The Life of a Teenage Dancer

Before he could say anything or better yet do anything. I took off away from him. I ran back through the building and up the stairs and back into my room. Dee was sitting there with Alex. I guess by the look on my face she could tell I was upset.

“I can’t believe I ever trusted you!” I screamed at her.

“Briana just let me explain please!” she said

“No. You’ve done enough…why you all couldn’t accept the fact that I didn’t want a boyfriend I have no idea. It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m going home!” I turned to walk into my room and locked it behind me. I could here them knocking on my door. Only Alex and Dee at first…and of course Cameron followed me back and was now knocking at my door.

I almost screamed out of frustration. I hear jiggling at my door and don’t know what to do anymore.

“Go away!” I cried. I pulled my suitcases out of my closet…but as soon as I was going to pack my things I remembered my mom. I couldn’t go home. What would she say…what we should think…I can’t be a failure. It would ruin her life. I collapse on my bed and breakdown. If I cant go home I’ll find somewhere else to go. I started opening my draws trying to ignore the jiggling at my door, which probably wasn’t the smartest idea.

About half way though one suitcase my door burst open and in comes Cameron, followed by Alex and Dee. Almost immediately my arms are grabbed by Cameron, my suitcase my Alex…and Dee well Dee just stood there looking apologetically.

“Let me go Cameron” I practically growled.

“Briana…c’mon” he said pulling me up.

“Let me go” I say resisting as much as I can

“C’mon lets just go talk okay” doesn’t he get it. I don’t want to talk I want get away from all of them.

“No!” He sighs and lets me go. I try and get up but instead I am thrown over now Cameron’s shoulder and taken out of my room. All the while I am kicking and screaming because in reality I don’t know what else to do.

He takes me out of my room and across the hall to Dee’s room so I can’t pack my things, and so I cant escape. He lays me on her bed and basically sits on top of me holding my arms down. I move my head to avoid his gaze.

“You cant leave” he says and I roll my eyes.’

“You cant stop me from leaving” I try and pry his body off me, but my attempts are pointless…he is over a foot taller than me and probably 50-60lbs heavier.

“Briana I cant stop you from leaving…but I will do everything in my power to make sure you don’t” he grabbed my chin gently and forced me to look at him. “Please Briana stay” he says leaning closer to me so I can feel his breath on my face.

“No” I whisper

“Please” he whispers…and before I can do anything, say anything. He presses his lips to mine.

Its surreal. I cant move…I feel as if I’m paralyzed. His lips start to softly move against mine and without my permission my lips do the same. As our lips moved in sync with one another I feel his hands release my arms and he pulls me into a sitting position, his hands travel to my face and he holds the back of my neck gently…stroking my in almost a soothing manner. Then, almost like an electric shock reality hits me and I realize what I’m doing. I am kissing Cameron Donahue…my first kiss. I pull away from him and stare at him in shock.

“What…why?” I ask him

“Briana I-I’ve wanted to kiss you since I met you…I just wanted you to stay…you cant leave”

“I don’t know…I don’t know anything anymore” I was literally at a loss for words…my first kiss just happened and I cant even process it. “I have to go.” I say standing up

“Go where?”

“My room…I’m tired I’m going to sleep.”

“Don’t you think we should talk…” He asked

“There’s nothing to talk about” I say forcing the words out of my mouth and walking towards the door.

“You know that’s not true” He said

“Yeah it is…lets just forget it ever happened okay?” and with that I run out of the door and through the hall into my room ignoring both Alex and Dee giving me questioning looks in the living room. I go into my room and close the door behind me. I look around my room and it looks as if a whirlwind went off in here. I guess I must have made a mess while trying to pack my things. I closed my eyes tightly and held back the tears. I am not weak I am going to deal with this. I walked around my room slowly and started picking up the clothes off the floor. This school is not what I expected. I thought I would be able to focus on dance, and just keep up my usual schedule. But no…there are so many people here that wont let me do that anymore. I don’t if you them friends or enemies.

Tired of cleaning I collapse on my bed and fall asleep not even bothering to turn off the lights.
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Its been a month since Cameron and I kissed, and I know all of my ‘friends’- even though I barely talk to them anymore- wish that we were together. I can’t say that. I can’t even say that Cameron and I are still friends, because were not and its all my fault. He still tries…unfortunately for me, but as much as that kiss meant to me, and as much as I wanted to be with him…I can’t. He knows too much, all coming from Dee, who I haven’t been able to look at the same way since that night. She wrote me a letter, but I still haven’t been able to read it…what she did hurt me and I don’t know how to forgive her, probably because I have no experience with friends. The sad thing is it took me this long to realize that. But there’s nothing I can do now…so I continue dancing. Tomorrows the day we’re supposed to perform our scene and I can honestly say that we’re not prepared. I’m going to talk to Mr. Carter today to see if can prevent myself from failing.

As I walk through the school halls to see Mr. Carter I run into Shane. I guess you could say we were still friends, if you count practicing for our dance every weekend friends. He tries to get me to talk about everything but I just can’t. Its not that I don’t want to tell him, its that I can’t. I’ve learned that trusting people here is like broadcasting it to the world.

“Hey Briana” he says

“Hey” I fake a smile

“What are you up to?”

“Going to talk to Mr. Carter, so hopefully I don’t fail my scene with Cameron tomorrow?” When I mention Cameron’s name I know he wants to say something. Every time I talk to anyone and say Cameron’s name I see peoples expressions change. But they never say anything, and that’s fine with me.

“Okay…I was thinking that we should practice later today get some set moves down.”

“Okay, sounds good. I’ll come to the studio after I talk to Mr. Carter”

“See you there” He smiled and walked towards the studio while I walked towards the auditorium. When I walked in I saw Mr. Carter sitting at his desk.

“Hey Mr. Carter” I say he turns his head and smiles

“Briana, come in…what is one of my most talented students doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you about my scene…things with Cameron have gotten complicated and we haven’t been able to practice with him…so I was hoping there was something I could do…as if not to fail” Mr. Carter stares at me for a moment and takes off his glasses.

“Briana didn’t we already have this conversation.”

“Not exactly I’m not asking you to change my scene.”

“Then what are you asking?”

“I’m asking for more time. I’m having some personal problems and I cant do the scene tomorrow…if you fail me I’ll have to leave the school considering I’m on a dance scholarship and if that happened…I don’t know….bad things would happen.” I could feel my eyes tearing up and I hate the fact that I’ve cried more times at this school that I have in my entire life. I see Mr. Carters eyes soften

“Let me make a deal with you…work things out with Cameron and perform the scene when you get back from break” I bit my lip knowing that this was going to be his only offer. At least I was going home for break get away from all this craziness.

“Deal” I was about to walk out of Mr. Carters classroom when he stopped me.

“Briana if you even need someone to talk to about…anything I’m always here to listen okay? I might be a teenager but I think I know what you’re going through. Pressured by your parents no choice in anything. It gets confusing” I stare at him for a minute because words cannot express how grateful I am for his kind words.

“Thank you Mr. Carter, and I wont let you down…I promise” I leave the room actually feeling better about some things. The only downside…I still had to talk to Cameron. Not now though, now I’m going to dance with Shane.

I walk into the studio a few minutes later and I’m shocked to what I find. Cameron sitting there watching Shane while he danced. I meet Cameron’s eyes and take a really deep breath.

“Hey” Shane says stopping the music and turning to face me “Cameron was just helping me out with the music for our dance, I was thinking that it would sound better with a band rather than a CD.” I wanted to scream no! but I knew I couldn’t so I said

“Fine, lets just get to dancing” I say and start the music to our song.

Everything is going fine, were dancing the only problem is Cameron’s eyes are glued on me, and of course me being the idiot I am can’t keep my eyes off him either. Which turns out to be a problem…A big problem. Turns out when being lifted into the air it’s a good thing to concentrate on what you’re doing…so you‘re partner doesn’t drop you…so you don’t fall…on your ankle…and hear a crack…then have shooting pains up your leg. Yeah.

“Oh my god” I say grabbing my foot and trying to hold back the tears of pain. I curl up in a fetal position and drag my legs to my body…this is NOT happening this cannot be happening. Almost immediately Cameron and Shane are by my side.

“Briana I am so sorry” Shane said “Everything was fine and then something happened and I lost my grip” I couldn’t say anything I just gritted my teeth, and squeezed my eyes shut.

“Where does it hurt?” Cameron said rolling me over and pulling my leg out to inspect my ankle.

“My foot” I croak out grabbing Shane’s hand and squeezing tightly.

“Its already swelling” Cameron said “She needs to see a doctor” at that my eyes shoot open…no, no doctors. I’m fine…I have to be

“No!” I practically scream as Cameron tries to pick me up into his arms “I’m fine…no doctors”

“Bri, your ankle is the size of a baseball you have to go to doctor and get x-rays” I shook my head but knew this was useless. Cameron picked me up in his arms bridal style and headed towards the door.

“Shane will you drive us to the hospital?” Cameron asked

“Yeah” he said grabbing his keys off the hook. Cameron then followed him out of the building holding me in his arms, and since I couldn’t do anything else but sit there in Cameron’s arms, I forgot about my anger towards him, and I buried my head into his shoulder and cried my eyes out. This is my worst nightmare.