Brittana: Left my Heart on the Dancefloor
I looked up at the sign for the dance academy and breathed a huge sigh. I didn't even want to go to this stupid class. My dance moves were good enough, but I suppose my parents thought they were failing at raising me without sending me to at least one extra-curricular club.
They should've thought about that before sending me to Lima Heights.
No one worth any social position went to clubs in that hellhole. If you did, you were a few steps away to total social suicide or even a sharp blow to the face. Only the sports clubs were safe from routine humiliation because they were at least seen as masculine and necessary.
Obviously, sports teams needed their cheerleading squads. Only the most popular girls were chosen. In Lima Heights, the most aggressive girls were the most popular, only because of the fact that no self-respecting female would dare risk confronting those bitches. That sort of scene would not end well. It took me a while but after escalating the Lima Heights popularity ladder I finally got into the squad.
It was quite possibly the proudest moment of my life, but it also meant I was now a bitch just like the rest of them. It was a bittersweet moment, especially seeing as my best friend got insanely jealous and ditched me. So much for true friendship but I guess I should have seen it coming in this place. It still hurt when she left though; she'd stayed with me the longest. All of my other friends were long gone. They just couldn't handle the attitude.
Before I entered the dance school, I went through the reasons why I was going.
The parents were making me.
Dance classes would make me a better cheerleader.
I might finally make some proper friends if could drop the 'tude.
I tightened my dark ponytail and walked in, faking confidence. I couldn't let them know I was actually nervous about the whole thing. I turned on my Lima Heights swag as I strutted into the studio. The dance teacher looked up as the door swung open and smiled. "You must be Santana Lopez" she sang. Ugh, I could tell this was going to be too cheery and annoying already. "Students, here's your new classmate, Santana."
She looked at me, as if expecting me to say something but I just wordlessly waved at the faces gawping up at me.
We began the class by stretching out our muscles. Thankfully, I was already kind of flexible because of cheerleading but as I looked around I noticed that most of the class had stretched further. I swallowed, fixing my face in an apathetic mask to hide the fact that I was worried.
"Right, now slide into the splits from your lunges" instructed the teacher and we obeyed.
I was still a few inches off the floor, pushing myself further until my legs tingled with pain. My eyes swept the room again and rested on a blonde in the front row. She was fully in the splits, her face screwed up in concentration.
I smiled. Her face amused me.
After stretched, the class congregated by the corner preparing to do leaps across the room. The blonde girl approached me and outstretched a hand for me to shake. "Heya, I'm Brittany Pierce" she said happily, taking me surprise by the warmth in her voice.
I grasped her hand firmly and shook it. Clearing my throat I replied with "Santana Lopez." Brittany seemed to take this as permission to hug me tightly. "I think we're gonna be good friends" she said.
The teacher allowed us to choose which type of leap to do but I played it safe with a regular forwards leap. I didn't want to make an ass of myself. I casually leaned against the barre as I watched the other dancers travel across the room but my back stiffened slightly when I saw that Brittany was next. I wanted to see her in action. I observed her successfully perform a perfect scissor in awe.
She walked up to me, smiling. "Very good" I commented, giving my head a stiff nod.
"Thank you" she chirped. I was glad my compliment didn't come across as sarcasm. It'd been a long time since I was genuinely nice to anyone. I was also glad that none of the Lima Heights girls were here, otherwise my rep' would be completely ruined.
The teacher then told all of us to be seated by the mirror. Well, all of us except Brittany. She was told to demonstrate the dance as the teacher had a knee injury and was unable to move as much. I'd seen her limping at the beginning of the class but this confirmed my suspicions. I knew a sprained knee when I saw one, due to cheerleading practice.
Brittany stood in the centre of the room and got ready to start dancing. The teacher pressed the play button on the stereo and the music started playing. As the intro finished I watched the blonde on the dance-floor intently.
Brittany looked phenomenal.
I honestly couldn't keep my eyes off of her when she performed. I was too amazed to even consider being envious. I shook my head as if to clear it and I noticed that Brittany's eyes were on me. She beamed in my direction, widening her mouth into a huge grin. I couldn't help it, but I found myself grinning back.
She threw herself onto the floor next to me and I offered my hand for a hi-five. She slapped my hand playfully as I congratulated her.
I sat there thinking, I could get used to this.