Fredi
…
After words spoken of yesterday, I sign myself up for a ballet class at the local YMCA. My class starts tonight at six. First I find myself in need of buying ballet clothing. I swing my brown satchel over my shoulder, slip my feet into my vans, and head out of the apartment. As I hit the streets, I notice a familiar face from a distance. Of course Sam would be heading over to Bushwell at nine in the morning on a Sunday. You think he would be asleep like a baby right now considering he doesn't usually wake up until two in the afternoon on a weekend.
" Hello Sam." I say, stopping on the street to properly greet.
" Hey Fredi." He says. " What are you up to?" Adding on.
" I'm going to buy some ballet clothes."
" Why are you buying ballet clothes?" He asks back. I shrug a bit.
" I just signed up for a class at the YMCA." My hands digging deep into my pockets.
" What time?"
" At six. Please don't come a film me."
" As enticing as that sounds, that's when I usually wrestle."
" You're on the school wrestling team?"
" How long have you known me?" I recoil back to pre-school. He's only doing it to beat up someone professionally.
" I see."
" Yeah, so I finish at seven and I am crashing tonight at Carl's because I have to study for that damn history exam for Tuesday. Do you want to walk back together?"
" That sounds good. Besides, I am going to pulling muscles I haven't pulled for quite some time so you might have to carry me."
" Oh joy." He says sarcastically.
" Wanna join me right now?" I ask.
" Sorry buddy, got to help Carl find this eligible bachelorettes."
" So you're going to stalk Facespace." I state very bluntly.
" You make it sound so horrible." He says, embracing his hand on my shoulder. I roll my eyes. Sam walks around me, continuing his way to Carl's place. I continue to walk the streets and cross-walks until I get to old Miss Sevigny's Dance-Wear Shop. My dad would take me here when I was little; always hard to get me to leave. Putting my hand on the knob, I feel the rush of finding an old childhood toy. I walk in to smell the sweet smell of desperation and hair-spray. Oh how I have missed that smell. Mothers chase after daughters who keep on finding things to wear. Some girls my age stand in their places of knowing what they want and need.
" May I help you?" A woman asks coming up to me.
" Yes, you can. I am going to be taking a ballet class this evening and," I reply.
" First time or been a while?" Sweetly asks back.
" Been a while." I say in a saddening tone.
" I know what you'll need." She turns around and starts pulling things off of shelves, grabbing stuff off of tables. Soon she's asking me my shoe size. I tell her eight.
" Follow me miss." She says. I follow her to the cash register. She lays everything out.
" You've got one black long sleeve leotard, one thick strap leotard. Three counts of baby pink tights. Two hair bun pieces, and two pairs of tan ballet slippers." She says. I feel like I am in love all over again. I pay for everything. Before my hand touches the door knob, I look back to the store and everyone in it.
" I have a great feeling about today." I say to myself.
-0-
Carly
…
Samantha, Freddie, and I watch as Fredi sits contently on the Shay couch as Carl and Sam eat their weight in food.
" This is nothing like me." Freddie states. " At all!" Motioning his arms around his female self. Sam chuckles.
" Well, unless your hiding something from us. Then, this is what happens in an alternate universe." Sam says. Freddie rolls his eyes. Carl gets up from his seat and passes through Sam's body. He stops and then looks back, his hand actually pokes through Samantha's stomach.
" Damn I hate cold spots." He says.
" What's wrong?" Fredi asks.
" I just went through a cold spot." He replies.
" Well that only means one thing." Fredi says, putting her book down and standing up.
" What?" He asks back.
" There's a ghost in here." She jokes. She lets go of a small laugh, but it terrifies my male self. He quickly runs to the door, in the process picking up Fredi and swinging her on his back.
" Why can't you ever take a ghost joke?!" She yells, as Carl runs out of the door with her. Sam then gets up and his arm ends up passing through my body. He stands in shock.
" There is, more than one?!" He gasps. Then he screams and runs for the hills.
" You two are so dumb." Freddie comments. Sam and I give him the evil stare from afar. " Not you two, just as males." He says, trying to save himself.
-0-
Fredi
…
Standing by the bar, I watch the other girls do their stretches. Pointing their legs up high and curling their toes. I try to follow them, but my muscles remind me of the last time I actually stretched out. The door slams open, a woman in her mid sixties with black hair and green eyes enters the room. All the girls stop what they're doing and form into a line by the bars. She wears a black and maroon matching outfit, and with a cane for added emphasis to her.
" For people who have taken my class before today, you know who I am. But sadly today we got a new one so I must repeat my name." She says in a stern voice. Clearly he isn't a nice person. " My name is Isabella Van Hursberg. You may not call me Isabella or Issy. You only call me 'Berg.' Like the iceberg that sunk the Titanic." She says. Damn. " One to fifth position six times. Go!" My hand grapes by the bar and I let my memories serve me right to the positions. I feel her eyes looking at me. I try not to look back. I just bite my tongue.
" Stop!" She yells. I turn to her. Step by step, her heels make their way towards me. She lifts the can and points into my stomach.
" Your name." She asks.
" Fredi." I reply.
" Your real name, and don't skip the middle name."
" Frederica Leona Benson." I say. She drops the cane and I can feel her breath against my skin. She turns away from me.
" Part italian?" She asks.
" Yes, on my mother's side. They came to America from Florence." She looks back to me with a stern look in her eyes.
" So why are you here?" She asks. " Why do you want to dance?" I take a deep breath.
" I met a girl in east LA, in floral shorts as sweet as May. She sang in eighths in two barrio chords, we fell in love, but not in court!" I sing. I do an avant landing into a twirl. The other girls start singing "America" with me.
" Mis canciones son de la revolution, Mi corazón me duel por mi generación." I continue to dance at an allegro pace. " If you love me, we can marry on the west coast. On a wednesday, en un verano de agosto." The girls and I form into a line spinning our left legs up and down like a windmill.
" I wanna dance, and love, and dance again. I wanna dance, and love, and dance again." Pressing our bodies closer to one another doing a turnout. " Aah-America-Americano, I wanna dance, Aah-America-Americano, I wanna dance," Doing moves only found in a Shakira music video.
" I will fight for, how I've fought for how I love you," I sing as the girls sing a 'la la la' melody.
" I have cried for, I will die for, how I care," The girls continuing with the 'la la la.'
" In the mountains, las campanas, están sonando, todos los choicos," The girls sing 'Chicas.'
" Y los choices," Then another 'choicas.'
" Se están besando." The girls continuing with another round of the 'la la la.'
" I wanna dance, and love, and dance again. I wanna dance, and love, and dance again."
" Aah-America-Americano, I wanna dance, Aah-America-Americano, I wanna dance," I drop to my knees and do this movement where they open and out with my feet pointed causing a mirrored effect with the girls.
" If this would a be perfect world, we'd be together then," The girls sing 'let's do it, do it, do it.'
" Only got just one life, this I've learned. who cares what they're gonna say." The girls continue to sing 'let's do it, do it, do it.' I get pulled up by the girls and we dance like we're on stage with jumps, twirls and kicks;
" I wanna dance, and love, and dance again. I wanna dance, and love, and dance again."
" Aah-America-Americano, I wanna dance, Aah-America-Americano, I wanna dance,"
" Oh, oh oh, I wanna dance, aah-america-americano, I wanna dance!" I twirl back to my spot on the bar, the song slows down and I finish off,
" I wanna dance." I say. Everyone is back in their spots with Berg still standing. That might have been a dream but it felt so real.
" Let's practice our pirouettes girls." She says. I take a big gulp. This is the move my doctors forbid me to do after the accident, but I feel confident I can do it. The girls line up on the other side of the room. Each one of them does a stunning pirouette to the other side of the room. Soon it's my turn. I inhale deeply.
Sam
…..
The wrestling class was let go early so I decide to go see how Fredi is doing. After a brief moment at the front desk to find the class, I get in the elevator to the fourth floor of the establishment. The door opens and I walk down the hall, all the rooms have glass doors so people can look in. I walk past some rooms where little girls are learning to dance ballet and jazz. I come to room 404. I stand by the door. I see Fredi in line as the other girls twirl around on the tops of their toes. Then Fredi comes up. I can see the nervousness in her eyes. She gets up on her right ankle, the one that's broken. She starts off, but doesn't make it to the middle of the room. She falls immediately on the floor. I want to in and help her up, but I know she wouldn't want me to. She gets up and runs to the far corner. I watch the old lady look at her in disappointment. I hold myself back from bursting through and giving the old hag a piece of my mind. Fredi stands in the corner. When all the girls are finished, Fredi continues on with the class.
Fredi
…
After the class finishes, all I want to do is leave. Actually, run. I just want to run away. I change into my light blue vans, slip my bag over my shoulder and hold my phone.
" Hey Fredi." A girl says. I turn to her. She has beautiful light brown hair in a bun and her hazel eyes sparkle. I smile. " I don't think you remember me but I'm Jillian Clarke. We had ballet classes when we were younger." She adds.
" Oh yes. It's nice to see you again." I say. She looks down at her interlocked hands and then back up at me.
" You were the brightest one in our class and that night,"
" You don't have to remind me."
" But that's the thing, after that night, you became a bigger inspiration to me than any other dancer who has succeed and to see you now after all those years….you just need to know worse has happened to the best dancers."
" Well Miss Berg doesn't feel the same way."
" Don't take it personally. She does this to every girl, but it only makes them to strive for their best." Her hand falls on to my shoulder. " Do you want to come to my place and hang out?" Jillian asks.
" Thanks for the invitation, but I have a friend picking me up." I reply. She takes my phone out of my hand and puts in her phone number. She hands it back.
" Text me." She says, before leaving the room. I bring my eyes up to scan the room, everyone is gone. That's when I hear the door open, I turn my head and Sam stands.
" Nice dancing." He says.
" If only I could dance." I say, choking on a tear. He drops my bag. Sam strides up and embraces me with a hug.
" You can dance, you're just not believing enough." He says.
Sam
…..
A beat starts to grow in my heart and a tune plays in my head. That's when my mouth takes over and starts singing the lyrics to the song.
" It's been a long time coming since I've seen your face, I've even everywhere and back trying to replace," I say, taking Fredi's hand. " Everything that I had 'til my feet went numb, praying like a fool that's been on the run," I start us off with a waltz. " Heart's still beating but it's not working, it's like a million dollar phone that you just can't ring, I reached out trying to love but I feel nothing, yeah, my heart is numb." I continue to sing. Fredi recognizes the song and decides to sing along,
" But with you, I feel again, yeah, with you, I can feel again, yeah." She sings. We both sing to the tune of the 'woo hoo.' Our feet move at a face space as our hands hold each other with a grasp.
" I'm feeling better ever since you know me, I was a lonely soul but that's the old me." I sing.
" It's been a long time coming since I've seen your face, I've been everywhere and back trying to replace, everything that I broke 'til my feet went numb, praying like a fool just shot a gun." Fredi sings along as we move into a tango of her and I dancing to a fast beat in our minds.
" Heart still beating but it's not working, it's like a hundred thousand voice that just can't sing, I reached out trying to love but I feel nothing, oh, my heart is numb." I sing. I twirl her and twirl her back in.
" But with you, I feel again, yeah, with you, I can feel again, yeah." Fredi sings with a smile.
" I'm feeling better ever since you know me." I sing. Fredi sings 'But with you.'
" I was a lonely soul but that's the old me." Fredi: 'I feel again.'
" I'm feeling better ever since you know me." Fredi: ' I can feel again.'
" I was a lonely soul." We sing in unison. She takes a few steps singing along, 'I feel better ever since you know me, I was a lonely soul but that's the old me.' I sing the same words. Our eyes meet. That's when starts her running pace to me. I put my arms out for Fredi to jump into. She does her leap into her arms. I hold her up by her waist, as I bring her down back to the ground, we sing the last chorus to the song together;
" I'm feeling better ever since you know me, I was lonely soul but that's the old me, a little wise now from what you've shown me, yeah I feel again." Our eyes connect and it feels like heaven. Her hands hold the back of my head, her fingers curling into my hair.
" Feel again." We say together. Our chest so close that we can feel each other's heartbeat. The desire builds up between us, but no action is made. Our eyes just keep connected.
-0-
Spencer
…..
The rolling credits appear on the screen. Carl picks up the remote and turn off the television. Gemma stays asleep in my arms. I touch her little toes and she squirms. Carl picks her up from my open arms.
" I'll put her to bed for you." He says.
" Thank you brother." I say. Her little head lays quietly on his shoulders. He makes off to my room. I pick up the soda cans and popcorn. I bring them over to the sink and start cleaning.
" Good night Spenc." Carl says as he makes his way up to his room.
" Sweet dreams." I say. I hear his footsteps stop at the top of the stairs. That's when the door knocks. I walk over and unlock the door. It's Fredi.
" Hey girl." I say. She steps into the apartment and drops her bag. " Are you doing ballet?" I ask observing her pink tights covered up by a black dress. Her arms cross. " Is something wrong?" I ask. She looks up to me.
" You have to promise you won't repeat a word of this to a living soul." She says.
" Did you murder someone?" I ask in suspicion. She gives me the all telling look. " So you didn't kill someone. Just say it Fredi." She takes a deep breath and sits on the sofa. I sit next to her. She looks at me.
" Do you think two people who aren't perfect for each other should be together?" She asks.
" What are you trying to imply?" I ask back.
" Do you think, that, I should give myself a second chance with the blonde headed demon." My mind takes a step back. Think about this carefully.
" No." I say bluntly. Fredi's eyes grow big. " You and Sam didn't work out the first time. Sometimes when you're a teenager, you feel as though the only way to make ourselves happy is to go back to the source, but sometimes the source doesn't make us truly happy." My hand places it's self on her shoulder. " You have to listen to your head not your heart."
" But what if they're both thinking the same thing." She says.
" Then you need space and a lot of evaluation before you jump into the deep end."
" What if he might be thinking the same thing?"
" Then you got to wait for him to make the move. Fredi, you initiate so much for yourself, but this is the time you have to let someone initiate first."
" But what if he doesn't?"
" Then you can be like every other girl in the world. Look back, smile and realize what you learned from it."
" Thanks Spencer." She says. Fredi goes for the hug and I hold her close. I kiss the top of her head and stroke her back.
" I hope Gemma will be this easy." I comment. Fredi laughs.
Did this chapter leave your heart racing? Wanting to know how it all ends? Keep reading because some dreams might just come true. R&R