The Dark & The Beautiful

10

Penelope followed suit, smiling gently at me in hopes of calming my nerves and encouraging me to ignore the problem. She probably believed that the less I stressed about it, the less obvious the error would be. She's probably right. I need to stop stressing, they're just tights. I'm sure Ms –

"Wow, Kylo aren't you brave."

Lifting my eyes from the bar I turned towards the voice. Dressed in the standard leotard and tights stood my least favorite blonde in the world – a smirk plastered on her face. "I'm sure Ms. Sharon will be very impressed." I didn't try to hide my scowl. Pausing my stretch, I faced Aurora fully.

She smirked at me, trailing her brown eyes down my entire body before landing on the cursed tear. "I'm just saying," she started, "you're really brave to think she won't notice your ugly attire. I heard she cursed one of her old students out of the room for tying her laces the wrong way one year." I subconsciously moved my right leg behind the other. In the corner of my eye, I saw Penelope look down at her own laces.

"It's small. I doubt she'll even care." I tell her with a shrug and Aurora makes a face at me, glossed lips pursing for a moment and that's when I notice her twirling something with her fingers — a small pair of fabric scissors.

"Y-you . . ."

Aurora tilted her head at me, a pout coming over her face. "I was really hoping I had cut the crotch part." she gives a slight shrug.

About to make call her every last swear known to man I was quickly stopped by the sound of the studio door opening. Shutting my mouth quickly I and everyone else turned towards the woman entering the room – the wicked witch herself. Her tight face – though frowning – was still incredibly beautiful, the red lipstick contrasting with her pale face. She gave off an aura that would make someone think of a drill sergeant. There was no room for mistake in her presence.

"Take position."

At her two words, the room scrambled. Everyone who wasn't already there looking for a place at the bar. I gave out a breath of relief, happy that Pen and I were already holding onto the bar in the farther corner of the room – Aurora had to rush herself away from us to find her own spot.

Ms. Sharon walked over to the small stereo in the room as the room got into first position – deathly silence taking over. She tapped the small right button on the machine. In a minor crescendo, the room was taken over by beautiful music.

It had begun.

I watched the sweat on a small girl's neck float down to her collarbone. She was clearly out of breath, and I hoped for her that she could hold out for the last 10 minutes of class. In all honesty, I hoped that I could too. Throughout class, my mind kept taking me to the small tear on your tights. Every time Ms. Sharon looked in my direction I prayed that she wouldn't look down and scold me. But the entire lesson was almost over, and she hadn't uttered a word. Perhaps, I would get away with this after all. Take that you blonde evil bitch!

Mid-arabesques the music stopped. Quickly going back to both feet me and the rest looked over to Sharon who stood in the middle of the room.

"I assume you are aware of just how rigorous this school is. How rigorous I am." She looked around the room, making each person feel small. "This program is not for everyone, but I assume that because you were able to get past the initial entrance you feel empowered," she took a breath. "But I want to ensure you that more than half of you are not cut out for this, that most of you will be out of this program by the end of this year." Everyone around looked startled, even Penelope. Aurora, on the other hand, did not seem phased.

With a small sigh, Ms. Sharon picked off a nonexistent piece of lint from her black long sleeve. "Dismissed." The class erupted in small claps, thanking her for the lesson.