The Face Of Ballet

There Shared Stubbornness

Before the girls could even think about going shopping, well before Nat could drag Lilly shopping, the two needed to get the show done and dusted. The show was in two days and everyone was uneasy, people running around the theatre, dancers falling out of turns with nerves and costumes being altered at the last few moments.

The theatre was buzzing with activity, there was lighting and sound tests every day before the show was scheduled to take place. All dancers practicing on stage in the costumes with lights and music was all so surreal to Lilly- this was really happening.

Lilly was ecstatic about the whole thing, she was excited about getting the show over and done with so she, James, Nat and Steve could go on there group holiday. Lilly was also strangely enough actually looking forward to the parties that are held after each show, she thought maybe it had something to do with James.

Lilly had been to those parties a million times and always dreaded them, but this time she couldn't wait to go- more important she couldn't wait to go with James. Lilly would finally be the know face, although she was sure more people at the parties would know who he was but nonetheless Lilly was still buzzing about it all.

But with excitement also comes the nerves about events before all those wonderful things could happen. Lilly was nervous about the show, she was always nervous before any show she had done but this was different. This was her moment to show the dance world who she was.

Her moment to become what critics would call 'The Face Of Ballet'

Every dancer wanted the title, but more times than not dancers get over looked or would crumble under the pressure of it all.

All those watchful eyes.

Waiting for you to make a mistake.

Waiting for the opportunity to penalise you.

To crucify you with there pen and papers.

Make you a laughing stock.

And tarnish your name,

Once and for all.

Lilly knew what happened to dancers who crack under the pressure of it all, and she was determined not to follow so many down that path, that she was now running on raw adrenaline. She was working herself to the bone, so much so that Nat and Shane were starting to worry about not only her physical health but also her mental health.

So the two did the only thing they thought would help Lilly.

She wouldn't listen to them.

She just kept telling them "I need this to go well, I can't stop"

So they called the only person she would listen to,

James.

The man had a way with words that Lilly would just simply listen to. The two hadn't seen each other in a few days now and James respected that Lilly had her own life away from him and that she was a career driven woman.

Although James had no idea just how hard she was pushing herself and you would be mad if you thought Lilly was going to tell him how she really was, she was too proud to just admit she was struggling to stay afloat.

When James heard that Lilly was struggling but was refusing to admit it, he felt guilty for not seeing through her cool act when on the phone with her. He could usually see right through her, why couldn't he this time?

The last straw for James was when he found out that Lilly was pushing Nat away and that she wouldn't  tell her anything. He knew this wasn't right, Lilly would tell her best friend anything and everything. She would spill all her thoughts as they came to her with Nat.