Ending dance

Chapter one

There's only so many hours in a day. Twenty-four to be exact. And my hours are filled with schooling, trying to learn to dance, and pretending. In other words, I'm a normal teenager. A teenager whose had boyfriends. And all of them... sucked. Just like every other girl in the world. "You only live once" that was a book I read . And now, I believe it.

2 months ago

Dancing was my life. I loved it. When I was mad, upset, or just wanted to have fun, I danced. Sometimes, I was probably a little too intense about it, too serious. But I still loved it. "Aye Camille? Camille?" It was my best friend Tes. "Huh? Oh, ya, what up Tes?" She gives me that look. Ya know, the, "Really Camille? Instead of daydreaming about God-knows-what, you should be listening to me." look. "Are you going to the dance club tonight?" Here we go again, I don't want to go to the dance club, or any club that has dancing in it for that matter. I'm done dancing, for good, forever. She has asked me that question ever since the incident with my brother. More or less, my brother is the reason why I don't dance anymore. "Probably not." Same answer as always. "I have work and homework tonight." Tes gives me that sideways glance.

Knew that was coming too, Tes has never understood the real reason why I quit dancing, or singing for that matter. But on the other hand, she was there for both the funerals, she was there at the hospital with me two weeks later, so I consider her my best friend. "Camille! Damn girl, it's been four years, move on already. You gotta get on the floor again." My brother died when I was in seventh grade. And what Tes just said, set me off. "Yeah, I know Tes. Four damn years. Four years filled with heartache, misery, and endless stupidity on my end. I'M not going, period. If you want to go, go on, do your thing, but I'm not. Period." Tes was ready to fire back, but the cute new boy walked by. His name was Cody Brock.

All the girls loved him. He was six foot one, he had dirty blond beach boy hair, and the deepest brown eyes anybody could imagine. And to top all that, he was the head drummer for the school, and he had only been there for a month. Dreaming about taking him to the "girls ask the boys" spring dance was every girl's dream. Even mine. "Bruh, Camille?" Tes leave me alone and let me dream. That's at least what I wanted to say. " Yes Tes?" She had a concerned look on her face. I think it was my tone. " You do a lot of that daydreaming shit don't you?" Tes didn't exactly have the cleanest mouth for a girl at times. "Yep, you betcha. I kinda despise reality and all of its contents." Out of all the things in the world, I only despise two things: life itself, and people who give their drunk children permission to drive.

Heading home alone was something I did every day. But today, when I strolled through the door, there was something uneasy about air. Like someone hadn't turned the AC on all day. I walked in the kitchen and found my dad sitting at the counter taping a box. My anxiety kicked in. Please God no. I can't move right now. Not now. Please God say this isn't true, that this isn't happening?

"Hi dad, how was your day?" My dad looks up, his eyes are bloodshot and he has bags under them. This is really happening, we're moving. "Hey Cam-cam. My day has been good, but I have something to tell you." Here it comes, he's going to tell me we are moving to a stupid apartment probably in California, and that we are going to have to get a new passport. "Camille, you're a Sophomore, and you've just started making new friends..." I glare at him. "... but we are going to have to move." I blew up.

"Goddamnit dad! Every damn time I get comfortable and start actually liking my school, you always up and move! We've moved three times in one year! I hate you! There is only person that has moved twice to stay with me, and now she won't even speak to me because I blew up on her after school today!" I huffed, and mumbled a few curse words that I know I'm not allowed to use that way my dad could hear it. That should show him that I am actually pissed off. Then I stopped dead in my tracks. "Where are we moving to?" My dad looked at me. " We are going to move close to Cupeyville High school. So you will be attending the school on a scholarship for your arts and physical education." I don't know why, but I automatically blurted, "Is there dance there?" What the hell was I thinking, I don't know. I really got my dad's attention then, " Well, um, I believe there is, actually." I felt better, but still stupid.

We arrived at our new house a little after two in the morning. We left a nine o'clock, but with traffic and my dad wanting a drink, it took longer than expected. School started early, and it wasn't like the school I've been to. It was PK- 12 and then high school. All in one school. This must be one small town. Dad drove me to school that morning. I went into the office, "¿Buenos días, soy nuevo aquí y esperanza poder tener mi horario?" The person at the front desk looked at me. She asked me for my name. "Camille." She looked at me, I don't know if that was good or not. I hope it was good.

I walked in to my first class, English one. I don't get why I have to take English, I already know the language.I can speak fluent English. Thanks to my mom. And partially my dad. The teacher asks me, " Do you understand what I am saying?" This is going to be fun I thought. "Yes sir, I am capable and fully aware of what you are saying." A lot of the kids looked my way in disbelief. This class is really going to be fun. More fun than it should be. I walked to a desk in the back of the room. Two girls looked my way and rolled their eyes. Whatever, I really don't care. They can roll their eyes all the want. It doesn't hurt me one bit. The class was forty-five minutes long. Mr. Rodriguez always asked if I knew the answer, and of course I did. And everytime I would answer correctly, the two girls snorted or shook their heads. Those two are going to be trouble. Big trouble. When the period ended, the girl all the right side of me pushed me against the wall. "I don't know who you trying to impress, but you're not impressing me." Wow she can actually speak halfway fluent English, I'm surprised. "I'm not trying to impress anyone, and I don't know why you're acting like I've just assaulted you, but this is all dumb. This is my first day, so lay off a bit." And then I pushed her off of me and walked away.

The rest of the day went by fast. Physical Education was easy. We had to run a mile. My mile time was five minutes and two seconds. I was at my locker when the two girls from my first period class bumped into me and all my books dropped. I had never been a fighter in my life, but these girls got on my nerves, and this was my first day.I got home from school and my dad wasn't home. But he left a note, " Working until 9, we have stuff in the fridge to eat. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!" I normally don't do much homework until the day it's due. I went to my room. All the boxes were stacked on the left side of my room. My box spring was on the floor. I decided I might well as start unpacking, not that we will be here that long. I found my ipod and radio, so I hooked it up on Bluetooth and blasted country music. That was all I ever heard.

Dad arrived home at ten o'four. I had already ate, done my homework, cleaned the whole house, and showered. I was setting up the TV and rocking to George Strait when dad walked in. Dad turned the music down, "I think you need to turn your music up louder, I don't think the people on the other side of town could hear it." Dad has what I call sarcastic-itis. "Hi dad. ¿Como estás?" I normally mix my Spanish and English that way I know I can still speak both languages. "Regular. ¿Y tú?" "It was okay. There were a few ups and downs. But school was bueno." I went back to setting up the TV when I smelled something. I looked at my dad, he had a bottle of Jack Daniel's in one hand in the Vodka in the other. The last time I had seen my dad drink was the day after the incident. I didn't talk to him or even look him in the eye for a long time after that. I didn't even hang around the house for two weeks. It hurt even worse that he was drinking though. I went to bed and soon fell asleep.