A Close Second

First

Hello!

I hope you're good and all. I'm going to be rewriting this since when I reread it, it's not good at all. I hope you guys still support it.

Thank you!

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"And 5, and 6 and 7 and 8. Stop." Utos ko, clapping my hand along the beat. They stop at my command and I smile. "Great job, guys! That was perfect!"

I grinned as everyone broke the poe they were previously on, nagpupunas ng kanikanilang mga pawis or dumeretso sa mga pwesto nila para kumuha ng tubig. We have already been practicing a straight hour and a half already. I was happy na naging madali naman sa amin ang pag polish ng mga natitirang steps na kailangan naming tapusin.

"Really amazing, guys." I told them, nodding. Ngumiti ako habang nakatingin sila sa akin, the others cheering in agreement. "With that being said, I'm dismissing everyone now."

This earned surprised expressions from everyone to which I understood. We weren't just practicing a random dance number. We had an upcoming competition within the next month, a grand one at that since this was the height of our dance careers.

At least in senior high.

Aside from being bombarded with a lot of responsibilities, being in the last grade for your senior high before college, dancing—competitively, might I add—was a great relief for the most of us.

This was the Artists in Motion Dance Troup, Northridge Academy's official dance group and we held ourselves as high as people's regard for the school itself.

We always wom. At least while I had the reigns on it.

"I know na hindi pa nga tayo nakakadalawang oras ng practice, but it's quarterlys already. I want everyone else home in 30 minutes and cracking books open, understand?"
"Makikipagtalo pa ba tayo?" sagot ng isang kaklase kong si Dennis.
"Ang bait naman ni Madam! Concerned!" pang aasar naman ni JP na isa rin sa mg aka-year ko.
Tinaasan ko sila ng kilay. "I'm enforcing this because of you two. Lalong lalo ka na JP."

Napatawa lang yung ibang mga members ng AIM. I smiled, kahit na medyo pabiro ang sabi ko, alam kong alam nilang seryoso ako. They knew that grades were no laughing matter to me.

"I repeat. I want everyone cracking books open, and I'm giving you a whole week off. Pero pagdating ng Friday sa akin, wala akong mababalitaang nakakuha ng marks below 85, got it?"
"Pwedeng patawad hanggang 75?"
Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Dennis. "Walang line of 7. Ones who get them, hindi magpeperfor sa competition. Got it?" I gave him a raised eyebrow. "You guys know that I find adjustments in the dances easy, right?"
"Y-yes, ma'am!"

And with that said, everyone gets dismissed. I smiled at myself habang nilapitan ang mga equipment ng troupe. Our school had classrooms dedicated for our classes, which would be a given but we also had  electives with each year and there was a special dance class that was held along with PE every year, hence the dance room that we were in right now. 

The room was all mirrors, and it's great for us since we had a special place to practice officially which was oe thing we didn't need to worry about.

"Courtney, thank you sa notes."

A classmate of mine had approached me. Kyla stood beside me habang abot sa akin ang notebook ko sa Economics. I smiled and took it from her with both hands.

"No problem." Sabi ko sa kanya, standing up. "And pinost ko na sa group natin sa Facebook yung mga assignments for the week."
"Talaga? Salamat! Ang laking tulong nun."
"Alam ko naming mahirap magkatigdas." Tugon ko, smiling at her. "Tell me if there is anything else I can help you with, okay?"