Our practice session from being plain awkward has now rapidly escalated to exasperating and devastatingly infernal in 2 days. I don't meet his eyes, ever and that screws up our coordination. He consequently gets his knickers in a twist and does that clench thing with his jaw. It's giving me a migraine.
"Alia, Arjun come here." Shruthi calls us ruining our fifth attempt at not blowing our head off at each other.
I'm about to walk away, but Arjun's grip on my waist tightens three fold. "Listen, I know you're being moody about this whole situation. But please stop, because it's a waste of time if you're only half involved." He whispers into my ear, causing a tickling sensation.
I slide my hand from his shoulder to the back of his neck and stand on my tippy toes as I murmur "you don't have to tell me" into his ear. He closes his eyes and steps away.
Let's just say, things became more fucking awkward after that.
Shruthi looks angry. "By the looks of it, it doesn't seem that the two of you have been practicing. I want to see it now." She gestures us to move to the centre of the room and hits play.
As Prokofiev's masterpiece fills the room, I instantly drop my anger and agitation and we start flowing together. It's lovely how music can be so soothing. The ball dance doesn't look like a joke anymore, it's perhaps, tolerable. We finish five sets around the hall, without looking at each other, and I know Ms Shona is going to be disappointed about that. Arjun is concentrating hard. He's a nice boy my inner goddess remarks. She's short sighted.
Shruthi pauses the music. "Well, it's looking good. We can learn a few more steps today and then the rest of the choreography the two of you can plan together", she says pleased.
"Is the entire play ready?" Arjun asks.
"The ball scene, finding Cinderella scene and final bow, is still left. Those include your acting roles. You can start working on that later today." Shruthi explains. "Now we're going to start Cinderella right from the top." She tells us and then loudly screams clapping her hands, receiving everyone's attention in a flash, "Cinderella Act 1 Scene 1 in twenty seconds, get into places!"
Arjun and I exchange a look. A creepy understanding each-other kinda look. He walks to the left and settles down on a couch while I walk to the right and take my place. This is going to be a very very long day. Times like this, I don't want to be in the spotlight.
I run a mental revision of all the scenes:
Act 1
Scene 1 - Playing and feeding the birds and animals.
Scene 2 - Step mom's tantrum and letter to the ball arrives. Everyone starts flipping.
Scene 3 - Dance teacher scene.
Scene 4 - Dance with broom prince and delivery of ball gowns for step sisters.
Act 2
Scene 1 - Cinderella's animal friends make a dress for her!
Scene 2 - Cinderella begs her family to let her go to the ball, now that she has a dress but they nastily tear it apart.
Scene 3 - Fairy Godmother comes to the rescue and transformation.
Act 3
Scene 1 - The ball. A couple group dances and step sisters fight to dance with Prince Charming, followed by a scandalous attempt to forcefully dance with him.
YOU ARE READING
Finding Him and Me
Ficção Adolescente"If you were a boy, I'd ask you to take off your t-shirt for spoiling mine." He retorts "If this wasn't a restaurant I'd slap you across your arrogant face". I spit with anger. Alia plays the role of Cinderella in her Ballet Academy. One fine night...
