Spirit of the Dance

Chapter 3: Dressing Room Fears

Marielle frowned at Graham's question. Was he assuming that her grandmother could read minds?

“No, she won't exactly see what I encountered," Marielle responded. “But she will know that something unusual happened to me."

“Can't you pretend for her sake?" Clifford asked. They had reached the dance hall and most of the dancers had left. The few who were there busy walking off as well.

“Where have they gone to?" Marielle asked with a disappointed feeling in the middle of her stomach. She had hoped to see more of their dance work even though it was intimidating.

“They went to the bathrooms to shower," Clifford replied.

Marielle looked at the bathroom signs which were on the opposite side of the staircase.

“I was hoping to watch them for a little while longer," Marielle said, looking at the now empty dance floor wistfully.

“But you should have stayed here to watch them rehearse instead of wandering downstairs," Clifford muttered below his breath.

“It was much too intimidating," Marielle responded, shaking her head. “I needed a break away from all that pressure."

“You shouldn't put yourself under pressure because of someone else's performance," Clifford remarked as he began to walk towards the door. “They had years of intensive training. Their instructors are very tough," he added in a serious tone of voice.

“So then, how can I make up for that?" Marielle asked with an anxious frown on her face.

“You can train harder by raising your own standard," Clifford advised.

“Yes and keep on watching international performances," Graham added.

Marielle glanced at him in surprise. She hadn't expected advice from him so soon after meeting her. Was he so confident of himself or was he simply trying to help?

“Thank you, I will try that," Marielle responded. “I have no other option because extra classes from an international teacher will cost way too much. My dad won't allow it. He already wants me to focus more on Mathematics and Science."

“That's also not a bad thing," Graham remarked with a smug smile on his face.

“Marielle wants to become a world-class dancer one day," Clifford said with his mouth set firmly. Marielle could see that he was on her side.

They reached Clifford's blue van out in the parking area and Marielle glanced at Graham to see where he was going to sit in the jeep.

“Well then, thank you for bringing me out here tonight," Graham said, addressing Clifford.

“Oh, the pleasure was mine, and thank you for helping me find Marielle," Clifford responded.

“No, that was my pleasure," Graham responded, giving Marielle a broad grin.

Marielle wondered whether they were both making fun of her.

She did not have time to ponder this for long though, because Graham turned around and walked past across to a red sports car parked on the opposite side of the parking area.

Marielle stopped herself from gaping.

How could he afford that when he was just a student? Or was he borrowing a car from a relative?

Clifford unlocked the front passenger door and gestured with his hand to Marielle, suggesting that she get into the van.

Marielle shook herself so that she could pay attention and stop staring at the sports car.

“Is he really just a student?" she asked as soon as she was seated.

“What, does he look as if he is doing something else?" Clifford asked with a teasing grin.

“Why are you associating with someone like that?" Marielle asked, frowning furiously. “He probably had his fun thinking that we're fools trying to make it in life when he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth."

Clifford cleared his throat before responding.

“Graham is exactly as you've seen him back there in the dressing room," Clifford remarked with a straight face.

“I don't buy it," Marielle responded. “You should have warned me about bringing a spoiled brat along. That's why he was so smug," she added with her arms crossed over her chest adamantly.

“Don't be prejudiced now," Clifford responded. “He also gets lonely because of stereotypes. He loves being friends with anyone and frankly, he enjoys the company of normal, average people like you and me."

“Well, I hope you're right because I wouldn't like to be part of his entertainment," Marielle responded. “Anyway, I probably won't see him again."

“He wants to help me with dance videos in the way that my dad can't," Clifford commented with his eyes steady on the road.

“I told you that you should just let your father know about your hopes and dreams," Marielle responded with a sideways glance at Clifford.

“He's just going to preach to me about leaving film-making and dance alone to study engineering instead," Clifford responded with a sour look on his face.

“Oh, well, maybe your timing or your approach is wrong?" Marielle suggested. “Frankly, I just play along with my parents when they think that I should study something more serious than dance next year."

“So then, when are you going to tell them what you're registering for?" Clifford asked. Marielle could see that he was frowning in concern.

“I would rather talk about what I saw in that mirror in the dressing room back there," Marielle remarked instead. “Was that someone who is dead? Was she murdered in there?"

“I have no idea what happened to you in there," Clifford responded. “Honestly, have you ever seen a ghost before?"

“I don't know whether one should call it a ghost," Marielle responded. “What if it was just a vision sent to me for a purpose?"

“You mean, someone who has a message and then chose you to deliver it?" Clifford asked, taking his eyes off the road to glance at Marielle briefly.

“Yes, why not?" Marielle replied. “I really don't embrace the idea of ghosts."

“You prefer to see it as a vision with a message?" Clifford asked.

“Yes, because then it will only appear to me until I fulfill its wishes," Marielle replied. “It was scary though. I don't think that I could get into that kind of life."

“It would be a first for you because I don't think that you're a medium. No offense," Clifford remarked.

“I wouldn't want to be disturbed by that kind of stuff, so I don't want to be a medium," Marielle replied. She scanned her surroundings as if she was expecting to see something unusual.