Sister Styles

{2} Miss Suzie

I walked into Suzie's Dance Academy, the basement of the Costa Coffee Shop. It literally felt like home every time I walked in here. I couldn't get enough of it.

Ever since I was a youngling, I've always dreamed of growing up to be a ballerina. I always loved watching the ballet shows my mum took me to as a little girl. I always dreamed of getting dolled up in tutus and perfect buns and pointe shoes and getting out on stage, giving the best performances ever.

I moved swiftly down the concrete hallway, passing photo frames on the walls of old competitions. A smile came upon my face, stopping me to look over my solo dance medal for first place at my first competition back when I was twelve.

I continued walking and finally opened the heavy metal doors to the locker room. I opened my locker, number twenty-three, my lucky number, and tossed in my bag. I found myself staring blankly at the photo that hung up in there of me in my first dance recital.

I've been dancing since I was three. I was the smallest and most passionate in my class. I wore a black body-suit with a pink tutu and cute little slippers. My hair was in a tiny, little bun that hung on the back of my head and just looking at it, you could see how happy I was. I had the brightest smile on my face.

I was always so excited and passionate to get on stage and dance. At my old studio, Simple Little Dancers, my teacher always told me I was the best in the class. She was always making sure I did the best and showed the skills I really had. She could see how much I loved to dance. She could see real potential.

I changed into my white tights, black bodysuit, and black spandex shorts. I pulled out my pointe shoes and laced them up.

I ever-so gently, walked out to the empty studio, and over to the wooden desk with the iPod docking station on it. I plugged in my phone, playing my favourite lyrical song Turning Tables by Adele.

As the song played, I moved so sharply to the music. Pirouettes, pliés, bures, just dramatic movements having me spinning, turning, gracefully jumping all around the room. I watched myself flow so perfectly with the music, it was an indescribable feeling. I loved it.

As the song came to an end, I ended with my arms in arabesque and my toe pointed behind me. I breathed heavily on the floor, looking for the breath I couldn't quite catch.

"You never seem to disappoint me, do you?"

I brought my head up to see Miss Suzie standing in the doorway of the studio, one hand on her hip, another holding a water bottle, and a proud smile on her face. She was wearing a hot pink spandex tank with black spandex capris. Her short blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

"My favourite student working extra hard, very impressive, I have to say." She flattered, moving slowly into the room.

I brought myself to a sitting position. "Just my biggest dream ma'am," I regarded her, still panting hard.

"What makes you love dance so much?" She asked.

She offered the water bottle, which I took. "Well, Miss Suzie," I acknowledged, taking a swig of water. "That's a very good question. I would like to say it's the tutus and hardwork, but really, for me anyways, I look at it and love the movement of the way the body works and flows with the music, creating the most elegant and beautiful picture to watch."

Miss Suzie nodded understanding. "I see," she paused and I took another gulp of the fresh, cool water. "Do you know what I love about dance so much?"

I shook my head.

"The audience," she said hushed, quirking an eyebrow and narrowing her eyes. "No matter how bad you fail at a dance, you could never get booed because the audience doesn't know what the moves are and at what timing. Only you. So even when you finish and you hate yourself for messing up, the audience still loves you and the dance because they think you performed it perfectly."

Miss Suzie had a point. A very strong point. There's a lot of things I love about dance, a new one now added, but my favourite part, is like what I said, the movement.

"Miss Suzie," I interrupted the silence that had fallen between us. "If you love performing so much, how come you're not a performer? Why did you choose to teach dance instead of show it off."

Miss Suzie smiled. "I'm glad you asked that," she hung an arm around my shoulders as we walked towards the bench in the studio. "I chose to teach it because, not only do I love performing it, but I love to see the younger ones smile so cheerful and proud when they finish. It's an incredible feeling watching other people be happy doing what makes you happy. Believe me, Lilli."

I smiled. "That's so thoughtful, Miss Suzie."

She nodded and smiled. "Lilli, there is something I have been meaning to give to you but just seem to keep on forgetting," she said, her hands ruffling around in the pockets of her spandex pants, to pull out a slip of folded paper. "It's an audition slip for you to sign-up and be the back-up dancer of that boyband, One Direction."

My eyes immediately widened as I snatched the sheet from her hands. I scanned over the sheet, looking at the mere details of the information provided.

"The audition is this Thursday, here, and the choreographer has asked me to pick my top five best students to audition. Only one of you will be chosen though."

I looked up at her. My eyes going wild. She didn't know I was Harry's sister, considering I had to have my last name changed to Samson in order to be "incognito", but I couldn't help but shriek and hug her.

"Oh my God! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I squealed in her ear repeatedly.

Miss Suzie laughed and pulled away. I watched as the other girls started piling in for our class. "And if you want that spot," she whispered, "I suggest you perform that dance you just did."

She winked before walking off. The blood in my veins made my body numb at just the small thought of winning that audition and performing with my brother. It would be absolutely incredible and would definitely help get a jumpstart on my dance career.

That was my number goal as of right now. I needed to win that audition.