Top Class (On Top Sequel)

Chapter 26

*Jade POV*

I felt the wave of human interaction and enthusiasm from stage as I made my final bow as Clara.

It felt miserable.

Phil stood by my side with one hand on my waist. We both stood center stage getting another set of bows for the work we pulled off. I found this part of the ballet to be the worst of the night. Since I was the lead of the show, I had to bow multiple times, so that if the audience hadn't seen me bow the first time, they could watch me do it for the next twenty times.

Oh and I was smiling too. The leftover energy from the performance was fueling the smile at the moment even though I knew I needed that energy for the dinner later on. How else was I going to be able to pull off talking in front of my grandmother?

I watched as Ms. Olivia and her husband alongside their two children walked out to wave at the audience while the rest of the dancers behind me came up to join Phil and I, grabbing hands and positioning ourselves for one final bow.

The moment the curtains closed I dropped to the ground and started ripping off my pointe shoes. Lucy and Alice were not far behind me as the two were on the floor as well, taking off their pointe shoes.
Nothing felt better than the bittersweet relief of taking off a pointe shoe after the show and feeling your foot throb in the open air.

"Girls, please! Don't take your shoes off here. What are dressing rooms for?" Ms. Olivia asked as she rushes up to the three of us.

"What's there to hide? Everyone here has the same pain in their feet." Alice pointed out as she too was spreading out her toes in the open air. I glanced at Lucy who now had both shoes off and was rolling her feet in circles as she looked at Ms. Olivia and Alice. Her eyes stopped at me and she grinned.

"Not everyone here is a dancer, girls! You are forgetting the stage crew." We all looked up at one of the wings to find two teenage boys rolling up ropes while talking. They must have felt us starring because they turned to glance at us. I immediately caught the uncomfortable feeling they both felt by their physical actions. Good, I enjoy making people uncomfortable.

"Hi there!" Alice said in a high-pitched voice as she waved over to them. One of the boys waved back while the other kicked the other in the foot, telling him most likely to stop. 

"Is there anyone, you can't flirt with Alice?" Lucy asked with an amused look to her friend. Alice shrugged in answer while Ms. Olivia just sighed heavily.

"I bet she can't flirt with Ms. Olivia." Someone sat down next to me. I turned to find Todd sitting there, already in his warm ups from before curtain call. He was grinning at Alice daringly, waiting for her to make a move. She was gapping at him while Lucy was staring at Todd as if he was crazy. Ms. Olivia on the other hand now had her hands on her hips and was glaring at Todd.

"Don't you dare convince her of doing anything stupid, Todd. I've seen your type before and I know when your type pulls off tricks like such." Todd gave the teacher a small smile before shrugging and glancing at me.

"Olivia! Where do you want me to put the adult dresses?" a dance mom called out from backstage. We all turned to watch Ms. Olivia glare at the exit, a noticeable hate for dance moms in her aura.

She quickly turned back to us and told us to scat so with some effort, we left the stage and started for the hallway.

"I could have flirted with Ms. Olivia if I wanted too, Todd," Alice said with confidence. Lucy scoffed in response before pushing Alice into one of the walls.

"Don't get him going again, Alice." Alice bounced off the wall and started rub her left arm.

"What the fuck Lucy?"