Not another Day at the Beach

Chapter 14: Big Girls Cry

POV: Sadie
_______________________________________

"And fouttes two, three, four, five six seven eight! Grand jete, two three four! Hit it! Make it sharp!" The dance teacher shouted.

I sat in the viewing room, watching Addison practice. She was in a room with about twenty other girls, who pirouetted around her in pointe shoes. She was wearing a black tanktop and a berry-colored sheer skirt over shorts, with her hair pulled back into a neat bun. She moved quickly on her feet, balancing on her pointe shoes. All the girls seemed surprisingly focused, especially considering the fact that their dance teacher was practically screaming at them.

"Point! Switch! Point! Switch! Point! Switch! Back...and turn!"

"Lillie is looking a little clumsy today." A mother behind me whispered.

"Well, the girl isn't that toned." Another mom replied. "A little muscle would do her good."

Uh...ok. Body shame much? Were these women actually discussing the bodies of adolescent girls in casual conversation?

"Elle isn't looking exactly svelte either." Another woman interjected. "And those thighs..."

"A little big for a thirteen year old."

Ok. That was it.

"I'm sorry...but when did a child's body become any of your business?" I interrupted, turning to face them.

The mothers looked up at me in unison, raising their eyebrows.

"Dear, it's impolite to eavesdrop." One of the women chastised.

"So, it's somehow less impolite to be criticizing the bodies of prepubescent girls?"

"It's coming from a place of love. We're simply worried about them."

"Worried? They're doing strenuous exercise for almost three hours every day, they're clearly healthy." I replied, pointing at the girls.

"You're new here, aren't you?"

"Yes, but what does it matter?"

"I don't think you understand the dynamics here, sweetie."

"Oh! I apologize. I wasn't aware that you had to be a bitch in order to be in this little...judgemental moms club."

"Calm down."

"Calm down? Are you fucking-"

"Don't say anything if you're going to use that language!" One of the moms snapped.

"Fine. I won't say anything." I said.

I turned around, then quickly stuck out my middle finger at them.
The moms rolled their eyes, before going back to conversing. I put my earbuds in, and scrolled through the music on my playlist. The ladies probably thought that I was already listening to something, based on the fact that they started talking shit again.

"Addison is looking a bit...soft." One mother whispered.

"She must be snacking too much. She looked fine last month. Her thighs have really ballooned out-"

I forcefully pulled out my earbuds in rage.

"What the hell did you just say about her?" I said angrily.

"What?"

"Addison. I didn't know about any of those other girls you were talking about, but I know for a fact that Addison isn't even remotely overweight."