Page 19 of Fall onto me

We handGrace a pumpkin spice when we get to practice. “Figured you’d need the caffeine.”

She thanks us, knowing we have new girls coming in and this is the practice for our new production that will take place in a couple months. She hasn’t let us in on what it is yet.

I stretch beside Kate, and we both know this is our last first-stretch of the season. Come next year, we’ll be graduated and in the real world with no time for fun extra curriculars like dance.

My major will be in performing arts, but how many people get to pursue their passion in real life? At best, Grace will allow me to work here, but there aren’t enough girls coming in to justify a hire, so my plan B is to try to pick up some shifts at one of the commercial dance businesses. It’s definitely not my first choice, but we all have to start somewhere.

The rest of the group files in, six girls in total. Some I recognize, others I don’t. But by the end of this, everyone becomes a family. Marie, with her honey-brown hair, walks in slowly. Her face lights up when she sees us. Charlotte runs inside along with Alea; they’re both drooling over some guys in their Algebra class. This is our little group, and it will grow bigger with time.

“What’s the program? Does anyone know yet?” Alea wonders, looking around for Grace.

I gesture my head back. “She just went to her office, but we should know soon!”

Maria pulls her curly hair into a thick ponytail. “Whatever it is, I hope we get to perform at that fancy place again.”

“Yes!” Kate sings. “We have a contract with the club now, right?”

I nod. “Yup!” Warren’s mom, Laurene, signed for us to use the new wing twice a year, rent free. She uses it as a donation, bringing in her caterers and the decorators as a treat for all that Grace does for the community. “I want to wear something sparkly.”

“Lacy.” Kate has a wicked smile on her face.

One of the new girls walks up, eyes downcast and nervous. “Could I sit with you guys?”

“Why, of course!” Charlotte scoots over on the floor to give her some room. “Come on over here!” she chimes to the rest of the group, who shuffle over and sit in a circle with us.

Alea shows her how to break in her pointe shoes the way I showed her last season; it really goes full circle.

Nat strolls in, with freckled skin and sun-kissed hair. She’s our surfer. “Sup, ladies.” She grins, plopping down to rip off her vans.

Alea holds a nervous smile. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

She looks at me with wide eyes. “I just wanted … well, I’m going to a party with Callum.”

Kate’s mouth hangs open. “Callum! Handsome, dumb, Callum? Our Callum?”

She nods with flushed cheeks. “Will you be there? It’s at some rich guy’s house.” They would make sense together. Callum is goofy and fun, Alea is shy and funny. They met last year.

“Yes, we’ll be there!” I say eagerly. “You’ll be fine.”

“I’m so nervous,” she sighs. “He seems so cool.”

Kate snorts. “You are just as cool! We’ve got you.”

“He’s a big softie, nothing to be nervous about!” I assure her.

After we all catch up, Maria lies her palms on the polished wooden floors and leans back. “Just waiting on our girl, Grace!” Maria says with a loud twang to attempt to draw our teacher out.

It works. “Patience, girls!” Grace flutters, fumbling with folders. “Hello, my new dancers. Welcome to Grace Studios. I’m Grace.” She bows dramatically. “I’m so excited to have you here.”

“Are we chopped liver?” I tease.

She waves our way. “And to our old but young members, I couldn’t have missed you because none of you stopped coming when the season was over,” she jokes, but she’s not wrong. We probably annoyed her to death, but this is our friend group, and it was the logical place to meet up. “And to anyone who is nervous, no matter your skill level, even if it’s your first day, you’re in good hands with these girls.”

“What’s the program?” Alea asks.

Grace walks around our circle, pulling out the folders and passing them around. “This year, we’ll be doing family.”

I, as well as a few other girls, slump my shoulders. This is going to be a hard one, family. Who is that for me? My friends, really. I love them dearly, but it’s like the parent conferences mine were too busy to go to, so Mrs. Rita would join, acting as my mother while my parents bathed in the Tahitian sun. Or on bring your kid to work day, when Kent wouldn’t bring me anywhere. Just another disappointment in a long line of disappointments.

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