𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬: 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐊𝐇𝐈

20. | G I R L F I G H T

C H A P T E R | TWENTY
GIRLFIGHT

𝚂 𝚃 𝙾 𝙽 𝙸 𝙵 𝙻 𝙾 𝚁 𝙴 𝚂

"5...6...7...8..."

STONI followed through with the count that her ballet instructor counted off for the entire class. The beat of the classical music playing through the speakers accompanied their graceful movement as they stood up on pink silk disguised wooden point shoes and followed the beat and the eight count. Like a graceful swan she extended her neck and then her leg, holding it up as her instructor had taught them and grabbing the railing for support until she followed the count to let go.

Her teachers told her she had a real knack for ballet but lately she'd been feeling a little weird - - off balance. Maybe it was because she was coming down with that she assumed to be the flu, that she wasn't completely herself.

"Flores," her teacher called out her name amongst the crowd, "Extend your leg completely - -," she heeded the warning, "Don't forget your arm - - grace Flores - - grace," she reminded and quickly Stoni attempted to correct her sloppy mistake.

"I'm sorry madame," Stoni said and leaped across the room following suit with the rest of the class. In the mirror she saw her reflection and was like a gazelle, pouncing across the wooden stage and mirrored bars.

"Better," her teacher said, "Better - - extension, Flores - - extension."

"Yes madame," she said, and extended her arms and legs just so and got ready for the next leap. Her eyes found the spot where she was to land and when the violin hit, she leapt but she didn't quite land the jump. Stoni grabbed the railing and stopped herself from falling, breathing hard, panting and staring at her point shoes.

"Are you okay, Stoni?" Her teacher asked, sifting through the other girls and coming to Stoni's aid, "Look at me," her French accent traveled to Stoni's ears and she grabbed her face and looked Stoni in the eyes, "Are you okay?"

"I don't feel so well," Stoni said and slowly pulled herself up, "May I be excused to the rest room madame?" She nodded and moved so that Stoni could get through, "Thank you."

Stoni spent the rest of the class period inside the women's bathroom stall throwing up her lunch. When she finally got it all out she walked back to the classroom and saw her classmates beginning to file out of the room. She walked over to her gym back and sat on the floor, untying the ribbons of her point shoes, "Is everything alright, Stoni?" Madame said in her sympathetically French accent, "You were gone a long time."

"Yes," Stoni laughed, "I'm fine - - I think I'm coming down with something," she took a water bottle from her bag and drank it like she hadn't drank water in days, "Ugh, I'm so dehydrated. I think I just need to take some cold medicine and rest. I'm sorry for disrupting class."

"Get your rest," she patted Stoni's back, "The auditions for the spring recital are in a few weeks - - I've already put in a good word for you with the judges," Madame said and watched Stoni's eyes light up - - the spring recital was a huge deal and everyone at Juliard in the dance program wanted to be a part of it but only few succeeded. "You have real talent - - more talent than I've seen in a while," she said, "I want you to ace the recital. Everything is riding on the audition so you musssst practice the routine vigorously. You must sleep, breathe, and eat this routine, Stoni."