The Exceptions

March 22nd, 2149

                                                                                       Daisy

As Daisy woke up and looked at the clock. It was seven-thirty and it was a Thursday, which meant late classes. She looked over and saw that Alessia hadn't woken up yet. Sighing, she got herself up and dressed and made her way to the quietest lounge room. It was empty as usual, and she decided to made herself coffee. She looked at the clock. Nick wouldn't be meeting her for another half hour. Alone time was very dangerous for Daisy. Her past haunted and consumed her mind.

"Daisy and Rosen Romano. Fourteen years old, twins. Eye color, green. Ethnicity; half-Asian, half-white. Mother, deceased," The woman at the desk of the foster home rambled on. Daisy and her brother were getting put in yet another foster home. This wasn't new. What they didn't know, was that this would be the worst one yet, and the last one for them both. What they didn't know was that man was their father, presumed dead.

"He doesn't look nice," Rosen complained in his chair.

"They never are. We just have to do as he says and not fight back. He'll just use us for chores,"

"You never want to fight back. One day, someone's going to hurt us. I could feel it," Rosen said, his green eyes boring into Daisy's with concern.

"We have each other, don't we? We will always have each other," She smiled.

"Yeah, we will,"

"Dice?" Nick asked, entering the lounge.

"Hey," she whispered.

"You okay?"

"I feel trapped," she admitted.

"How?" He bent down in front of her, placing his hand on her arm.

"I'm in a constant cycle of my past. I'm trapped there. Every time I close my eyes I see him. He's haunting me. A-and I feel so- so-" She stopped short as a sob cut her off.

"Broken," Nick whispered, wrapping his arms around her neck. She cried into his shoulder. She was broken, and she was convinced no one could fix her.

                                                                                  Alessia

Alessia arrived in the studio to see Nick and Daisy already waiting there.

"Hey girly," Daisy smiled.

"Hey sweetie," Alessia turned her head and saw Elijah and Charlie walking in. She rolled her eyes and finished tying her pointe shoes before heading to the bar to warm up next to Daisy.

Miss Roan clapped her hands as she entered the studio doors. "Okay, guys, I'm changing your partners up for the Nationals in a few days," She cleared her throat. "Nick and Daisy, Noah and Amber, Matthew and Nicole, you will remain the same. The new partners are Elijah and April, Zoe and James, Noah and Lexie, Cole and Kara, Rosie and Cameron, Alessia and Charlie."

Alessia's jaw practically dropped to the floor. She did not want to be partners with Charlie of all people. "Miss Roan," Alessia raised her hand. "Charlie doesn't know the number I'm supposed to perform at the competition-"

"Oh, yes. He learned the routine in LA. He knows it, why don't you two go to the middle to practice it now," She suggested. Alessia smacked her forehead and made her way to the middle of the room. Charlie placed his hands on her waist, his fingers brushing against her bare stomach, she let out a quiet gasp, making him chuckle.

"What's the matter, pretty?" he whispered into her ear. She could practically hear his smirk.
"Nothing," She grumbled as the music started. Miss Roan was right, he knew the dance. He knew the dance perfectly. It was a pointe performance. You know, the hands-on-your-body-more-than-off type of dance, yeah she hated that it was him.

"Remember you're in love, you can't take your eyes off of each other," Miss Roan explained. As Charlie lifted her, their eyes met. His gaze was so intense she was surprised she was doing all of the steps properly. "Good, very good connection," Miss Roan continued. "Imagine he's your one true love..." Alessia's breath hitched as he lifted her into the air and slowly let her down, their eyes not leaving one another. "Now he is taken away from you..." He set her on the floor as he does a leap to the opposite side of the room. "You're so angry..." Turn, turn, turn. "Good, now show the audience how you feel," She knew what it was like to have someone you care about ripped from you. "You're not angry enough. He's dying. The one person in your life who you never expected to love but somehow did. Now he's slipping from your fingertips." Turn...turn...turn...turn...

"What are you talking about?" Fifteen-year-old Alessia asked the adoption agency.

The woman shook her head. "I'm so sorry. Renzo really is died,"

Tears fell from Alessia's cheeks to the cold tile floor. "But he was supposed to adopt me..."

"I'm sorry, hun. I do however have an alternative situation for you. So you don't have to keep trying for adoption,"

"So, I'm hopeless?"

Run to his arms.

"I didn't say that. I just think this is a better option for you," Alessia frowned. Why did all of this have to happen to her? "I got you an audition for Manhattans Finest."

Alessia's head popped back up. "You-you did?"

Leap to the right.

She nodded her head. "I did,"

"Will I be good enough?"

The woman smiled. "You will be better than good,"

Maybe, just maybe things could look up for her.

Miss Roan clapped as Alessia came off of pointe. "That was perfect! You're definitely ready to Nationals." Charlie nodded with a smirk and thanked her. Alessia looked down to her waist, noticing his arm was still wrapped around her. She pushed it off as quickly as possible and gave Miss Roan her best smile.