Dancing in the Dark ✓

03 | sasha

I sighed in contentment as I plopped down onto a seat at my favourite corner of the library. This particular place had been my safe haven for months — although it had a somewhat mustier atmosphere compared to the rest of the library, the rows of towering oak shelves filled with books of various shapes and sizes acted as protective walls to hide me from plain sight. It also helped that the books here were mostly regarding the geography and history of Southeast Asia, and rarely anyone approached me here. It was quite a sad reason, but at least it granted me some peace and quiet.

I was in deep concentration as I wrote down the things I had to study and complete in the upcoming week in my journal when there was a flicker of movement at the corner of my eye. It was my English teacher — Mrs.Collins, an energetic woman in her thirties, already with some prominent grey streaks in her sleek updo, no doubt caused by the stress from teaching and dealing with grumpy teenagers all day.

I was merely watching her curiously, wondering why she was browsing through an unrelated genre of books, but unfortunately she caught sight of me and strode over to my desk.

I groaned internally. I should've worn my earphones. However, the polite part of me that was drummed into me by my parents took over and I managed a forced smile. "Good afternoon, Mrs.Collins."

"Good afternoon indeed, Sasha!" She exclaimed, heaving the books she was carrying onto the desk. "I hardly see anyone at this part of the library. You've certainly chosen a very discreet spot."

"This place does help me to concentrate on my work the most."

"Speaking about work, you have been working hard! I just walked past Leilani with a rather loud group of students heading towards the mall. I was actually wondering where you were."

I shrugged and dropped my gaze. "I have a lot of things to revise for."

Mrs.Collins beamed. "Good on you for prioritising your studies! If I remember correctly, you're thinking of going into pre-med, aren't you?"

I swallowed. "I'm not sure."

Her eyes sharpened. "Hm. You seem to enjoy English, that much I know. Have you ever considered writing for the school blog?"

"I've thought about it before, but I don't really have the time to commit to it."

Mrs.Collins drummed her fingers on the desk, squinting her hooded eyes thoughtfully. "Would you take up a special request from me, though?."

"What's the occasion?"

"As you know, the annual school musical is coming up again. I would really like it if you could write a short essay about the hidden magic that happens backstage, such as the excitement or nerves of the performers, the instructions from the sound or lighting crew, the hustle and bustle between costume changes and such. The insight would boost the anticipation for the shows."

I mused over her words. "Maybe...?"

She winked at me. "I trust whatever you'll construct. Could you send me a draft by tonight? Around three hundred words would do."

"Tonight?" I blurted out, but calmed down after putting it into perspective. It wasn't as if it was my first time writing about such a topic — I probably even had a draft in my diary. "I'll try my best, Mrs.Collins."

She was already stacking her books into a neat pile. Just as she turned to walk away and I thought that she hadn't heard me, she glanced back over her shoulder. "Oh, darling, you always do."

A warmth spread across my chest. I could do it.

***

"I can't do it," I wailed to Leilani, who was walking mindlessly with me around our school campus as we waited for Deandre to finish his workout session at the gym. "Mrs.Collins wants me to get it done by tonight! You know how I feel about deadlines!"