3. Sienna #2
It’s a familiar smile, but I can’t quite place it.
“Your hair is beautiful! I’ve always wanted to dye mine!” She giggles and I cringe back as she sticks her grimy hands up in an attempt to touch my hair.
What the hell?
Why do strangers think that because I have “pretty” and unique hair, that gives them a free pass to pet me like an animal at the zoo?
The red-head must catch on quickly because her eyes widen almost immediately and her jaw drops.
“Oh! I’m so sorry…I just thought—”
“That you could touch me even though we’ve never met before because my hair is unusual?” I ask, a small smile breaking my hard exterior as the girl chuckles awkwardly.
“Sorry about that…I promise to keep my hands to myself from now on. I’m Daisy, by the way.” Daisy’s cheeks brighten a light shade of pink, highlighting her freckles as she holds out her manicured hand for me to shake .
Grabbing it, I nod. “Sienna. Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise. What brings you to Summerfield? You have that fish out of water vibe.”
My brows raise and my cheeks burn as a larger smile breaks out across my face. This could be the fresh start I was searching for—a new friend!
“Is it obvious?” I ask, chuckling softly as Daisy nods, her red hair swooshing as she ties it into a bun. “My old school sucked, so I moved here for a fresh start.” I shrug, looking away to our professor at the front of the room.
She’s an older Black woman with deep brown skin and bright red lips. She reminds me of my aunt Melody with her short and petite physique.
“Ah, same! I just moved, too. There’s someone here that I missed so I’m hoping that he and I can reconnect…” Her light cheeks redden even more as she curls into herself slightly.
My brows raise as I take in her words. What a coincidence—there’s someone here for me, too, at this school…only he’s dating someone else.
Daisy and I spend the rest of our first class of the semester focused on our professor—who goes by Coach K—sharing little chats here and there.
Coach K tells us about all things to be prepared for over the course of this semester, including our final exam.
Since Ballet 3303 is a hands-on dance course, we will all work on partnered projects and add a creative spin to our favorite dance pieces for the Winter Showcase.
The Winter Showcase, as Daisy and another student, Reagan, explained it, is a four-hour long event at the end of the fall semester where every arts major will showcase their work over the semester.
Students with dance concentrations will perform their project and be graded on technique, routine, costume, and overall presentation.
The dance is worth forty percent of our final grade.
Daisy and I agree to partner up, so we exchange numbers at the end of class.
My body feels light and my brain is cleared of all fog as I make my way to my car parked near the quad.
The first day of classes went by without any casualties, and everyone has been nice so far.
I’m buzzing with excitement for tonight’s lesson with my Minis. My girls are like little rays of sunshine, and since I’m already in a good mood, I’m going to get them a small treat.
The Sweet Tooth, an Alice in Wonderland inspired bakery, is just five minutes from the studio. My body practically hums with energy as I step into the sweet-smelling shop. The building smells of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and is warm, like a hug.
“Hey, lovely, what can I get for you? Lavender Love?” Saree, the main baker greets me as I step inside, and my body warms.
I should feel embarrassed that Saree knows my order is lavender macarons off the top of her head, but nothing can beat the thrill of happiness that I’m feeling right now.
I made a friend and she’s not bitchy!
That shouldn’t be something to celebrate, but if you’ve met the people that I have in life…you’d feel the exact same way as me.
“Actually no, I’m getting treats for the girls! Can I get a dozen red velvet cupcakes and three Lavender Loves?”
A grin breaks across my face as Saree nods and gets the cupcakes. Nothing can break this good mood I’m in. Today’s going to be an amazing day, I can just feel it.
Wait, no …that’s just my phone buzzing.
It takes me a minute to fish my phone from my purse with it being lodged between my e-reader and notebook. Giving myself a pat on the back when I find the lavender phone, my smile falters as my boss's name flashes across the screen with a new message.
Madam Dupri
Sienna, report to my office after you clock in. We have business to discuss.
Business? My shoulders deflate as I reread the message .
What could she possibly have to say to me? Dupri never wants to talk to anyone…especially on Mondays.
Shrugging it off, I thank and pay Saree before heading to the studio. It’s probably nothing…Dupri sends encrypting texts all the time. She probably just wants to ask how to connect her phone to the Bluetooth again or something.
Or not.
My hope turns to mush as I enter the studio. Vicky, our receptionist, who’s usually as bright as the sun when I enter, greets me with a tight lipped smile and points me towards Durpi’s office just off the side of the entrance. My heart rate speeds up as the world closes in on me.
I tug the sleeve of the compression top I’m wearing and sigh. Maybe this is a meeting about my performance and she wants to promote me?
Yeah, let’s go with that.
“Take a seat, Sienna.” Dupri’s cold voice crushes all of my happy spirits as I enter her office, quietly sitting in the uncomfortable, brown leather chair in front of her desk.
“Is everything ok—”
“Are you in some sort of trouble, Sienna?”
I’m at a loss for words, my eyes wide as Dupri cuts me off, leaning into my space. Her eyes are like greedy little cameras trying to grasp any information they can as she observes me.
“Excuse me?”
“You have a new student. One who paid a lot for you specifically to teach them. I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, but do whatever this student asks of you.” Her voice is deep and serious as her hard gaze remains laser focused on me.
The box of cupcakes in my hands feels like stones as my stomach drops.
New student?
“But what about my girls? This is their first practice after the recital and—” My voice is unrecognizable to my ears as I speak, the beat of my heart drums loudly in my ears .
“Don’t worry about the Minis for now. They’re being taken care of. Your student is in Studio F, so don’t keep them waiting.”
Her voice is cold as she dismisses me. My feet feel like lead as I drag them to Studio F on the other side of the building—far, far away from my girls and all the other classes.
The air on this side of the building is crisp, with only four unused studios. This studio is one of the older ones waiting to be remodeled to fit the rest of the academy's modernized look.
Sucking in a deep breath, I brace myself for who’s on the other side of the door. Dupri made it seem like the devil himself was waiting for me.
My body thrums with anxious energy and my tongue is thick with heaviness as I turn the knob to the room.
Taking a step inside, my senses are flooded from all over. It’s dark in here, save for the small orange, ambient lightning of a vintage stage light in the corner. I sneeze quietly as dust flies into my nostrils.
Dropping my bag and placing the cupcakes down beside it, I’m about to start stretching when I realize I’m not alone.
In the center of the room sits a lone figure, with over-ear headphones on, hunched over. The person is obviously male, with large back muscles hidden under a white compression shirt.
My back stiffens as I look the figure over. My heart knows who sits before me, but my eyes refuse to recognize them.
Run! It’s a trap! the distant voice in my brain shouts, but my feet are stuck in their place and I’m paralyzed as the figure looks up in the mirror.
His dirty blond hair shakes with the action and my heart free falls to the pits of hell as green eyes meet my hazel ones.
“Jace?” My voice is breathless and unrecognizable, like a foreign entity has taken over my body as he smirks, still watching me through the mirror.
“Hello, angel.”