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Dancers Blue
Mint was prepared. She had filled out all the enormous comprehensive surveys, essays, and sent all the photographs in for her application. The only thing standing in her way now was the audition.
It was freakishly cold for the last week of summer, and today Mint would face the final test to enter the advanced Arts year-round school. If she made it, Mint would start school at autumn's start, no more than two weeks away.
She entered the building warily, there were a lot of people there, and in only her thin dance attire Mint felt self-conscious. She approached a woman at the counter, who smirked at her over her glasses. "Your name please," Mint disliked her expression.
"Aizawa Minto," she responded in icy tones. The woman handed her some papers.
"The room is down that hallway on the left. Good luck, the dancing is the most competitive category." But Mint was not consoled.
Following the map, Mint reached a room with a mirrored wall on one side. The other was consumed entirely by a window and long wooden ballet bar. One boy had arrived ahead of her and was already stretching at the bar. She watched him transfer smoothly from first position to second, then third. At a signal from an observing lady, she moved to stretch as well behind him. Violin and piano music played lightly as student hopefuls filtered in.
So this was her competition. From the form she had received, the group was to perform their positions as instructed at the bar, learn a two-minute routine on site and present it to the judges panel. Those applying for the advanced class, such as herself, would also complete for them a solo dance and pas de deux. Mint's pre-assigned partner was named
Kusabana Nori, who she presumed she was paired with on account of her height.
The first two hours were long and sweaty, as the woman instructors booming voice called "Fourth position! Plie!" Luckily, Mint had a strong endurance and was able to hold up even after the endless positions ended. The class paused for an optional water break. Those who weren't thirsty could stay in the room and begin to learn the routine. It surprised Mint that she was the only one to leave. The other hopefuls, however parched, had stayed behind in order to appear dedicated. But Mint was never one to be drawn in by peer pressure, her mind almost never correlated with the student populous, and she didn't see why it should now.
Mint arrived back at the room in a timely manner, and the male instructor came over to teach her the dance. The moves were nothing near complicated, but the ballet dancing was well coordinated with the music. Mint learned it in no time, and spent the rest polishing it for the panel. What really stunned her was her partner for the pas de deux. "Kusabana Nori," she called calmly, and the boy in front of her turned to face her. He was undeniably handsome, with shiny red hair and violet eyes that sparkled with amusement. "Aizawa Minto." This would be one crazy partnership.
If one were to examine them both thoroughly, they would immediately notice how fairly matched they were. Nori was several inches taller than Mint, with a slender body and even form. Mint was more curved in figure, and seemingly unlimited flexibility. They had equally stubborn, competitive expressions, but Mint flashed disdain while Nori smirked at her frustration. Both were at the same level of advanced dancing.
This had a clearly stunning effect on the judges, for as Mint leapt and Nori caught, pencils were still; when Nori balanced and Mint spun, eyes were focused. The on-site routine went by quickly and without matter. Even Nori's ridiculous stumble in his solo dance didn't seem to catch the panel's attention. No matter how stunning or horrible anything else had gone, Nori and Mint were accepted the moment they stepped onstage together.
Mint's attitude towards Nori was the same through and through: even if he was her ticket to Murasaki High, she could not stand the fact that someone just possibly could be her dancing equal and she hoped she would never have to see him again.
Mint's notification of acceptance arrived a week later. With it came her schedule, uniform, and a list of students in her classes, which she examined carefully. First period was jazz with Ms. Sukiko, second was modern dance with Mr. Koshi. The rest of her day was split between advanced ballet, pointe ballet, and student teaching a children's class on partner dancing. On her list of students, one thing was significant. Kusabana Nori was in all of her classes.
Birds fled their homes at her scream of despair.