The Last Victim #JustWriteIt

CHAPTER NINE

As Carmela and Gazelle ended their performance, the crowd went wild and there was a huge round of applause. They made an excellent team. Carmela's musical voice and Gazelle's fluid movement, when she danced, she made the world forget about everything. Together, they ruled the school's theatre and the community dance centre. They were often called for different performances. Today was just one that type of day.

The Sunday Community Group needed to raise money for an organization they were setting up. So they decided to rent the theatre for a night and ask Carmela and Gazelle to perform. When people heard, there was an influx, to such an extent that the theatre was filled. Carmela felt proud. She knew she was good. But since it was just a few days after the homecoming dance, where Gazelle had been asked out to a date by her crush, she still felt down. As she gazed out into the masses of people shouting her and Gazelle's name, she suddenly felt as if she was flying. Both of them were the queens of this place. Everyone knew them. She couldn't help but smile as she felt her feeling of giddiness creep over her, unnoticed. She was bought back to her present when the curtain before her dropped and a sweating but delighted Gazelle pulled at her hand.

'We did it, Carl!'

Carmela, though they were such great friends, still haven't forgotten about the homecoming dance. Or maybe, she hadn't even forgiven her best friend. She pulled her hand gently out of Gazelle's hand.

'Yeah! I feel awesome.'

Gazelle jumped on her feet excitedly on her feet.

'They say they haven't made such sales with the tickets in years!'

Carmela smiled. Her eyes glittered.

'Really? I can't believe it!'

Gazelle chuckled.

'Yay! We'll party now and....'

Her sentence was cut short by the arrival of Ms. Alein. The founder of the Sunday Community Centre. She was still in her twenties and was a petite lady. She gave them a gorgeous smile and handed them water bottles to quench their thirst. They both thanked her and drained the bottles. Ms Alein smiled encouragingly.

'That was something girls. I don't think I have seen such a performance in a hundred years.'

Gazelle giggled.

'But Ms. Alein, you haven't even lived that long let alone watch dance shows.'

Ms Alein laughed.

'You my dear were awesome. I mean the way you move it is as if you don't weigh at all. The audience was held spellbound by your fluid moves and.........'

She went on and on about Gazelle. Carmela had a pang of jealously in her heart. She too had been a part of the show. She had waited patiently the entire evening for a single word of appreciation, in vain. Her eyes burned with the strong desire to overflow. She would beat Gazelle someday, soon. It didn't matter how or when. She really would. On the pretext of removing her dancing shoes, she edged away from the now unpleasant conversation.

An unknown, unfelt before, fire raged in her heart. She had her life completely overshadowed by someone she called her friend. A tear escaped her resistance and flowed down her face. With her face turned to the wall she unkindly brushed it away and dried her face, for fear that someone might see. Then she turned to Gazelle. She was talking and laughing gaily with the theatre operator now. A slow welling feeling of disgust unreeling into her heart for her friend, she turned and walked out of the theatre through the backdoor, not bothering to wait up for her.