Anika Rose was okay with going unnoticed. She preferred it. It gave her the time to focus only on school and convince her Mom that dance was a worthy career. But at the start of the new year rumours of a new student float in the air. Anika isn't ple...
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I look at the empty streets, the street lights lighting them up casting a shine over the dew-covered plants in our front yard. I shouldn't be up. But I can't go back to sleep. The urge to dance woke me up. I can't dance yet. I would disturb the quiet peace that radiates through the house. My mom probably wouldn't like being woken by the sound of music and the soft yet consistent taps of my pointe shoes. I have to wait until everyone's awake to busy rushing to get ready to hear me. But even then, my Mom will send Aisha bounding through the halls towards my room where she will disturb my peace with her annoying comments. I get up from my window bench and head for my closet.
Sorting through the multiple knit tops I pick out a grey, teal, mustard yellow blocked sweater with black and white striped sleeves. My usual comfortable sweater is thrown on to a little bench in my closet while I search for bottoms. I flick through a few skirts that I bought during my freshman year in hope that someday in the future I would break out of my shell and decide to be more outgoing. That day has yet to come but I'll keep the various skirts and several dresses in my closet in waiting. I pick out a pair of jeans with a few rips on the knees tossing it on to the ottoman next to the knit sweater.
♥
I unhook the straps of my book bag from my desk chair. First day back to school. First day of my junior year. I will be the youngest in all of my classes. I wasn't supposed to start freshman year when I did, I was supposed to be in the eight-grade still in middle school. I was always the most advanced student in all grades, I have always been curious and love to read hence the large bookshelf in my bedroom. I of course never planned on focusing my time on school I was content with my average grades even though my teachers thought I could better I never tried. When my Mom caught ear of my average marks, she made sure my focus was school. It never bothered me much, now I had a hobby and now I could go after whatever career I wanted but I never wanted to do anything but dance. My mom of course isn't happy with my choice, she hopes that I will change my mind. I have yet to change my mind but she still hopes.
The high school that I attend doesn't do anything related to dance, they have cheerleading but that seems to be it. They don't seem to have any clubs that suit students' hobbies or favourite past times. The main choices for students are cheerleading and sports, mainly football. A stereotypical choice. I have nothing against cheer but it's not for me. It doesn't give me the same pleasure as dance it doesn't convey a story, so I never thought of trying out.
I mainly dance at school. I dance behind the school where certain students go to skip. I never thought of dancing in the gym or anywhere besides the back of the school, all of those considerable places are to crowed, to overwhelming. I happen to be quite content with being out of the spotlight. I like being by myself, lost in a book or lost in dance.
I hear the sound of my sister's pounding footfalls as she races to her closet excited for her first day of the eighth-grade. I suppose since everyone is waking, I can dance without being noticed. Plugging into my favourite song, I get lost in the movements. This was the only time I felt in control; of my mind, of my body and my soul.
