Dance With Me (Step Up 2)

Chapter 2

"Hello everyone. I'm Director Collins." Blake Collins steps in the dance studio.

I glance around and see all other students have their shoes off. I quickly untie my converse and throw them to the closest wall. Andie notices me and does the same thing.

"I hope all of you stretched this morning, cause we have a lot of work do to today." Dr. Collins sets his bag on the ground and grabs a remote to the radio. "I'm sure everyone has heard of our plans to move MSA into a new state of the art facility. Well, to encourage the donors, we are throwing a fundraiser where you will perform to demonstrate what a good investment you are. It should be a wonderful event. You are all required to participate one way or another. So, let's begin with some improv shall we?" He claps his hands together. "Jimmy, you're up!"

A guy stands up and starts to dance to some soft rock music. He looks like he did a ballet class when he was younger. He is really graceful.

The studio door opens and Chase waltz through like he owns the place. Which in a way he does.

"You're late. Not being on time won't fly in the real world." Dr. Collins says continuing to watch Jimmy dance.

"Already with that stuff, Blake?" Chase smirks setting his bag on the ground.

"That's Director Collins." He corrects his younger brother finally looking at him with an annoyed expression.

"Yes, your majesty." Chase bows sarcastically.

"Chase, show us what you got." Dr. Collins turns some music back on.

Hard rock music blares through the small speakers. Now this is my kind of music. Chase easily starts dancing along with the music. I glance at Andie and see her watching Chase intently. The music gets cut off once again.

"Not great. Could do better. Callie you're up." Director Collins says quickly.

I walk over to where Chase was just standing and wait for the music to play. Andie gives me two thumbs up. I hope I don't screw up somehow.

"Please remove your hood." Collins demands. I groan internally and slide my hood off. "Okay, now show us if you are good as Tyler."

I clench my jaw in irritation. Always being compared to Tyler. Rap music blares through the speakers and I let the music flow through my body.

The music shuts off after a few minutes. The whole class claps quietly.

"You are like a female version of Tyler, Ms. Gage." Collins grins at me.

I whip around to face him as fast as I can. "I'm not my brother!" I snap. I grab my shoes and my bag off the floor before storming out of the studio.

"Ms. Gage! Get back here!" Collins yells at me from the doorway. I ignore him and run down the hallway in my mix matched socks. I burst through the front doors of the school and sit down on the steps. I pull on my shoes watching a group of kids do jump rope.

"Are you okay?" Andie comes out of the building five minutes later. She drops her bags on the bottom step.

"It's just annoying always being compared to Tyler." I stand up next to her.

The door opens again and Chase leans on the railing by us. "The first day is always the worst."

"I'll see you later, Andie." I grab my bag and step off the stairs. It's a good thing I live pretty close.

Once I reach my house, I walk in and slam the door. We aren't rich, but we aren't poor. My foster mom runs a salon downtown. My foster mom, Beth, hurries out of the kitchen. Beth has light brown hair that is about three inches past her shoulders and she has brown eyes.

"How was your first day?" She asks hesitantly.

"Terrific." I say sarcastically.

Beth frowns. "Did you make any friends?" She asks hopeful.

I toss my bag on the floor by the door. "Yeah. Andie is going there now."

Beth's face brightens up. "How is she?"

"Fine." I shrug heading to the kitchen. I'm starving.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Beth starts wiping down the kitchen counters with a rag.

"No." I shake my head. "I just wish people would stop comparing me to Tyler. I'm my own person." I sigh. "Where's Abbie?" I scan the house for my younger foster siblings.

Beth's face drops. "She's at the hospital again." She whispers sadly. Here I am complaining about my problems when Abbie is at the hospital fighting off cancer. "I came home to get some clothes for the night. Are you coming with me?"

I nod my head. "Yeah. I'll see her for a few hours." I try to smile.

•

"She will need another surgery this week to remove the tumor. Abbie is such a happy, strong, little girl. She will deal with this perfectly fine." Dr. Carter explains to Beth and me. I watch my younger foster sibling chatting animatedly with our other sibling, Jamie. Jamie is twelve years old and extremely protective of Abbie.

"Where's Hunter?" I ask Beth.

"Soccer practice." Beth answers. Hunter is my other sibling. Hunter is seventeen years old and goes to a public school.

I step in Abbie's room and watches her face as it immediately lights up. "Callie!"

"Hey munchkin!" I ruffle her hair bringing a chair next to her bed. "How are you doing?"

"Good. Nurse Ashley said she was going to get me some chocolate ice cream!" She claps her hands excitedly.

"Gonna share?"

"No way!" Abbie giggles. "Only Jamie gets some."

"Awesome!" Jamie exclaims laughing.

"How was your first day? Did you dance?" Abbie asks me. Abbie is obsessed with me and dancing. She knows how much I love doing it.

"It was great." I lie. I'm not ruining her day by telling her the truth. "I only danced once though."

"That's okay. You're a great dancer. Never give it up." Abbie warns me.

The door opens up and Abbie's nurse strolls in carrying a big bowl of chocolate ice cream. "Here you go." Ashley smiles at me.

"Thank you!" Abbie starts digging into her ice cream. Ashley leaves the room. "You should go home and get some sleep for tomorrow."

I shake my head. "No. I'll stay here with you tonight." I steal a scoop of ice cream. "I'll just leave from here in the morning."

••••••

AUTHOR'S Note:

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