Strangers With Memories

Ten

10 • When dance happened
Ricky point of view
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⠀⠀⠀I think she's jealous, why else would she ask? I purposely made her jealous, it obviously worked. Chloe gets mad easily, I'm surprised she didn't ask who I was supposedly dating.
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⠀⠀⠀Maria and I have been getting along pretty well, it's been three days since Chloe left so we haven't had the time to argue. She's a quiet child, does good in school, is educated, she doesn't bother me at all.
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⠀⠀⠀Out of nowhere, Maria comes out of her room with a bag, ballet tights and a leotard on, her hair's in a ponytail. She's gathering bobby pins to put on her hair, I'm guessing she's making a bun, but why?
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⠀⠀⠀She looks at me crossing her arms. “What are you waiting for? Ballet class starts in 15 minutes and we haven't left the building!”
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⠀⠀⠀”You dance? Your mom said nothing about dance.” I explain.
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⠀⠀⠀She sighs rolling her little eyes at me. “My mom isn't very supportive, she says it's only an after school activity. Just take me there and pick me up in 4 hours.” Maria tells me walking her way out of the apartment with me.
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⠀⠀⠀”Isn't 4 hours too much? You're like 11, don't you need to study for school?” I ask making my way into the elevator.
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⠀⠀⠀”I do 5 styles of dance. Today's only ballet, so yes 4 hours of ballet. The rest of the week is like 6 hours. I have a bunch of classes, ballet, acro, jazz, contemporary, lyrical. I also don't need to study, I usually get A’s or just B’s but I don't really care.” Maria explains her busy schedule.
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⠀⠀⠀It has been 4 hours, I'm guessing it's time to go pick up Maria. I hope I don't get lost like I did earlier, she almost killed me. It makes me remember the times I had to take Chloe to dance, I'd always get lost on purpose so I could spend more time with her.
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⠀⠀⠀I walk in the place looking for Maria, there is a group of ladies talking and I hear Maria's name being said.
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⠀⠀⠀”She's great, she'll beat our girls every single competition.” A short lady says.
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⠀⠀⠀”The teachers probably favor her, I bet her mom is paying extra.” A weird looking one complains.
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⠀⠀⠀I groan at the comments, the kid's only 11, she doesn't need adult women putting her down. In front of me, I was surprised to see Maria dancing. She dances with passion. She dances around like a star. She dances like her mom, she dances like Chloe.
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⠀⠀⠀A/N- I love Maria so much! The fact that she dances, just makes me smile.