A/N: SIXTY REVIEWS! SIXTY REVIEWS! Come on, you guys, keep it up! You make my day! I'm a happy person!

More OCs! Omigosh, I'm like, addicted to OCs… oh well. I promised my friend, Joanne, that she'd get one, so she does in this chapter.

Incidentally, Joanne is also the only one who caught the reference in the previous chapter (probably just because she goes to school with me, lol). The reference was Essie Kirby's name. Wikipedia You Can't Take It With You if you're curious as to why, because I'm not telling you! So, Joanne, your reward is that your OC is going to end up as somewhat of a main character. Yay!

Ok, this author's note is officially way too long, so I'm gonna start the actual story.

THIMBLES! And on with the fic…

Saran VD

Five, Six, Seven, Eight

Chapter 10

Mimi waited on the steps for her ride home. She was all spit and fire still, however, so instead of sitting quietly, she was pacing. It was a couple hours later when the class let out. Aine and her friends came out tired, sweaty, and looking as though they had just had the time of their lives. When Aine spotted Mimi sulking by the steps, wondering where the hell Joanne was, she told her friends, "You guys go without me. I'll see you in jazz tomorrow." The girls nodded, smiled, and left, chattering.

"Mimi?" asked Aine. "Are you really quitting?"

"No, it was a joke," Mimi sneered. "Of course I am! I don't belong in a dance studio, all done up in a leotard and tights and false eyelashes and stage make-up! It's just not what I do!" She turned to the door, which had just opened; Jasmine, Carlita, and Celine were headed out.

"I hate ballet," Celine decided, wiping sweat off of her forehead. "It's stupid. There is no reason for it at all."

"Control and flexibility?" suggested Jasmine helpfully.

"Bet Mimi could tell us the point of ballet," Carlita pointed out. "Hey, Meems!" she hollered.

Mimi eagerly got up to join them. "Yes?"

"What's the point of ballet?"

"What Jasmine said. Where are you girls going?"

"Well, I need a hit. Desperately," said Carlita. "Looks like I'm going to add to my debt."

"Here, I'll come with you," Jasmine offered. "We'll see what he can do to you with two of us there."

"Thanks," Carlita replied gratefully. "See you at work, Celine!"

"Bye!" And with that, Celine turned to Mimi. "Apparently Keiko sees the point of ballet. She's signing Mai up."

"She is?" Mimi was interested. Keiko was another of her ex-coworkers, the single mother of a four-year-old Mai. Mimi would watch Mai if Keiko had a "one-on-one" meeting with one of the guys from the Catscratch. She was the only girl to offer these services, and it was rumored that Mai's dad was one of Keiko's first customers. "Where?"

"Here. That's why Jasmine, Carlita, and I came. To check out the studio, and see if everything is okay here. I'm telling her it's not."

At this point, Aine slipped into the conversation. "I hate to interrupt…"

"Too late," snapped Celine with a cool tone.

"But the kid's classes are nothing like that. Mimi teaches them. Ask her."

"You do?" Celine perked up. "I'll tell Keiko to take Mai to class tomorrow, then!"

"I did," Mimi corrected, "but I just quit."

"Oh, come on, Mimi, we aren't all like Essie. She's just something stuck up her ass," Aine said. "Besides, you got Tina and Frankie to actually dance. The most I could ever hope for was to get them to stop yelling."

"Please? Mai knows you a little. She might cooperate for you."

"Mai doesn't cooperate for anyone," contradicted Mimi. "But, fine. Aine, tell your uncle that I'll see him Saturday."

Aine grinned. "Tell Mark to call me tomorrow at four."

That Saturday…
"I'm gonna get you this time, Tina! I swear I will!" Frankie's battle cry was Mimi's greeting that Saturday morning.

Mimi was determined to act good-natured this time. "Hi, Frankie. Hi, Tina."

Tina stopped running and ran over to the barre. "Can we do gwand botmas this week, teachew?" she asked. "You pwomised that we could."

"If you guys cooperate for the first half of class, we can. How's that?" Mimi asked her, stooping down to the little girl's level. Tina jumped up and down and clapped.

"Mimi? That is you, yes?" Keiko headed over to where Mimi was standing.

"Hey, Keiko. Good to see you. And, is this Mai?" she asked, glancing at the small four-year-old holding Keiko's hand.

"Yes. Mai, do you know Mimi?"

Mai shook her head silently. She was a tiny, slender little Japanese girl whose long black hair was twisted into a bun. She wore a black leotard and a sky-blue skirt, and her legs were naturally turned-out.

"Well, you will know her soon. I will see you after the class, okay?" Keiko hugged her daughter and left.

Mai simply stood and blinked up at Mimi. She turned at saw that Tina and Frankie had (gasp!) already taken a place at the barre and were gripping it tightly. She silently joined them, except she held the barre properly. Mimi headed over to the radio in the corner. "Are you guys ready?" asked Mimi.

"Yes!" chorused Frankie and Tina loudly. Mai simply nodded.

"Then, do you two remember what we need last week?"

"PLEEZ!" yelled Frankie loudly.

Mimi nodded approval. "How do you do plies?"

"Wike this!" called Tina, bending her knees.

"Good job. If I start the music, will you be ready do them?"

"Yes!"

"Let's go!" And Mimi started the music. "Ready? Go."

Frankie and Tina began their awkward plies, but Mai didn't.

"Oh boy. Mai, Mai, can you please do this with us?"

Stubbornly, Mai shook her head.

"Please?"

Another head shake.

"Please?"

"NO!" Mai yelled loudly.

"Oh, boy."