Ballerina Barbie - A Trixya lesbian au

Chapter 1: Insomnia

Katya P.O.V
Monday.

A screen flashes bright in the dark room, casting an eerie glare over my face, silence wraps around me, the only sound being the tapping of keys and occasional click of the mouse. It's dark outside, perhaps five in the morning. I open my emails. One Unread message.

From: Laganja
To: Dancers

Hey Ladies,
I have rewritten our schedule for the next few months, please be at each class ON TIME (Adore!!! ;D), Have fun! Remember to turn up with a smile, even if your class is at 5.00 in the morning!

Acro- Katya.   -6.30 PM to 8.30 PM, Mondays.
Ballet- Trixie, Adore.   - 8.30 PM to 10.30 PM, Mondays.
Belly dance- Violet.      -5.30 AM to 7.30 AM Tuesdays.
Contemporary- Violet, Pearl, Kameron.    - 6.30 PM to 8.30 PM, Wednesdays.
Hip Hop- Pearl, Bianca.     - 8.30 PM to 10.30 PM, Wednesdays.
Jazz- Katya, Bianca, Adore, Kameron.     - 6.30 PM to 8.30 PM, Thursdays.
Tap- Katya, Trixie, Adore.    - 8.30 PM to 10.30 PM, Fridays.

Group Practice - Everyone!!!!!    - 6.00 PM - 10.00 PM Sundays.

Be there!!
Laganja.

Sighing, I close my laptop and roll over, running my routines through my head, over and over on a relentless loop. My mind switching every 20 seconds, fingers twitching and eyes fluttering, no rest for the wicked it seems. I groan and place my feet to the floor, wrapping my sheet around me, then walk out the door into the kitchen. I grab a bottle of water and my emergency pack of cigarettes, then step out onto the balcony. Lighting my cigarette, I take a drag and stare out over LA, lights twinkling, and sun making her way to the horizon. I draw a shaky breath and take a sip of water, leaning against the rail dejectedly. I take another long drag, calming the whirring thoughts in my head, fucking insomnia. Smoke clouds around my head, and disperses slowly, twirling and swirling grey, a pretty, unhealthy, yet addictive habit I've been trying to quit for months, my lungs must be dead. Chuckling quietly to myself, I stub out my cigarette and sip the water slowly, and watch the sun rise above the horizon, bathing the city in gold, orange and red. Giving up on sleep, I change into yoga pants and a sports bra, rolling my yoga mat out on the balcony, and beginning the day.

After a yoga routine, I have breakfast, shower, dress for the day, then head downstairs to my studio. I live in a two storied apartment, downstairs, my photography studio, ring lights, backdrops, props, a self made darkroom, upstairs, a living space for a family of one. I begin stacking props and tidying the prints in folders, to be sent later, then, entering the darkroom, where I work for hours, humming contentedly.

By 5.30 I'm exhausted and bored, so I leave the studio and go upstairs to shower and dress for dance, I quickly make a smoothie and drink it as I pack water and a towel into a bag, the run out the door to my motorbike in the garage. I rev the engine, then take off down the streets of LA, weaving through traffic, to end up at the correct destination.

Haven Dance Studio. A dance studio for young women, who don't fit into other dance studios. Haven Dance Studio is for the curvy dancers, who aren't stick thin and perfect, for the dancers with tattoos, the dancers who are brash and overly loud, but all still want to showcase their passion and skill. Haven is owned by Laganja Estranja, one of my closest friends, she teaches all styles and coaches every individual to their own learning style.

I started dance at age four, gymnastics at three, I took tap and jazz for three years before starting acro dance at seven. I did dance all through my teenage years, but at age 16, I went off the rails. Drugs, alcohol, tattoos, I was a party girl through and through. I got kicked out of my dance school at 18, and like a slap to the face, I realised what I had done, I had ruined my career path, my life, and my reputation. By 19 I was clean out of rehab, and ready to live, I went to art school for four years, got a degree in photography, then moved to LA, and began to live. Here I am one year later, dancing again.

I realise I've been standing and staring at the sign for far too long to be normal, shaking my head I go inside, shutting the door behind me. The scent of apples and freesia tickles my nose, and I enter one of the rooms. It's just like any other, wooden floors, white walls, a mirror wall, a barre for ballet, speakers. I dump my bag in a corner and take off my shoes and jacket. I grab my phone and plug it into the speaker, opening the playlist labelled 'Acro Dance' and press shuffle. A lout beat pumps through the room, bass heavy. I run through the routine twice before Laganja enters, screaming " Oh My Gosh! Hey girl! Haven't seen you for ages!"  
"It's been a week Ganji"
"Still! How are you?"
"Good, you?"
"Fine, how's the dance?"
"Yeah, just have to tweak it a bit"
"Good, lets see"
I turn to the speaker and restart the song, quickly positioning myself, and I begin.

By 8.15, I'm sweaty and gross, Laganja deeming the routines we practiced 'perfect', before leaving to set up the next room over for a Ballet lesson. I take a swig of water and select a song, running through the more complex routine, twice. The song ends and I bow, but a clap resonates through the room, I turn to the door, my breath halts in my throat. There she is, long blond hair, sinfully curvy, tall, breathtakingly beautiful. Trixie Mattel. Haven's curvy barbie. "Katya! That was great!"
"Thanks Trix"
She smiles. I grin back. She stares at me. I laugh, "See something you like Trix?" She rolls her eyes and raises her eyebrows at me, "An idiot clearly" I cackle loudly and pack up my things, bending over, giving her a good view, then stand and throw my phone into my bag, pull on my jacket and shoes, turn to Trixie and wink. She laughs and leaves the room, me following close behind. "See ya Trix"
"Bye Katya"
I duck out the door, sit on my bike and breathe deep.