TWISTED

Boy, oh boy

Wednesday has rolled around quite fast. It's currently 5AM and I can't sleep. No matter how much I twist and turn. Nothing. After laying in bed for another 20 minutes I decide to stand up and get changed. I put on my ballet attire, grab my point shoes, my bag and a change of clothes. Quietly I walk to the front door and head out. Making sure to leave Redy a note, that I headed out early. I enter the lift and head down. After another 10 minutes I make it to the Uni campus. Hopefully the dance room is unlocked. Like a spy I tiptoe to the room and press down the handle.

"Please, please, please...." It opened. Yessssssss. I head to the front and put my stuff down. Now for light. I approach the switches and try the first one. It lights up a single light in the centre of the room. My lucky day. Thankfully there are no windows, so no one would be able to tell I'm in here. Also, bonus that I discovered the room is padded, meaning the sound doesn't travel outside. Or only very little. I plug my phone into the stereo and put on my 'Nutcracker' playlist. I make sure to turn down the volume , after all it's only me in here. After some stretches I finally put on my point-shoes. Twirling around a few times to get everything warm. 'Sugar plum fairy' starts to play and I get into position.

(until 2:47)

Just standing there in my end position, I breathe heavy. Trying to get the air back into my lungs.

*Clap clap clap*

I jump and let a small scream escape my lips.

"Easy there I didn't mean to scare you like that." A voice laughs at me, coming closer. I squint my eyes to see who it is and as the light hits their face I realise it's... Bada.

"I hope you didn't choose to perform that because I doubt you did that for the first time." She says pointing up and down.

"You actually scared the hell out of me." I clutch my heart, which is running faster than Usain Bolt. She just laughs at me. Straight up, heartfelt laughing. "It's not that funny." I crack, joining the laughter. "I'm not gonna dance that later, I actually decided to do waacking."

"Waacking... not bad. Very difficult, but not bad." She nods approvingly. "But in all seriousness, what are you doing here at this hour? It's only 6:30AM."

"Well... wait I could ask you the same."

"Don't dodge my question. After all I'm your teacher." A smirk appears on her face.

"i couldn't sleep. What about you?"

"Yeah, same. Soooo.... Ballet huh." Awkward silence fills the room.

"Yeah, I've been doing it since I was 4. So, 16 years now. 17 next month." She nods. "Do you want me to teach you some moves?" She thinks for a moment and finally agrees.

"Sure, I've never done it before. It could be fun." She takes off her jacket and lays it next to my stuff.

"Here." I hand her some ballet slippers. "You'll need those believe me." She puts them on and they are tiny on her.

"What size are those? How small are your feet?" She glances up from the floor.

"I wear a European 37/38." I shrug. She looks at me bewildered. "Now come on. Let's get started." We walk to the centre of the room and face the mirror. Bada's exactly a head taller than me. "The most important thing in ballet is your posture. You should always stand straight. Imagine a thread is going thru your body and someone is pulling on it. Shoulders back, chest out, clench the tummy and neck elongated but the head remains lightly tilted up. As if you are looking over somebody's head." She copies my exact words standing as straight as possible.