Glass Skin (Discontinued.)

10

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Sitting in the front row, Fleurette happily read over the much delayed reply from Eleanor. She was expecting as such but even still. "What's got you smiling?" Gangle flopped over the seat beside her.

"A letter?" Squelch appeared in the other side of her.

"From who?" Fleck stood on the chair directly behind Fleurette and had stood up on it to peer over her shoulder.

"My sister." Fleurette replied. "She is back in France. I told her I would write every day. But I had difficulty in doing that considering the rough start we've had here."

"Oh," all three said in unison.

"You miss her." Fleck said while plaiting Fleurette's hair.

"Terribly."

"You regret moving over here?"

"No."

"Said with no conviction! She's telling the truth." Squelch declared.

"That or she's an excellent liar." Gangle narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her.

"She's an awful liar actually," Meg giggled and walked across the stage with numerous people with her.

"What are you doing?" Fleurette leaned forwards in the chair and looked up at her friend interestedly.

"Practising."

"For?"

"We've got a week to get this place sorted, those who are not practising shall do that, take it in turns. Then at the end of the week we shall perform." Madame Giry explained in a stern tone.

Fleurette smiled slowly, she had oddly missed her strict ways. "Brilliant." Looking to the trio around her she smiled. "I do believe we're some of the first to start cleaning duty."

After several hours of rushing around the main hall was almost spotless. The dust sheets which were thrown over the seats had been removed. Soft, plush deep red cushions were now on show to everyone who inhabited the theatre. The foyer had been cleaned of broken glass and dried leaves which were crumbling away on the floor. Even the windows were starting to look back to their normal standard. Whistling and dropping a cloth in a bucket, Fleurette looked out of the now clean window. Her eyes skimmed over the city beyond the bay. The bright city seemed like the polar opposite to this building, even though it had been tidied quite quickly.

She dearly liked to think though that it was slowly beginning to fit in with the rest of the buildings which surrounded it. Reaching down she picked up the bucket and started walking down the corridor. This place didn't set her on edge as much anymore, she was rather comfortable living here even after two days. Turning the corner, she briefly watched Meg and the group of women she had with her dance and sing. A smile appeared on her face, she was happy that Meg was doing something which she got enjoyment out of. She really did mean her earlier words.

"I do believe Giry has something in mind for you."

"What did you tell her?" Fleurette asked as she continued to walk. A few times she stopped or paused to readjust her grip on the bucket handle.

Erik frowned, "Nothing. But I do believe that after your solo performance she has something else in mind for you."

Fleurette looked up at him. "The routines she is teaching here, are nothing to what I learned back home." It was the truth, there was no traditional moves of ballet. Whatever that routine involved, she didn't know. Eventually she got to the back door and emptied the bucket. When she returned back inside she frowned when she could hear Giry calling for her.