She's Not Cinderella

Dancing for dummies

"And turn! Turn."

I spun round, still attempting to keep my head held high. My back was aching from standing straight and my toes felt like they had been hit by a hammer.

I wiped some sweat off my brow.

"And stop. Good! Good! You've improved immensely. Immensely. If you continue at this pace, you have hope of becoming a dancer yet! A dancer!"

For some reason, my second dance instructor, a squat, Russian gentleman, felt the need to repeat something out of every sentence he said. Also, he worked me crazily hard. He dismissed me with a wave of a hand and I ran out of the room before he could change his mind. Jordan stood outside, nodding approvingly.

"You've really improved! Maybe when you go live we can incorporate ballet somehow. I like the idea of maybe something really patriotic, like.." Jordan babbled on, whilst I collapsed on a chair, tugging off those awful smelly ballet shoes and searching for my soft slippers I had specifically brought.

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me,

My shallow heart's the onl-

"Nice! Green Day." whispered Jordan to me, and I gave him a quick smile.

I picked up my phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi Adeline, it's me, Nick."

"Oh, hi Nick."

"Is it a good time to talk?"

I looked up at Jordan, who was tapping away at a bejewelled iPad.

"Sure. What's up?"

"How have you been since... The incident?"

"I've been fine, I've had my friends around a lot to take my mind off things. I got a flat in the Shard, can you believe it?"

"I can, to be honest!" he laughed gently. "PEG is an immense company. Anyway, at the studios, there was a girl looking for you. Stacey, I think her name was, blonde, American. I've got her number."

"Can you tell me it?"

I was pretty excited, I really wanted to meet the bubbly blonde again.

"Sure." He spouted out the digits, and I quickly saved him as a contact.

"Anyway, I was just wondering, Adeline, whether you wanted to meet up for lunch sometime? I know you have a busy schedule, but..."

"Sure! When are you free?" I agreed happily. Nick was a nice guy, and a good friend.

"Is the day after tomorrow fine?"

"Uhhhh, yeah, I think so.."

"I'll pick you up at 11 from PEGHQ."

"Cool, bye for now!"

I couldn't stop a wide grin from appearing on my face as I hung up. The glass doors slid open and William walked in.

"Morning Will!" I smiled at him brightly. He flashed a weak smile.

"Adeline, we need to talk."

Taking in his serious expression, I began to worry. I shuffled to the side of the sofa, allowing him space to sit down, which he took gratefully.

"It's about your father."

I squirmed at the mention of him. It was nearly a week since it had happened, and I had been trying my best to get it out of my mind.

"What is it?"

"There's been another incident. A woman he met in the pub. They put a stop to it before it got out if hand, but..."