Mangle x Foxy || Highschool Love

"Feels so good to dance again."

Mangle's POV

"-And a five, six, seven eight!"

That familiar voice of my old dancer teacher echoed through the vacant hallways leading up to the dance studio as I approached. I couldn't help but smirk to myself at the sound of Miss Givenchy barking orders at the dancers who were probably fearing for their lives at the thought of getting one chassé out of place..I knew because I used to be one of them.
I entered the studio, the 5pm remaining rays of sun casting a warm light onto the smooth birch floor through the long floor-to-ceiling windows. All dressed in black vests and leggings, the light also highlighted the dancers movements perfectly as they moved fluidly and attentively to the rhythm of the allegro style music.
The memories of all those hours spent inside this studio flushed back into my memory filling me with a mixture of sadness and pride..God knows I missed it more than anything. I missed everything about dancing and learning and performing, from studying the graceful framework of ballet, to dancing boldly and precisely in cheerleading on the field with my squad.
I took a few more steps into the studio, Miss Givenchy facing the dancers while watching closely as they carried out the routine-That fiery, determined look in their eye as they watched themselves just as closely in the long mirrors covering the wall behind Miss Givenchy. I smiled a wide smile to myself watching them perform, it really did warm my heart, I just missed that fiery feeling of learning dance so much.
It was only when the routine came to an end I was noticed by both Miss Givenchy and the other students who I knew well after attending so many practises.
"Mangle!!" They all squealed as they finally turned to me, many then rushing towards me and engulfing me in a huge group hug.
"We missed you!!"
"Where have you been?!"
"OMG are you dancing again!!"

"Kids..You're strangling the poor girl-Back it up." Came that stern voice once again, all the dancers immediately obeying the teacher and backing away with sheepish smiles between them all, "Good. Now, everyone get changed and go home, we're done for the day. Tut-suite!" She said clapping her hands and with that they all jogged off into the changing rooms.

Nothing's changed here then heheh..

Miss Givenchy then looked at me with a warm smile before gently pulling me into a hug, "It's good to see you Miss Evans, my prized pupil." We both chuckled at her statement, she then patted my back before letting me go and getting a good look at me, "You're looking much better thank goodness, you're not as thin as you were after-.." She trailed off before bringing her dark blue eyes back up to mine, ones now with a tinge of sympathy. I gave her a weak smile and a small nod,
"It's fine Miss..Thank you. I have been feeling a lot better-today especially. I'm getting my eating back on track and my scars are healing."
"That's wonderful to hear," She said regaining her happy expression. One thing I always loved about Miss Givenchy was that she knew I hated being pitied, if I ever messed up in a competition or made the wrong turn in a sequence, I didn't want a 'You did your best that's what matters!' speech, I wanted to push myself and try again. She knew when to be hard on me and when to push me, and definitely to never pity me, "So what brings you back here, Miss Evans?" She said with a quizzical look.
I took in a short breath,

Just get it out Mangle, come on..

"I-I want to dance again..I'm going crazy without it Miss Givenchy you don't understand it's the only thing I had that was mine, that I loved doing..i-it was the only thing I had left of my Mother." I said with an inescapable saddened feeling coming over me as I mentioned my mother. Miss Givenchy looked at me knowingly with a small frown, she'd known me since I was young and had even known my Mum extremely well, they went to the same dance school and were close friends in college so she knew about how much this meant to me, "Please Miss..I-I don't want to forget that part of me that loves dance just because of a few scars." I managed to choke out, trying to belittle my large remaining scars into a much smaller deal than they were. I played them down and they might be so so much better than they were, but they did still hurt and a choice few were still visible along my neck, collarbone, face and leg. But I truly didn't care. I knew I was ready to come back to this part of me. This drive I had to stop my cousin from taking over Dad's firm had lit a fire under me, one that had motivated me to come back to the thing I love doing most..Well maybe second most.
Miss Givenchy sighed, "Mangle, I know how much this means to you-Besides your Mum, I was your first proper dance teacher and I've seen you flourish into a beautiful dancer with so much potential..But you're not ready. As much as I-",
"But Miss Givenchy I am ready!" I interrupted her, refusing to accept her denial, "I'll prove it to you I am-Give me one of your old routines I'll do it, no problem!" I stated with as much determination as I could as I stared into her eyes, throwing my school bag on the floor and kicking off my school shoes before approaching the centre of the room.
"Mangle-" Miss Givenchy sighed with a tired look, but I wasn't giving up.
"Please," I implored her, "Let me show you I'm ready..You know I won't leave til you do." I smirked at her and raised my brows knowingly. Miss Givenchy pondered for a moment before huffing, "Fine..Just like your Mother." She said, unable to hide her smile as she mumbled that last part of her sentence. She reproached her teaching position in the centre of the back wall lines with mirrors, "Okay Mangle-You want to prove to me you can handle my lessons again? We'll start with something worthy of that calibre then-An exert from the modern contemporary style ballet routine we did for regionals last year." Miss Givenchy spoke with a challenging tone and a confident smirk as if to scare me, which she definitely was. Contemporary ballet uses your whole body and requires constant and extremely fluid movements-She was definitely pushing me, knowing I would either fail miserably or ace it; it really was make or break right now.
I took in a long inhale and exhale, removing my school blazer so I was only in my school shirt, skirt and tights-not the best dancing attire but hey, she wanted to push me.
She pressed a few buttons on her remote that controlled the speaker system and music and the ballad began playing.
You can do this Mangle..Show stupid Felicity what you're made of. For Mum!
I took in one last deep breath and let my dancing do the rest of the talking.