Backstage: Third Time's the Charm

Vanessa Morita

Vanessa Morita
Grade 11
Dance Program

I watched as Austin and Bianca left after our rehearsal. Austin was just bad news. But it was weird that Carly was letting him treat her like crap. Cee usually stood up for herself.

Beckett walked over to me while I was peeling off my pointe shoes.

"Can we talk?"

"No," I said.

"Not about us," he said quickly. "It's about Carly." Beckett stopped abruptly as Mindy walked by.

"All right," I said, softening. "This one time, we might be on the same side."

"Have you noticed she seems weird?" He glanced at her from across the room.

Sasha and Carly spoke softly. She shook her head, and Sasha rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"You mean how she's been acting with Austin?"

Carly retreated from Sasha, and left the studio. He turned and walked toward us.

"Are you talking about Carly?" He asked.

I looked at Beckett, and then nodded.

"She's not really going to switch places with Mindy, is she?" I wrinkled my nose.

"It's so dangerous," Beckett said. Both he and Sasha knew what happened when dancers took unnecessary risks.

"I can tell something's bothering her," Sasha said. "She won't tell me what. I was hoping she at least talked to you, Vanessa."

I shook my head. "At first, I thought it was just tense because Austin was her ex. But Cee doesn't normally let people treat her like that."

"I thought it might have to do with her family, or her job, but I'm afraid it's Austin that's making her like this. We all know he's a player, too. Jax told me he's afraid Bianca's gonna get hurt."

"Should we tell Ms. Helsweel?" I asked.

Sasha pursed his lips. "She'd never forgive us."

"But if she's willing to risk Mindy's health? When you were on that muscle workout regime Beckett—"

"Called an intervention," Sasha finished. "But I was the one to come clean in the end."

"Maybe it's time we call an intervention," Beckett said.

Sasha's brows crinkled. "You think Carly would listen?"

"Beckett's right. We need to talk to Cee."

"Not just Carly," Sasha said. "I'll get Bianca's friends too. Maybe we can figure out what's going on if all of us confront them."

We all nodded, and set plans to gather all of us and Bianca's friends after the next rehearsal. Sasha watched as Beckett left.

"Are you guys going to get back together?"

"I don't think so," I said. "You can't make unfair ultimatums, and I don't know if I could trust him again."

Sasha remained silent.

"What else is bothering you?"

I saw tears behind his thick glasses. "Do you think Carly still has feelings for Austin? Do you think she's cheating on me?"

"No," I said quickly. "Carly loves you. And she never told me this, but I don't think she ever really loved Austin. I think he was a rebound after you rejected her."

"Really?"

"Carly adores you Sasha. Besides, why would Austin be so mean to Carly if they were secretly together?"

Sasha bit his lip. "They've done it before."

"And it was easy to see they didn't hate each other. This is different."

"I'm scared, Vee. I've never seen her like this."

"Neither have I."

We walked out together, and headed for our respective cars. The situation with Austin had gone on long enough. Now it was time for us to intervene.