Dancing On Thin Ice // KTH

Chapter 56

Aunt Kass rolled over in the bed and softly nudged a snoring Carmela awake. 

"Carmellita... don't you have work?" She spoke in a scratchy, morning voice.

Carmela eyes fluttered open and she rubbed her face, groaning wearily.

"Ugh, I really don't feel like going at all--" She yawned and sat up in her aunt's bed, stretching her arms.

"It's 11 o'clock though, almost lunch time, almuerzo. Maybe work is off today? Why don't you check your phone? Roxana might have texted you, mija." Aunt Kass got up and out of the bed, walking into her bathroom attached with her room. "I need to leave at 12 for the station."

"Yeah, okay." Carmela slumped out of the room. 

As she walked down the hall to her own room, her mind crazed over everything going on in her fucked up life. Just as she thought things couldn't get any worse after her mom... you know... died... a shit load of problems just dropped into her life, suffocating her even more. It was as if someone was up there, throwing problem after problem at her just for enjoyment. 

She turned into her room and walked over to her night stand where she'd left her phone. It vibrated in her hand as she picked it up. There were text messages from Jules, Jackson and Roxana. She couldn't go to work today... and she wasn't hiding or anything. She was just too... exhausted. And seeing him... no, it was too exhausting. She quickly opened up Roxana's text:

*Be here at 12, noon. Everyone got back pretty early in the morning, so I'm letting you sleep in for a bit. Don't worry. I made Hosi come in at the usual to work on his rap, 8 am.  

Carmela sighed as she typed a reply, sitting on the bed.

*Hey, Roxana. Is it okay if I take the rest of the day off today? The drive tired me out. I don't usually drive for that long.*

She waited a few moments and was about to put the phone down, but Roxana's reply came quick.

*I guess that's fine. Just be here tmrw. The choreography is nearly done, one more class will do it. We gotta hurry tho, the manager keeps asking me when we're gonna shoot the music video.*

*Sorry, I'll definitely be there tmrw. Thx, Roxana."

*Can you call rn?*  Huh?

*Yeah, sure.* 

Carmela dialed the phone and Roxana's strong voice filled her ears.

"Hey--" 

"After the dance is done, we'll need to help the boys practice for the music video but the work schedule will change. There will probably be a couple of breaks for us choreographers when this music video gets released, until the next song of course. Don't worry, an album will be out soon. The boys are practicing and recording day and night. There'll be lots of songs for us to choreograph."

"So I'm gonna have to wait 'till they release another song?"

"Yes... did you not read the job description before you applied?" 

Truth was, Carmela saw the headline words HIRING ROOKIE CHOREOGRAPHERS and immediately signed up. She didn't really read the details like hours or salary or things like that. She didn't know that she would have to take breaks between each of their songs. Guess it made sense though. 

"Ah, I understand."

"You'll still get paid even during the breaks. But the manager said that we can help the boys train for performances and things like that, so that we wouldn't have to take breaks. It's up to you."