Backstage: Third Time's the Charm

Carly Catto

Carly Catto
Dance Program
Grade 11

"I need everyone to gather in the center," Ms. Staut said. She called the primas over after they had finished stretching.

Ms. Staut didn't normally join us at prima practice, but she'd decided to make the announcement that the primas were going to be helping Austin.

Austin and Bianca walked into the studio as we all gathered around her.

Sasha stared at Austin suspiciously. "What is he doing here?" He whispered to me and Vee.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, and waited for Ms. Staut to continue with the announcement. "Some of you might know Mr. Taylor. He filmed promotional videos for Keaton's website. He's asked that the primas be in his short film, and I have graciously agreed."

Beside me, Vanessa groaned quietly. I suppressed an eye roll. This whole thing had been my idea.

"Now, I leave you in Ms. Catto's capable hands for the remainder of the practice."

My ears pricked. Had Ms. Staut just called me capable? I thought she hated me.

Austin stepped up to me, and smiled. I'd grown to hate that smile. "Ready to work, suds?"

Bianca looked at Austin curiously, but didn't say anything.

I forced a grin. "I'll show you what we've been working on."

The primas began a complicated routine. Vanessa and I ended the routine with duet, beginning with a fouette. Vanessa faded into the background as we moved toward the final formation. Sasha and Beckett were essential to this part. The primas gathered around me, and lifted me into the air. It was one of the most complex lifts Vanessa had ever choreographed.

After we finished, Austin clapped slowly, just to irritate me.

"That was amazing!" Bianca said. "It will work so well with the final song."

"There's always room for improvement," Austin smirked. "Let's take it again from the top."

"Are you going to let him boss us around like that?" Mindy asked.

"He's the director." I shrugged. "We need rehearsal time with Bianca anyway. Let's run it again."

Sasha and Vanessa looked at each other.

Austin managed to make all of us miserable the rest of the day.

"I can't believe Ms. Staut is making us do this." Vanessa pulled on a pair of tennis shoes.

"We'll be okay," I said. I touched up my makeup in the bathroom mirror. "You have a ride home? I'm going out with Sasha after this."

"Yeah, my mom's picking me up." Vanessa squinted at me. "Are you really cool with this? I mean Austin's your ex."

"We have to be professional, right?"

"Yeah..."

I slipped out of the bathroom and into Sasha's arms. He hugged me tightly.

"Must have been rough seeing Austin today."

"I'm fine." I pushed Sasha away. He looked hurt for a moment, and then brushed it off.

"Ready?"

*******

Sasha, Kit, Jax, and I sat around a table at Starbucks and sipped our coffees.

"Earth to Carly," Kit teased. "Where are you today?"

I blinked. "Lost in thought?"

Sasha rolled his eyes. "Our teacher brought in Carly's ex to film a short film with the primas."

"Ouch," Jax said.

Kit eyed me. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," I snapped. I pushed the chair away from the stable and stood. "I'm going to the bathroom."

Kit followed behind me. "Seriously, Carls. You seem tense. I mean he's Austin right. He's a total jerk. And I'm worried about Bianca hanging out with him too. But if anything's wrong, you can talk to me."

"I need people to stop asking me if something's wrong!" I yelled.

No one could ever know what Austin knew. Especially Sasha. I loved him too much to risk losing him. And I worried that if Sasha found out I gotten him kicked off the primas, he'd never forgive me.