Hidden Valley (D. SWING)

XXIX. Face Facts

"Think of it like theatre! What is the story that we're telling?"

Lucille glides around the gym with her two favorite protégés, Tasha and Paulette, as they attempt to gather up the routine for Tasha's audition tape. It is to be sent to a dance company that will look good on the applications she'll be filling out throughout the next school year. Though the plan is subject to change, she's currently looking to go to a school mostly geared towards the arts. She plans to study dance. Her parents have the money to back her through it all. Paulette does not, but that is another story for another day.

"Kadah bum bum bum— POP!" Paulette stands still behind Lucille as she gives instructions of the choreography. "Then he does the woah's. Woahhhohhohh..." Lucille turns to face the girls, her back to the door of the gym. "What is the story you are telling? Remember, Diana's singing, but the song is Michael's. He's left you all kinda' space for theatrics and dramatics. Use it!"

Tasha says, "Well, what if we did like a... a' old school thing?"

"Oooh," points Paulette. "You mean like everybody wants the girl and she has all these options? Black and white for the old school effect?"

A shocking squeal is released from Tasha. "Yes!" Paulette has once again perfectly complimented her idea. She leans against Lucille as she thinks aloud. "A tease. She's a tease—"

Paulette points, again, "You're the tease. You're the star of this, Tasha."

"Right," Tasha recalls.

The two fall deeper into plotting as their ideas bounce off one another's. Lucille can only proudly watch as two girls she's kept her eyes on, since they were only fourteen, have grown into the creative souls that they now are. She could not be prouder. Although, a part of her genuinely wishes Cynthia would have accepted the offer she gave to have her be apart of this session. Lucille can understand. She was certainly in attendance to the Thanksgiving service when Cynthia dropped a gigantic bomb on her family. Indeed, Lucille already had the prior knowledge that the DeGrates had been invited for dinner.

She's still processing it all and treads as light as possible around the subject as she can. It was a heavy hit to watch these events take place within a group of children that she's practically help raise. She's yet to have spoken to Derek, being that he's barely around anymore, but she does plan to at least have a conversation with him about redemption.

Paulette says, gliding across the floor, "I love how smooth and sensual you can be with this. Then, if you don't wanna' take the sexy route, you can still be smooth— but be smooth and mysterious. Tasha, you got so many options of what you can do with this!"

The door swings open as Javon comes stomping in.

Her excitement fades with haste. "Who the hell do you think you are, coming in here like you own the please."

"Shut the fuck up. You got some exaplainin' to do!" Javon's pointed tone is given an immediate response by Paulette's pointed blinks. "Don't play dumb, Letty. We need to talk!" He snatches her by the arm, ready to get the explanation that he suddenly feels is over due.

Lucille takes a step forward. "Now I know your Big Mama did not raise you to ever put your hands on a woman like that." Javon's hands unclasped in an instant as he took his own step backward. "You don't tell her anything. You ask. Paulette, would you like to talk to Javon?"

"Not really."

Tasha folds her arms across her chest. It can be seen as a way of standing ground with her best friend, but it is also a display of displeasure. After all, this event is interrupting her rehearsal.