What Comes First
AN: Hey guys! This story is the one I have been working on lately and I enjoy writing this story! This story is sort of based on the movie Step Up 2 but barely, I put my own little twist though. If anyone has watched Step Up 2 then you may notice some similarities. For example I used the school in the movie, MSA. Oh! And I might use a lot of ballet terms but no worries I will put translations and if I didn't already explain what the move does than I will add that too. It shouldn't be too hard to understand. Well enough said. READ!
It has been a long two years since my mother had passed away. It has been a year since I sent in my audition tape to the Maryland School of the Arts. It has been months since i have done anything besides dance. I'm starting to doubt that they even gave my audition tape a glance at all. My bad luck just hasn't turned yet. My sixteen year old brother, Jeremy, always tells me something great is just around the corner waiting for me. My aunt, Jenna, reassures me everyday that I am way better than those Julliard robots. I doubt that. I'm starting to wish I was more positive just like Jeremy and Aunt Jenna.
Dancing is my life. Its all I've known for an extremely long time now. I'm sure if I didn't depend on dance I would be lost in this strange world, that I have yet to explore. One day everything will change. Something good mightactually happen to us Gilberts. I just feel it in my bones! I never doubt my bones. But if our life wasn't such a tragedy than I would be more positive.
"Jer! I'm heading out to the studio; I might be out late again! Don't forget to tell Jenna! See you soon." I yelled from the bottom base of the stairs. "Oh! And I left you money for dinner, save me left overs!" As that was said, I put some money on the kitchen counter and headed towards the door, grabbed my jacket and my duffel bag and headed out the door.
The dance studio was located two houses down from my own home. The home directly in front of the studio is where Madam Sheila lives. She owns her own studio that all the dance students are welcome to use anytime they would like. I come to the studio everyday to perfect my flaws. Bonnie, my best friend since diapers and granddaughter of Madam Sheila, says that I don't have any flaws. I highly doubt that. Everyone has some sort of flaw. Mine is my dancing skills.
I opened the door to a beautifully designed dance studio. Two of the walls are made of light blue sheer windows, chairs all lined up on the window and the other two walls are huge dance mirrors, in front of the one dance mirrors are three bars. On the left of the dance mirrors are small, box lockers lining up against the window. In the right corner of the of the room there is a huge Sony stereo and a Sony plasma television right above it. The studio is equipped with a polished and waxed dark wood floor. The room is very spacey and there are two entrances to the studio. When I first saw this dance studio I fell in love. There was nothing more special to me than this. This studio is my home.
I automatically spotted Bonnie in the corner of the room stretching on the bar. She didn't notice me walk in so I just walked straight to my locker in the back. I opened my duffel bag and took out my black leotard, pointe shoes and beige sheer stockings. Next I opened my locker and then I put on my dance outfit, put my normal clothes back in the bag and stuffed the bag in my locker. After I joined Bonnie at the bar. "Hey Bonnie! Your here early today." She turned to me and smiled at me.
"Hey Elena! Yeah, I'm here early because I kn ow your always the first one here. Anyways, I got a letter that was for you in my mailbox, the mailman must have made a mistake." She took her leg off the bar and walked over to her locker, I followed her. She entered in her combination and took out a large yellow envelope and handed it to me. I took the envelope and went to put it in my locker. "Aren't you going to open it?"
"Nah! I'll wait until I go home later to check it out, right now its time to practice. Like your grandmother wants us to." I winked at her and she groaned. I clapped my hands together and smiled at her. "Center."
Bonnie walked to the center as I walked to the stereo and turned up the song, 'We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel.' I walked back to where Bonnie was standing. We stretched our muscles and worked on our routine for an hour and a half. It was already 11:40 P.M and Bonnie needed to get home and work on some of her homework for school. She said she'll pick me up in the morning and left.
I went over to my locker and took out my duffel bag and started changing into my normal clothes. I looked at the envelope that Bonnie handed me, it was from an address in New York City. My curiosity started to kick in and I decided to open the envelope now. I ripped through the top of the envelope and took out the small packet of paper that was in the envelope, it read:
Maryland Schoolof the Arts
July 5, 2012
Dear Elena Gilbert,
Congratulations! Our performance juries have completed screening close to 1400 performer applications. You have been selected by that jury to join us at MSA this year.
We will be calling you July 25, 2012 to discuss your performance date, time, stage and negotiate your fee and/or scholarship details. Please don not call unless you have not heard from us by this time.
If you are going to be hard to reach please call our performance HOTLINE 622-5148 and leave a message when the best time to reach you is. Also please check the mailing label on the front of this envelope. This is how you will be listed in our MSA listing program. Leave any name or address change on the answering machine as well.
Thank you for your interest in attending MSA. Your participation ensures its success. We look forward to working with you this year.
Sincerely,
Zach Salvatore Jasmine Salvatore
P.S. If you sent a STAMPED, self-addressed envelope, your tape will be sent back to you within the next few weeks. If you did not include a self-addressed STAMPED envelope your tape will not be mailed back. We do not have the space available for storing your tapes and materials past July 25, 2012. therefore we urge you to pick up these materials by this date.
I stared blankly at the letter for a couple of minutes as the realization hit me. I did it! I made it in the school of my dreams. The school that my mother attended to when she was my age. I made it.
"Oh! My! God! Aaaaaaaah! I did it! I can't believe it! I actually made it! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" I screamed at the top of my lungs and started doing silly dances. After calming down just a little bit, I ran to my locker, closed it shut, grabbed my duffel bag, stuffed the envelope back in my bag and ran out the door, sprinting straight to my house.
AN: So? How was it? I hope it is good! Anyways, I will explain more about Elena's parents the next chapter. And if anyone of you do not know what CENTER means. It pretty much means middle. OK! So that just sounds about right! REVIEW! Or not. LOL..! =D
