Scream Me a Dream

Friday May 14, 2010
3:00pm

“So you’re leaving for a week?” Brooke asked as Soya looked through the messages Brooke had taken while Soya had been teaching.

“Ville’s spending his vacation time in Westchester with a friend of his.”

“Bam Margera.” Brooke said, causing Soya to look up at her in surprise.

“Yes.”

“I watch Jackass and Viva La Bam.” Brooke said with an embarrassed smile. “So you’re going to Castle Bam?”

“What’s Castle Bam?” Soya asked absently.

Brooke looked at Soya in shock. “How in the world are you friends with Ville and not know about Bam?”

Soya shrugged. “I don’t watch much TV.” Soya admitted. “If HIM isn’t on TV I rarely turn it on, Josef is more the one that watches it.”

“Castle Bam,” Brooke said taking it upon herself to educate her friend. “Is Bam’s house.”

“Oh.” Soya nodded as she remembered the house. “I can definitely see why it’s called that and yes, Ville invited me to go spend the week with him down there.”

“Aww, he’s such a sweetheart.”

“That he is.” Soya said with a small smile. “But I don’t want you to hesitate to call Brooke, if something happens, I don’t want you to take all the responsibility, I know I put a lot on your shoulders when I’m gone, but you know you can always call.”

Brooke shrugged. “I think I handle everything fine.”

“You do!” Soya amended. “Don’t think I don’t appreciate everything you do Brooke, without you here I know this place wouldn’t run as smoothly as it does but I feel like I’m putting too much on you.”

Brooke scoffed. “Please I live for this, and you know that I would call with anything. Soya we go through this every time you leave, I get the feeling you don’t trust me.” Brooke teased, sticking out her tongue at Soya, causing Soya to laugh.

“I trust you with my entire studio Brooke, that’s as close to trusting you with my life as you can get.” Soya said running a hand a through her hair. “And we go through this every time I leave, because I’m just waiting for the day that you have enough and quit on me.”

“Please!” Brooke laughed, “I would never quit this place, you pay me more then what other offices around here pay, I get to sit in a cushy seat and answer phones while I play solitaire all day, and I get to boss people around. I mean…where else am I going to find a cushy job like this?”

Soya laughed, knowing that Brooke did a lot more than just answer phones, not only did she deal with all the payments that the parents made monthly, but she handled all the money that came into the studio. She also scheduled the monthly dance schedules and made sure all the parents and students had them so they knew if classes changed, which they did month to month depending on the schedule of the teacher.

Brooke also dealt with any students who were planning to apply to any type of performance art school, making sure Soya knew who was planning on applying so Soya could help them or even write out letters of recommendation. There was also inventory for the store that Brooke handled as well. Without Brooke, the studio would not have made it as far as it had, and they both knew that.

“So,” Brooke asked leaning her hip on the side of Soya’s desk as Soya signed her name to some of the letters of recommendations for three of her students. “What are you going to do down there?”

Soya shrugged. “I don’t know if Ville really has anything planned,” she bit her lip as she signed her last signature before looking up at Brooke. “We’re friends right?”

Brooke frowned at her. “I’m offended you even have to ask.”

Soya gestured for her to take a seat, and Brooke did, taking a seat on one of the chairs across from Soya’s desk, bringing it closer to the desk so she could be closer to Soya. “I’m sort of nervous to go.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know his friends very well, and compared to them I’m…somewhat of a wet blanket.”

Brooke rolled her eyes. “Soya, don’t let what they may think of you affect your time with Ville, he’s only here for a month right?”

Soya nodded. “Right.”

“After that, who knows how long it will be before you guys see each other again. I didn’t see you with Linde or Mige, but I can already tell you miss them from the times you’ve come in talking to them. I can only imagine how much worse it’ll be with Ville. You shouldn’t care what the others think Soya, be your wonderful self and just spend the time with Ville.”

Soya nodded as she saw the logic in Brooke’s statement and decided to take it to heart. “All right.”

“Also, I hope you know I’m honored to be one of the few to call you my friend Soya, I really do hope that I’m more than an employee to you.”

Soya smiled. “Of course you are Brooke.”

“Good, cause if not, then I’d have to kick your ass.”

Soya laughed as she handed Brooke the letters and stood from her desk. “And you’d succeed as well. Is Anya done with her class?”

“In about ten minutes,” Brooke said looking at her watch. “Why?”

“Do you mind sending her up before her next class starts?”

“Not at all, I’ll let her know.” Brooke smiled, grabbing the rest of the files. “Oh, I deposited the money in the account and called Mr. Laine and let him know that all the current paperwork is in for him to go over, so I would expect a call from him. Oh, and there’s a message in there from a Rebecca Miller.”

Soya groaned as she sifted through the messages and found one that said ‘Call ASAP’ with Rebecca’s phone number written in. Rolling the paper in a ball, Soya tossed it in her garbage can. “If she asks, you’re just wildly incompetent and forgot to give me the message before I left.” Soya said, causing Brooke to laugh.

“I can deal with that, but isn’t she your boss?”

“She just thinks she is.” Soya said with a roll of her eyes. “She just wants me to help Josef with the recital, from the proud smirk Josef wears every evening when he comes home, I can only assume that his reign of terror has reached an even higher proportion of evil then last time.”

“But Josef is so nice to the kids when he teaches here.” Brooke pointed out with a frown.

“He has patience for kids.” Soya said. “He understands that their just learning and if they mess up or don’t understand how to do something, he needs to be patient. His patience tends to waver a bit more with the older kids, but even than he is a million times kinder to them then he is with the dancers of the company. As he says, he has no patience for amateurs pretending to be professionals.”

Brooke shook her head, definitely able to hear Josef saying that. “I’ll be downstairs if you need me, and if Ms. Miller calls I’ll be sure to let her know you’ve left on vacation.”

“Thank you Brooke.”

“It’s not a problem, and Soya, I’ll be sure to e-mail you every day, before I leave, with an update like I always do when you’re gone.”

“You know me so well.”

“Better then you know.” Brooke said with a shake of her head as she closed the door behind her and started down the stairs. Brooke had met Soya in a business class they had shared at the community college, and they had just clicked, as most people that were close to Soya did. Brooke had admitted that she wasn’t sure what she had wanted to do with a business degree, and was just taking classes to keep her small town parents happy when Brooke had moved to the big city.

Soya had admitted that she was opening a dance studio and if Brooke ever wanted a job, she was more than happy to have help. After graduation, Brooke couldn’t help but wonder if the offer was still up for grabs, and had asked Soya. The rest was history, Brooke had first started as just a receptionist, since they were both still getting on even footing and Soya had wanted to do as much as possible, that involved the studio, by herself. But once they both figured out that between the studio and the company Soya would need help, a little bit more responsibility fell on Brooke’s shoulders, until she become the only other person besides Josef and Soya who knew the security code for the safe.

Four years later Brooke was officially a silent partner in Soya’s Dance Studio, unofficially she was Soya’s personal assistant when Soya was on break. Putting her files down she went over to Anya’s door where the kids were running out to meet their parents waiting in the lobby.

“Hello Brooke,” Anya greeted, her short red hair was pulled back away from her face with a headband while her green eyes were looking at Brooke questioningly.

“Hey, Anya, Soya wanted to see you before you next class started.”

“Oh, all right.” Anya nodded. “I’ll be up in a minute, thank you.”

“No problem, how’s your daughter?”

Anya smiled, “She’s doing much better, bouncing off the walls when I left this morning.”

Brooke laughed. “That’s great.”

“Well I’ll head up and see what Soya wanted.” Anya said with a small smile walking past Brooke.

XxxxxxX

There was a knock on the door, causing Soya to look up from her computer. “Come in.”

“You wanted to see me Soya?” Anya asked as she sat in the seat Brooke was previously sitting in.

“Oh, yes!” Soya smiled. “I just wanted to update you on your advanced class.”

“Oh, are they on schedule for their showcase?”

“They are.” Soya nodded. “They are more than ready to perform, anxious in fact, I just tweaked it a bit.”

“Oh, all right.”

“I’m sorry if…”

“No,” Anya laughed. “I know your judgments best Soya.”

“I just saw some things that could be adjusted so it would flow better, but if you want to change it back Anya, please do so, it’s your chorography.”

“It’s fine Soya, I trust your judgment.”

“Also, I was wondering if for the last half hour of your class if you would mind having them practice the Dead Lovers Lane routine, if you don’t feel comfortable doing so, that’s fine, I can just have them do it when I get back.”

“Not that I mind Soya, but why are they practicing that routine?”

“Uh,” Soya bit her lip, seeing the irritation in Anya’s eyes. “My friend Ville, he’s the one that sings the song, he heard that I had choreographed a dance to it and wants to see it. I was thinking they could show him after the showcase.”

“Oh, I just…it’s your choreography Soya, I’m not sure if I feel comfortable having them practice a routine I’m not quite sure of myself.”

Soya smiled kindly. “That’s fine Anya, I’ll have Brooke schedule them a time to meet with me next week and we’ll go over it.”

“All right, was that all?”

“That was all Anya, thank you. I’m glad Joy is feeling better.”

Anya smiled. “So am I. You’ll still be taking over my classes’ next month right?”

“Yes I am.” Soya nodded. “It’s been planned.”

“Great, have fun on your vacation Soya.”

“Thank you.” Soya smiled as Anya left her office.

Once the door was closed, Soya slumped in her chair and sighed. She had a feeling that now that Anya had control of her class back, the routine would go back to being stiff and a little too precise for Soya’s liking, but she wasn’t the type of person to go behind her teachers backs and tell the students to do it a different way.

While Anya was a sweet women, only two years older than Soya, Soya knew there was a bit of bitterness that filled the red head over the fact that her career had been cut short due to her pregnancy and then problems with her knees. That bitterness led them to butt-head’s on more than once when it came to how the classroom should be run and taught.

Anya believed that the advanced class should only dance to classical music and taught much more rigidly then the younger students. While Soya believed that any type of music that fit the dance should be used and had a much more relaxed way of teaching. The fact that Anya’s students raved about Soya after Soya got through with them was also a bit of a sore point for the red-head.

Sighing, she gathered her things, her business done for the day, stuffing her things into her sports bag, along with her ballet shoes, before slipping on her Ugg’s that she’d left by the door and grabbing her notebooks that she’d spent the day writing in, along with her iPod and her ear buds.

Making her way down the stairs and through the store she stopped and talked to a few of the parents, always happy to rave about their children, before she bid goodbye to Brooke and headed to her car, not without reminding Brooke not to hesitate to call, causing the blonde to roll her blue eyes.

She made it home in record time, seeing Josef’s sleek black Ferrari gleaming in the sunlight in front of the house, parking behind him she shook her head. When she had gotten her car, she had wanted something small, compact and something that wouldn’t call attention to her, the car color was as far as she would go on the flashy factor, and even then she blended in. Though Josef had chosen black for his color of choice, he couldn’t help but want the flashy Ferrari when his father had dangled the offer of a new car in his face.

“You’re home!” Josef greeted. “Finally!”

“What do you mean finally?” Soya laughed as she dropped her bags, only to see her suitcase in front of the door. “Why is this down here?”

“I told Ville that as soon as Anya stepped foot in the studio you would be in Westchester, I’ve already pushed it, since Anya was at the studio since noon and it is now four in the afternoon.”

“I think Ville will understand.” Soya said with a roll of her eyes.

“And I think you need to go upstairs grab the rest of your shit, so we can hit the road.”

“You’re not going with me.” Soya laughed as she headed up the stairs.

“I’m driving you Soya.” Josef said following her.

“Why? If you drive me then I won’t have a car.”

“Exactly, I’ve seen Viva La Bam enough times to know that Bam doesn’t have the best track records with cars, your Mini Cooper is safer here then outside Bam’s house.”

Soya sighed. “Fine, give me half an hour.”

“Fifteen minutes.” Josef negotiated, causing Soya to stop at her door and look at him.

“Twenty minutes and I’ll buy you some coffee.”

Josef rolled his eyes. “Fine, but try to make it fifteen.”

“I’ll do my best.” Soya said with a roll of her eyes, walking into her room. She noticed that her towel wasn’t on her hook and her slippers weren’t on the floor near her bed where she usually left them, meaning Josef had already packed her essentials and had done well. Grabbing her black messenger bag, she put in her laptop and portable wand scanner, along with the pile of fashion magazines she had been pouring over for the last month and still hadn’t finished. Added to the pile she put her large drawing pad that she’d been working in recently, and two spiral bound notebooks.

In one of the side pockets of her messenger bag she put in both her phone and laptop charger, in the other she put in her drawing pencils and pens. Though she doubted she would have time to work on any of the drawing projects she had taken on, she decided taking them was probably a better choice than finding that she did have free time and not having them to work on.

Looking down at her attire, she decided it was fine to travel in, grey leggings, a black ruffled jersey skirt and a white and grey asymmetrical sweater that fell off her right shoulder reveling her black strap of her bra. Taking off her boots, she slipped on a newer pair of classic converse, deciding to leave her older ones at home. It was probably about time she retried them anyway.

Making sure she had everything, she went to the bathroom and double-checked that Josef had packed everything, before she made her way downstairs.

“Great, you’re ready.” Josef said with a sigh of relief.

“Calm down, I still have five minutes left in my time.” She teased as she opened her bag that she had dropped by the door and grabbed her iPod and the notebook she had stuffed in there, along with her ballet shoes.

“Why are you taking your shoes?” Josef asked.

“You never know.” Soya laughed as she put them in her beige and black suitcase with its swirly designs on it before taking one last look around. “Ok, I’m ready.”

“Great!” Josef said grabbing her suitcase.

“Why are you in such a rush to get me out of here? Is Russell coming over later?” Soya teased as she picked up her Ray Bans and keys and followed Josef to his car, making sure the door was locked.

“Yes he is, once I get back.” Josef said putting her bag in the trunk of his car.

“Why can’t we take my car?” Soya asked, standing on the sidewalk with a frown.

“My car has more leg room,” Josef said then smirked. “I fucking hate your car Soya.”

“Do you have the connecter for the iPod in your car?”

“Of course I do. How else do you think I listen to music?” Josef said with a roll of his eyes before getting in the car. Amused, Soya got in the car setting her messenger bag at her feet, pulling out her iPod knowing Josef would give her control of the music as long as she started the trip with The 69 Eyes. Starting the playlist that was aptly titled “Road Trip”.

“So is there a list of things you need me to do while you’re away?” Josef asked once they were on the freeway on the way to Westchester.

“What do you mean?” Soya asked, turning away from the window to look at Josef.

“I mean, when you leave me alone for a few days, you usually give me a list of things to do in your absence. What’s on my list?”

Soya smiled and shook her head. “Really nothing, Brookes taking care of the studio as usual, I didn’t have any type of meetings, and everything has been settled.” She bit her lip, before slipping off her shoe and settling her foot on the seat, hugging her knee to her chest.

“I know that position.” Josef teased looking at the way she sat. “That’s how you sit when you want to say something, but you don’t know how to say it or when you’re nervous. What is it?”

“I was wondering if you could stop by the studio sometime this week.”

“To check in on Brooke, I’m sure she can handle being alone a week Soya, you’ve been gone for much longer.”

“Not on Brooke, she doesn’t need checking up on, she never has. I was actually wondering if you could check in on Anya during her advanced class.”

“What for?” Josef scowled, he hated the idea of checking in on one of the teachers.

“When I was teaching her class, I fixed a few things in the chorography, and I have a feeling she changed it back.” Soya shook her head. “You know I’m not one to interfere with a teacher, but the way she was transitioning was just making it difficult on the kids.”

“And what the hell do you want me to do?” Josef asked.

“I want you to go and fix it back.” Soya laughed. “If you change it she’ll leave it be, for some reason she respects your judgment rather than mine.”

Josef scoffed. “Anya hates me!”

“She may hate you, but if you tell her to do something, she’ll do it. I just want them to dance and be proud of what they’re doing. If they keep it the way they have it, it is just going to frustrate them and they’re going to leave the stage disappointed in themselves. I’m trying to make their lives easier.”

Josef sighed; both he and Soya had a no interference policy when it came to the other teachers and how they taught their students. The only time they interfered was when they took over the classes themselves and were able to teach the way they wanted. Though he didn’t like the idea, he knew Soya felt strongly about the situation, and it would bother her that something wasn’t being done.

“Look, I’ll watch from the observation room.” Josef told her. “If I see the kids struggling or see a problem with the transitions, then I’ll step in. If it’s just your perfectionism kicking in, I’m leaving it be.”

“I can deal with that.” Soya said. “I have the list of things I changed up on my desk.”

Josef put his hand up. “We work the same way Soya, if there is something wrong and you caught it, chances are so will I.”

Soya gave a sigh of relief as she put her leg down and rested her head back. “Thank you, I know you’re not fond of the idea.”

“I’m not, but I understand where you’re coming from.” Josef admitted, “Anya can be a bitch,” Josef smirked as he looked over at Soya. “I’m sure it’s just the Russian in her that makes her that way.”

Soya slapped his arm with a laugh. “That’s horrible.”

“But true.” Josef told her.

XxxxxxX

“She’s an idiot!” Josef said an hour and a half later as he drove towards Bam’s house.

“I highly doubt she’s an idiot, Josef.” Soya placated.

“I don’t care whose niece she is, the fact that she was able to graduate from St. Mary’s dance program is a travesty!”

“Whose niece is she?” Soya asked.

“I don’t know, Rebecca just stuck her in the group, saying that she was the niece of a very wealthy benefactor and that made her the lead.”

Soya frowned. “That doesn’t sound like Ben.”

Josef shook his head in frustration. “I don’t think Ben knows.” He said referring to Rebecca’s father and their real boss. “But I’ve been on the hunt, going through her files, I just hope I found out who she belongs to so I can tell the benefactor to shove his money where the sun don’t shine and take his niece with him.”

“She can’t be that bad.” Soya laughed as Josef pulled in front of the gate. She told him the code, which she remembered from when she had driven Ville.

“I’m teaching the damn girl how to dance.” Josef growled. “And I don’t have time for this incompetent shit. I don’t have time for amateurs pretending to be…”

“Professionals,” Soya finished as Josef parked by the front door. “I know, hunaja, but you’re stuck with her. I’m sure the longer she spends with you, the quicker she’ll quit.”

Josef rolled his eyes. “Go, I’ll wait here.”

Soya nodded and got out of the car, going up to the front door, biting her lip nervously, before knocking.

XxxxxxX

Dunn walked past the front door, only to stop when he heard a knock on the door. No one ever knocked on the door, seeing as whoever got past the gate was obviously a friend, therefore had no reason to knock. Looking towards the deck, he sighed and went to answer the door, only to smirk when he saw the women standing at the door.

“Hello, Ryan right?”

“Right,” Dunn nodded, “But, call me Dunn.”

“Dunn.” She tested with a smile.

“I knew you’d be back.” He started.

“I would assume so, seeing as I said I would be.”

Dunn laughed. “Didn’t finish, I just didn’t think you’d be back so soon, Ville was expecting you for Monday night.”

“I gave him the impression I’m afraid, I finished my work early so I was able to come up. It’s not a problem is it?”

Dunn watched her worry her lip, and look back towards the black Ferrari that was sitting in Bam’s driveway. “It’s not a problem at all, come on in, your friend coming?”

“He’s just waiting.” Soya said following Dunn inside.

Ville leaned against the railing of the deck, watching Bam as he and Novak skated on the ramp that Glomb had constructed two days before. He was about to turn around and head inside, when he felt two arms wind themselves around his bare waist, clasp and rest on his stomach.

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Dico, I’ve told you, I don’t swing that way.” He teased, only to freeze when he heard the familiar feminine laugh. “Soya,”