Dance Your Troubles Away

Chapter Seven - Storme

Chapter Seven

Storme

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." - Alan Watts

Filming does not begin immediately, but we are given some time to settle into our new way of life. I start spending most of every day at the studio, along with the people who are acting on the show too - sometimes over twelve hours a day. I barely see Lily and Mum and Sam. I get the bus there at nine in the morning, without Lily, and Mum picks me up from Atlas at nine in the evening. I don't even know what's going on in their lives any more, after spending a week in this new routine. I never see Sam before he gets put to bed, and as for Lily... she's an absolute mystery to me. Her side of the bedroom transformed into an art studio when I wasn't looking, complete with pots of coloured paint water and dirty brushes that keep leaving stains on the carpet. I'd shout at her, but I'm not sure I have a right to anymore. I don't even see her at school. Me, Rose and all the other soon-to-be stars have started a homeschooling program at the studio. It's not too bad, but I think I preferred school. There were far less distractions than there are now, sitting in a makeshift classroom full of all my best friends.

I've left behind my group at school and there's very minimal contact between us now - just a few boring text conversations and some Facebook group messages. They weren't ever very interested in my dance life, or my life at all really. We were like colleagues, not best friends. Our friendship wasn't strong enough to last through the change.

Speaking of best friends though... Rose and I may not be in the same place as we were at showcase, but our friendship is definitely improving. I think we're both slowly realising that we're going to need each other through all of this. I currently spend most of my time with Lyss and the others, working and training hard, but I know that when we start filming and the place is full of camera crews and producers, I'm going to have to start spending a lot more time with Rose, on screen and off. We still haven't officially met the writer and director of the series, Anthony's ex-student Katie Wells - she's coming to Atlas today to give us our scripts and talk to us about what she wants from us. I'm in the car with Lyss right now on the way to dance, eating toast out of a tinfoil package because I woke up too late to eat a proper breakfast.

"You girls excited about today?" Lyss' mum Michelle asks, twisting around in the front seat to look at us.

"Mmhmm," Lyss says noncommittally, staring out of the car window in deep thought.

"Sort of," I say. "I'm a bit nervous though."

"You're always nervous," Lyss comments. "You need to loosen up a bit and take things as they come. If you're going to be famous that's important."

"Who says I'm going to be famous?" I laugh. I hadn't thought about it like that, but now I'm realising that there's a chance I could be.

"Who do you think? You got cast in the starring role, Storme."

"Joint starring role," I correct her.

"Whatever. My point is, you're talented, and everybody knows it. You're gorgeous and sweet and kind, and you have everything it takes to be a star. You'll get there if you want to."

It's weird to hear Lyss singing my praises. We're always good friends to each other, helping each other up when we're down and that sort of thing, but she's never said anything like that before.

"Thank you. But why are you telling me this?" I ask.

"You don't believe in yourself enough, Storme. You don't know what a good dancer you are - I mean, you're really, really good."

"Seconded," Michelle calls out. I blush.

"Don't let me get a big head," I say, to cover up my shyness at that confession. "But you're all those things too, Lyss. I kind of wish you were starring with me too, instead of Rose."

"Everybody wants to be you or Rose right now," Lyss tells me. "All the little kids look up to you. One of them actually asked me for your bloody autograph, for when you were a celebrity."

"Language, Alyssa!" Michelle warns.

"Are you serious?" I laugh.

"Yup. Does that feel weird?"

"Very," I gulp. We pull up outside Atlas and jump out.

"Thanks for the lift, Mum!"

"Thanks, Mrs Hanwell."

"Pleasure." She drives away and we walk to the door.

"Would you be able to give me a hand with these?" someone says, in a distinctly posh London accent. It's a very young blonde woman, holding a teetering stack of paper.

"Sure!" We unload some of them into our arms, and as I'm doing so I catch sight of the front cover, which says in a simple black font 'Step One, Episode One'.

"Are you Katie Wells?" I ask incredulously.

"I am indeed," she smiles. I suddenly feel the overwhelming need to make a good first impression. "And who might you be?" she asks.

"I'm Lyss Hanwell," Lyss says, beaming. She's not a show off, but she is confident and friendly around new people and has no issues with becoming their friend straight away. I wish I shared that talent.

"Hi, Lyss!" Katie greets her, as we make our way to the front desk of Atlas to dump the scripts.

"I'm Storme Forrest," I tell her, shyly, not quite anticipating the greeting that follows.

"Ah, my leading lady!" she cries, and wraps her arms around me in an enthusiastic hug. I hug her back, surprised. She's much younger and friendlier than I expected her to be. "It's so great to finally meet you!" she says quickly, and then glances at her watch. "I've got to be at a meeting with your teacher in about thirty seconds, but I'd love to talk to you and your friend Rose later, get your input on your character and stuff... once you've read the script of course. How would that be?"

"Awesome." I smile genuinely, and she thanks Tracey for her visitor's badge and hurries off to Miss Rachelle's office. It's only then that I notice that Lyss has left. That's strange. Instead of going to find her, I decide to look for Rose, to tell her that Katie's here. We've been looking forward to this moment all week.

I quickly open the door to the girls' changing room and check inside. It's empty and at first I think there's no one there, when suddenly I hear a soft sound that sounds a lot like someone crying. I look round the corner and sure enough there's Rose, quietly sobbing with her hand over her mouth, like she's trying not to make a sound.

"Rose, are you okay?"

She jerks her head up and immediately stops crying and swallows, dragging her hand roughly over her eyes.

"Of course," she insists briskly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because..." I see a warning in her eyes that seems to say 'please don't ask'. So I don't. "No reason," I say, brushing it off like it's nothing. "Guess what? Katie Wells is here!"

"Really?" She bounces up and rubs away from her eyes any telltale signs of tears. "Have you met her?"

I tell her in great detail what happened and try to forget what I saw, but it's not going away. There's something wrong, and I wouldn't be a good friend if I left it alone.

© 2014 Matilda B