Dusk **UNDER CONSTRUCTION**

Chapter 2

A/N: SOng of the chapter: https://youtu.be/UAWcs5H-qgQ

I wake up the next morning curled up on the bed, remnants of yesterday's makeup staining my face. I decide against taking a shower just yet, I'll take one after practice. It's 4:45 am and the ballet studio is just a block away, I'm not really surprised that my Mom's not up yet. I'm just not important enough.

I get out of bed and walk to the bathroom connected to my room, using a wipe to remove my makeup. I brush my long, dark hair up into a bun and change into my sea green leotard. It's not long before I'm beginning the cold, five minute walk to the studio.

I don't understand why my Mother decides to push me to do this, Ash and I tried so many times to get me out of ballet, it just wasn't safe for me anymore. But Mother did what Mother does best, ignored the problem and continued to push. Don't get me wrong, I love my Mom, but I don't like the things she does.

Taking a deep breath, I push open the door to the ballet studio, a blast of warm hair hits my cold body. I walk through the lobby and upstairs to the studio as the raven haired receptionist told me to do. The studio is exquisite, with mirrors around the whole, not a smudge or streak to be seen. The light wooden floors are polished so well that I can see my reflection. There are maybe 16 students in total, 8 girls and 8 guys, meaning that I'm the only one left without a partner. Everyone is socialising in small groups. A male teacher who could only be in his late 20's or early 30's, walks into the room, he has perfect posture and soft looking brown hair.

"Positions everyone!" the man belts, pointing to the barre. All of the students, me included rush to the barre and stand against it, back straight as rods.

"Today marks the first day of the school year, now while we have been training all through summer, this means that we have a new student. Miss Moore please step forward," the man continues. I take a hesitate step forward.

"I am Mr Till and I, along with Mrs Till who is away unwell, am your instructor. You may step back," he says emotionless. I step back in line.

"This semester you will all be competing for a part in the company's rendition of 'Swan Lake'. There are only five spots available for this class as this is production is purely for your age group," he continues. "Information on auditions is soon to come but for now, positions!"

____________

The class is hard, harder then I remember ballet ever being. It could just be that I'm out of practice, or it could be that I've lost my passion.

As I'm gathering my things, I hear two girls next to be giggling, a raven haired girl and a blonde.

"Did you hear the new girl panting to keep up? Anyone would think she's a newbie," the raven haired girl, whose name is Kayla, says a little too loudly.

"With that body, I think she is. I could feel the floor shaking," the golden blonde, Laura exclaims, causing them both to burst out in laughter as they leave the room.

I sigh deeply, am I really that fat? I self-consciously cross my arms over my chest and look down to the floor.

"Hey don't worry about it," a pretty African-American girl named Hailey says. "You're just out of practice, with a little diet and exercise, you'll be back in shape in no time." Even though her words are meant to be kind, I can't help but let them take another blow to my self-esteem. I smile at her weakly as she proceeds to leave the room. With a sigh I follow and begin the short walk to the house that I'm currently forced to reside, it's no home to me.

I have a shower once I get back and throw on a pair of white skinny jeans and an olive green corset shirt. I put my previously curled hair in a ponytail and throw on a pair of black heels. There's a knock on the door as I'm doing my makeup.

"Come in!" I call.

Thomas opens the door and steps in. "Hey we're going to be leaving in five minutes, you going to be ready?"

"Yeah I should be."

"So... how was ballet?" He asks as he sits on my bed.

"Same old same old," I sigh.

"Doesn't seem like you enjoy it very much, so in that case, why do you do it?" He asks, clearly puzzled.

"I have no idea what you're talking about and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

"Ouch."

We sit in and awkward silence for the next few minutes while I finish my makeup. "Alright let's go," I mutter as I walk out of the room and head outside. Thomas and Abigail follow behind. Thomas unlocks a silver Lexus which causes me to roll my eyes. Of course he has an expensive car.

The drive to school is silent for the most part, apart from the instrumental music that's flowing through the car. "What's this band? I've never heard of them before," I ask.

"Oh, that's my band, we don't have a lead singer yet but we write our own stuff. We're called Dusk to Dawn." Thomas replies.

"You guys are really good," I reply.

We arrive at school and Abigail immediately jumps out and runs to a group of equally as preppy girls, who all squeal and hug each other, as if they haven't seen each other at all over the course of Summer.

I trail behind Thomas as he leads me to the admin office, where I collect my schedule and locker. So far, this school looks way fancier than my old one which makes me nervous about how well I'll fit in.

I'm lead to a group of two guys and two girls. One guy had sandy blonde hair while the other has jet black hair, one of the girls is extremely short with pastel pink hair while the other has light brown hair and a scowl on her face. All in all, they seem like an unlikely group of friends.

"Oh my gosh, Tommy!" The pink haired girl squeals as she launches herself into his arms, almost knocking him back with her speed.

"Ok that's enough touching," the blonde guy grunts as he tries to pull them apart.

The girl lets go as she looks up at me with big brown eyes and a bright smile. "Hi! I'm Fiona! It's s great to meet you!"

I'm a little taken aback by her enthusiasm and not sure how to respond. Luckily, Thomas comes to the rescue. "Guys this is Amaia, my step-sister. She moved here yesterday. Amaia, this is Fiona, obviously. Adam," he gestures to the blonde guy, "Luke," the dark haired guy, "and Hannah," Ms I look like I have a stick up my butt. "In our band, I'm lead guitar, Adam's bass and Luke's drums. Fiona does all our technical stuff and Hannah sits around and looks pretty."

"Hey, I said if you got a lead singer that I would happily do backup!" Hannah replies.

"So, only moved her yesterday? Jeez that's rough having to move on the last day of summer," Adam says as he swings his arm around Fiona.

"I think I would punch a hole in the wall if my parents made me move then go to school the next day, where are you from anyway?" Hannah asks.

"Washington, completely different to Santa Monica," I reply.

"What's your schedule?" Fiona asks, I hand it over wordlessly.

"Okay, looks like you got first period biology with Luke, English with Adam and me, yay! Math with Hannah and Luke, music then lunch with all of us then history with Luke and Hannah and finally P.E with Thomas, Adam and Hannah," she reads.

The warning bell rings and everyone disperses except for Luke and I, who hasn't said anything this entire time.

I shift awkwardly and I get a full view of his face, he has a perfectly sculpted jaw with a few moles littered about and the most gorgeous blue eyes I have ever seen. Finally, he opens his mouth.

"Your eyes are mesmerising"