Just Another Dance

Friends, Enemies, and the World's Best Teacher

Elizabeth woke up the next morning to the sound of Teresa's alarm clock, the soundtrack for Cinderella. Elizabeth sat up and checked the time, 6am "wow you get up early" Lizzie said as the other girl turned of her alarm, Teresa shrugged "our first class is in an hour and we only get a small breakfast" she said "how small?" Lizzie asked curiously "an apple and a granola bar" Teresa said as she stood up and made her bed. Elizabeth laughed slightly as she stood up and did the same thing "what's so funny?" Teresa asked "it's the same breakfast I would have back home" Lizzie replied with a smile.

30 minutes later both girls were done with their breakfasts and getting ready to change for class when someone knocked on their door. Teresa stood up, opened the door, and stepped outside. She came back in after a moment holding a piece of paper "what's that?" Lizzie asked as she sat on her bed "it's your class schedule, we have all the same classes except for your last class" Teresa said as she handed Lizzie the schedule. Lizzie looked at it and stared at the last class in confusion, pas we deux "I didn't know first years could get into a class like that here" she said "that's because only the best dancers get into it" Teresa said. The girls stared at each other for a moment before Lizzie shook her "it's probably a mistake" "trust me, it's no mistake" Teresa told her.

Elizabeth continued to ponder on the pas we deux class as she and Teresa head towards their first class of the day. When they entered the studio Teresa showed Lizzie where to put her stuff. Lizzie set down her bags and pulled out her pointe shoes, toe pads, and toe tape. She quickly taped her toes and put her shoes on then went over to the barre to warm her feet up a little before class. She went up onto relevé in first position and forced her arch, watching her feet in the mirror, her shoes almost dead after the long hours of rehearsals for Sleeping Beauty.

As she continued warming her feet up Teresa joined her at the barre and started working up her own feet. As they were doing pliés a short and thing girl walked up to Elizabeth "so you're the new girl, you're shorter than you looked in the video of Sleeping Beauty" the girl said "my partners were just shorter than the usual male dancer" Elizabeth explained, Teresa scowled as the new girl started talking again "well I'm Alexis, and I think we could be really good friends but you're gonna have to ditch this" Alexis said as she gestured to Teresa who immediately got shy, Elizabeth scoffed "ditch Teresa? Are you an i***t or are you just stupid? I won't ditch my friend, especially for some stuck up brat like you" Elizabeth said as she crossed her arms and smirked. Alexis turned bright red and made a sound the sounded like a shriek and a growl at the same time before turning around and walking away.

Elizabeth smiled triumphantly as she turned towards Teresa "you didn't have to do that" Teresa said, Elizabeth scoffed again "you're my friend,of course I did" she said "just be careful how you talk to her, her daddy is a very important man, he's actually the teacher for this class" Teresa told her "oh great, and I just pissed off daddy's little girl didn't I?" Lizzie asked "unfortunately, yes you did" Teresa said as three other girls walked up to them, smiling brightly "hey Teresa!" The girl in front said as she waved, Teresa smiled and waved back "hey Wilma! Lizzie I want you to meet my friends Wilma, Charlotte, and Kendall, guys this is the new girl, Elizabeth" Teresa said with a smile "hey Lizzie!" The girls said together "nice to meet you" Kendall said "nice to meet you to" Elizabeth said as she smiled brightly.

A few minutes later the door opened again and a tall man with eyes nearly the color of the sea and a body that looked like Michael Angelo had chiseled it from stone walked (I know it's cheesy but i couldn't help myself). He looked around the room with a smug look on his face and that's when Alexis turned on the water works. As soon as she started "crying" the man looked at her "what happened darling?" He said in a thick British accent "th-the new girl w-was mean to m-me" she said through her fake sobs. The teacher looked over at Elizabeth and suddenly started laughing, he walked over to her and liked down at her, he was quite a bit taller than she was. Elizabeth felt small standing next to him "this adorable little short stack was mean to you?" He asked before laughing again, Elizabeth was quite confused by his reaction. The teacher looked at her again "tell me love, how were you 'mean' to my daughter?" He asked in a kind voice "I told her I wouldn't ditch Teresa just so I could be friends with her" Elizabeth said proudly which just made the teacher start laughing all over again.

After a minute or so he finally calmed down again "well my name is Mr. Terrence and what might yours be love?" Mr. Terrence asked, Elizabeth smiled "Elizabeth Rose" she said, Mr. Terrence returned the smile "well then Elizabeth, since you already seem to be warm, why don't you show the class your favorite ballet step or pose, it's kind of a tradition in this class" he said. Elizabeth nodded and turned around to face the barre. Placing one hand gently on the barre and the other in high fifth, she smiled as she did a relevé attitude. All the girls stared, it was beautiful "lovely, just amazing darling" Mr. Terrence said as she came down "thank you sir" Elizabeth said shyly as she smiled "and now girls, let the class begin!" Mr. Terrence said and with a clap of his hands he turned and walked away from the barre. As he did so Elizabeth realized she had a new favorite teacher.