A Dancer's Heart

5,6,7 and 8!

Today was just a regular day at school. Lunch time me and my crew set it off like usual. Tyler got the radio blasting and my crew setting up outside in the back parking lot of the school. Everyone eats there during lunch so of course we were putting on a show.

My names Lyla Matthews and I'm a dancer.........

Lyla's POV

I been dancing since I was 6. my mom enrolled me in all dance classes. Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, praise, and etc. I clicked to hip hop of course. Doesn't almost everyone.

Hip hop gives you freedom to create your own style or your emotions in an urban way. You'd express your self more in hip hop than ballet because ballet is all about precision. while Hip hop or "Street Dance" is all about your emotions. You're angry-crump, happy-freestyle. catch my drift?

Born and raised in Bronx, New York. I've seen and heard everything and anything you'd call a nightmare, so I guess you could say I'm one of them type of kids. you know the black sterotype. Dancing for money. Nah, I dance just because.

Yeah I got dreams but I know it's not gonna happen. I have a one in a million chance and I don't go in having faith. You see that the thing people ignore, get high hopes for something you know that has a huge impossibility percentage. Anyways I gotta go, my crew is waiting on me.

Me, Meechie, Rocky, Tatiana, and Leo. We are the 718 crew. turned on the radio and we danced. The music played as we danced and all you heard was the rhythm of the beat of a mix tape Meechie made.

It always felt good to dance with them, but we had to stop for a while. There used to be six of us. Another guy named Mikey, Meechie's little brother. Mikey got shot and nearly died. Told you, the Bronx. Mikey is a good kid, so we told him to just focus on school for now. He almost had to be in wheelchair, so he's really lucky. We're all good kids. just trying to make it out.

After our performance we sat down, drinking the Gatorade the school provides us. We all sat at the red center table. Meech (Meechie) and I sat on the top of the table with his arm around me, while Tatiana, Rocky, and Leo sat on the table's bench.

Rocky- Ayye nice freestyle Tatti!
Tatiana- Nah, I think Lyla had the best.
Lyla- Really?
Leo- (stuffing his mouth with food) Yeah Ly you killed it!
Meechie- Should've seen you're face. Dancing pretty hard there, something wrong?
Lyla- No, guess I'm just getting better.
Tatiana- keep getting better you might do something big one day. (gulps her Gatorade)
Lyla- Y'all know I don't believe in that "Shoot for the stars" crap.
Meechie- Why reach for the stars when you got us. ( I smiled and then we kiss)
All- Gross! Eating here!
(We pulled back)
Lyla- Mad or nah? ( I said laughing)

Yeah did I forget to mention that me and Meechie are dating. Meechie's brownskin, Nap high top hair style, 6'4 and just got his braces off. His teeth are all sparkly white and straight. We been rocking for a about 3 months. we started after our little moment in the hostpital when Mikey was shot. I don't know what it I but he just makes me feel safe and adored.

Lunch went on and everybody started heading for the door. Meechie had to leave early, finish a test or something. I picked up my books and was on my way out of the cafeteria when I turned around and there was principal Kelly. Whenever he showed up someone's in trouble. But we were cool. At least I hope.

Lyla- Hey, PK!
Kelly- (clears throat)
Lyla- Principal Kelly.
Kelly- Much better. Now, Ms. Matthews follow me to my office.
Lyla- sure, ok.

What did I do? I'm the good one out of the group. I do nothing! I go to church! If anything it was Rocky and Tatiana they some dare devils. Leo just gone eat and lose weight by working out.

We got to his office and I sat down in the chair in front of his desk. He slid me a tan folder across the desk. "Open" he said not looking up from the papers on his desk. I opened the folder pulled out the packet form from the pocket sleeve inside the folder. I read just the first paragraph and screaming in joy.

PK- Ms. Matthews, congratulations. You have been accepted into the Linderman Academy Of Dance in Manhattan. this is a program to help strengthen your skills. You will be excused from school for 2 weeks. Pack your bags I will take you too the Academy on Monday.
Lyla- Bags?
PK- yes, you'll be living in campus for those 2 weeks and then returning back to school.
Lyla- (I jump up across the desk and give PK a hug.) Thankyou! Thankyou!
(I let go and sit back down) when do I leave.
PK- Next week Sunday. meet me here at the school at 7:00 am.
Lyla- Ok! (Squeals) Until then!

I walked out of his office excited! After school I walked home and told my mom the news. We started celebrating.

We read the whole packet and it says that only 5 students out of the 50 students will get scholarships to attend the whole program for the rest of the school year.

Now, just because I got accepted doesn't mean I still believe in that "destiny is written in the stars" crap I just got lucky. He probably put in a good word for me, that's all. My mom swears I'm stubborn.

Sunday Morning
Linderman Academy of Dance
In Manhattan, New York

Me and Principal Kelly head into the room with the rest the other students in the program. We all take seats in something like a board room. There was a man sitting at the head of the Table. Next to him was this guy. Kind of Cute. Lightskin, looked tall, black hair~ foreign, braceface. he was young though. He couldn't have been a student. Sure was a dancer, looks like he got the body.

Wait what am I doing?!! What about Meechie. I can't. The man who was sitting at the head of the board table stood up right and started his speech.

Linderman- Hello students, my name is Professor Linderman, and welcome to the academy. As you know only 5 out of the 50 of you will be selected to go attend the academy for a full school year. Then only one will become a dancer FOR(uses inphasis) the academy. for the rest of their high school lives. (A students gasps) Prime example (places hand on cute boy shoulder) This young man here, was in your seats last year. He is staying here until it is time to leave for college. Tell them.

Boy- Well, my name is Hendrix and yeah I guess you can say I won the scholarship to the academy. It was hard, and there were some pretty great dancers in my day. Hope you don't let us down.

Linderman- Hendrix, will be one of your dance teachers and in a way of a guidance councler. You need help or in a slump, Hendrix here knows all about it and sure can help. Your Dorm advisors (DA) will assist you on anything other. In the morning.......

Blah Ba-Blah Ba-Blah Blah. he went on and on. yeah I paid most attention but Hendrix, He kept staring at me. at first I thought it was creepy and ignored him. looking away, but when we caught eye contact we both laughed quietly. It was cute. we got our dorm rooms and i had two other roommates.
Dana and Amber. Dana's Ballet, Amber and I are hip hop.

Our DA let us all go to this party on campus where we celebrate making it here. We all got dressed and turned up because I mean if you have a party with dancers-- let's just say your bound to have a good night. Unless you lose in a battle that's--that's adifferent story.

Anyways we get to the hall where the party is and it's mad dope! Electric lights all over, DJ sitting up high above the rest and playing all the right songs. Dana, Amber and I hit the floor and man it was hype. Theses were some amazing dancers. some seniors even showed and the street dancers were awesome. The flips they did, I don't even think they were invented yet!!

While the night kept going I went over to the bar. I sat down with my water and turn over to the person next to me.

Lyla- what? you don't dance?