Endure

E I G H T

Charlie and I went around, helping players with their form and complimenting their efforts.

"One, two, hold three, down four," I counted as I walked by the players. "To the side . . . up . . . hold . . . and in. And back . . . leg high!!" I reminded them. 

I then reached Tom, who was barely lifting his leg off the ground. "What is that?" I nodded to his leg. "Go higher!!"

Beads of sweat now formed on his skin as his face scrunched up in concentration. "I'm trying!"

"Try harder." I crossed my arms.

Tom's blue eyes lifted to me, the usual cocky demeanor that they always held was now nowhere to be found.

I bit back my smirk and kept my smile as I went on to check on the other players.

Ben caught my eye as he followed the dance steps. He glanced from me to Tom, then gave me a look of uncertainty.

"It's fine," I mouthed to him as I walked by. I then turned to the rest of the class. "One, two, hold three--" I broke into laughter as I reached Tom again.

He gave me an odd look as he continued through the routine.

"Look at your arm."

He followed my gaze to his arm that was now awkwardly flailing at his side and chuckled.

"To the front!" I told the class as I stepped closer to Tom. "One . . . Two . . . This is turned," I said to him, grabbing his leg and adjusting his form. "Keep your other leg straight."

"Ah!!" he cried as he struggled to hold his leg up.

"Turn this out. Turn it out." I turned his leg out, so it was in the proper form.

He groaned loudly, dropping his leg.

"You have to hold it!!" I urged him.

He let out a huge sigh. "My leg is shaking."

"I don't care. Lift higher."

He grumbled under his breath, clutching onto the barre again.

I fought back the urge to smile at the irony that now he was the one shaking and struggling this time, when for so long . . . it had always been me.

"Hold your leg up. Let me see!" I told him eagerly, standing in front of him.

He huffed, throwing his left leg up to the side, the entire left side of his body moving along with his movements.

"Don't lift your hip."

"Okay." He nodded, attempting to fix his form.

"Keep your hip down." I grabbed his ankle, as he held his leg out, and I tapped his hip. "Hip down. Hip down. Hip down."

He brought his hip down, instantly making his form better.

"Yes!!!" I exclaimed, keeping his leg up even though it was becoming heavier by the second.

"Owwww," he groaned.

"Turn your foot out and point it." I adjusted his foot, still holding onto his leg which was shaking in my grasp.

He winced. "Maddie, you are killing me," he cried, his voice strained.

I looked up, meeting his eyes.

His face was close to mine, which would've caused my stomach to drop to the floor by now. But in this moment, his eyes held an expression I never thought I see in them.