Authors: Wendy Potocki
The strangled look of hurt on Melissa's face got the better of Collette's conscience.
“Oops, sorry, little one. I didn't mean that how it sounded. I just wanted to get across that the entire school is going. Honest!” she said patting Melissa’s hand. “And you can stick with us. It’ll be a chance to kick loose. We've been going 24/7 and how often does Halloween raise its skeletal head?”
“Ehem, that would be once a year,” Brandi countered, not getting that the question was rhetorical.
“Exactly!” Collette agreed, taking Brandi's naivety in stride. “Once a year we get a chance to frighten the crap out of one another, and you're going to turn that down, Little Miss Missy? I thought you told me you liked scary stories? Or was that the 'fun Melissa' that seems to have gone MIA these days?”
Hating to admit it, Collette was right it. She was being a pill. Deliberately depriving herself of a chance to have a little fun, she’d gotten spooked by an animal watching from the safety of their natural habitat.
“It does sound kind of fun,” Tina cajoled, putting her spoon down beside her empty container of yogurt.
“Are you going?” Melissa asked.
“I hadn't given it much thought, but if you go, I will. I even have a ghost story. About my cousin and the night he thought he saw ....” she stopped, slapping her hand over her open mouth. “No, I'm not going to say anymore! You're just going to have to come to find out,” she tittered. Her eyes pleading with Melissa to join them, she crooked her head.
With a heavy sigh, Melissa grabbed her napkin, waving it over her head in surrender.
“Alright, alright! I'll go to the stupid party! But only because I want to find out about your cousin! I swear, the minute I find out what he saw, it's adios!”
The group giving a loud cheer, the sound was overheard at a nearby table. Zoe fixing a malevolent stare at the foursome, she pressed her shoulder into her constant companion, Justin. Not happy with the display, she devised plans to alter one girl’s mood to black.
Chapter Eleven
Staring out the window, Melissa fingered Todd's card. She still hadn’t called him, but she'd wanted to. Debating whether she should, it wouldn’t be the brightest move to become involved with so much going on.
“What'cha lookin' at?” Brandi asked, barging into the room. Finished showering in the communal bathroom, she tried to look over Melissa's shoulder. Ignoring the snoop that couldn't manage to respect people's privacy, Missy slipped his card into her purse.
“Nothing,” Melissa replied. It wasn’t worth fighting about, and she doubted that she could explain the concept of not overstepping boundaries to someone that was raised to be a lap dog.
“I can't wait until tonight!” Brandi screeched, circling her wet towel in the air.
“Hey, Captain Lasso! You're going to hit me with that thing!”
“Oh, sorry!”
“What's tonight?”
“Gawd, Missy, you're such a jerk! It's Halloween, you dork!” The look on Melissa’s face making it clear she'd forgotten about the momentous occasion, she rubbed her forehead. “I guess that means you don't have a costume planned out either?”
“And you do?”
“Natch! I'm going to wear these!” Brandi proclaimed, unfurling a pair of wire fairy wings from her drawer.
“Where the heck did those come from?”
“Aren't they cool?”
“I don't think I said that.”
“But it's what you meant,” she retorted, not acknowledging the damper being put on her enthusiasm.
“Again, where did you get them?” Brushing her waist-length hair, she gathered it into one hand. Holding the elastic band in her mouth, she started making a bun.
“In town. Zoe's boyfriend, that would be Justin, rented a car. He drove us into Holybrook, and before you say anything, I would have asked you, but you hate Zoe! So I would appreciate you stop giving me the evil eye,” she scolded.
Wanting to argue, it was only because Brandi got on her nerves and not because she was wrong in what she said. Her sense of justice kicked in.
“You are correct, and I apologize for the sour mood. This day just snuck up on me.”
“It's cool, Missy. Love you even when you're a grouch,” she cooed, planting a smooch on her cheek.”
“Yeah, well, the Russian curmudgeon that invented the word awaits—so let’s hurry.”
* * * * *
The two girls made it to Viktor's class in plenty of time. Finding the irascible teacher in an even fouler mood than he normally was, he was fit to be tied. Pacing in front of the studio, he cane tapped out his distress. Collette and Tina already at the barre, they saved spaces for their two friends.
“What gives?” Missy asked. “Did something set him off?”
“Nope, he was like that when we got here,” Collette answered.
“So maybe it’s something personal?” Brandi queried.
“You never know. I’ve heard an unsubstantiated rumor that teachers do indeed have private lives,” Tina surmised.
The clock ticked, the hour hand moving to the number 9, the minute hand to 12. Melissa and Brandi jumped to the side, grabbing a hold of the barre. Today was not the day to be dawdling.
A clatter from the back of the studio made the students turn their heads. Una and Alexei marched through the door. A sparkle in Alexei’s eye, their entrance caused Viktor to further shut down. Shunning the proceedings, he turned his back on the marauding Huns. Ignoring the ungracious gesture, Una began to speak.
“If I may have your attention, please. As you may have heard, the program we were set to debut next year has changed.
Swan Lake
has been replaced by something quite unusual ... something that will send a ripple throughout the dance world.”
A chorus of interest broke out, the students excitedly talking amongst themselves. Collette grabbed Melissa's hand in anticipation of the announcement. They were finally going to learn the name of the ballet.
“Yes, I know,” Una acknowledged, giving time for the rumblings to subside. “And I don't blame you for talking for soon everyone will be. And it is all thanks to this man,” she said grasping the arm of the attractive man. “This is Alexei Rubino. He came to me a few weeks ago and proposed a fantasy ... a dream of an idea. We will be dancing
Black Adagio
, a ballet inspired by Camille Saint Saens'
The
Danse Macabre
.
Shouts of joy and sporadic clapping shattered the air. A chill ran up the back of Missy’s legs, settling in her stomach. The nails on Collette's fingers bit into her skin as the conversation she’d overheard began to gel. Saint Saens’ music was thought to be cursed, but it was only an urban legend. Putting Viktor’s tantrum down to a hurt ego and not belief in the supernatural, she caught Brandi’s eye. Immediately suspect of her roommate’s calm demeanor, she was the only one in the room that didn't seem surprised. Wearing a mammoth grin, it was as wide as the Cheshire cat’s.
“You knew?” Melissa whispered quietly. “But you didn’t say anything.”
Serenely nodding, it was a display of someone that had four aces up their sleeve.
“I couldn’t,” she replied.
Cries of
“Can you believe it?”
and “
This is fantastic!”
rang out from some that were going to be privileged enough to participate in what would be indelibly marked in dance history. A knot in her stomach, regret embraced her in the manner of a noose tightening around her neck. Heartsick, she was certain that she’d be cut loose long before
Dance Macabre
saw the light of day.
Viktor continued to stare out the corner window. Cocooned in a self-isolation, he numbly shook his head. Mouthing,
“No, no, no, no,”
he resembled a gingerbread man that was soon to be crushed under the heel of giant’s foot.
“Wait, wait! I have more to say!” cried Una, trying to harness in the growing excitement. “Of course, we need a very special dancer for the lead, and fortunately we have one. Her name is Brandi Cappella. She will be dancing the Desirée!”
The grimace in Alexei's face was faint, but undeniable. His hands balling into fists, his eyes shot daggers in Una’s direction. Merely meeting his unkind stare with a neutral expression, words were exchanged. Not able to hear, Una’s responses were inadequate to quell Alexei’s anxiety. Remembering that Una had stated that Brandi was all wrong, she wondered if Brandi's parents had upped the ante. Harsh thoughts filling her mind, they circled in her head like vultures around a dying man.
Chapter Twelve
The announcement overshadowed the rest of the day’s classes. Discussions about the eerie ballet broke out like sequestered outbreaks of a disease. Coinciding with Halloween, the theme fit the holiday like a horn on top of a devil's head.
Throwing herself into the spirit of the day, Missy put together a makeshift costume. Cutting up an old black sweatshirt, she fashioned two pointed ears and a long tail. A turtleneck and tights covering her lithe body, she drew black whiskers on her face, filling in a small triangle on the tip of her nose. A ton of black eyeliner finishing the look, the minimalist outfit transformed her into a black cat.
Admiring her handiwork, there was a series of rambunctious knocks at the door.
“Entrez-vous-who!” Brandi chirped, idiotically enamored with her own joke.
Collette and Tina burst in, dressed in full regalia.
“So you like?” Collette asked, twirling around in her improvised witch’s costume. Cackling, she waved a broom in the air.
“You could put somebody's eye out,” Melissa deadpanned.
Rolling up one long black sleeve, Collette squinted, wiggling her fingers as if casting a spell.
“Your children will all be born with tails the length of the costume you wear!” she chanted between intermittent giggles.
“How charming!” was Brandi's response to the costume. Placing a delicate hand on her
hip bone, it fashionably jutted through the lilac material of her fairy costume.
“I was going for something a little more horrific, there, girlie girl,” Collette fired back.
Amused, Tina quietly stood to the side, her long, romantic tutu brushing the ground. A long piece of white lace acting as a veil, a handful of daisies tied with a ribbon served as a bridal bouquet.
“You know, our winter coats are going to diffuse the effect. We might as well have not even tried,” Melissa theorized.
“Killjoy! Wet blanket! Damsel of Distress!” Collette shouted. Attacking her, she wrestled Missy to the bed. Tickling her, it didn't take long for her to find her vulnerable spot. “And this is for being a party pooper! And this is for being beautiful! And this? This is for having thin thighs and perfect 180
o
turnout! And this is for that oversplit!” With each accusation and forthcoming punishment, Melissa erupted in frothy brew of hysterical laughter. The girlish spontaneity caught everyone in its exuberance. Having held it in for two months, it felt good to let it out.
Rolling to the side, Collette acquiesced to Melissa's cries to cease and desist. The hysteria continuing for a few more minutes, happy tears drowned the four girls’ firm cheeks.
“Good God, that felt most awesome!” Brandi shrieked, collapsing next to Missy.
“Yeah, well, that's because you weren't the one being assaulted!”
“And that's because
why
?” Collette asked, her head lolling to the side. “Because you deserved it, that's why!”
“Oh, no, I didn't! My point still is valid. Nobody's going to be able to see our full
spectacularness
because of the blockage of winter wear!”
“Spectacularness?” Tina questioned.
“Yes, spectacularness!” Melissa said, not backing down.
“I think a few drinks of the happy juice the guys are bringing should rectify that situation! I mean, who needs coats when you're lit from within!” Collette gushed.
Even though it was a joke, Melissa stiffened. It touched on too many issues that were a reality. Not finding any of them particularly funny, her past was shaken loose from the sediment where it had settled. Her good mood turning on a dime, ghosts from the past were set free to wreak havoc in the present.
“I don't drink,” she muttered.
“What?” Collette asked, noticing the odd seriousness that covered her friend in a shroud.
Not taking long for the group to notice something was wrong, Melissa had become so withdrawn as to be considered embalmed.
“I said that I don't drink!” she repeated sharply. Sitting up, she clutched her arms around her in a self-protective embrace. Spending many nights this way, she’d tried to give herself the love and affection that her mother never did. It would have taken so little to satisfy the needs of the daughter that adored her, but she’d never even tried.
Instinctively Tina knelt in front of her. Reaching out, she grabbed her hands.
“Are you alright?”
Fighting back tears, she didn’t want to expose the part of herself that was making her sick. Deciding it was time to trust someone and tell the truth, it was time to shed the past.