St. Elsewhere
Part 4
Despite Madame De Reyon's advice Mia did not take the rest of her day off.
She had gone into a dance shop in some distant alley in the busy streets of London to pick up some new ballet shoes to practice in. Her other pair had been worn out through constant use.
By five o'clock Mia was in the practice room stretching.
By seven o'clock Mia thought she better head back to her flat and call her parents.
It was at this point that Mia noticed she hadn't been alone practicing.
There was another girl in the room.
A slight brunette, who looked very young for her age.
She was practicing pirouettes. Just like Mia had done the day before.
Mia thought she recognised the girl, she felt she had seem her before.
Then it struck her.
It was the girl she had bumped into when she left the coffee shop.
Mia was making her way across the room to her gym bag. She sat down on the chair she had set up and began to unlace her ballet shoes, watching the tiny girl attempt pirouette after pirouette.
She wasn't very well balanced, Mia thought, and her knee wasn't high enough to allow her to turn to her full advantage.
Tidying her hair up with clips Mia stood up.
"You need to straighten out your knee when you turn. It's too low and that's what's making you fall to one side." The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.
The petite girl stopped and turned to look at Mia. Nothing short of admiration adorning her face.
"Thanks, I had no idea what I was doing wrong." The girl smiled. "You know I watch you practice sometimes. You're amazing." The girl said blushing slightly, fearing that she sounded like some stalker.
Mia was unsure of what to say. She could never accept praise or compliments even though recognition was all that she really strived for.
"Um… thanks." Mia smiled weakly.
"Oh I'm Lauren by the way. Lauren Davies." The girl said and held out her hand.
Mia took it tentatively.
"I'm Mia."
"I know." Lauren said abruptly and blushed again.
Mia raised her eyebrows, wondering where on earth this was going.
"It's just… everybody knows who you are here. You're one of the best dancers and you work so hard. Harder than anybody else." Lauren gushed. "You're sort of my role model. I want to dance like you do."
This completely threw Mia.
But a little warmth spread through her.
She provided a role model, somebody people aspired to be. On top of that her hard work and dedication to practice had been acknowledged, and admired.
"How old are you Lauren?" Mia asked.
"18." The answer came as if out of a shot gun.
Mia smiled slightly, which confused Lauren.
"You still have enough time Lauren. You've just got to know what you want. That's all. Once you know what you want you can work towards getting it."
Mia proceeded to grab her yellow hoodie and pulled it over her white t-shirt, not bother to change out of her leggings.
"I have to go, I'll see you around." She said to Lauren who's smile brightened and nodded.
"Night Mia."
"Night."
Once Mia had walked out of the room Lauren turned her gaze back to the mirror and took up the position to attempt the pirouette again.
"You've got to know what you want." Lauren repeated in a whisper, took a deep breath in and turned, performing a perfect pirouette.
She had gone into a dance shop in some distant alley in the busy streets of London to pick up some new ballet shoes to practice in. Her other pair had been worn out through constant use.
By five o'clock Mia was in the practice room stretching.
By seven o'clock Mia thought she better head back to her flat and call her parents.
It was at this point that Mia noticed she hadn't been alone practicing.
There was another girl in the room.
A slight brunette, who looked very young for her age.
She was practicing pirouettes. Just like Mia had done the day before.
Mia thought she recognised the girl, she felt she had seem her before.
Then it struck her.
It was the girl she had bumped into when she left the coffee shop.
Mia was making her way across the room to her gym bag. She sat down on the chair she had set up and began to unlace her ballet shoes, watching the tiny girl attempt pirouette after pirouette.
She wasn't very well balanced, Mia thought, and her knee wasn't high enough to allow her to turn to her full advantage.
Tidying her hair up with clips Mia stood up.
"You need to straighten out your knee when you turn. It's too low and that's what's making you fall to one side." The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.
The petite girl stopped and turned to look at Mia. Nothing short of admiration adorning her face.
"Thanks, I had no idea what I was doing wrong." The girl smiled. "You know I watch you practice sometimes. You're amazing." The girl said blushing slightly, fearing that she sounded like some stalker.
Mia was unsure of what to say. She could never accept praise or compliments even though recognition was all that she really strived for.
"Um… thanks." Mia smiled weakly.
"Oh I'm Lauren by the way. Lauren Davies." The girl said and held out her hand.
Mia took it tentatively.
"I'm Mia."
"I know." Lauren said abruptly and blushed again.
Mia raised her eyebrows, wondering where on earth this was going.
"It's just… everybody knows who you are here. You're one of the best dancers and you work so hard. Harder than anybody else." Lauren gushed. "You're sort of my role model. I want to dance like you do."
This completely threw Mia.
But a little warmth spread through her.
She provided a role model, somebody people aspired to be. On top of that her hard work and dedication to practice had been acknowledged, and admired.
"How old are you Lauren?" Mia asked.
"18." The answer came as if out of a shot gun.
Mia smiled slightly, which confused Lauren.
"You still have enough time Lauren. You've just got to know what you want. That's all. Once you know what you want you can work towards getting it."
Mia proceeded to grab her yellow hoodie and pulled it over her white t-shirt, not bother to change out of her leggings.
"I have to go, I'll see you around." She said to Lauren who's smile brightened and nodded.
"Night Mia."
"Night."
Once Mia had walked out of the room Lauren turned her gaze back to the mirror and took up the position to attempt the pirouette again.
"You've got to know what you want." Lauren repeated in a whisper, took a deep breath in and turned, performing a perfect pirouette.