Page 196 of We Shouldn't Be Together
“Are you happy?” I ask Penelope.
She brightens but answers warily, expecting an attack. “Yeah, I am.”
I smile at her. “That’s amazing. I’m glad.”
“Thanks. Oh, and I hear you and your mother are attending the planning committee for the upcoming garden party.”
“We are.”
Excitement changes Penelope’s entire demeanor. “My mom and I are too. Dad wants us to integrate more into the Victoria Falls community. I’m still scared of transferring schools. He’s really pushing for me to do it soon.”
“Are you holding back because of Camila?”
“It would be easier if we were friends first.” She sighs. “I keep dreaming she’ll become my sister.”
Maybe in some alternate reality she already has. “Camila was hurting for a long time. But her dad has been seeing her more often. Maybe things will turn out for the best sooner than you think?”
Penelope crosses her fingers. “I sure hope so.”
As class begins, I can’t help thinking about how much Camila would hate the fact I’m talking to her step-sister. Vile words float inside my head. I easily imagine Camila using them to describe the sweet and dainty girl, dancing in front of me.
Camila’s wrong. Penelope isn’t the enemy, and neither is her dad. Her parents fell out of love. I’m sure all the games Camila’s mom plays didn’t help the situation.
I shake out of my thoughts, disabling Camila from ruining my dance class experience. This time, when I step together and then behind, I don’t trip myself up. Clear-headed, I focus on Miss Taylor’s instructions and concentrate on my footing. With tension melting off my back, my body loosens up, and I let the beat of the music guide me through the steps.
When Miss Taylor calls out the final combination for this part of the dance, I find myself smiling. She cuts the music, and like a giddy fool, I clap. Penelope turns to me, mirroring my smile, clapping with me.
“Thank you, Tabitha,” Miss Taylor calls out. “You’ve brought fantastic energy tonight. Everyone is feeling the music, right?”
A few girls send me winks, smiles, and waves.
With relief, my shoulders roll back, and my hips loosen.
Miss Taylor walks us through the next combination, and I take it in with a newly lit passion. Last time I was in the studio, I was distracted by Yvette’s incessant gossiping, and terrified to receive a verbal beat down from Camila.
Right now, there’s no hostility in the room. Ah, can this class last forever?
The only good thing about the dance class ending is seeing Kai. He texted me during class, offering to drive me home. As if I’d ever say no to that.
At the end of class, Miss Taylor thanks me again for coming back. “And I’ll see you next week?”
“Yes, hopefully.” Dang it. Something tugged inside me, stopping me from one-hundred percent committing.
Miss Taylor nods. “I hope so too.”
I leave the studio and find Kai waiting on the pavement.
“How’d it go?” Kai asks, excited.
“I think I might’ve cured my two left feet,” I say, half-kidding.
Kai loops an arm around me. “You must’ve had fun. You’re wearing a huge smile.”
“I feel way more confident,” I admit. “I actually concentrated on learning the steps. It’s like everything else melted away.”
“That’s what it’s like at soccer practice. I knew you could do it.”
“I don’t think I realized how scared I’ve been. I told you, I’m not good at anything. But really, I’m always in my head, wondering who’s talking smack about me. Ah, and that only led me to go on the attack to save myself.”
