Plié... Plié... Plié... Plié... Plié.
"Where the hell is Nance?"
Madeline's concentration on her barre exercises was interrupted by the voice belonging to her best friend, Anais McKinnon, behind her. A quick look at the girl almost always leads to a double take because if you squint you might see Audrey Hepburn. It was almost always the first thing anyone would say to her when they saw her.
At some point she stopped putting her hair up outside of ballet, but now it was like wherever she went she was easy to spot considering no one else had hair like hers. Of course, not until the other girls wanted to look like her too.
Madeline whispered, "Right there."
The two watched as their blonde friend scurry into the classroom, flashing them a sheepish smile as she squeezed behind Anais, "Sorry, sorry," she whispered to the girl behind her who stared at her confused, "Hi guys..."
Miss Dupont, the ballet teacher stared intensely at Nancy Rogers almost as though she was burning holes in her skull. The long stick between her hands was menacing enough with her angry posture but it was always her sour look that tied it altogether. She walked down the long line of girls once she saw Nancy doing her exercises.
Anais glanced behind her before whispering, "Where were you?" she asked Nancy, not quite understanding how this girl could ever be late.
"I woke up late," Nancy answered, "Gosh, my legs hurt. I haven't stretched since the last time we were here."
It was true. The last time they all did ballet together was at the end of last year - their eleventh grade academic year.
Anais furrowed her eyebrows, "I didn't even see you come in last night. Did you Madeline?"
Madeline shook her head slightly, not even quite remembering what she did last night other than start her first night of relentless studying.
Madeline and Anais had shared a room together for as long as they've been both going to Henley Hall, they hadn't met Nancy until two years ago when she had transferred in from Ridgeway, a public high school around the area. Since then, she's been rooming with Linda James, a quiet and reserved girl who didn't mind Nancy enough to room with someone else.
Nancy explained her disappearance, "Remember I had dinner with the Danburry's last night," she reminded.
"What time did you come back?" Madeline asked, doing another plié.
Nancy thought for a second, "Uh... perhaps ten?"
"Ten?" Anais whispered in an exclaimed manner, "What did you eat? A ten course meal?"
Madeline huffed, "Twenty?"
Miss Dupont's voice suddenly boomed, something along the lines of her stepping out and that the girls should continue their exercises but the three friends didn't mind her.
Anais turned around fully this time, Madeline following so the three could face each other with Anais in the middle, "How's Chet?" she snickered.
Nancy groaned, "Don't remind me..." she trailed off, "Chris was over too and I didn't really want to know what they were doing in his room."
Madeline nodded, "How is he related to Ginny?" she questioned and the girls nodded agreeing, "Gosh, I hate boys like him."
"There was another boy there."
The brunette friends shot their heads up at Nancy immediately, confused but also intrigued, "Who?" Anais questioned almost laughing, "Was this why you slept in? I - Oh my, Nancy - No - Did you-?"
Nancy swished away her friends expressive hands, "No - gosh! His name is Knox," she informed.
Anais snickered, "Knox?" she repeated, "Jeez which loaded family created him?"
"The Overstreets," Nancy answered, "His father and Ginny's father did some case together."
The two nodded, understanding that they were both lawyers and Nancy spoke again, "He goes to Welton."
Anais gasped, "Disgusting. Don't ever talk to him again," she stated, shaking her head.
Madeline interjected, "They're better than Ridgeway boys..."
Anais turned to her best friend, "Chet was a Welton who became a Ridgeway boy," she pointed out, "Don't talk Miss I just broke up with my Saint Bernard Prep School holy catholic boyfriend," she poked.
Madeline rolled her eyes, "Says you, Anais, where's your boyfriend?"
"I don't want a boyfriend. Boys are immature, childish, ingenuous, fatuous, naive-"
"Those all mean the same thing!"
Nancy interrupted their conversation, "No, no, I promise this one was different. He's kind of like Todd," she noted looking at Madeline.
"Like Todd?" Anais repeated, "Have you met Todd? He doesn't even talk to us. Did Knox not talk to you either?"
Madeline gave Anais a look and she shrugged off her stare, "Todd's just shy..."
Nancy nodded slowly, "Knox was pretty shy too..." she blushed, thinking back to last night, "He thought I was Mrs. Danbury."
"Huh?"
"What?"
"I hate Ms. Norshel," Ginny grumbled. She laid across her living room carpet, her algebra workbook out displayed before her and pencil in hand as Nancy sat on the chair next to her reading the textbook she once had to buy a copy of for the same class.
The blond nodded, shutting the heavy bound of confusion, "I hate her too."
Ginny looked up at Nancy as she placed the book back on the floor with the rest of her materials, "You can go hang out with Chris if you want."
Nancy shook her head scoffing, "I think your brother wants to hang out with Chris right now," Ginny giggled and Nancy shot her a smile when the doorbell had suddenly rang.
From the kitchen, Mrs. Danburry shouted, "Chet, can you get that?"
"Can't, Mom!" Chet shouted from his room, echoing down the staircase.
"I'll get it!" Nancy shouted to the kitchen, already pushing herself off her seat.
"Thank you, Nancy!"
Brushing off her skirt, she jogged to the door, pressing down on the handle and swinging the door open. She was first met with a young boy who seemed down by staring at his shoes and an older man behind him who looked at her puzzled.
The younger boy looked up from the ground, meeting the eyes of the delicate blonde who stared at him curiously. His light brown hair was swept to the side just falling over his left eyebrow and his face was long. He was averagely tall, almost tall enough to be considered very tall, but he just wasn't. He looked around her age, but she wasn't sure. She noticed his uniform but she didn't want to be caught eyeing his entire body.
The boy continued to stare at her with his lips slightly apart. Nancy waited for him to speak but he didn't, "Can I help you?" she asked.
The boy glanced down at her but then back up at her face, "Hi," he finally spoke, looking as if he couldn't think, "Knox Overstreet," he introduced, then turning to his left, "Uh, Dr. Hager," he turned around, looking at the older man who had taken off his hat.
"Uh, hi," she spoke moving her head to look at the older man as Knox turned back to stare at her.
He looked just as lost as her, "This is the Danurrys', right?" he asked.
Nancy nodded slowly, "Are you here to see Chet?" she questioned.
Knox didn't answer, looking down again and Nancy was confused what he was looking at, even looking down herself. He looked back up, "Mrs. Danburry?"
Nancy shook her head quickly, "No," she laughed, hearing the sound of heels behind her.
"Sorry, Thank you, Nancy," Mrs. Danburry spoke, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and ushering her back to living room, "I"m Mrs. Danburry. You must be Knox."
Nancy was left smiling as she walked back to her seat, being passed by Mr. Danburry who was walking towards the front door, "Knox, how are you? Joe Danburry," she heard him say, "Well, he's the spitting image of his father, isn't he? How is he? Come on in."
Ginny gave Nancy a confused look and she shrugged, not really sure what was going on and then suddenly both the Danburry's were leading him into the living room, "Have you met our daughter Virginia?" Mr. Danburry spoke, "Turn that down, would ya?"
Ginny moved to turn her radio off as her mother spoke, "Virginia say hello!" Mrs. Danburry spoke and Ginny turned back.
"It's Ginny, mom," Ginny corrected sighing, before looking up at Knox, "Hi," she spoke shyly, offering him a small smile before returning back to her work.
Noticing Mrs. Danburry stare at her, Nancy's mouth formed into an 'o' before moving down the couch to sit closer towards Ginny, "You've already met Nancy right?"
Knox stared down at Nancy, nodding slowly, and Nancy offered a smile up at him as if to say hello once more before Mrs. Danburry offered the seat next to the blonde girl. He had sat down slowly and the smell of expensive cologne filled her nose quickly.
Mr. and Mrs. Danburry sat across from them, "Did he ever tell you about the case we had together?" Mr. Danburry asked Knox who sat silent, "He didn't tell you what happened?"
Knox looked down again, "Uh, no," he shook his head, speaking softly.
Mr. Danburry held a cigar in his hand as he waved them around telling his story, "We were really stuck," Knox glanced at Nancy beside her and she pursed his lips together almost holding in a laugh, "I was sure I lost the biggest case in my life. And then your father came to me and told me he could weasel a settlement. But only if I give him the entire fee from our client... That son of a gun," Mr. Danburry laughed and Mrs. Danburry smiled.
Nancy watched as Knox listened, but she knew he was only playing along. To her, he looked like a little kid who was forced to smile for a family photo. Inching his head forward, mouth open, smiling - it was all a habit of respect to someone older. She would know. He glanced at her again and she looked down at the ground this time.
"You know what I did?" Mr. Danburry asked.
Slowly, Knox looked back over at him, answering honestly, "No..."
"I let him have it," Ginny's father started to hark a laugh, "I was so desperate I let your father take the whole fee!"
Mrs. Danburry seemed as if she could also sense Knox's uncomfortable state and as if her husband had told this story more times than she could count, "Excuse me while I see how things are going for dinner," she spoke moving up towards the kitchen.
As she was about to exit the living room, Chet and Chris had appeared, "Dad can I take the caddy?" Chet asked in all of his self.
The sight of him and especially that red weatherman jacket had made Nancy almost cringe so she looked down at the floor almost grumpy.
"What's wrong with your car?" Mr. Danburry asked.
"Chet, where are your manners?" Mrs. Danburry spoke, "Knox, this is my son Chet and his girlfriend Chris Noel. This is Knox Overstreet. Excuse me while I check on dinner."
Chet and Chris smiled at him but Chet eventually snorted, "Yes, hi... Uh, dad? Come on, why is this always such a big deal?"
"Because I bought you a sport's car and suddenly you want my car all the time."
"Yes, I know. But Chris's mom feels safer when we're in a bigger car," Chet argued, wrapping an arm around her, "Right, Chris?"
Nancy rolled her eyes, moving her crossed legs to her left and Knox noticed both her expression and action.
Chris blushed, "It's all right, Chet..."
Mr. Danburry stands up, moving to walk to the kitchen as Chet follows him, begging and arguing.
Chris sends Nancy a sheepish smile as if to apologize and Nancy only chuckles, moving again to sit next to Ginny.
Suddenly Knox spoke, standing up, "So uh Nancy," he started, "Where you in school?"
Nancy turned to stare up at him, sighing out her answer, "Henley Hall.. with Ginny here."
"That's your sister school, right?" Chris asked Knox.
Nancy realized then that was where his uniform belong to and why it looked so familiar. She opened her mouth slightly before closing it.
Knox looked to the side unsure, but nodded anyways, "Sort of."
Chris spoke down to Ginny, "So Gin, you're going out for the Henley Hall play?"
Ginny responded, "Maybe..." she breathed out, still unsure.
"You should," Nancy urged, "It'll be fun!"
"Are you auditioning?" Knox asked brightly and Nancy shook her head laughing.
Chris instead answered for her, "Nancy does ballet at Henley," she turned towards her. "What are they doing this year?"
Nancy shrugged, "I think they tell me tomorrow."
"So, are you guys sisters?" Knox asked out of the blue and all the girls turned to stare at him.
Nancy gave him a puzzled look before laughing, "No, no... Uh, Chris and I used to go to school together. She and Chet go to Ridgeway."
Chris perked up, "He used to go to Welton but he flunked out..."
Knox chuckled nodding down, "I know..."
Nancy nodded towards her friends, "I'm serious! I opened the door and he thought I was Mrs. Danburry."
The three girls laughed, and Nancy continued, "I'm never gonna see him again, aren't I?"
Anais starred at her, "Oh don't tell me you actually like him? He's a Hellton boy!"
Nancy shrugged, "No - no, I don't like him!" she laughed, "He just seems... different?"
"That's what they all say...." Anais sang.
Nancy turned towards Madeline, an idea popping into her head, "Oh Madeline! Could you ask Todd? Todd must've heard of him there's not that many boys there."
Madeline stared at her friend unsure, "I don't know, Nance... You know how he is..."
Anais nodded, "Yeah, and if you're gonna get with this boy," she paused, "Make him chase you."
The blonde nodded unsure then asking the question that's been on her mind, "What's the ballet for this year?"
Madeline glanced at her before answering, "Swan Lake."