She's my sister

I like Me Better - Part 1

  Getting a new pair of pointe shows is truly one of the best feelings. Then destroying and banging them agains the concert is also fun too.

I sit in the green studio, the smallest of them all with my headphones on. I cut the shank down, I crack the shoes in the centre and Barr the toes. I sew on the ribbons and crack the boxes. I tape my toes and slip on the pro-pads, I try a few moves with them but they still don't feel right. I pull them off my feet and walk out of the studio, I go into the change room and slide the brick out from underneath the bench. I beat my shoes against it a couple of time, so that when I dance they won't be as loud.

With my headphones on I'm oblivious to Bobby taping me on the shoulder. "Are they dead yet?" She smirks pull out her own pair, hers are old, dirty and worn down.

   I slide my headphones off my ears and let them dangle around my neck. "Looks like you need a new pair." She shrugs,

   "Their dirty not dead. Anyway, are you excited for you're trip to Galway?" She asks, I shrug. 'I'd be better if people stopped asking me' - I think to myself.

   Peter and I've been talking for the past two months, he's met my parents and they both really liked him. This weekend I'm taking the train to go visit him. Everyone keeps telling me how excited they are, and it's annoying.

   "I guess so," I slide the brick back under the bench and stand up. "Not to be rude, but I've got studio time." Bobby smiles and nods.

   Sliding my headphones back on, I walk back to the green studio and re-tie my pointe shoes. Now they feel better, I work through the basics. As I'm working on my turns, my headphones chime with the text alert. I walk over to them bench and check my phone, it's a text from Matilda.

   "Wish me luck going in for more scans!" I send her a thumbs up before heading to my first class of the night.

•••

"Have you got all you're Tavel documents In order?" Dad ask loading my suitcase into the back of the car, I nod and show him my passport. He smiles, I kiss Patty on the head and Mum on the cheek.

"See you in a few days darlin'" she says, "bye mum." Dad and I pile in the car and back out of the driveway.

Dad dropped me off at the train station after helping me trough check in. I boarded the train and found my seat. I dropped my backpack in the seat next to me, and wait for the train to start moving. Before dad dropped me off we stopped at Quinn's Cafe, I got a steamed almond milk to go.

As the train 'huffs' and 'puffs' out of the station, I watch the country side roll by. With my head phones on I listen to one of my favourite songs. 'I like me better'. It's a 16 hour train ride, and only an hour has passed.

•••

Before the train pulled into the station the next morning I brushed my teeth in the small bathroom on the train. For the rest of the ride I worked on my homework, and as we pull into the station I feel butterflies in my stomach. I start to wonder what his mother and sisters will think of me. What if they don't like me?

The train stops I everyone leave, it's the same thing as on planes. I'm always the last one off. I collect my suitcase and walk onto the platform, I scan the area for Peter, I can't see him but I do see two blonde girl with curls holding a sign that says

'Peters Girlfriend." With a picture of Peters face. I'm not technically his girlfriend. I smile and walk towards the sign, as I get closer I see Peter and who I'm guessing is his mother. The shorter of the two girls runs up to me and latches onto my waist. She's strong for someone who's so small, she catches me off guard and I stumble backwards a little bit.

   "Bridget, be polite." I hear Peter scold the little girl let's go and looks up at me with her chocolate brown eyes.

   Her accent is similar to Peters, just more high pitched. "Hi I'm Bridget, are you going to marry my brother?"

   "Oh well I don't know about that, h-"

   "Can I pull You're suitcase." She grabs it out of my hand before I can respond. "Uh sure?" I whisper as she runs up to her mother. Peter comes up to me, and hands me a bouquet of pink and yellow tulips.

   "Aww you remembered. Thank you." I say inhaling the scent.

   "Sorry about Bridget she was super excited when I told her you were coming." I smile,

   "That's okay she's sweet, How old is she?" I ask, watching her blond pigtails bounce up and down and she exclaims something to her mother.

   "She's 4 1/2. Eve is 12." And Peter is 15. I make a mental note to myself, "come meet my mum and Eve." His mum is pretty, she got dirty blond hair with brown eyes like Bridget's. Eve looks more like Peter, dark brown hair pale skin but her eyes are the prettiest thing I have ever seen, she has one icy blue one and the other is chocolate brown.

"Mom this is Katie, Katie this is Eve and my mum." I smile and shake his mother's hand.

"Pleaser too meet you Katie, my name's Holly." Greets Holly, her hands are soft and smell like leather and leaves.

"Please call me Kit. It's an honour to meet you too, Peter speaks so fondly of you."

"Oh I'd hope so, come on let's head out. We can head back to out house and we can chat more on the way."