Burning Willow

V

Maya took a deep breath, held her arms out, and twirled.

She let it all go - the anger, the anxiousness, the tiring headache. She let it all go and she danced.

She danced like nobody was watching. Here in the studio, with its wooden floors and high arched roof, she didn't need to pretend or to hate or to like anything.

She could just be herself.

That's why she liked dancing so much. It brought her back home.

She closed her eyes and imagined her grandmother's face, her twinkling eyes smiling up at her when she was four, encouraging her when no one else did.

Dance isn't a waste of time. It roots you to the ground; it's in your blood, Maya. Don't you forget that.

Her grandmother had been funny, she remembered, as she performed a perfect piroutte and landed gracefully. She had been funny, and kind, and was the sort of person who would show up at your house with a bag of home made cookies and a wad of money, even though she was short and frail, and her back was bent at a rather awkward angle.

She was the person who believed in magic and life, who walked in the rain barefoot and watered dead plants in the hopes of their regrowth.

Maybe that's why Maya was such an old soul. She'd inherited that from her grandmother.

She danced until her feet ached, and even when they did, she didn't stop. Wisps of blonde hair framed her face, and sweat glistened down her neck.

The music finally gave way, and once it ended, she collapsed on the ground, breathing hard.

She heard someone clapping from the doorway, and turned around immediately.

"They would have to be crazy not to cast you as the lead."

Maya smiled as she picked up her bottle of water. "Swan Lake for the Winter musical? I don't think so?"

"But you're perfect." Her best friend whined. She walked over to where Maya was, and sat down besides her with a groan.

"What's wrong? And I thought we were supposed to meet at my house in," she checked the clock hanging above her. "Fifteen minutes."

"Those are fifteen minutes I wouldn't want to spend in your house. No offense. It would just be awkward."

Maya laughed. "Atleast your parents don't force you to study."

"I wish they kind of would." Kylie sighed.

Maya looped am arm around her friend's shoulder. "Did you talk to your dad?"

"Nope. Besides, it's the middle of the month. He's probably on a flight right now."

"Probably? As in, you don't know?"

Kylie shrugged. Her dark hair had come out of her ponytail and were now sitting on her shoulders. "My mom didn't want me in the house, so I--"

"Hang on," said Maya. "She told you she didn't want you in the house?"

"In simpler, disguised terms, yes. Then I went to the bookstore, then the cafe, and then it started raining..."

"You could have come straight here. I would have skipped practice today."

Kylie shot her a small smile. "You need the practice."

Maya narrowed her eyes. "Are you saying I'm not good enough?"

"No, no, you're perfect. But, Swan Lake is a huge deal."

That, she agreed with. Last year, she had only managed to grab a small part in their city's annual function, but this time, she wanted the lead. Maybe it would finally make her parents realize that she was good enough to have a professional career in dance.

"Perhaps you could perform at the party too." Said Kylie. Her eyes lit up hopefully.

Ah, the party. This, too, was an annual event and was usually held at Mr. Dean's residence. He was a friend of Kylie's stepfather and made an excellent host.

"When is it?" Asked Maya.

Kylie made a face. "I was hoping to talk to you about that. My dad isn't going to be here next month, so he doesn't want to do the whole ball thing. But it's tradition, so I..."

Maya crossed her legs. "You took it in your own hands."

"Kinda." Said Kylie. "His secretary's going to help, and I've already decided on the theme and everything..."

"Okay, cool. Is your mom coming?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "There are a lot of potential clients at these things, so she can't afford to miss them."

Maya uncrossed her legs and leaned back against a wall. Kylie always came up with the theme - that was tradition as well - then helped her parents decorate the hall. As time went on, her parents took less and less interest in it each year, up to the point where Kylie was in charge of everything.

She wasn't the sort of person who liked parties and unnecessary socialisation, but she liked planning and she loved having a good time.

"So what's this year's theme?" Asked Maya.

"Masquerade." Kylie smiled, got up and twirled.

"Hm, very Romeo and Juliet."

Kylie nodded. "16th century inspired. I was thinking balconies and ball gowns and archways and--"

"How much time do you even have?" Maya cut in.

"Two, three weeks." She answered. "It'll be enough."

"I hope so."

Kylie nodded. "I already talked to Mr. Dean. The decoraters and florists will be coming in next week, which means we'll need to get a head start on painting the walls--"

Maya stared at her friend. "Paint the walls?" She said dryly. "Are you okay? Did the rain hit you too hard?"

Kylie rolled her eyes. "Remember the summer of '11? When we helped your grandma redo the shed and painted it and everything?"

She remembered it like it was yesterday. The two - then barely pre teens - had nothing to do one summer afternoon, so they helped Maya's grandmother renovate her old shed. Her grandmother, meanwhile, cleared up the garden and brought them fresh, homemade lemonade. It was an afternoon she never thought she'd forget.

"That was fun."

"Exactly my point." Said Kylie. "I was thinking maroon for the walls underneath the balconies of the first floor, then--"

Maya smiled, shaking her head. She was glad Kylie had remembered that day, even though she'd complained of her arms aching the next.

"Okay." Said Maya. "You choose the paint, I arrive with the paintbrushes. But two girls can't possibly paint a whole ballroom. Especially in a day or two."

"Which is why," said Kylie. "You need to dazzle some pretty-boys with that smile of yours, and get a few extra hands."