Another chapter here! Please review etc and enjoy!

CHAPTER 5

"I feel sick. I don't want to do it."

"Oh, shut up, Vic." Jemima rolled her eyes at the blonde. "You are going to be the best here and you know it."

The girls were sitting in the largest ballet studio the school had. It was full of people – some they knew and some they didn't – all here to audition for the upcoming show. Victoria had been preparing for this non-stop for the past 3 days, practising her pirouettes in the living room and her split leaps in the hallways of her apartment building. Her small room mate was right, she was ready. But that didn't stop her mind from spinning and her stomach from churning.

"You're right. I'm just nervous." Victoria began to bit her freshly manicured nails, her nerves rising as Cassandra walked in, followed by her faithful followers.

Jemima spotted this too and yanked Victoria's hand away from her mouth. "Look at me." The blonde obeyed, her eyes full of panic. "You can do this. Don't let her phase you, that's exactly what she wants. You've got this."

Victoria looked into the reassuring deep brown eyes of her friend and suddenly felt at ease. She smiled, which made Jemima smile back at her.

"I've got this." Victoria nodded and readjusted her pastel pink leotard, a sudden determination filling her.

The room became silent as the main door swung open and Grizabella strided in, her heeled boots clacking on the wooden flooring. A few people with clipboards and notepads followed behind her – probably her assistants. It was a very rare occurrence to see the school's founder. She was always busy with something or other and only really showed her face around the time of the shows. Her whole body was poised with an elegance that Victoria had never seen before, every movement she made was fluid and graceful. Despite her age, she was very beautiful, with pale skin and dark eyes, accented with precise make up. Her grey hair was twisted into a neat bun on the top of her head and she was robed in a grey jumper and black fitted trousers. She was the height of sophistication.

"Thank you all for coming to audition for this year's show." She smiled, her voice low but smooth and comforting. "I am pleased to tell you that we will be putting on a performance of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. I wish you all good luck."

She then walked to the other side of the room where the chairs were situated to watch the auditions, her slaves in tow. Victoria gulped. She had no idea that Grizabella sat in on the auditions. She looked to Jemima with wide eyes and the brunette gave her a thumbs up, winking and mouthing 'you're going to be great'.

The first half of the day was taken up with auditions for the smaller roles. Jemima went up without a shred of nervousness and danced beautifully. Victoria had always admired her bravery and willingness to do her best. She supposed that she didn't care as much because she was going out for a smaller role, but Victoria knew that she could have danced the lead if she wanted to. The hours went by in a blur, her nerves rising with every minute.

"Could we have those auditioning for Odette up next, please?" One of Grizabella's assistants called out to the room. With shaking hands and a pounding heart, Victoria rose to her feet and walked to the side of the room where the other Odette auditionee's stood. There were only a few besides her and Cassandra there, as everyone knew the lead role was only given to those who were able to dance to a high standard.

"Good luck." Cassandra mocked, her slender arms folded over her coffee coloured leotard. She really did look the part – with her chiselled face and her bewitching features. She would make a perfect Odette. But something inside of Victoria made her feel like she would too. She was just as talented and hard-working. Suddenly all the anxiousness she had been feeling turned into anger at all the times Cassandra had mocked her and made her feel small.

"You too." She looked her straight in the eye, hoping that some of her fury would come across in her face. Cassandra just rolled her eyes and made her way to the centre of the room to dance her prepared piece.

Victoria watched intensely as the tall brunette moved around the space, scoffing slightly when she looked over to her, obviously trying to put her off. Every motion was graceful and every step was precise, but something about the way she performed put her off. She was expressionless. Her face stayed stony the whole way through and the only emotion she portrayed was that of disgust. She finished her dance and looked to Grizabella, an expectant look on her face.

"Hmm." The grey haired woman frowned and looked Cassandra over. "You are very graceful, my dear. However, you do not convince me. Your face is bland, it conveys no emotion to the audience when you dance. I want to feel whatever the dancer is feeling, and frankly you seem to be feeling nothing."

Cassandra stood there, stunned. The room was silent as everyone processed what Grizabella had said to one of the best dancers in the school. Victoria tried her hardest to mask her smile but couldn't help but giggle a little as the now fuming Cassandra stalked back to her original place with the other dancers, her face red and her jaw clenched.

After a few of the others danced it was her turn. She looked to Jemima, who was sitting with Quaxo and Plato, one last time and she smiled frantically back at her. Plato winked and she blushed slightly before making her way to the centre of the room.

Victoria had always danced. It was her thing, her niche. She never really had to think about it and this was no exception. The music started and she just… danced, the adrenaline kicking in and taking over her body, as if she was standing back and watching herself manoeuvre around the space. Before she knew it, the music finished and she was in her final pose. She blinked, her heartbeat fast and her breath laboured. Her eyes darted to meet Grizabella, who said nothing but smiled and nodded at her. Victoria wasn't sure what this meant but it was a whole lot better than being publically embarrassed in front of the whole dance school.

After the auditions had ended, she ran to hug Jemima who began singing her praises.

"You were incredible!" She sang, her eyes wide and full of pride. They were joined by the two boys who smiled and congratulated her on her dance. She smiled at Plato, looking up at him through her eyelashes, and he smiled back, exposing his gleaming teeth. Though the two didn't speak often, there was an undeniable connection between them.

"We should celebrate! Pub, anyone?" Jemima cried, linking her arm with Victoria's.

"Lead the way, little one." She giggled back and they left the room, laughing together. Victoria was too content to even notice that Plato didn't follow them out.