Not Sure, Not Me

11

Jiaqi found herself alone in the dance practice room again.

Fixing her angles, she was just about to begin her dance routine when she caught sight of her messy hair in the mirrors.

Recalling Xueer's words, "If my hair is a mess, I can't dance.", Jiaqi pondered if she could dance with her hair in this state.

Shaking herself out of it, Jiaqi squinted at herself in the mirror.

Jiaqi proceeded to put on a light green cap, hiding her hair underneath.

Right, so from count one.

Jiaqi practised till late at night.

Throughout her practice, she thought about killing parts. Thought about breakthroughs. Thought about when? Thought about if? Thought about how?

Thought about who, what, when, how, if even, her routine dance practices will amount to anything?

1.4 billion people in China, many Xu Jiaqis, how will Jiaqi get her name out there and hit international waters?

Jiaqi stopped as she realised that she was going down into a rabbit hole.

I guess if the wishing well works, I can keep wishing till it happens. Or should I go and get international waters? One mineral water bottle from Korea, one mineral water bottle from Japan, one mineral water bottle from .... and everyday, I will drink international waters and I will somehow, will my dream into existence.

Jiaqi tipped her cap downwards as she continued dancing.

Why am I so itchy?

Jiaqi stopped again and she started to scratch her arm. After scratching her arm, her leg suddenly felt itchy and she started scratching too.

???

Jiaqi looked at herself and saw that the skin on both of her legs had bumps all over and her elbow had them too. All of the bumps looked like they were caused by mosquito bites.

Jiaqi turned off the music and she sat down for a breather from dance as she scratched her itches.

"What happened to you?"

At the sudden voice at 2.49am, Jiaqi jumped out of her skin.

"Oops. Did I scare you?" Xueer said as she walked and sat down beside Jiaqi.

"What are you doing here?" Jiaqi asked as she scratched the sides of her legs.

"Couldn't sleep..." Xueer yawned as she looked at Jiaqi with bleary, sleep-laden eyes.

"...Really? You look like you are about to fall asleep at any moment."

"And you look like you need sleep and ointment. Stop scratching." Xueer grasped Jiaqi's wrist stopping her from worsening effects of the mosquito bites.

"But...so itchy!" Jiaqi exclaimed as she used her free hand to scratch her neck.

"Stoppp scratching, Jiaqi. We will fix it in the dorm, I have ointment."

"Come, let's go." Xueer got up and tugged Jiaqi to her feet.

Xueer linked their elbows tightly, keeping Jiaqi close to her so that she wouldn't scratch while they walked back to their dorm rooms.

"Xueer! Xueer. Xueeeerrrrr!" Jiaqi whined the whole way back.

"Eek! What is that?" Jiaqi saw her own shadow and was frightened, and she grabbed onto Xueer's arm with both of her hands while their elbows were still linked.

"Jiaqi..." Xueer almost cooed at the sight of a clingy little fox hugging her arm.

"Jiaqi, at certain times of the night, I would advise you to keep your head down and not look around, especially above eye level, like on top of big trees outside. Because sometimes you might see things that you shouldn't see." Xueer's words carried with them an ominous feeling.

Goosebumps broke out on the back of Jiaqi's neck.

"Xueer! Can we walk faster?" Jiaqi urged, picking up the pace and glueing herself to Xueer's side.

"As long as you are with me though, I'm sure nothing will happen." Xueer gave Jiaqi a reassuring smile, managing to calm Jiaqi's nerves a little.

Xueer squeezed Jiaqi's hands.

And, they both reached their dorm rooms.