Staying Hidden

Dance Is My Middle Name

Erk! Erk! Erk!

I slammed my alarm and jumped out of bed. Going through my drawers, I found my jeggings and my favorite dance shirt. The shirt that marks that I have started a new dance. It has I <3 Dance with a kissy face on it. And it falls off one of my shoulders. I slipped on my no show socks and my flats and stuffed my dance shoes in my bag. My school doesn't have dress code, but I got in trouble for the shoes last time.

Since I knew I was going to sweat dancing today, I didn't put on anything except eyeliner and mascara. I don't have that "natural beauty." I had to have some kind of makeup on my face. I popped in my contacts, brushed my teeth, threw some deodorant on, and spritzed some perfume and headed down the stairs. I grabbed my school bag from the couch and rummaged through it to find my hairbrush.

Once I succeeded, I brushed my long dark brown hair out and threw it in a messy pony. As I put away my hairbrush, I heard the same ole sigh I got every time I wore this shirt.

My mom was up.

"Really? Another dance?" She asked, disappointed.

I sighed and nodded.

"You'll never make it. It doesn't pay bills," she informed me again.

"But I love it," I said.

"I know, I know," she waved her hand and went into the kitchen.

"I'll see you later," I called as I walked out the door.

"I won't wait up," she called back.

As you can see, my mom was never on board with me dancing. Said it was unrealistic. But the way I see it; it's better to make a little money doing something you love, rather than making tons of money doing something you hate. As I walked down the sidewalk, I wondered what my dad would say. But I knew exactly what he'd say. Same thing my mom did. My dad--my bio one anyway--abandoned us when I was two.

Mom usually came home with different guys some of the time. But I was used to it, so it was fine. I guess. I also have younger siblings, two younger sisters, but they went to school later. Since they were elementary. I also had an older brother who already graduated, but he was a dbag. So now, since he didn't do anything through high school, I wasn't given a choice to do them. Every dance, homecoming, prom, class ring, extra curricular--anything to get me out of the house--I was required to do.

I was also required to keep the house clean, look after my sisters, get a job, and watch my grades. The job was in progress, my grades were fine, I always looked after my sisters, and I was also the only one who did anything around the house. My mom cleaned, too, but my sisters were nine, so they didn't have to lift a measly finger. I was doing dishes at seven.

"Hey!" An all too familiar voice stopped me. A friend who I've known since fifth grade. Grace.

"Hey, Grace," I smiled at her.

"Hey, booboo!" She laughed. "What's happenin?"

"New dance today," I said excitedly.

"Your mom see it?" She asked.

I nodded.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I mean, it's my life," I shrugged.

"I don't know how you stay so sane. I would've lost it by now," she said.

"I try," I laughed.

"Hey, dance freak!" Rydon, a bully I've had since kindergarten, said.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"For you to show me your moves, sexy lady," he looked me over.

"You're bipolar," I rolled my eyes and walked away.

"That's why I love you," Grace caught up with me.

"Learned from the best," I nudged her. Grace was the apittemy of living her life on the edge, and sarcasm.

"Gotta get to class, but catch ya later," she said and walked away.

"Hey!" John hugged me and whirled me around.

John was like the brother I never had. Always so supportive and hilarious.

"Ooh, new dance, eh?" John set me down and noticed my shirt.

I nodded.

"Need help with this one?" He asked.

Yes, John dances too.

No, I don't have strong feelings for him.

Yes, I've known him for two years.

"No, it's another solo," I smiled.

"Well, let's go!" He trugged me along to the dance room.

We had first period off so I had no class to attend to. We entered the dance room and I set my bag down and slipped on my dance shoes. I played the song Wasting All These Tears by Cassandra Pope and waited.

Tried to find you at the bottom of the bottle - slide to the left

Layin down on the bathroom floor - get down on the floor

My loneliness was rattling windows - roll up

You said you don't want me anymore - twirl right

And you left me! - throw arms to the left and turn your body to left

Standin on the corner cryin - finish left turn

Feelin like a fool for tryin - tilt head back, slide left leg out with a pointed toe, and put right hand on forehead

I don't even remember why I'm wasting all these tears on you! - bring left leg in and put head in hands

I wish I could erase our memory - wipe right hand across forehead and hang your head to the opposite side

Cause you didn't give a damn about me - leap to right and twirl onto the floor

Ooh finally I'm through wasting all these tears on you! - get back up, twirl, and hang head down.

I looked at John in the mirror and smiled. "That's as much as I have so far."

"You're amazing as always," he smiled.

"Dance is my middle name, so," I laughed.

"Uh oh," John smirked. "I feel somethin."

He played the song Watermelon Crawl by Tracy Byrd and grabbed my hands. We did a fast version of the two step and threw in some twirls. This was what we did during first period. Dance. John was always there for me. I met him when I was thirteen.

I was in dance class, learning the dance that was being taught, but kept messing up one part. He came up to me and I jumped. I had never seen this guy before. He smiled at me. "I'm John."

"Hi," I said.

"It goes like this," he said. He crossed his right foot over his left one and spun around.

I mimicked him and did extra victory spins. "I did it! Thanks!"

"No problem, dancy," he said.

"Vanessa," I corrected.

"Nice to meet you--"

"Vanessa," John knocked me back into reality and he dipped me.

"Sorry. La La Land," I laughed.

"Welcome back," he smirked.

I scrunched my nose and laughed. I checked the time on my phone. "Wanna play some BS before first period ends?"

"You know it," he said and we sat down to play BS.