Dance on Water

Setback

I've changed the season I'm basing the story on to season 2, and I changed the first two chapters subsequently.

I slumped down into a chair at the long dining table, this is the first time I would be seeing my mother since I failed the audition. To prepare for the confrontation, I have been dancing nonstop, and this is the first time I am sitting since arriving home. I breathe deeply, thankful for the break, no matter how brief.

The door opens and my mother struts in with Eva following behind. I immediately sit up and stare at my plate to avoid mom's disappointed glower as she aims it at me. I listen to her chair screech back as she goes to sit at the head of the table. She taps freshly-filed stiletto nails against the table patiently, waiting for something, though I'm not sure what. After a few minutes of incessant tapping, Mother clears her throat and I look up to see Eva gone, and the door swinging close.

Glancing at my mother, I notice she is not tapping, but instead gripping tightly onto a steak knife despite the lack of food. Though, knowing this does not stop the tapping in my head. 

Eva strides back into the room holding a ballet bar in one arm and pointe shoes in the other. She goes and sets the ballet bar behind my mother's chair and gestures for me to join her. I walk over and quickly pull the point shoes on before lacing the ribbon and tying them off. Eva nods her head towards the bar and I stand up and start warming up my feet.

The only sounds, accompanying the stretching of my knees and the thudding of my shoes on the marble floor, is the bustle of workers serving food on china plates. I continue through my bar routine listening to my mother cut into a steak behind me, careful not to let my quivering hunger show. I go through my routine with slow precision because even though her eyes are not focused on me, she will know of any mistake or stutter I make in this routine.

Too quickly, she finishes her meal and as she stands up and pushes her chair in,  I stare intently at the floor to avoid any contact with her narrowed eyes. She walks closer, breathing on my neck as I fixate on the swirl in the marble beneath my pink satin shoes. Gripping my arm so tightly her knuckles turn white, and her nails cut my skin, she drags my body away from the bar before backing up and telling me to perform my audition piece for her.

Nodding, I begin dancing, albeit shakily due to nerves and the pounding in my head. Halfway through the dance, my vision goes blurry, but I continue dancing, knowing I am almost done. Finishing, I nod my head at mother, awaiting retribution.

"Pas étonnant qu'elle ne te veuille pas," Mother begins sneeringly, "that was the sloppiest dance I have ever seen, your landing was heavy and your footwork unsteady." (No wonder she didn't want you)

She gestures for me to sit down and eat the salad on my plate, but not before telling me that we will have to work twice as hard this week to fix my bad habits.

~*~ 4 WEEKS LATER ~*~

It is dinner once again, though this time I am the last person to show up in the dining room, having gone to take a shower and fix my hair before arriving for the meal. Sitting in my chair, I silently begin eating the oatmeal served. Mother is almost halfway through her chicken when her phone starts ringing. She sighs before picking it up and answering the call.

"Yes," she says, sitting up straighter.

"Of course" she smiles, glancing at me.

"See you then" she nods, hanging up. Looking at me, she narrows her eyes for a second before smiling and saying "I guess you weren't a complete waste of time go pack your bag we are going to Pittsburgh," she smiles like she won the lottery.