AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Six
Phoenix
Today started out great. Ms. K had managed to get into contact with some friends she knew from her tour as a professional dancer. She found a dance school here that catered to my needs. Jonah was my new instructor’s son, and when he came by this morning to take me to the studio, I couldn’t seem to calm my racing heart.
His ocean eyes were calm and kind, two sapphires rimmed with green that were kind of hypnotizing if you stared at them too long. He wore his beachy blonde hair in a messy man bun, and when he smiled, I forgot how to form words.
As we drove, his laid-back demeanor seemed to calm my nerves. When I thought I could get away with it, my eyes raked over him. Dressed in a tight wife beater that showcased his well-toned and defined muscles, and the standard black dance tights that left nothing to the imagination, he had me doing a double-take.
I was surprised how easy it was for me to be around him. He actually gave off a calming and friendly vibe—it’s as if my body and mind were telling me this guy is safe.
“Jonah,” releasing a nervous breath, “can I ask you something?”
“Uh-huh,” He glances over at me, turning the radio down as he does.
“What exactly did Ms. K tell your parents about me?” I studied his features for any hint of pity or guilt. I really hoped she’d been vague. The only benefit of starting over here is leaving the scathing glares behind me. I didn’t want anyone to look at me differently.
He doesn’t answer right away, which makes me nervous. Instead, he steers the car into the studio’s lot, puts it in park, and heaves a sigh. He turns toward me with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“They didn’t tell me much, but I know you haven’t had it easy the last few years ... and you lost your mom recently,” he clears his throat, twisting his hands up and down the steering wheel awkwardly. “They ... um ... told me you weren’t a fan of hugs ... that you prefer a little distance.” I nodded slowly, waiting for the rest.
“I assume that you may have been through something that …”
“Stop. Please don’t do that.” My voice rises as my anxiety does. “You don’t have to take guesses or make assumptions ... I ... it’s not like …”
“It’s okay.” He stops me before the tears come, taking the keys from the ignition. His broad smile chases away the butterflies in my stomach.
“I just want to be your friend, no back story needed. I just need you to know that whatever happened back home, you’re here now, and you’re safe with me.”
“Hmmm ... I get what you are saying, but I need you to know that I find it hard to trust people, especially guys. I know that sounds vague, and you probably have questions, but that’s all I can tell you right now.” The uncertainty in my whisper brings his eyes back to mine, but I put a hand up for him to let me continue. “Please don’t ask me what happened, I don’t like talking about it.”
Nodding, he gives me a reassuring smile and motions with a tip of his chin to the door of the studio. “Don’t worry, when you are ready to share, you will. In the meantime, I will just tell you this; you are going to fit in just fine here, trust me. This isn’t like the other studios in the area; you will be safe here.” He unbuckles his seatbelt and reaches behind his seat to collect our bags. “Shall we go in and see where you will be dancing for the next year?”
Entering the studio through the ornate double doors and taking in my new surroundings, I make a point of locating all the exits. The foyer is small and inviting. On one side there is a trophy cabinet filled with various awards and accolades. The other walls have pictures and posters on them. I smile, remembering what it’s like to be on stage without a care in the world. I approach the reception desk in front of me, only a slight hesitation in my steps.
The lady behind the desk looks like she just stepped out of the Swan Lake rehearsals. Dressed in a mauve lycra leotard, with a matching mauve wrap around her thin, lithe figure. She wears her shiny auburn hair in a high bun with not a strand out of place.
“J, you’re here,” rushing from behind the desk she pulls him into a warm hug. Peering over his shoulder, a cheery inviting smile spreads across her face, “and who is this enchanting beauty you have with you?”
Looking at her wryly, I wipe my sweaty hands down the front of my pants before extending one to her. “Hi, I’m Phoenix, my dance teacher Ms. K arranged for me to take a tour of the studio and maybe sign up for some classes.” I’m nervous as hell; I don’t know this woman all too well, and she looks like she is about to pull me into a never-ending hug.
I may have given Ms. K permission to disclose my past with the new studio, but I figured it would be easier if they knew. I’m starting to think it was a bad idea. I didn’t want them to think it strange when I didn’t want a partner, but now I can’t help but wonder which of these people know my darkest secrets.
As if sensing my discomfort, Jonah steps in to talk to this lady in front of me. Looking between the two, I start to notice some similarities that I’d overlooked. They have the same eyes, the same soft yet high cheekbones, and the same infectious smile.
“Mom, why don’t we give Phoenix a chance to look around. I think you’re scaring her a lil bit,” looking over to me, he motions toward a corridor off to the side. It must lead to the practice spaces. “Come on, I’ll show you around, and maybe you can show us where you’re at so we can work out which classes to put you in.”
After looking around for about forty minutes, we head back to the front of the building and pick up two locker keys. Jonah hands me one of the keys and directs me to the girl’s changing room.
“Meet me in studio one when you’re finished, just over there,” he points to an open door down the corridor.
As I turn to walk away, I glance back over my shoulder, watching him and his black tights disappear.
It doesn’t take long to slide into my dance leotard. I was hoping to find a quiet place at the Ducanes’ house to stretch and work off some of the tension from my trip this morning, but when Jonah showed up, it took me all of five seconds to pack a bag and go. I grab my shoes and head to the studio, a new pep in my step that only comes when I know I’m about to dance.
When I open the door, what I see is absolutely breathtaking. There are mirrors across two of the four walls, with full-length windows on the third that allows the natural light to flow through and bounce off the hardwood floors. The studio reminds me of the ballroom from Beauty and the Beast; it’s absolutely beautiful.
Stretching out while I wait for people to arrive, I start to think about the choreography for my next routine. I usually start with the message I’m trying to convey. It helps me to envision how my moves will tell the story I want the audience to understand. It also lets me portray the way I feel at the time. With everything I’ve been through recently, I’m grateful for the chance to get up and move freely. Simply put, dance equals freedom, and I’ll take every opportunity I can get to be free.
