Voilà

The Dreadful Dance Classes

Day: 1

 ARYAN’S PERSPECTIVE

          I hate her. I just HATE her! What does she get by humiliating me in public? God! The lounge was thankfully empty. I sat down, massaging my temples. In twenty minutes, I had to be in the ballet studio across the street. We were going to rehearse for an hour every day after work in this studio. It was run by Madame Taffeta, who agreed to lend one of her dance halls to us for a week. Amongst this mess, I had these stupid dance lessons with the person whom I didn’t even want to see, let alone dance with her. This was going to be a very long day.

          I walked out of the lounge grumpily and was trying not to scowl like a kid who was grounded. Nathan joined me near the elevators.

          “What’s with the ‘stay fifty feet away from me’ facial expression?” he asked me. I tried to calm myself down, but my fists refused to loosen.

          “Why is Ms. Attention Seeker bent on humiliating me?” I asked through gritted teeth.

          “Give it a thought. Why do you think she flared up like that? She wouldn’t do that without a reason, would she?” he asked, smirking.

          “Don’t ask me! How would I know? What am I, her shrink?” I exclaimed.

          “Okay! Stop acting like a pressure cooker. You’ll burst one day,” he chided. This only made me screw up my face more and the both of us entered into the elevator. A voice followed by the sound of running footsteps was heard in the corridor.

          “Wait up!” Michael’s voice reached us and he came running. He entered the elevator, sadly out of breath. He kept huffing and puffing till we were in the lobby.

          “Aryan, what’s with the frown? Delicate Madame Taffeta’s going to get scared,” Michael said. I had to laugh at that one.

          “At last, now let’s go dancing!” he said sarcastically. “I can’t believe they are actually giving us lessons. Ballroom dance is a piece of cake,” Blake was walking out of the main entrance alone, so I called him.

          “Hey Blake, we’re going to the studio too. Wait.” I said, increasing my stride. Blake stood there but then he caught sight of Michael.

          “Never mind, I’m believed to emit various dangerous radiations when I sit or stand beside somebody,” he said. Michael looked past him like he was invisible.

          “Come on. We don’t mind some harmful radiations.” Nathan sniggered and threw an arm around Blake’s shoulder.

          In fifteen minutes we were at the studio. It would have taken five minutes if we wouldn’t have walked. It’s time to be eco- friendly, Michelle had proclaimed, with an air of finality. From outside, the studio looked like any other building. Inside, it was like Barbie World. Each and every corner was covered in pink. Pink wallpapers, pink lamps, pink furniture and what not! Little girls in ballet shoes were practicing and staring shyly at us.

          We reached the hall assigned to us. It was on the second floor and was very airy. One whole wall of the room was covered in mirrors and a thin golden band ran through the middle of it. It was impressive. On the opposite side of the mirrored wall was a steel structure fastened to the floor, something like the frame in gymnastics. I sincerely hoped we wouldn’t have to use that. The four of us were the first ones to arrive. Shortly after, the others arrived with Bruce, Michelle, Madame Taffeta and a tall man in a black suit who seemed to be gliding in the air. With his chin high up in the air he had the thin lips of a strict teacher and he walked like a graceful swan (which looked totally gay). June and Rhea were the last ones to arrive. My partner’s eyes were red and puffed which was a clear indication that she had cried. Why? Don’t ask me.