Unpredictable (A Dance Story)

Chapter 27

*Abbie's Point of View*

"Do it again, but hold your leg up a little higher."

I refrained from sighing audibly, stepping once more into my arabesque. I leaned forward a little bit to get my back leg up, hoping nobody would really notice. The old costume I was wearing irritated my sensitive skin, making me even more eager to take it off.

"Almost," said the photographer, "But don't make that face."

I nodded, making the wide-eyed contemporary face. Miss Sarah winked at me from the side of the room, a silent approval. I tilted my face to the ceiling and held my arabesque for as long as I could, pushing my leg higher before coming out of it.

"Perfect!" exclaimed the man holding the camera, clicking through pictures.

"Thank you," I said politely, "Is that all?"

"Yes, yes, go ahead," he replied, waving his hand in dismissal.

I bowed my head in thanks and made my way out of the dressed-up studio, relieved. Miss Sarah made sure to do yearly dance-photography sessions for competing classes before Nationals. It was good to have some head shots and impressive pictures on-hand, especially for soloists.

"How'd it go?" Holden asked, looking ridiculous in some classical ballet costume Miss Sarah had made him wear.

"Good," I replied, grabbing my phone off the table, "Now smile!"

Holden groaned and turned away from me, but not before I snapped a picture. "Aw, how cute. I'm totally sending this to your girlfriend."

"You wouldn't," he said, horror filling his gaze.

I laughed and waved the phone in his face. "Already did!"

"I hate you."

"I know."

"What did they make you do?"

"Just an arabesque. Easy stuff."

"I hope they let me wear a mask or something. I really dislike ballet costumes."

I wrinkled my nose. "Sucks to suck."

"You know, you are a horrible friend sometimes."

I blew him a kiss. "Just doing my job."

He rolled his eyes at me. "So. Are you and Ella back on speaking terms?"

I considered that for a second. "I don't know. She performed that solo really well, so I congratulated her. But I'm still mad."

"Wow. I'll never understand girls..."

"Hey! It's not like YOU talk to her!"

"I have my reasons. One of which is the fact that she'd probably bite my head off if I tried. But she apologized to you. You're in the safe zone."

I shrugged. "Okay. So I'll talk to Ella again if you do."

"Um."

"By the way, Madison texted back. She said she likes your new look. And so does half the school."

"You're kidding me, right!?"

I winked. "Always keeping you on your toes."

***

"Are we really-" Holden started, but I cut him off.

"Shhhhh. Just let it happen."

We trudged down the driveway, approaching Ella's house. Showing up uninvited could either be a great idea, or one of the worst we'd had in a while. The thing was, I didn't know how much more awkwardness any of us could take. It was official: I wanted my best friend back.

"Abbie, I'm not sure about this. Seriously."

I turned to Holden.

"Are you chickening out on me?"

He shifted from foot to foot.

"I, um...I guess I am."

He sighed and turned on his heel, leaving me standing on Ella's doorstep alone. I thought about what I could do to stop him from leaving, feeling panicked. This wasn't just my problem! We all needed to work things out! I reached out and rang the doorbell, then lunged in Holden's direction.

"No, you get back here," I muttered, grabbing his arm. He tried to shake me off, startled.

"Abbie, what the - "

"Hello?"

We both stopped fighting and stood up straight.

"Oh, hi, Mrs. Ford," I said, "Is Ella home?"

Ella's mother nodded, looking at Holden. "I think she went out on the deck. You two can come inside. Though I have to say, it's been a while since I've seen you around!"

Holden gave a little smile. "It's been pretty busy lately, Mrs. Ford."

"Oh, believe me, I know."

We stepped into Ella's entryway. As soon as Mrs. Ford turned her back to us, Holden elbowed me hard. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Ells?" Mrs. Ford called.

She motioned for us to follow her through the kitchen and to the door leading to the back deck. I stepped out into the sunlight, seeing Ella and her grandmother. I wondered what I could say to Ella, but then I saw the horrified look on her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Ella didn't even blink at the fact that Holden and I were standing on her deck. She just pointed at her puppy, Macie's, dog bed. Laying wedged between the layers of fabric was a dead squirrel.

"Oh, it's Rocky!" She cried, nudging the bed with her foot.

Suddenly, I understood. Ella and her grandmother had cared for the squirrel for two years, even affectionately naming it 'Rocky.' The squirrel would eat out of their hands and come up to them fearlessly, as if Ella and Mimi were its owners. They had put out a little box for Rocky to live in, but I guess Rocky had felt more at home in the dog's little bed.

"Oh," Holden said, coming to the same realization.

He stepped forward and grabbed the edges of the dog bed, not fazed by the dead squirrel nestled in there.

"Would you like me to get it out?"

"The dog bed's ruined," Mrs. Ford said, not particularly concerned about the squirrel.

"I can get it - uh - him out of here, though. You know, for a proper burial."

Ella bit her lip. "Yeah. That would be nice, I guess."

And just like that, we were all friends again. Courtesy of a dead squirrel.

***

Ella has friends? Like, what!?

Haha. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I haven't written anything lately because of school, dance, etc...The most recent thing I wrote was a one-shot for knightsrachel's contest. Oh btw if you haven't read her story 'Learning to Dance in the Rain' I highly suggest it. And go look at my entry for the contest and vote/comment! I'll love you forever if you do :D

So, fun story for all of you ballerinas out there. There are different types of ballet and I've been doing the Russian Vaganova ballet since I was little, so I'm used to it. But this year a teacher I've never had for ballet came back, and I got put in her class. The problem is, she's strictly Cecchetti.

SO in my first class with her, I expected to stretch on the floor after barre, doing splits and working turnout and stuff. I sat down right in the middle of the floor, waiting. After a couple of seconds, I realized that NO ONE ELSE was sitting. In fact, they were all staring at me. And I looked up at my teacher, who was giving me a death glare. She didn't even realize I was waiting for floor exercises, she thought I was just sitting because I was tired.

Like, does anyone know how embarrassing that was? I didn't even get a chance to explain myself. Gosh, my cheeks are getting red just from thinking about it. I just.....

Anyways, vote and comment. And don't make your Cecchetti ballet teacher mad. Or she'll eat you.

Kisses,

~HalleBallet