The Glimmer Girls.

1. Opening Night.

(Bella's POV)

Everyone has a their own pre-show ritual, and the Glimmer Girls were no different;

Iris, the head Glimmer Girl, would brush her hair 45 times through as it was her lucky number.

Grace, would hold a note for as long as she could without fainting to prepare her vocal chords.

Eva, would shake her 'Lucky Consuela Hula Girl' around her head 5 times in a circular motion to calm herself.

The other Glimmer Girls would also do their own strange activity so they weren't dripping with nerves before stepping onto stage; some weird, some difficult and some naughty.

Take my girlfriend, Sabrina for example. She only recently joined, after I had been begging her for weeks and somehow has already scored herself a lead solo number in the show, to prepare herself, she pulls me away to have some alone time...

We stand in the smoking area, which is a long alleyway outside by stage door, that is cut off from the rest of the street by a chain link fence. The back alley is dark and damp and only slightly lit by the glowing 'stage door' sign and the fire exit lights.

Sabrina has me pinned against the cleanest spot on the brick wall and stares me down with her dark brown eyes, twinkling in their spheres.

"We shouldn't be out here." I say, pushing Sabrina off me. "What if someone catches us, you know I'm not out yet."

This technically isn't true as most people already know I'm gay, however, none of the team know I'm dating Sabrina and I'm not ready for them to find out... It's nothing against Sabrina! I just know the other girls and I know they'll judge me for dating the newest dancer on the squad. I have a reputation to uphold, I'm a Glimmer Girl legacy. My mom and grandma were both lead Glimmer Girls in their time. One day, that title will be mine. I can't let dating a newbie hold me back.

Sabrina grins and kisses me on the nose. "I know, I know. I just never get to spend any time with you! Ever since I joined, which I only did for you, you've constantly been hanging around Iris and her friends and following their every need. What if I have needs?"

"I'm not following her every need!" I demand. "She's my friend- they're my friends. And- I can't just drop them because you've joined."

Sabrina has never trusted my glimmer girl friends. (Sorta with good reason). The Glimmer Girls have a reputation for being backstabbing bitches that will stop at nothing to get their way. This is kinda true for some of them, however my friends were always sweet to me.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't realise that you're supposed to follow your friends every wish and command." Sabrina sarcastically says, referring to my friendship with Iris. "She's clearly using you to make herself look like a better dancer. Which is why she was so mad when I got the lead and not her."

I frown and shake my head at Sabrina. Personally, I believe Iris is misunderstood and is genuinely really sweet. It just takes a little for her to open up to people. Sabrina will never understand me.

Before we can say anything more, our short and plump dance teacher, Miss Vonne blasts through the stage door.

"Ten minutes till we go on, girls!" She yells, clapping her hands vigorously. "Smoke break over!"

I begin to spin around but am stopped by Sabrina raising her brows and patting her lips together. What does she mean? My eyes are immediately drawn to her plump lips and my mind gets lost in all the kisses I have planted on them. I wish I could pull off a dark purple lip, like Sabrina. Instead, like most of the other girls I just stick to basic light pin- Oh God! I suddenly zap back into reality as I realise what Sabrina meant. Her lipstick must have imprinted on my lips, leaving a purple stain. Shit.