Life (and Other Things Like It)

Chapter 19

"I'm so nervous!" Anna whimpered.

"Don't be nervous." Mercedes squeezed her hand.

"What about me? Can I be nervous?" Sam was white as a sheet.

"Stop that!" She smacked her lips. "We're all going to do great!"

"Mercy, you're good at school. I'm not."

"I keep telling you you're smart."

His face called her a liar.

She swatted him. "How about you guys? Are you excited?"

Brittany nodded. "Juilliard has to be better than MIT."

Ellen chewed on her lips. "I don't know. High school was hard on me. What if I don't make any friends?"

"Of course you're going to make friends, honey! You already have friends there and you'll make a bunch more!" Mercedes cooed.

"You're so sweet." Ellen beamed.

"I know." Mercedes grinned bashfully.

The others laughed.

"Come on. Let's finish our walk and get back so we can eat a big breakfast to start the day."

M-A-P

Mike yawned. He shouldn't have picked such an early block but he knew he was going to be busy days and needed to wake up as early as possible. Dancing woke him up. So here he was at ‪a 7AM‬ dance class.

Luckily Marcy was with him. They were all on the floor, watching the professor walk back and forth, describing the requirements of the class. The sun blared through the windows as birds continued chirping everyone awake.

He nudged his little sister, whose eyes were glazed over. She looked at him and blinked twice slowly. She mouthed what? to him.

He grinned and mouthed hi back to her.

The corner of her mouth kicked up and she stretched her legs out then one in his direction to rest her foot against his leg. She applied pressure.

He picked her foot up and making sure the professor wasn't looking, dragged her over slowly.

Marcy tried not to grin but a sunny smile broke through anyway. She was tickled by Mike's silly side.

He pulled her over then tugged on her hand to make her splay across him, holding her tightly.

She put her hand over her mouth but a wide grin overtook her features, making her wide eyes narrow.

He swayed gently, humming softly in her ear.

The professor had them all stand up so Mike dragged Marcy up. "Ready?"

She nodded, her finally straightened hair in its strict bun barely moving.

The professor went through the beginning steps and called certain students forward to repeat them.

Marcy was in that first group.

Mike watched her move fluidly and felt pride. His little sister was damned good. She got her talent from him... When that group was finished, the professor picked a new group.

Mike was in that second group. Making eye contact with Marcy, he performed the steps masterfully. At the end, he walked over to Marcy as the next group took over. "How'd I look?"

She kissed his cheek. "Don't get cocky."

His mouth fell open.

She fell into silent giggles.