Unknown Beauty | ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Four: A Message

[Life has many ways of testing a person's will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen at once]
- Paulo Coelho

Fallon watched enviously as she watched one of the other girls effortlessly push herself forward into a front aerial, her flexibility as phenomenal as seeing the Northern lights for the first time. The instructor - Aimi - had just shown the dance partners the entire dance routine for the wedding and, because Fallon was just that lucky, the first skill was an aerial.

Thankfully, all the other girls were learning at Fallon's pace too, only a few of them being real dancers and Fallon being the only gymnast.

"The aerial is the only gymnastic move but I advise you all train at your local gym to get in better shape. The wedding is in about six months so you still have some time to get this routine perfect."

Six months? Was that enough time for Fallon to secure her aerial? She could only hope it was. As if sensing her uneasiness, Asher murmured in her ear, "Don't worry."

Easier said than done, Fallon thought in her mind as Aimi clapped her hands to refocus everyone, "So since you have all already stretched, we may as well tackle the biggest obstacle - the aerial. Delilah just demonstrated one, so the first step is to familiarise yourselves with a front walkover. For that, you should probably start with a handstand and know what it feels like to be in a bridge."

She grinned enthusiastically, "Let's get started! Ladies, start with the handstand and have your pair spot you," she said as a low hum of chatter aroused in the room.

Fallon obediently kicked up into her handstand, keeping her legs straight and her toes pointed as she remembered she had been taught all those years ago. She felt a warm touch as Asher held her ankles together, "You okay?" he asked her.

"I'll survive," she laughed dryly in response, though she wasn't so sure of herself.

Twenty minutes in, all the girls had immaculate handstands and smooth bridges - despite one girl having a twisted ankle. Fallon admired her tenacity.

"Now onto the front walkover. What you are essentially doing is a handstand and then falling into a bridge with your dominant leg first. Then, your other leg follows and gives you enough momentum to stand back upright. Delilah?" at the mention of her name, Delilah displayed another perfect aerial, only using a couple steps for momentum.

"Perfect," Aimi smiled sweetly, gesturing for the dance partners to begin.

Fallon tucked a persistent flyaway of hair behind her ear and lifted her right leg up to almost ninety degrees before leaning forwards and placing her hands on the ground, letting her legs kick over as she completed a front walkover, dropping and saluting. Asher pulled her closer to him, "Stop showing off," he muttered, though a small smile played on his lips as the other girls watched her in surprise.

"Ah, Fallon!" Aimi waddled over to the pair like a duckling, beaming as she arrived, "I hear you are the elite gyymnast of the group?"

'Elite'. Fallon wanted to laugh at the word. She was barely in Level Seven and hadn't practiced in years, "Not elite, but a gymnast," she answered, timidly glancing at the others who swiftly flittered their gazes away, practising their skills quietly.

"Nonetheless, I think you are ready to move on with the rest of the routine, you already know how to perform an aerial, yes?" the instructor assumed, already turning away and abruptly stopping as Fallon shook her head.

"Uhh, no..."

"Oh."

Aimi flushed with colour at her presumption and apologised, "Aah, sorry, but no worries, you'll get it soon."