Dancing and Deception

Chapter 9. A New Partner in Crime

By: Saori

Her heart was beating at a scary pace that threatened to burst out of her chest any moment. It was her turn. Tomoyo’s whispered ‘Good Luck’ did nothing to calm her nerves. It was her chance. She smiled shakily at the judges’ table trying to show she was coming. It was her dream.

“Um, hello, my name is Sakura Kinomoto.” Sakura said once she reached the center of the large stage. “I’ll be playing something recent by Vanessa Carlton.” Even through the bright lights she could see the disgruntled looks of the judges. Had she screwed up already? Did they want something more classic? Crap.

She turned around to enter her CD into the small boom box on the side, and tried taking deep breaths. She pushed play and hurried to take her place before the music started. She suddenly felt stupid in her hand-me-down tights and her mother’s old shoes.

Stand up straight
Do your trick
Turn on the stars
Jupiter shines so bright
When you're around they tell us slow down,
We're too young you need to grow
The speed's the key
And they don't know who we are

And then everything was fine. Her heartbeat slowed to the sound of the upbeats and her feet moved in tempo to the downbeats. She stopped thinking of anyone else and what they thought. She wasn’t dancing for them anyway. She was dancing for her.

And who's to say that we're not good enough?
And who's to say that this is not our love?

She felt her mother’s forgiveness for doubting the shoes that now took her flying across the stage in beautiful bounds, leaps, and spins that matched the flow of music dancing right along with her. She let her emotions take control, everything she had felt in the past week. Love. Hurt. Betrayal. Anger. Love.

Mother don't tell me friends are the ones that I lose
'Cause they'd bleed before you
And sometimes family are the ones you'd choose
It's too late now
I hold on to this life I found

She would show them. She wasn’t some silly little girl with a dream too big to accomplish. She wasn’t going to break before them. She was going to try her best for everything she had ever wanted and she was going to a better life for herself.

And who's to say we won't burn it out?
And who's to say we won't sink in doubt?
Who's to say that we won't fade to gray?
Who are they anyway? Anyway they don't know

Grande plié. Batterie. Demi-Pointe. Fouetté. Jeté. Pirouette. Développé. Sauté. Relevé. Arabesque. Some could tell you it came down to a series of trained movements that were performed perfectly were all it took. But it was so, so much more.

And you say we're too young, but maybe you're too old to remember
And I try to pretend but I just feel it when we're together
And if you don't believe me, you never really knew us
You never really knew

She pushed the all extra thoughts out of her head. She didn’t know how much more she could take it. She resisted her hardest to cry. Because suddenly the only thing she could think of as her body melded into the melody was Syaoran. Stupid, stupid Syaoran.

You and I, packing up my room, we feel alright
But we're not welcome, soon
We'll be driving, 'cause they don't know who we are
Who's to say we won't stay together?
Who's to say we aren't getting stronger?
Who's to say I can't live without you?
Who are they anyway? Anyway they don't know

She could do this without him. In her tattered heart, the lies spun webs to try and hold herself together. She never needed him really. She was happy there, with her pretend father, and a stage that was all her own. She hadn’t needed Syaoran to tell her she could have more; that she could have it all. Because she can tell you right now, she never would’ve been able to be dancing on this very stage right now without his persistent encouragement. But what did it matter? He had lied about other things. Who’s to say he didn’t lie about this?

And you say we're too young, but maybe you're too old to remember
And I try to pretend, but I just feel it when we're together
Who is to say?
And who is to say?
And who are they anyway?

Then a single tear did escape, only to be quickly thrown from the movement she was making. She almost wanted to laugh at herself. For thinking she was something more, something special. And smile she did, as she finally felt herself pushing him back; deep into the place where she wouldn’t have to think about him anymore, the place where she didn’t need anyone anymore. All she needed was the beat of music and the power to release everything else that threatened to suffocate her.

Stand up boy, I shine so bright when you're around

Who’s to say she couldn’t do this on her own too?

…

“Ah, so you’re home.” Meiling called across the hallway as she sat on the expansive white leather couch flipping through channels on the large flat screen. Syaoran held in the curse he wanted to shout at her. Meiling had once again destroyed everything he had ever loved. He wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of continuing to do it for one second more.

“I want a divorce.” He said calmly, standing at the entrance of the room, his face blank from the cold glare she deserved. But no, she deserved so much more.

At his statement, Meiling didn’t even turn her head from the television set. “Don’t make me laugh, Syaoran.” Meiling said snidely, “You know you’re mother would never allow it.” And with that she finally switched the T.V. off to turn to him and give a haughty smirk.

“I don’t give a shit. We will never live under the same house, we will never sit at the same dinner table, and we never ever speak again. Take whatever you want, just get the fuck out of my life.” Syaoran said, and with that walked right back out the door, ignoring the dumbfounded look on Meiling’s face.

“Oh, so this about the whore at Fujitaka’s?” Meiling asked, trembling with fury. No one was allowed to deny her of treasures; and Syaoran was one of her many processions. Or so she thought.

Syaoran stopped and turned around slowly. “Yes, as a matter of fact, it is. And if you ever call her a whore again, I swear to God you will not breathe another breath in this world. Now, my lawyer will be contacting your lawyer.”

“You think you can just leave?” Meiling snarled hysterically, but he just continued on his way. “You’ll walk out with nothing! I’ll end up with everything, and you won’t even have your stupid prostitute to go back to! They’re bankrupt I hope you know! She’ll have to whore around three times as much without our money you were paying to them!” But the door was already closing, and her effort was for nothing, because he wasn’t listening. What was she going to do? Even if she got half of Syaoran’s money, it would only last her so long before she was in the poor house. He left without answering her.

“Fuck!” Syaoran said to himself as he went over Meiling’s final words. So, that was how she knew; the money transfer. And now that Meiling had taken it back Fujitaka’s business was going to be in the red zone. And that meant that Sakura was going to be back to selling her body.

He couldn’t bear it. Just the thought of another guy touching her, kissing her, making love to her, made his blood boil and his head spin with a cold flare of pure hatred. He pushed the thoughts of another guy on top of Sakura out of his head, and speeded to Fujitaka’s.

When he got there, he took a deep breath to try and remain calm. He was here only this morning, and then it definitely seemed like Fujitaka was not letting Syaoran anywhere near the place. But he had to try. There was no way Fujitaka could refuse another transfer of money. This time from an account Meiling didn’t have her greedy hands on.

But when he entered, the hostess immediately had a worried look place itself over the welcoming smile. “I’m sorry sir, but you are banned from this premise. You may not enter to talk to anyone.”

“I’m not here to see Sakura!” Syaoran shouted furiously, his lack of sleep from the previous night added to his troubles to only make him only more irritable. He rushed past the young twenty-year old and headed straight for Fujitaka’s office. If they thought a stupid hostess could stop him from protecting Sakura they were wrong.

….

“You were magnificent!” Tomoyo clasped her hands together as she squealed over the exhausted Sakura who was putting her bag over her shoulder. Sakura shot a timid smile at her new friend. “Honestly! I can tell you don’t believe because the judges said they’d ‘be in touch’, but everyone was impressed with you.”

“I think I need to throw up.” Sakura stated casually, and that’s just what she did, in a large trash can on the street side they were walking on. When she was finished, Tomoyo grinned at her, and fished a water bottle out of her purse. Handing it to her, Sakura to a large gulp and breathed in deeply once she had rinsed. “Thank you.”

Tomoyo smiled, and then took on a whole new look. A scheming look, some might call it. Sakura could only label it as slightly scary and a tad bit insane looking. “I’ve been thinking, how about we team up.” Sakura was genuinely surprised, and raised her eyebrows. “Oh, yes, Tomoyo Daijoubi, master pianist at your service.”

“You mean you aren’t a ballerina?” Sakura was completely confused, hadn’t Tomoyo been at the audition with the rest of them? All though, now that you mention it, she never actually took the stage to try out. “Well, nice to meet you master pianist. What exactly did you have in mind?”

Author’s Note-

I’m terrible, I know. I’m very, very sorry. Wrote this in like an hour or so, so if any mistakes sorry for that too. Anyways, I should be resting up before my AP exam tomorrow. Got to go! I will try my very hardest to update The Bet and all other soon. Love you guys, I hope you still love me.