter)
See they love you, without you, there is
No Show!

(AVA)
*smiles* ok Ava let's go out there and make
history

As I walked onto the stage , just the sight of seeing all of the joy on everyone's face was more than enough of love for me. As I began to position myself in my little dance stance, I took once last glance into the crowd, I noticed he wasn't nowhere to be found. "How could he let me down like this?" I said to myself. I pranced across stage in greif like the mist of air. I began to let the rhythm and the groove move through me. I began to live my dream once and for all. I could hear the audience getting louder, my dream was finally coming true. Or so I thought? Just as I was about to take my final spin, I collapsed on stage. The last thing I could hear was the sound of concerness from the audience as I blacked out.

6 YEARS EARLIER ( NEW ORLEANS,LOUISIANA)

Hi, My name is Ava Jolie, I'm 16 years old and I love to dance, there is nothing more that I like than dancing. I'm guessing you wonder why? Well growing up in New Orleans, you see a lot of cultural dancing and a lot of cultural love around here. As a little girl , I use to wonder the "House Of Blues" a lot, even though I was told to never go there, just something about it couldn't keep me away. Performers from all over the world would come to entertain. My favorite entertainer was Misty, she was a beautiful and talented ballerina. Just the way she moved and gave herself to the crowd just motivated me. At first I wondered "does her feet hurt"? Because she moved so fast, it was almost like magic. I also remember running back stage to get her autograph "Ha-Ha" I was such a crazed fan. I actually still hold on to that autograph today!" Spending all of those nights at the Blue's house made me realize that I wanted to dance, every since then I've been holding onto that dream. Despite all of that, I was never the average child, in fact I grew up in an orphanage, with a group of other girls. I was never adopted, all the parents wanting to adopt, only adopted most of the Caucasian kids. Sometimes it made me wish that I wasn't black, and that I wasn't in this hell house. All I ever wanted was for someone to love me, a decent and casual family, all I really wanted was to live my dream. I was such a bright girl with a beautiful personality ajd a loving heart. I never hurt anyone, but I still couldn't understand why would my parents would give someone like me away? Mother Carol would tell me these horrifying stories about my parents. Sometimes she would tell me they were dead, and other times she would tell me they were drunkies. I would sit nights and days in my room, crying because I wanted to find my parents, I wanted to know what they were like, but I didn't let it bother me because I knew one day that I would find them. For some reason I don't believe their dead, their probably waiting on me to find them, so we can live happily ever after. Speaking of Mother Carol, I hated her, she would abuse me, expose me, and make me do all of her dirty work. One night she made me dance in front of grown men , so she could make money off of me. This wasn't the only time she used my body for her dirty work, she would make men touch me and allowing them to put their fingers inside of my panties, sometimes she would leave me there alone with some other girls my age. Those men would take advantage of us, they would beat us, torture us, and all that you can think of. But there was one night when my childhood was taken from me forever, that one night I would never forget.

*FLASH BACK*

AVA
NO!!!!!!!!!!!! leave me alone

MAN
I'm gonna teach little girls like you how to respect your elders. *unbuckles pants*

AVA
No! I promise I'll be good this time

MAN
Its a little too late for that
*starts beating Ava*

AVA
*screams and fights in tears*

*END OF FLASHBACK*

I try not to think about that night, but its hard not to, I wish that night never happened, but it did, and I couldn't take it back. As I was into my sorrow as the tears fell, I heard a knock on my door.

MOTHER CAROL
Hurry and bring your ass downstairs, dinner is ready

AVA
Y........Y........Yes mam

Just the way she talked to me, made my blood boil, every time we have guest she acts like an angel, but once everyone leaves, she turns into the devil. She threatened to bury us alive if we ever called the cops on her. This woman was the real deal so I never even tried to call the law on her. Ms Carol was always a dark woman, she loved wearing black! , I never saw her smile, unless she was causing us pain. I decided to freshen up and walk slowly downstairs, once I walked into the kitchen, I made my seat at the table along with the other girls in the orphanage. I swear I hated it here, sometimes the other girls here would bully me, especially the older ones.

ASHLEY
well look who's here, the cry baby

THE OTHER GIRLS
*starts laughing*

AVA
Leave me alone Ashley

ASHLEY
What you gonna do? Run to your room?

AVA
FUCK YOU!

Next thing you know, we were all over the kitchen fighting. She was pulling my hair , and I was pulling here's. Soon after she grabbed a burning cigar out of Ms. Carol's ashtray and tried to poke me in my eye with it.

ASHLEY
Burn you bitch!

OTHER GIRLS
DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!

MS. CAROL
what's going on in there?

Once ms. Carol walked into the kitchen, all of the girls got into their position, as I still laid in anger on the floor.

MS. CAROL
What happened in here?

ASHLEY
Ava starting cursing me out and she jumped on me and threatened to burn me with a cigar

AVA
she's lying !!!!!

MS. CAROL
What did I tell you about putting your hands on people? *pulls out belt*

THE OTHER GIRL'S
oooooooooooooooo

As soon as I saw her pull out her belt, I quickly ran upstairs and locked the door behind me, as I knelt down in a corner and began to cry into my arms. How come I'm always the one being mistreated? I just wanted it all to go away, as Ms. Carol began banging on my door.

MS. CAROL
Open this door!!!!!!!!!

AVA
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MS.CAROL
That's why you ain't gonna never be nothing, because you never listen and you hard headed with ya black ass, I hope yo ass choke to death in there, don't nobody want you, you black, you stubborn and you're useless, you're gonna end up just like your mother, living as some man's whore!!!!!!!!!!

I tried to cover my ears as she spoke all of those negative words to me, I bowed down on my knees and prayed to God because it was the only thing I could do, God was my only friend , he's the only one I could trust. I knew deep down inside that one day I would make it out of here, I would become somebody, I wouldn't have to struggle no more, but I knew that all of that wouldn't happen over night as I ended my prayer.

AVA
Dear God, please deliver me from this evil, please help me find my parents so that I can live happily ever after, I love you, Amen