Between Rivals

1

Chapter 1: A New School For Nina Hemsworth.

“You’re amazing, Nina!” Mr Browny screamed from the wings.

The spectators clapped and cheered in amazement.

The judges beamed excitedly. The theatre wasn't full, but the noise and compliments from the few spectators made it seem packed.

The soft glow of the spotlight made my skin shine like glass. I stepped forward, my steps tender, yet extremely powerful.

My body swayed gently with the rhythm of the music.

My hips moved subtly as my legs carried me in slow, graceful steps across the stage.

I controlled each movement - one foot gliding against the other, my posture tall and poised.

The cheers kept me going as the ballad deepened, I bent slightly into the emotion, my chest rose and fell heavily with each note.

By the final note, I turned slowly and gave them a graceful bow, the audience erupted into thunderous applause.

“You're the best, Nina Hemsworth,” Miss Clara uttered enthusiastically.

“Thank you, Miss Clara,” I replied, beaming.

“You are going places, Nina. Who knows, you might bring the global championship to our alma mater,” added Mr. Ben.

“Thank you, Mr Ben.”

“Keep up the good work, Nina,” Miss Clara said.

I bowed gently and walked majestically out of the stage.

The spectators cheered loudly. “Go, Nina!” A boy screamed from the audience. I didn't turn but my heart thumped with happiness.

“You're going places, Nina,” Mr Browny cajoled me as I stepped into the wings, in a bid to mimick Mr Ben.

“Don't make a fool of yourself, Mr. Browny,” I uttered casually, “your mouth will put you in trouble someday.”

“On a serious note, Nina, you were amazing out there. You are improving quite well,” he said.

“Thanks buddy,” I replied, Mr Browny was a good friend.

I stepped into the dressing room and flipped the block heels, I was beginning to feel hot sweat under my feet.

“Hey you!” I turned sharply to the direction of the voice.

It was a young girl, probably my age. She looked unfamiliar, like she was new to the school or maybe in another class.

“You did well out there!” She continued.

“Thanks,” I muttered softly.

“Phils is asking for you, he said you should meet him at the abandoned school snack bar.”

My heart thumped and my blood pressure rose for a second.

Why will Phils ask for me? He had made it clear that I wasn't his type. He had torn my letter in front of the whole class and made them ridicule me.

Why is he asking for me now?

“Are you okay?” She asked, bringing me back to reality.

“Yeah, I will be on my way now.”

“Sure! He is waiting for you,” she smiled weirdly and left, her hips swaying behind her.

Everything about her screamed weirdness. “No! I won't go. This doesn't sound right,” I muttered loudly to myself.

What if he changed his mind after my performance? What if he has finally seen my value?

I rushed out and dashed toward the old snack bar, with the thoughts lingering heavily in my head.

I pushed the door open and barged in. Nothing prepared me for what I saw next. My heard thumped like it was going to explode.

The whole room seemed to spin a million times in just few seconds.

Before me were the people I dreaded the most. My legs shook like it was too tiny to carry me.

“And here comes the queen of ballad!” Phils sneered.

My whole body shook aggressively as they menaced toward me.

“What do you want from me?” I asked, my voice barely audible.

“Nothing much,” Sara said derisively, “we just want to chitchat”.

“I don't want to speak with you, leave me alone,” I snarled. “I came here because Phil asked for me!”

“Easy girl!” Phil’s voice came as a mockery. “It's still the same, seeing me is same as seeing my friends.”

“Your friends?” my voice came out low and cracky as reality dawned on me. They all had been in this together.

Sara was probably the girl he spoke about, the one he was madly in love with, my heart fell.

“You heard right, his friends,” Rossy sneered, a smirk danced playfully on her cheeks.

“It's fine! So why am I here? What do you guys want from me?” I asked as I tried hard to maintain my composure.

“To put you in your place, Nina Hemsworth. Didn't I tell you not to perform today? But you went ahead, because your little brain told you, I wasn't worth listening to,” Sara raved, her tone screamed with disdain.

“And you guys are what? The three musketeers? Trying to put me in place for doing what I love?” I asked in utter bewilderment.

Heavy slaps landed on my face before I could finish the last question.

The slaps sent sharp pains through my head, and my vision blurred for a moment.

“How dare you?” I screamed as hot tears descended on my cheeks like an empty road.

It was Sara. I stared at her with utmost disdain, wondering why a sane person will slap someone who did her no wrong.

Before I could utter another word, more followed.

“Still on it? You never learn, Nina,” Rossy jeered.

The tears blurred my vision as the trio suddenly looked like shadows before me.

Sara edged closer and grabbed my hair while I yelled like a lamb about to be slaughtered.

“You are a nobody, Nina. You should know your place in here. Trying to be the best and gaining people's likeness will only ruin you, you don't have the right to do what you love, you should be invisible!”

“To think she had the guts to propose to Phils the other day”, Rossy cut in as she chuckled mockingly.

“I don't want this to repeat itself again, Nina, or else I will send your corpse to your mother”, Sara snarled, and with that she pushed me to the ground, while her cohorts laughed to their fill.

They all walked over me on their way out. I lay there soaked with dirt, gibberish, and a bruised knee, I wept bitterly.

I couldn't go back to the classroom, I was too ashamed to. My backpack was there, but I ignored it and dragged myself home.

“They're are at it again?” Mom asked immediately I entered.

“Yeah, as always, they promised to send you my corpse soon. They know you're poor and you won't do anything”.

I stopped and stared at her like I haven't seen her be

fore. Her face was still and motionless, and I saw a tear drop from her eyes.

“There is a new school for you, Nina.”

I gasped..