Sorry about the late update, School has started so my updates are going to be about once every two weeks, I will try to get them out faster but I also have to get a job so we'll see how that goes.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twilight characters, dances, or anything else!
Chapter 6 Dance team
~Flashback~
"Isabella, I would like you to meet Felix, Felix this is Isabella" Miss Jackie introduced me to the little boy, who seemed to be about a year older than me.
"Bella" I corrected in a little voice. We gave a shy wave to each other before Miss. Jackie started talking again.
"Okay, now today, I would like you to listen to each other's stories on why you think that you have to be here and then maybe we can talk about how to help each other. How does that sound?"
"That's fine with me" Felix jumped in, obviously eager to share his story. I just gave a slight nod in agreement.
"Now Felix this is Bella's first group session, and only her second time meeting with me at all, she might be a little shy, so we are going to go at her pace all right?" He nodded "Why don't you go first." She gestured to Felix to begin.
"Well I guess I should start with my first time being here. It was about seven months ago. There was an explosion at my parents Lake Housemy mother was the only one in it at the time, and she died. I was walking up the hill and I saw the house go up in flames, there was nothing I could do, by the time I got there my mother was dead. The doctor said I had emotional drama or something like that and sent me here. After I got better I went home, but my dad had a new girlfriend, and things were just different. I was alone a lot. Soon I made a new friend Demetri; we started spending all of our free time together. My dad's new "Friend" didn't like him, she was always ignoring him, acting like he wasn't even there. Then one day me and Demetri went to the lake house to search for clues, he said that he didn't believe the explosion was an accident; that if we looked hard enough we would be able to find clues to find out who did it." He paused and looked down at the ground. Miss Jackie encouraged him to continue.
"Did you find anything?"
When Felix lifted up his head, his eyes locked with mine and they were filled with pure hate, and fury. However for some reason it didn't scare me off.
"We sure did, we found a lot. It turns out my dad had been dating Linda since way back when, my mom was still alive. She was the one that killed my mother." He paused briefly and then continued "When we told her that we knew what she had done, she got all mad at us, and started threatening us. We had to stop her before she hurt anymore people. That night we finished what we started." He stated simply
"And what have you learned since you have been back, and you are back on your medications?"
"That Demetri never existed" he grumbled, barley audibly.
"And" she prompted
"That I accidently murdered someone?" He asked as if it were a question.
Miss Jackie nodded her head and then turned her attention back towards me. "Now do you see why it is important that you take the medication that they give you each day. If you take it like you are supposed to, there is no reason why you shouldn't get to go home and stay home with your mommy."
I nodded my head, it wasn't my fault, I had never had to swallow a tablet before and when they would grind it up and give it to me in water, juice, or anything else it just tasted nasty, the only one that wasn't so bad was when they put it in jelly, but at least I was starting to eat it now.
"Now Isabella, I'm sorry, Bella would you like to tell me why you think you are here?"
I nodded yes but then added "but I already told you Miss. I don't know why I'm here!" I said in a soft but confused voice.
'That's okay Felix has had many, many sessions with me, and at the start of them, he had no clue why he was here, he was just like you, and now look at him. It helps if you start from when you think things started to change."
"Okay… well I started having a lot of problem in school, I just wasn't smart" I said while shrugging my shoulders.
"Miss Jackie nodded
"Well one day my teacher met with mommy, then mommy took me to take all these stupid test, and meet with a lot of people. Then everything seemed fine, I was still bad at school, and I would get sad a lot, so then my teacher meet with mommy again. Then mommy took me to meet with this lady, her office was so cool it had all these toys and games. She became a very good friend, we would meet twice a week to play, then one day after we finished playing I had to sit outside; I could hear mommy and Mrs. K fighting. When mommy came out, we left, and I didn't get to play with Mrs. K again." I stopped and whipped a few tears that had fallen.
"It's okay Bella you can keep going." Felix patted my back gently and gave me a small smile.
"Thanks, The next thing I knew mommy was crying a lot, and locked herself away in her room. The next time I saw Miss. K we were in a big room with lots of chairs, a judge man was there and so was my teacher. I felt so lost, I didn't know what was going on, then everyone started talking and then mommy was making me leave, Mrs. K wasn't my friend, she made me leave. I didn't even do anything." You could barely hear me as I finished as the sobs kept getting louder and louder. Felix wrapped me in a hug
"Bella, I wan't you to know that you did a really great job right now, but think hard, do you remember that you left the courthouse, do you remember that?" I shake my head no "Think hard you went home, what did you do when you got there?" I kept shaking my head no and my whole body was shaking with my sobs.
~End Flashback~
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP,…., BEEP, BEEP,BEEP
I slapped the snooze button on my alarm clock and turned over. My Mac Book air's clock when off, that was all the way across the room, I lugged myself out of bed and turned that clock off. My head had just hid the pillow when the stupid Beeping went off again. I slapped the damn Alarm clock across the room, but the stupid thing was still BEEPING. I groaned and pulled my pillow over my head and tried to drown out to noise, two second of this and my TV turned on to the fresh prince of bell-air, and my Mac went off again, at the same time.
"Augh" I screamed out in frustration. I sat up, throwing my pillow somewhere across the room, at the same time that my cell's alarm went off. I yanked it off of the charger and gave another frustrated scream when I realized it was already six minutes after six.
I got up threw on some Jazz pants and a tank top put three types of shoes in my dance bag and went flying down the stairs while putting my hair into a messy bun along the way.
"Wow, you're up early." Charlie called as he made his way out of the kitchen.
"Expensive, VARY, VARY EXSPENSIVE: was all I grumbled as I ran out of the house.
"Expensive what?" He shouted from the doorway.
"CAR" I yelled over my shoulder and picked up my pace.
By the time that I made it to the school it was a little after 6:15. Luckily for me the dance team was still in the process of warming up, doing perorates across the floor.
"Hey, your Isabella right?" The strange petite woman asked while walking up to me.
"Yes ma'am. I extended my hand for her to shake.
"Coach said that he told you to be here at 6, we don't like for people to be late, you should be lucky you're not on the team, you'd be running laps for the duration of practice!" She said while crossing her arms.
Dude why the hell was she being such a bitch to me, so I'm a little late so sue me! Think of your car, think of your car, think of your car! "I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm afraid you're mistaken. Coach told me 6:30, I thought I was early." I said with a slight pout.
"Oh, well then I'm sorry, he told me otherwise, but he's been known to mix up dates, times, and places. Well I hate to say this, but you are going to have to be really good if you want to make the team this year, we already went to camp and I won't be able to take you if you just have the potential of being good."
"Yes ma'am, I hope I am good enough, I've been dancing since I was 9." This lady is really starting to get on my nerves!
"Oh really! Have you had any sort of formal training?" Disbelief laced threw her voice.
"Yes ma'am, I have been formally trained in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, a little of American Ballroom, and Pom. I studied at the Arthur Murray Mesa Dance Studio in Arizona."
She seemed stunned. A whinny voice coming from the girls who were still doing across the floors drew her back to the present. "Coach, can we stop now, I'm starting to get dizzy!"
"That's why you're supposed to spot Lauren! Give me 10 more and keep your lines straight!" She turned her attention back to me. "That's Lauren, she's the teams caption this year, and the girl with curly wild hair," she pointed towards the girl that was right on the side of Lauren, "that's Jessica, she's the co-caption, then we have Angela, she's our 1st lieutenant our 2nd lieutenant didn't see the need to show up to practice this morning it seems. None of these girls have been formally trained, but they all had to audition in front of a panel of judges. Since we don't have a week to teach you the audition dance, you are going to have to put something together and come in and be judged before Thursday, that gives you two days, will that be enough time?"
Boy, she sure sounds bored! "Um, actually, I have a piece that's ready right now; I composed it all on my own, with no help from any of my instructors. It was going to be for my recital but, I moved before then, it was been a while since I have preformed it, but I'm sure that it won't be too bad, if you had the time now, I would be more than happy to show it to you."
She looked momentarily shocked before nodding
"I hope you don't mind, but it also has quite a bit of tumbling in it?"
"Oh, you can tumble? No that's fine, let me just send some of the girls to go and get the mats and then we can start."
"Oh no that's fine, I have been tumbling since before I could even walk, I won't fall." I assured her, again she looked shocked but then she called all the girls to the side and asked if there was enough room for me to perform, to which I replied yes. I handed over my cd and got set in my opening position. (Leaving out the dance, but it is on my profile)
The music, well more like the talking started, and I completely forgot where I was, each flip, each turn, each trick took me home. For the first time since I had moved into this rinky little town, I felt completely at ease. I hadn't even realized how much I missed it. Since the moment I was told about my move, I shoved all my love for dancing away and just concentrated on the hurt, anger, and betrayal that I felt, I didn't even pack any of my recordings of me dancing, my trophies and ribbons, or an of my costumes. I left everything related to dance in my past; I should have known that it wasn't going to be staying there. Dancing was the only thing that I could turn to whenever life would just go down the shit hole. It had always been my only escape, well besides the medication, it was the one constant in my life.
As I hit the ending pose, I glanced at all the faces of the people surrounding me; they all wore a mask of shock. "I know, I'm sorry, that was so bad, I should have just gone home and practiced it till it was perfect, I'll go now." I said with a small pout on my face while looking down, I couldn't help it, the damn coach was acting like a total bitch to me, and I wanted to see her sweat a little. I had just made it to my dance bag when she called me back.
"No Bella, wait that was perfect! You are the best dancer that I have seen in all my years as a coach, and not just here either! I think that you are okay with missing camp, I'm sure we'll have to work on you a little but, I think we have a spot for you on this team." The smile she wore let me know that she was teasing with her whole 'you need work' comment, and it was nice to know that she could lighten up and have a fun side.
"Oh thank you so much, when can I start?" I really was excited, I knew just from the way these girls were turning that they weren't the best dance team I would be performing with, but I loved to teach. For the last year and a half I had been given two classes of younger girls to teach, and I just loved it. I wonder if she would let me help her whip this team into shape.
"Well practice is over for today, I like to give the girls time to go and take a shower and get ready for school you know. But if you have time right now, I would like to take your measurements for the team uniforms?"
"Sure"
X:x:X:x:X:x
By the time that she had finished I left the dance studio and started walking towards the main entrance to the school when I realized that in my haste to make it on time I didn't bring a change of clothes or any of my supplies for school. Oh well I could always barrow a notebook and pen from one of the girls.
I walked towards the pick nick tables near the front of the school until I spotted my very big cousin.
"Hey guys" I called walking up to them "does someone have a notebook and a pen I could maybe use for the day?" I asked before anyone could answer.
"Sure, here you go." Alice was the first to snap out of her staring at my outfit and pushed the items my way.
"Uh, Bells, if you were complaining about Mike yesterday, you sure are going to have a hard time keeping him away today." Em announced
"Yeah, why are you warring that anyways?" Rosalie asked
I huffed in exasperation "Because my lazy ass didn't feel like waking up this morning, therefore I was late to meet with the coach for the dance team, so I didn't grab anything besides my gym bag." I stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh well okay, how did that go, did you make the team."Rose continued.
"Sure did, I didn't even watch them practice but I could already tell that they are going to need a LOT of work, he guys when's the first football game?" I turned to look at them for the first time since my arrival. Jasper and Edward seemed to be in a daze of some sort so of course it was Em who answered me.
"This Friday, and its home which means there is going to be pep rally."
"Oh great!" The bell rang and we each made our ways to our own classes.
X:x:X:x:X:x
The school day seemed to drag on longer then the first day, the stares I received today were way worse than yesterday, I don't know if it was because of what I was wearing or because word got around that I made the dance team. After lunch passed, I and a long list of girl's names were called to the office where we learned that since today's morning practice was cut short and because they had to teach me and work me into the routine that we would be having an after school practice. I wasn't to upset, I had just wanted to head into Seattle and pick up some more dance clothes for practice, but I could always do that later.
I currently find myself on the track that surrounds the football field with the rest of my new team doing some individual stretching while waiting for our Coach to show up.
"Okay girls are we all warmed up" Coach yelled from the entrance of the track as she made her way over to where we were at. She waited till she received a course of 'Yes' before talking again "Well all right, we are going to start off with a mile run, that's four times around the track, don't pay any attention to the football players, there guys which means there stupid, if you feel the need to stop and chit chat with them you will cost your team an extra lap is that clear?"
Again, another round of "Yes ma'am"
"Okay on the whistle, shhhhw" She blew the whistle and we were off.
I have never liked running, but I guess since I was use to doing at least a 5 mile run every day with my studio I had more stamina then these girls, because I was the first one done, most of the girls where a full lap behind me.
"Nice job Swan." Coach clapped me on my shoulder. "Well since you are the first one done I guess you can just go over towards the bleachers and use them as a bar for your stretching, while I wait for the rest of them to finish." I nodded and continued my stretching.
Once all the girls had finished Coach called us all back together. "Okay the pep squad has the dance studio reserved every day after school this week for the duration of football season, which means every time I call an after school practice this is where well meet. Okay now right now we are going to work on the game routine, since that was is more important than the pep rally. We are doing the hip hop routine we had for camp so I want all of you to get into position and perform it while Bella watches it then well rearrange a little to fit her in, and break down the steps."
Everyone started moving into position and once they were set they started moving. I had to physically restrain my hands just so that I would not cover my eye, that's how bad they were. If this is the routine that they took to camp, they should have had this down, and they didn't they were all over the place, nothing looked good, I really did feel bad for them.
"I know they kind of suck, I was thinking about the conversation we had while I was measuring you, if you taught little kids, I was wondering if maybe you could help me get these girls into shape, we don't have to do this routine for the first game, as long as it is easy enough for them to learn. Please I'm dying to not look bad this Friday, everyone stays and watches the other schools half time performance, but when it's our time, they all leave. I need help." Coach Fernandez was pleading with me in a low whisper. What else could I do, I said yes.
After the girls finished, the headed our way. "Wow that was really…." I was looking for a word that wouldn't hurt their feelings "was something" Some of the girls looked proud of themselves.
"Okay listen girls, Bella use to teach lessons at her studio so she is going to help us construct a new routine for this Friday's game." There were whines coming from the group. "Hey, cut that out, in case you didn't notice that sucked, now Bella what do you want to have them work on?"
Crap I wasn't ready for that! "Um well I figure we could use morning practice to work on technical stuff and afternoon practice working on the routine?" When Coach nodded in approval I added "Why don't we try to start the new routine with a little bit of info from each of the girls. I could find out what there strengths and weaknesses are and then we can find the perfect spot for everyone?"
And that was how my first practice went. I was completely exhausted by the time I made it home. The Football players had finished practice about an hour before we did and I figured I would have to walk home, but when I turned towards the bleachers there sat Em, Edward and Jasper, all waiting to take me home.
"That looked like fun!" Em said as I flopped down on the front seat of his Jeep.
"Oh yeah sure was!" I said sarcastically. "You know I use to teach a class of beginners who were more willing to learn then they were!" I was a little pissed at their attitude.
"Well we know why you can't quite, but why were you helping to teach them?" Jasper asked from the 2nd row.
"Because Mrs. Fernandez was practically crying, begging me to help her to teach them, and if I am going to have to perform with them, I don't want them to completely suck ass."
No one said another word as we drove down the road to my house.
"Oh great Charlie's home." I said when his house came into view.
"And that's a problem, why?"
"Because, he was supposed to let James go this morning, and if he did, that means that he and James are there all by themselves." They all just looked at me confused.
"Oh I forgot to tell you that, Charlie had James arrested last night."
"Why!" All three of them practically shouted at me.
"Long story short, James didn't like the way Charlie grabbed my arm so he punched him, and Charlie took him in, now I got to o and make sure no one is dead. Thanks for the ride see you tomorrow." I closed the door on there stunned faces and made my way towards the front door.
When I walked into the house Charlie was sitting in the living room watching some football and James was in the kitchen heating up some pizza.
"Hey, Charlie ordered some pizza, we already ate." James said as he handed me the plate of warmed pizza.
"Thanks, come on we need to talk." I said as I grabbed his hand and dragged him up the stairs.
AN: I would really like to thank XoXoEarthboundAngelXoXo for all of your support, you're the only reason this story is still going. Thank you so much!!!!
Bella's practice Dance outfit is up on my profile along with her try out dance and the groups hip hop dance! I hope you enjoy them.
