Learning To Dance In The Rain.

Chapter 1

                                                                        Drew's POV

Five. Six. Seven. Eight. One. Two. Three. Four. Five... Drew's body swayed to the counts in her head. Over and over again the numbers bounced in her mind as she glided across the dance room. Her muscles protested and her breath came in heaves, but she ignored it and poured away her life through her body. When the counts came no more; she finally stopped to soak it back up again. She layed on the floor trying to catch her breath when she heard clapping from the dark corner.

 She moved her head over her shoulder to see who had watched her dance in her haven. Drew's breath caught in her throat as she saw a mysterious boy come out of the shadows. She slowly rose to her feet as he came towards her. She looked down at herself, her dance spanks had riden up from extending her leg, and her sports bra barley covered her chest.

" That was amazing." He said,Drew watched as his eyes roamed over her body before finally settling on her face. He tilted his head to the side and smiled. "Normally people would return with a thank you." Drew's mouth slipped and gave him a faint smile.

"Well," she said as she walked towards her dance duffel, "maybe I'm not like other people." She smiled, picked up her bag, and walked out of the room. Drew couldn't help but smile as she walked out to her car. She threw her duffel in the back and placed her head against the wheel. She closed her eyes taking slow breaths in and out, fearing the thought of returning home.

She could see it now; her mother pestering her about dance, her dad pestering her about college. It never ended. Pulling her head from the wheel, she put the key in the ignition, and pulled out of the parking lot. As she headed down town she thought back to the day she fell in love with dance.

She was five when her mother took her into the dance studio two blocks from their house. Her teacher had danced for them. Drew remembers feeling like she was watching an angel fall from heaven, that gave everything to stay. Drew had fought her mom when it was time to leave; she had given her parents a heart attack when she ran away that night; only to be found trying to get into the studio. Since that day she never went without dancing. Up and down the food asiles, in her room, down the street. She constantly had a muscle trying to break free. Her mom had her in classes everyday, and when she was 10, she made her tryout for a private dance school, MDA. Her parents were so proud when she was accepted. Drew has danced there ever since; winning all the compitions the school threw her in.

Drew made her way slowly up her front steps, taking a deep breath before walking in. The front hall was lit up by the setting sun coming through the cathedral window above the door. Drew looked up and smiled as the warmth layed across her face. She was only interrupted by the sound of heels cominng towards her.

"Drew, are you alright?" Her mom, Laura, asked. Drew sighed and smiled before she nodded her head and stepped past her mom. "How long did you spend practicing?"

"Long enough mom." Drew started her climb up to her room. She winced as pain shot through her foot each step. Drew's room was the last floor of the house. Her family lived in an old styled mansion, it had been in the family for 9 decades, that sat on the outskirts of New York City. The third floor had been totally remodeled, it now had one bedroom and bath, the rest of the floor space was a dance studio. Her parents had it constructed for her as a reward for getting into MDA. She walked into her room and sat on her bed. She winced as she pulled off her dance shoes, she had worn them today to break them in, she knew the pain of breaking in shoes.

 Drew's feet were covered in blisters, that seered in pain everytime she moved. The down side to dance. She thought. She remembered the first time she broke in her dance shoes; her teacher had reassured her that this was just proof that she worked hard enough. Hard enough was never good enough for her mom. It was always harder than enough; it could always be better, nothing was ever perfect.

After showering, she walked down stairs to fix herself dinner. Drew's dad was sitting at the table, college pamphlets spread out in front of him. Drew closed her eyes and leaned her head against the door frame.

"It has to be done Drew." Her dad replied to her sigh.

"I know dad, but I am tired and want to eat and go to bed."

"So sleep and food come before your future!" He yelled. Drew's mouth dropped open, her father had pushed her to get into Julliard, but since her audition was four months away he insisted she have a back up. She shut her mouth into a scowl and walked out of the kitchen. As she walked back to the stairs she heard the slamming of a fist, and the push of a chair. "You can't run from it forever Drew." She ignored him and climbed back to her room. Slamming and locking the door to the third floor. Drew stripped off her shirt, left standing in her yoga pants and sports bra. She slammed the play button down on her sterio, and let her anger take control of her every move.

Drew is pictured to the side. :)