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‘Okay, students. Eyes on me,’ Tommy’s coach, Miss Harrington called, clapping her hands. Tommy finished lacing up his shoes and hurried over.
‘As you know, a select few are going to dance in the international competition…’ Dan and Pamela shrieked. Childish.
’However, I have just received notice that the duet dance must be a fusion dance, so Tommy and Lily, your dance must unfortunately be cancelled.’
‘NO WAY! After we worked so hard on it?’ Lily demanded.
Miss Harrington sighed. ‘Unfortunately, yes.’
Tommy groaned. He had been so looking forward to it.
Miss Harrington glanced at them and said, ‘We’re collaborating with the aerial dance team. They have put forward several dancers and we have chosen the best. Tommy, would you mind?’
’What?’ Tommy asked.
Then Miss Harrington dropped the bombshell. ‘You’re gonna be working with Lola Lam.’
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A girl peered into the room. ‘Miss Harrington, is this a bad time?’
’Of course not, dearie. You’re just in time.’ Miss Harrington responded. ‘Come in.’
The girl stepped into the room, and Tommy blanched. She was pretty, with long, thick black hair and turquoise eyes that shone with light.
’Just in time, Lola. Tommy, meet your dance partner.’ Miss Harrington said.
Tommy panicked and the first words out of his mouth were, ‘is she Asian?’ Stupid, stupid, stupid
Lola rolled her eyes. ‘I’m not working with someone who’s racist. Just so you know.’
’Snarky. I like her style,’ Lily commented.
Lola sighed. ‘Time’s running short. We gotta hurry.’
Tommy followed her into a different room, where she waved at two people. ‘Good morning Miss Liu, good morning Mr Davidson. This is Tommy by the way.’
Tommy awkwardly waved. They waved back.
Lola chucked a harness at him. ‘Put this on.’
’Why?’ Tommy asked.
’To help you get used to the air. You don’t wanna fall to your death, don’t you?’ Lola deadpanned.
’Bruhhhhhhhhhhhh.’ Tommy groaned, putting it on.
Miss Liu smiled. ‘That’s my snarky girl.’
’Wait, you two are related?’ Tommy asked.
’Nope!’ Lola said breezily, snapping a wire onto his harness.
Mr Davidson pressed a few buttons on his remote. ‘Tommy, you see what you have to do. Your part is the one in black.’
The video started with the song ‘Gurenge’ from ‘Demon Slayer’ (piano version). A figure in black and another in white danced around the stage.
Tommy positively screamed when the figure in white flung the other into the air and caught him just in time. ‘WHAT THE FUCK?!’
’Language!’ Lola yelled.
’Sorry- we have to do that?’ Tommy gasped. ‘That was insane!’
‘I think that’s cool.’ Lola said.
’Easy for you to say, you’re not getting fucking flung around,’ Tommy snapped.
Lola sighed.
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Time passed. Tommy grew to trust Lola. When the harness was taken off, Tommy was scared, that was sure. Every time they practiced, Tommy asked Lola if she would catch him. Every time, Lola promised to in that confident tone. And she never let him down. If she said something as fucking crazy as ‘I’m gonna take over the world’ Tommy would believe her.
She had his trust and he had hers.
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Phil and Wilbur exchanged looks. They had no idea why Tommy had asked them to come to this place. A dancing competition? They were genuinely confused.
’And now. Time for the duet dances! This year, we have made a new rule. Only fusion dances! While this has made many competitors back out, it didn’t stop these two. They simply collaborated their routines and entered together. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Thomas Simons from England, and Lola Lam from Hong Kong, China. Their routine is a combination of aerial dancing and ballet. Please enjoy.’
Hearing their friend’s name, Phil and Wilbur sat on edge of their seats.
Piano music started up. The power and elegance of the music emphasised the tension as a light shone on Tommy’s figure.
Tommy simply started up by dancing gently. Suddenly, another light lit up, revealing a girl in a white leotard. She and Tommy faced each other. Tommy bowed and she pressed her hands together in a strange way.
The girl skipped twice on the spot and ran at Tommy. Just as they were about to crash, Tommy bent down and cupped his hands in a hold. She stepped on and Tommy boosted her into the air.
Phil and Wilbur gasped, thinking she was about to fall to her death. However, she simply spread her arms like wings and floated gently to the ground.
Ah, yes. Aerial dancing.
The girl and Tommy traced a circle on the stage, Tommy leaping like a gazelle, the girl skipping every other step.
The girl ran at Tommy again. This time she jumped on her own and circled Tommy, who had landed in the splits. She grabbed Tommy’s outstretched arms and Tommy jumped, flinging both of them into the air. They flew in a circle around the stage.
Just as Phil thought it couldn’t get any scarier, Tommy let go. The girl continued to hold him though. She turned slowly, kicking her legs into the air so her pointed toes were above her head.
Phil had just about calmed down, when the girl kicked her legs down, and the momentum sent Tommy flying into the air.
Tommy flipped twice before falling back down. Everyone screamed, but the girl grabbed him before he could fall to a gory death.
Tommy danced across the stage and the girl landed across him. They bowed (or held her) hands in a weird way and clasped their hands together as the music ended.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The announcer came back onto the stage. ‘The judges have decided. In third place, Arianna from California and Eric from Florida, with their dance of jazz and hip-hop.’
Arianna and Eric came up to collect their prize.
’Coming in second, with their mixture of breakdance and afro pop, Rick and Amara!’
Rick and Amara came onstage.
’Last but not least. With their daring mixture of dance.’
The atmosphere was electric. Everyone was on the edge of their seats.
’Their mixture of aerial and ballet, Lola and Tommy! Congratulations!’
Phil and Wilbur cheered Tommy’s name as they came on stage.