When Lightning Burns [COMPLETED]

Chapter 12: Dance Class Blues

           

"Three now?" Rose whispered loudly near Julie. "Really? Is she sleeping with someone? Maybe those guys following her around are related to someone here."

Julie sighed. Here was the Rose she remembered from her last months in Atlanta. Rose was Female Twenty–Five now. Just outside of the cut. She wouldn't make it in the final performance this term and had no chance of snagging a great spot on a dance company. Her only hope, if she couldn't get in the top twenty–four, was to teach with the training she got from here or do a hard circuit with a much smaller company.

So the bitterness was back.

Julie threw her shoes in her bag, trying to ignore the other girls' sniggers. She hadn't made any friends here and didn't intend to. This was why.

"She's such a slut. Two guys!" a bony brunette whispered loudly next to Rose—Female Twenty.

"Yeah, I guess she started when her brother was sick, and now can't get enough," Rose bit out.

If her brother had really been sick, that was below the belt. But he wasn't, Julie reminded herself. She zipped up her bag and pulled her flats over to slip on. She was ready to leave the judgmental locker room from hell.

"I swear I saw her sitting and eating pizza the other day with one of them. Pizza! She will fail out, not enough motivation," the last girl in the group, the one with red hair and freckles said. Female Twenty–six.

Julie rolled her eyes. This was the best they could do.

Someone touched her shoulder. A willowy girl with long, dark hair and a pointed face stood over her. Her eyes were the palest blue Julie had ever seen. It was Female One.

What was her name? She couldn't remember. The dance school year wasn't that long.

The girl smiled at her. "Just ignore them."

Julie smiled back. Female One was about as friendly as Julie was with everyone, which meant she was friendless too. "Oh, I do. I have been ignoring that one for about a year and a half now. Jealousy doesn't look pretty on her."

The girl giggled. "I'm Marjorie. It's nice to meet you."

Julie quirked a brow. They had been in the same class for weeks now, and it was odd that they were just meeting. "You too."

Rose and her group were quiet, listening to them. Julie slid her eyes back and met Marjorie's. Marjorie smirked.

Julie finished lacing up her shoes. "You about to leave?"

Marjorie nodded. "Yes."

"Let's walk out together then," Julie said.

All the girls crowded into the stairwell together.

"Do you want to go have dinner?" Marjorie asked.

Salad and veggies didn't sound that great. She knew that was what Marjorie would be eating. She would pick up a hamburger or something before they met. "I have to do my tutoring first. How about we meet later?"

Julie felt a push from behind. She fell forward, Marjorie at her side falling with her. Julie blinked up her powers to soften her fall. In the last minute she grabbed Marjorie, landing on the bottom of the stairs to take the brunt of the fall, her haphazard energy net catching her awkwardly—something that she didn't know she could do.

She cried out as her ankle hit the bottom stair, twisting as Marjorie's weight fell on top of her.

There was a breathless silence.

"Oh my god!" someone screamed from the top of the stairs.

"Are you all right?"

"Julie, are you hurt?" Rose was crying.

Marjorie scrambled off Julie. "Are you okay?"

"Cut out the tears, Rose. I know you did that. I felt the shove." Julie grasped her ankle. It hurt like hell. Marjorie kneeled next to her, her face concerned over the swelling in Julie's foot.

"What do you mean?" Rose said haughtily. "You really think I would push you down the stairs? What kind of psychopath are you?"

Julie raised an eyebrow. "Deflecting your craziness onto me doesn't mean you didn't do it. Watch it, Rose. I will fight back."

"You have a sprained ankle now. I'd like to see you try." Rose snorted, the tears gone. She walked past Marjorie and Julie on her way out. Her friends hesitated then followed her out, wide eyed. Maybe they drew the line at actually shoving your competition down the stairs.

Yeah, I'd watch my back around her also.

Now Julie knew she could reach out and put a little jolt right behind Rose's ear, just enough to knock her out. Her fingers tingled, itching to do it.

She took a deep breath. It wasn't worth the trouble she would get in if anyone found out. Maybe another time, when she caught Rose red–handed. Then it would be self–defense when she decked her.

"We can't prove it, can we?" Marjorie watched as the other girls left.

Julie shook her head. "No, but I'll be fine. Don't worry."

And she would make sure Rose got hers. It was one thing to pick on others because you were jealous. But to try to hurt your competition so you could get ahead...No. She might be able to bounce back from it quickly, but if this happened to anyone else it might end their time at the Academy or even their dancing career.

Marjorie wrung her hands. "I know you took the worst part to save me. Why? You may not be able to dance now."

Julie shrugged. "I'll be fine. I doubt it is as bad as it looks. I'll get it checked out. No big deal."

"How can you be so calm? I would be crying." The girl's eyes were wide.

It's easy when you know that a minor sprain will heal overnight. She couldn't say that.

"I have faith." Julie got to her feet, wincing as she put some weight down on her hurt foot. Yeah, definitely sprained. Crap. She would take a cab home today.

"I could use some more of that." Marjorie bit her lip and looked unconvinced.

"You already have a lot. Look at where you are." Julie smiled at her. "Let's try for dinner another night, okay?"

"Sure. I completely understand." Marjorie picked up Julie's bag and helped her to the street outside to wait for a cab.

Julie grinned as she walked in the next day, her ankle only showing a slight bruise. The whole class at the Academy was surprised. Rose and the other girls whispered. Thank god for Fey healing. Otherwise that little fall might have taken her out for a month, pretty much ending her chance for a good spot at the Academy recital.

"Are you really okay?" Marjorie looked at Julie's foot in surprise.

Julie smiled and cast her eyes down so she didn't have to lie to her face. "Yeah. I told you it wasn't as bad as it looked."

Marjorie surprised her with a hug. "I'm so glad. I don't care if you end up beating me out for number one at some point. You proved yourself a real friend yesterday."

Julie smiled at her, her heart lightening despite her reservations about having a dancer friend. Marjorie was different.

She had to miss a few hours as her first teacher made her get checked out by their school's doctor. That was interesting, especially when she refused to do any blood tests. They weren't needed for her ankle. And there was no reason to risk anything showing up that shouldn't.