Just to Dance
" You guys!!!!! Look what's in the paper today!!!!!!!!" Tea shrieked as she ran to her and her friends' usual lunch table. Joey scanned the entire front page.
" I dun see anyting speial…" He said with his mouth full of pizza.
" Dumb ass, It's right there!" Tristan shouted pointing to the bold print and clunking Joey on the head with his Chemistry textbook. There in huge letters said, " Domino Ballet Company Open And Ready For Dancers!!!!"
"This is what I've been dreaming about my entire life, you guys!!!" Tea shouted, eyes sparkling. " I just can't wait to join!!! I wonder if they'd ever put on Giselle? I love Giselle!!!!! "
" Hold it! This does sound cool, but I didn't know you were interested in ballet! I thought you were more into hip-hop!" Yugi said with a puzzled look.
" What did you think I was doing after school from 4th to 9th grade??!! Academic Quiz Bowl???" Tea said, looking a bit perturbed.
" Hey! Don't hate on Quiz Bowl!!! That was my life back in elementary school!!" Tristan said, taking another bite of his Philly cheese-steak. " I think you should sign up, Tea! You'd be a shoe-in!!" Joey said.
"Thank you, Joey!!! It's nice to know somebody supports my dream!" Tea said . " You know we're behind you all the way! " Yugi said. " Just don't kill yourself if you don't get in!" jokingly.
"Don't worry about that!! I think I can handle myself a little better than that!!" Tea said with a giggle.
Two weeks later
(The Audition)
Tea took a deep breath as she walked into the Ballet Company's lobby. There must have been at least 30 other girls there, eager for their turn to come. All Tea felt was a huge knot in her stomach. " It's okay… You can do this… This is your dream!!!!" Tea thought as she walked into the ladies bathroom to change into her pink and purple leotard.
As she walked out, a short woman with a slight Russian accent gave her a card with the number 458 on it. " This is your audition numbah dahling, they vill call you vhen they are ready.." She said. " Umm Thanks…" Tea said as she smiled nervously.
After about 45 minutes her number was finally called. As she walked into the large gymnasium, she felt a chill surround her. The knot in her stomach seemed to tighten as she walked to the center of the room. Thank you for coming , Ms……" A bald man in a gray suit said.
" Uhhh.. Tea Gardener, sir…" She said softly. " Okay, Ms. Gardener.. Show us what you can do." As a tall woman beside him turned on the boom box next to her, Tea thrust herself in j'etes and grande' plies, spinning gracefully around the room and, luckily, in time with the music. One stumble in the first jump, but it was her only mistake. 4 minutes later, it was all done. " Very good, very good… just fill out the forms before you leave today and will send you you're results…"
"Thank you!!" Tea said as she ran out the door smiling ear to ear. Hs picked up the forms she needed and bounded to the nearest chair. " Let's see her… Name: Tea Michelle Gardener. Birthday: March 23, 1987. Height: 5' 6". Weight: 15.… WHY THE HECK DO THEY THINK THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT??!!!!!!" She shouted at the paper. The other girls became dead silent, but then started whisper and giggling immediately after.
Blushing crimson red, she quietly wrote " weight:157 lbs."
One Week Later
(Tea's House)
" And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, it's the moment you've all been waiting for!!!!!!" Joey shouted dramatically as Yugi and Tristan started drumming on Tea's Mom's coffee. "The envelope, please?!!" He said as he pointed to Tea.
" Give me a break…" Tea muttered as she opened the pale white envelope. She had talked about this moment non-stop. Dreaming about it, thinking about it, practically eating about it, and here it was, right in front of her. In her hands… " Here we go…"
Tea ripped into the envelope and grabbed the letter. Suddenly, her face froze and she dropped the letter with a limp hand.
"I didn't make it…"