Le Cygne

Merainte clapped his hands as Brenda finished the 30thfouette of Odile's Coda in the Black Swan pas de deux. Everyone seemed to be astonished, and it seems that this season's Swan Lake has already its Swan Queen. I felt my face turn red.

"That is why I love you, Brenda. You're too wicked," Signor Merainte acknowledged the girl as she bowed down in front of us.

I can see it in her eyes as she catch for air after that dance. Her head is lifted high as if she has the crown. Well, she has it. Only a few ballerinas have managed to make Merainte clap. Least of all, make him love you. He is exquisite, and Brenda reached his standards.

"Next, please." He walked towards the grand piano in the corner and looked at me. "Well give me the white swan please, Clara."

My eyes widened, and it seems like everyone's attention is on me. I stood from where I was sitting on the floor and went to the middle of the dance floor. I looked at Brenda and she smirked at me. I felt my face turned red again.

I pointed my toes on the floor and as soon as the first note was played, I stood on it. The music guided my body as it swayed to the motion of the dance. Suddenly, I feel my body in despair. As I spread my arms to the air and flap it like a swan, I can feel Odette's anguish. Her freedom, taken away from her by a curse. And through this dance, all she could do is hope for a true love that can free her. So that she can spread up her wings again, and fly in the air of freedom.

Then the music ended.

"Bravo! Bravo, Clara! Have you seen that?" He asked them as he neared me. He pat me on his head and said, "That is what I am looking for the white swan. So versatile. So vulnerable. And you gave me that, Clara. That was awesome." I bit my lower lip as I smiled to his praise for me. I glanced at Brenda and it seemed that she does not like it.

"But now, let me see the black swan. Odette's evil twin. Rothbart himself conceived it out of pure darkness. And that is the challenge for you, Clara. Let us see how you transform yourself from a white despaired princess to a seductive, lustful twin of the same personality," he said as he walked away from me again. "You know me, Clara. I want to see the dark in you. Perfectly."

The music started without me knowing it, so I lost a few bars of it. I lost the tempo on the first movement, but I caught up on the third movement. That is, the thirty full-turn of the black swan.

Five turns. It was okay. Ten. It was good.

"Release it, Clara! Release your dark side." I heard Merainte said.

Fifteen turns. My toes are burning.

"I want to see evil. I want to see lust. Everything in the black swan is dark and evil, Clara. And I want you to release it!" I feel my sweat trickling.

Twenty turns. God, please. Let me finish this!

"Release, Clara! Release it!" I am releasing it!

Twenty-five turns.

"Release it!"
Twenty-six turns.

"Release it!"

Twenty seven turns.

"Oh please, stop. Stop."

I fell on my knees as the music stopped to the signor's command. I catch up for air and looked at his face.