She's my sister

Still Look Pretty

"Kit, Kit, kiiit." A voice whines, I open my eyes to find Patty staring at me.

"What Pat?" I ask, my clock reads quarter to five. He's wearing his joggers and shorts. "You promised to go running with me. Did you forget?"

   Maybe? I think to myself. "Okay Pats, let me get ready and I'll be right down. Turn my light on please." He turns on the light and leaves. I quickly change, brush my teeth, and put my hair in a pony. I grab trainers, and ear buds. And I meet Patty downstairs.

   We run for two miles. Through the park, it's still very early. The grass is still wet with morning mist. I wave to Quinn, as we jog past her shop. We we get back to the house, I shower and wash my hair. While it's still wet, I twist it into bun.

   I have a theatre rehearsal, then a performance. It's the school midterm show. I find my burgundy Leotard and matching wrap skirt. Pointe shoes, and all of the gear I use to warm up with. My makeup box and garment bag wait patiently by the door. 

   When I go downstairs I find dad, cooking eggs. We chat, and he tells me jokes. And slowly the rest of the house wakes up. At 11:30 mum drives me to the theatre, and drops me off.

   "See you later Kit, good luck!" I wave as she drives off,

   "Kit!" Anna calls, bounding up to me. "Come on, we need to get the best mirror!"

•••

The day drags on, marking choreography, final run throughs, and trying to keep you body warm all day takes a lot out of you. An hour till curtain, all of us girls are backstage doing our make up. Listening to terrible music, to get pumped. People come and go, dropping of flowers and wishing us luck.

Anna draws on my eyeliner, tells a story to the lot of us. When someone walks into the change room, and Anna starts on my other eye. I hear small gasps from the girls, and Anna whispers to me.

"Kit." I open my eyes and see Tom standing in the door of the dressing room. He has a bouquet of roses in his hands.

"Tom! What are you doing here I thought you weren't going to be able to make it?" I stand up to greet him. He wraps his free arm around me and gently kisses my cheek.

   "Wanted to surprise you." He hands me the flowers, and I smile. Tom quietly whispers to me "why are you friends staring?"

   "Because you're you." I whisper back, "now go. You're not supposed to be back here!" Tom smiles, he starts to back away but before he goes he pulls a classic Tom.

"Good luck ladies." And just like that they all swoon.

"5 minuet call, C2 Dancer's to the stage please." A voice over the PA calls. We all head back stage, the hollows sound of pointe shoes puttering across the floor as we run. The energy backstage is contagious, we all jitter nervously in the curtain as the opening remarks are made. As the deep, velvety red curtain raises we run to take are places on stage.

The 6 minuet set goes by all to fast, when it's over we all change into dresses and heels. As we wait for the show to end, I get a text from Peter.

Hope you're show went well! ~ Peter

I smile and tuck my phone, back into my bag, gathering up my stuff, I make my way into the lobby. I find my whole family, and Matilda and Mr. H waiting.

Matilda's looking more pale, and thin. If that is even possible. She leans against her dad for support. Her hair down, thin and straight. She wears a pink dress and flats, with a small jumper that she uses to cover her port. Her once brilliant blue eyes are now framed with dark circles. I hug her carefully,

"Good job Kit." She says, I smile back at her before turning to mum.

"So dinner?" I ask, mum nods with a smile. "Mal want to come?" I ask hopefully. She shakes her head.

"I really want to, but I'm just tired." Mr. H agrees. "Rain check?"

"Of course." We watch them leave, and I can't help but worry for Matilda. Cancers' a lot for anyone, but especially for her.