Page 28 of Obsession

While the rest of the students ate lunch, I made my way to a possible detention.

Waiting outside a large mahogany door were two other girls, probably the two others who had been called. We did not have time to chat as a woman immediately came out and invited us in.

The secretary escorted us to the principal’s large desk, who had a fake, friendly smile on her face. She appeared to be around forty, had a medium build and dark red hair that was elegantly styled into a short haircut.

“Hello, girls. Have a seat,” she smiled and pointed to the three chairs in front of her desk.

We sat down, confused. I didn’t know any of the other girls. If I was there for the fight, why were they?

“Girls, you don’t need to be afraid. I asked you here not because there was a problem, but quite the opposite…” she began calmly, but I wasn’t taking the bait.

“I asked you here because I would like you to join our school cheerleading squad,” my eyes widened, “I have looked at your files and it looks like you all have experience in dance, and since some girls have graduated, there are a few open spots on the team. Spots that you three will fill.”

I didn’t know why, but when she said, “dance experience”, she looked at me. I guess you could say that. Fourteen years of contemporary dance could be considered experience.

“Really?! We’re on the cheerleading team?” one of the girls squealed excitedly, and the other joined in her enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, I was boiling with anger and horror.

“With all due respect, I don’t think that’s a good idea for me. I gave up dancing a while ago and I’m certain that I’m not the right person for something like this,” I tried to refuse as calmly as possible.

“Don’t worry, Katherine. I know it will be a little harder for you since you’re new here, but trust me, this will help you fit inbetter,” she supported her idea with a wide smile, and I wanted to punch something.

“Miss, please, pick someone else. I don’t want to be a cheerleader.”

Suddenly her face changed completely, as I had expected.

“Listen, Miss Wrise,” she pronounced my name nonchalantly, “I have studied your file carefully and am familiar with your recent behavior. You have been a good student, but it seems you do not wish to retain that status. Your teachers from today confirmed it, as you didn’t pay attention in any of their classes. So, you see…” she leaned towards me and propped her elbows on the desk, “I don’t choose students for activities at random, I choose them because I don’t want my school to have students who don’t graduate. If you sign up for an extracurricular activity, it guarantees you passing grades for all subjects, and if you put in a little effort, you’ll ace your final exams, and I won’t see you next year.”

“I did not know that twirling around in a stadium and cheering with pom-poms had so much to do with math and English,” I replied, making it clear how unethical I thought it all was.

At my former high school, you got kicked off teams if your grades suffered even a little.

“They do if I have anything to say about it,” she concluded, “so what are you going to do, Katherine? Do you think you will be able to graduate on your own?”

I bit my lip nervously. She had lured me into a trap. To be honest, I was not motivated to study. I could dance, and I doubted any of the girls preoccupied with “the hottest guy in school” could come up with anything even remotely difficult for me, but that wasn’t the point.

It was about what dancing meant to me.

It was a piece of happiness, a piece of freedom, a piece of my mother.

I was a dancer because she’d wanted it so much. I had loved dancing because of her. How was I supposed to explain to the woman in front of me that dancing would probably drive me into a mental breakdown?

“Don’t think I don’t know what I’m talking about. I have studied you very well. You’re impressive.”

She turned her laptop towards me. There was a newspaper article about me on the screen. Two years ago, I had won first place in the female solo category at the IDO World Dance Olympiad in Moscow. I was described as “the pride of New York”.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I looked at the photo. I had been captured in a twist that I wouldn’t have believed myself capable of. The body I had in the picture was unfamiliar to me; my perfectly defined muscles had disappeared. The girl in the photo was sixteen and exuded strength and determination, maturity, and courage. I was nothing like her. That trophy was by far the most impressive in my collection, but it meant nothing now as it was gathering dust in a box somewhere.

“I don’t know what made you give it up, but it wasn’t an accident, at least not a serious one. You have no reason to refuse my offer.”

I couldn’t help frowning as I looked up at her. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the other two reading the article.

“How do you know it wasn’t?”

She pressed her palms together under her chin. “Let’s not go into pointless detail, tell me your decision.”

I gritted my teeth and read in her eyes that my days would be very black if I dared to refuse. I didn’t even want to know what her opinion of me was after reading all those articles.

---