The Perfect First Step

The Perfect First Step - Chapter Four

Christina- Renee Smith

Note: The parts in italics are a flashback from the day before. The parts that are regular are the present time.

Oh my gosh! How many more stairs do I have to walk up? I was not expecting to get in a quick workout just now. It’s my first time here, the last time I met with Tim and Esme, they had a coffee and I had a frappuccino at the local cafe, where we met. They told me where I was supposed to come yesterday, but I couldn’t find it. I walked around for blocks and blocks looking for the studio. All I found was, restaurant, after restaurant, after restaurant. Eventually I gave up and decided to make my way home.

When I got home, after forty dollars for cab fare, and thirty minutes of listening to bad music, I walked into my house. I was surprised to see both my mother and my father standing in the foyer, waiting. Waiting for me. Oh, crap. They know. They totally know, that I’m never going back to that stupid tutoring session anymore. They know that I met with Tim and Esme. They know  that I’m joining the Riviera Dance Company. They know, and they are going to give me hell for it.

“Hello, my Little Darling. How was your tutoring session today?” My father said when I stopped to hang up my coat and slip my shoes off of my feet. He waited for me to come out, to give my answer. When I looked at both of them just standing looking at me, waiting, I realised how much I really wanted to tell them that my dream was not theirs. I did not want to go to Harvard Law or Harvard Med. I want to go to Julliard for dance. But as usual, I chickened out. I went over to them and gave my father a hug. My mother hasn’t giving me a hug since I was three, so I gave her a simple head nod. She didn’t appreciate that, either. Instead of acknowledging my hello, she repeated the question my father just asked.

“Christina- Renee, how was your tutoring session today?” she asked looking down at my school uniform. Every little piece in perfect harmony. My tie knotted with precision, directly placed under the meeting of the collar on my shirt. My shirt tucked in perfectly, not a bump or wrinkle in sight. My suede maroon pumps, looking fresh from the store. My mother insisted that I always wore heels, even though I was taller than her without them.

Something fell off of my backpack, so I stopped to see what it was. It was the charm my mother got me at the beginning of the school year. Since I was a freshman at Crown Hill Academy, she said the Harvard charm would help bring me luck. It didn’t. It just reminded me of the life I did not want to live.

“It was fine mother. I knew everything we were going over so we didn’t really do much. We studied for an hour and then I opened my laptop, and started to write my English paper on the writer, Hamlet.” I lied, using a lie that I could easily back up. I made a mental note to text Sean, my tutor, to ask him to cover for me if my parents happened to call him. We were assigned the English paper last week, and I finished it in two days, so I could always show her that if she wanted to see it.

“Well, that’s absolutely fantastic. Your mother and I have something we want to tell you, sweetie.” My father said in his serious doctor voice. When he used that tone in the house, something had to be wrong. There was no denying something bad has happened.

I had four more steps before I reached the door. I quickly walked up those, and reached for the door. But just as quickly, my hand flew back to my side. The nerves began to flutter in my stomach, and I began to freak out. What if they don’t recognize me? What if the other dancers hate me? As I continued to ask questions, that only made me more nervous, I heard the music cues for the dancers. They must be about to rehearse. I used that as my excuse to stay right were I was.    

“What is it?” I asked tentatively, not knowing what to expect. I began to absentmindedly tug on the bottom of my skirt, a serious nervous habit of mine I need to kick. The worst thing he could say is that they know about my meeting I just came from, but what he said, was something I was definitely not expecting.