Untangle Me

John tripped over a cord and cursed loudly as he stumbled into the door. “Watch where you put your guitar, man. I’ll break it next time,” he shouted over the fading music.

“Where the hell are you rushing off to?”

John heaved, rolled his eyes. “That stupid community service thing I was tricked into doing. Come on, Garrett, I know I told you this.”

Garrett smirked. “I just like hearing you say it. John O’Callaghan, doing community service. Where exactly is it, again?”

John sighed. Sometimes he really hated his best friends. “You’re all a bunch of assholes.”

Pat moved the hair out of his eyes and looked at the two innocently. “I’m lost.”

“It’s a long story,” John said shortly. He opened the door to their practice room and stepped out into the hallway. “I’ll see you later.”

“Are you not going to tell me?” Pat yelled after him.

John shook his head when he heard Garrett mention telling him the full story later. He hated that he had to waste his days at the ballet studio for something he didn’t even do in the first place. Community service – what a joke.

He climbed into his white pickup and drove into town with the windows down, brisk fall air rustling through his hair. He checked his phone at a red light and pushed his sunglasses higher on the bridge of his nose. He turned around one final corner and the plain building came into view. He pulled into the parking lot, and as he found a spot, a tall brunette crossing the street caught his eye. He remembered her from his first day yesterday, but what was her name?

He clipped his keys onto one of his belt loops and jogged across the street, dodging a few cars as he crossed. He managed to catch up to her as she passed through the threshold and into the warm lobby. He watched as she quietly made her way around a gathering of fellow ballerinas, holding her coat protectively close.

Girls were strange creatures. Especially this one.

Putting the thought of her aside, John ventured further into the lobby to find the director. He needed to know which horribly drab task he’d be doing today.

“Ah, Mr. O’Callaghan,” he heard from behind him. He turned around to see a short, older woman approaching him. She wore pale pink to match the leotards of the younger girls. “You’re finally here, I see. I trust you’ve brought a better attitude this time?”

“Yes, ma’am,” John mocked.

“Excellent,” she said with a curt nod. “You’ll begin building our sets for the fall recital.”

John nodded, although inside he was yearning to turn around and leave altogether. But that brunette kept him curious enough to stay. He had no idea, however, that he would go for hours without seeing another sign of the girl.

He and a group of three others were painting a backdrop when a line of girls filed into the room. They were chatting nervously, excitedly, and wore pretty much the same outfits. White tights, grey leg warmers, pink lace over a pink leotard. They all had their hair up in tightly wound buns. He looked away from the girls and back at his paintbrush, but quickly did a double take. At the back of the crowd was the one he had followed inside, the girl he met and couldn’t stop thinking about.

“Welcome, ladies,” a voice boomed, echoing off the mirrored walls. “You are the select few that landed lead roles.”

The girl stood timidly in the back. While the other girls chatted cheerfully, she kept reserved. He stood upright, now studying her as her curious eyes scanned the room. The director came into view and the girls gave him their full attention as he paced back and forth in front of them.

“We’re going to have one more audition,” he explained. He scanned the girls before him. “Auden. You’re up.”

John watched as she slowly dropped her bag off her shoulder. She took a few steadying breaths before she began her routine. He watched on in amazement as she skillfully moved across the floor. She had such grace and elegance he never knew could be stored away in such a slight figure. For the first time, he was seeing a girl as beautiful – and not some kind of game.

“No,” John heard, causing his eyes to shift across the room. “More feeling. Auden, you are better than this. Emotion, Auden! I’m seeing no emotion!”

He watched as the girl pained herself to feel the music and the steps her feet were taking. But no matter how hard she tried, her director only called out louder and with increasing disapproval. His final yell caused her to misstep and she stumbled over her own feet; she looked sheepishly at him as he approached her.

“You know what you need?” he asked her, voice low. John strained to listen. “You need to live, Auden. You dance beautifully; your feet are like magic. But your face – we can see that you are inexperienced. Go live, Auden. Be free.”

She moved to speak but he turned his back on her. He scanned the room and his eyes landed on John. “You. What is your name?”

He stood straighter when he noticed Auden looking at him now, too. “I’m John. I, uh.. I volunteer here.”

“Good,” he snapped. “You’ve just taken on a new task, John. Teach Auden how to live. She’s too stiff.”

Auden’s cheeks blushed deep red as John’s jaw fell open. He had no idea what this meant or why he was the chosen one to help her. “Is that- is that even allowed?”

He was simply shrugged off, “Auden, I don’t want to see you again until you’ve loosened up.”

John noticed that she looked like she was going to cry as she scampered back to her bag. She snatched it up and hurried to leave the room. He quickly tossed aside the paintbrush and followed after her.

“Come on, it’s not like I’m ugly,” he called after her as they stepped outside. He stopped when she did and he waited for her to respond. “Wait, am I ugly?”

She turned to face him. “That was the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me. Do you not understand that? It was worse than you ruining my first audition. It’s worse than the fact that my mother is going to have a fit over this.”

“Your mother? What?” John asked, confused. When she simply shook her head and refused to say anything else, he sighed and walked back inside. He found the director and patiently waited for the current audition to end before he walked inside – the last thing he needed was another girl yelling at him about ruining something. He cautiously approached the man in charge. “I was just, um, wondering.. You were serious?”

The man’s cold eyes devoured John whole. He couldn’t escape and he felt uncomfortable. “Remind me again, John, why you are here in the first place?”

John swallowed hard. “I.. I think you know.”

He smirked subtly. “You may act tough and as if you have no regard for the arts, but believe you me, John; this is as equally important to these girls as your lifestyle is to you. All I ask is that you help this girl see the importance of freedom. Maybe then, she will help you see the power in restraint and you won’t end up in this situation again.”

Without another word, John returned outside to an awaiting Auden. She looked on helplessly, praying that he had gotten them out of this so-called assignment. He just shrugged halfheartedly. “So, give me your address and I’ll pick you up at 7. I have the perfect plan for you.”