So 2 days out of 5 days of Track Practice, I stay in school a little longer to learn more choreographies because the more I was dancing, I was becoming motivated to get better and one day, Camille and I hung out as usual, she asked me if I knew any choreographies to Bury a Friend,"Uhhh I have the idea of one currently but I'm working on my own choreo"
"Okay thank God, please send me a video so I can learn and do it for the Lip Sync performance in late April because I kinda wanna go all out" I nodded because I understand, when it comes to performances, hell even during the Basketball Games. So I found more motivation to keep doing this Bury a Friend by Jojo Gomez Choreography, but I was still tinkering on the second half of the song which I needed to get into touch with my creative roots that are still growing in the Dancing part. I've been more in touch with the creativity of editing, modeling, photography, whatnot so Dancing is kinda new because I gave up on it for a while which brings to Camille finding out that I was a Dancer in my Sophomore year then here we are, these are for those who skimmed through these chapters. So I began training and learning the Jojo Gomez choreography every other day during PE and went from 2 days a week to 4 days out of 5 days.
For 3 weeks straight, I have had laser focus of getting my grades back up, working on Choreographies and I had total of 8 Choreographies starting from November to April which isn't that bad for me as an Amateur and I even have been building a new choreography mashed with Jojo's with a bit of inspiration of the girl after Jojo's group and Sean and his partner. I completely forgot about Blake trying to contact me and it was 5 days into the sessions after Camille coming up to me, he messaged me on Snapchat and I felt like a jerk for not responding, so I thought I needed to take a break then
Hey are you okay still -Blake
Yeah yeah I am -Sabrina
Wrong person? -Blake
No, you messaged me a few days to check up on me and I didn't respond until now -Sabrina
Oh okay -Blake
But I can hang out if you want -Sabrina
Yeah I just got done with Pole Vaulting -Blake
I'm still in The Mezz -Sabrina
Yeah okay I'll be there -Blake
If there's another thing to know about Blake Remington, he does not like being late, not one bit. Once it's set, he sticks to it, so basically he's punctual. I was dancing until I heard knocking from one of the doors, I went to go open the door,"Hey Blake"
"What's up? So this is where you go after Practice? What do you do?" He notices the laptop at the circle of the basketball court,"I uh...dance" It was hard for me to mention that I dance considering the fact that I have been labeled multiple times to the point that no one puts a label on me because I do too many things and I don't really label people as well. It's a way of dividing people into groups just as much as it is putting people in Lower, Upper Class and whatnot, so I just think that system is just fucked up because all of us can rise up to one level or sink to a lower level just like Alpha, Beta and Omega. "You? Dancing? I didn't know you could dance"
"No one didn't know either until I joined Cheer" He nodded in agreement,"So I'm just maintaining my coordination for next season"
"Seems reasonable" He put his bag down against the cement wall and slid down to the floor as I went to go get my bags and laptop to bring over to his area,"So what happened a while ago? You looked like you were about to lose it" I sighed and laid my head back against the wall,"I'm failing 3 classes. US History, Success 201 and Forensic Science"
"Shit dude" I nodded,"Yeah and it's like I try and I try, but nothing is happening"
"I know that feeling, especially last year, Jesus Christ Junior year was hard, but Senior year, yeah it's easy, although there is Johnson's class and that is if you get him because there is Wilburn" I shook my head and said,"I do not want Wilburn again, I prefer Johnson"
"Johnson, he kinda doesn't get his facts right, but he is a really good teacher, that's one of the only classes that you gotta focus on next year" I was gonna miss Camille, Taryn, Kendall, the others and can't believe I'm saying this, but yes Blake too, I've been trying to get myself ready for this, to get used to the fact that these friends who have been around for 5-6 years are going to go their separate ways,"Anything else?"
"There's also English, I suggest Thouvenel, she's the best" I agreed with him and there was a silent moment between us,"You take Forensic Science?"
"Yeah, that's the only class that is hard but it is at a C- and that was only because I didn't do this lab work due to that Track meet, the same thing happened to Sarah, Brady, Bianca, Ian and Ulyiana, so now we're all just hanging by a thread to maintain our Grade and improve" He nodded,"Anyways enough of my bullshit, how's your life going?"
"Eh, Mom's been kinda on my ass for what I need to do after Graduation and I already told her, I'm moving in with Jared" My cousin,"We'll be in Portland, we're looking for an apartment and I have a job now that pays enough for the first half of the bills" Okay okay I'm not going to lie, Carter has been known to pathologically lie and I also have a bad feeling just like when Caleb asked me to promise to marry him. I wanted to tell him, I really wanted to, but I know I had to be supportive while this inkling is hanging onto me like a chip on the shoulder,"Wow that sounds like a pretty big moment for you too, moving to Portland in an apartment together" He nodded,"Yep, I'll be going to University of Portland, we'll be going over there right after Graduation and yeah…." Again, as badly as I want to tell him but I don't want to be that person to him,"Well that's really great Blake"
"So how's life been for ya?"
"Just barely hanging on, but I can handle it, how's life been for you?" He shrugged,"The stress of trying to get my shit together before Graduation, my mom trying to keep me here in her own passive aggressive way, my old man over in Portland wanting to know where I live just so he can come over which honestly…..I don't think he's going to, that bastard hasn't even been around for years and now he wants to be Dad" I nodded and told him my story,"I get that, my Dad wasn't around that much since I was 3, there was the time where we didn't talk for 4-5 years, he doesn't mind me going over to Portland but he won't drive over here in Seattle" I guess that was another thing we had in common, our Dads were only sperm donors who chooses to be a Dad whenever it feels right for them,"That's just stupid, but that is how my Dad is too, now he's hoping to start over when I move over there"
"Are you?" He sighed and tapped his finger just thinking if he will or not,"Maybe, I guess he's trying to be in my life again, I owe him that" After that conversation, I got a text from my mom telling me that she can't pick me up and I would need to ride the shuttle,"Damn it"
"What is it?" I put my laptop and books into my backpack,"My mom just texted, she said she can't pick me up, I need to take the bus to the hotel, which will come here in 20 minutes and I'll make it if I leave now, I gotta go" As soon as I got my stuff gathered up, I was making my way to the exit and the sound of his voice made me stop in my tracks,"How about I drive you back?" I shut the door in front of me,"Huh?"
"C'mon Sabrina, it's not gonna be that big of a deal, I'll just be driving you back to your place, not some crowded place that will have drunk people and security guards waiting to escort you out for loitering, what are friends for?" I walked back to him and nodded,"Okay, yeah I guess I can ride with you, I'll text her" I pulled my phone out of my backpack pocket and texted her that Blake will be driving me back home,"And I've been going there long before the luxury of having friends who own a vehicle, the security guards know me, as a matter of fact, the ones who work at Hot Rock Cafe see me in there almost on a daily during summers" He smirked as we walked out of the gym to go over to the student parking lot,"By the way, don't judge me for the mess in my car" I opened it and he had a lot of Pepsi bottles, empty cans and clothes in the back,"I'm not gonna judge, at least you have a car" I set my bag in the front with me since my legs were small enough,"Oh shit gotta get some gas"
We went to Chevron's, a worker came over and Blake gave him a 40 premium and told him to keep the change. For as long as I have known Blake, he has been generous, he lent me his sweatshirt when I needed to skateboard to this clinic to get birth control when my teenage hormones were at its peak, he became one of my unlikely confidants then and I stopped talking to him about my problems because it felt like I was being a burden,"So Jared had this fantastic idea that we should get some donuts, but 10 minutes away and by the time we got there, they closed and he wanted to get steak for lunch" He says to me and I groaned,"Steak for lunch? Look I may be a vegetarian but I don't think Steak would be considered lunch for me"
"Yeah only a salad would work" I nudged him playfully,"Oh shut up" I gave him directions to my place,"I forgot you live with your Grandpa, 2 cousins and a…."
"Aunt, I live with 2 cousins and an aunt who hates my guts" He nodded,"I'm sorry to hear about that"
"Eh it's fine, I only tolerate them because of Grandpa, but now I'm not even counting the days because there is no way I'm getting out of there" He sighed and looked over when we were at a stoplight,"You don't know that, I thought the same thing too and here I am, I'm moving to Portland and going to the University, plan on becoming a certified music teacher" Blake played Jazz, Advanced level in Saxophone, he was also in Acappella choir for one year but then he decided to stick with playing his instrument. He is a Basketball player who is also a musician. "But trust me Blake, believe me when I say this…..I can never get a job, I will never get a scholarship and no school will accept me with the GPA that I have" Not even American Academy, for God's sake it's a private university, the alumnus is Paul Rudd, Danny Devito, Anne Hathaway and more. "Okay, but even if you don't even think you have a shot, just start shooting blanks, you never know what happens" it wasn't even inspirational but I did get what he was saying,"Okay here we are 15 minutes later I unbuckled my seatbelt when he pulled into the driveway,"Thank you for the ride…..and the motivational words"
"I'll see you at school tomorrow"
"See you"
I got out of the car, saw him pull out of the driveway and just went off...I wanted to go with him, now it just felt like there was this force that keeps pulling me to him, emotionally more than physically and it was a feeling that I have never had before until now. I needed to snap out of it, but at the same time not really because when I walked up to the front door, the sight of this doorknob just made me nauseous, I wanted to walk away, but I couldn't, so I walked in, dropped my bags in the living room and went into Grandpa's room since my TV was set up in there and he didn't really mind that I was in there. Since 5:45, I've stayed in there because just seeing my cousins and aunt made me more irritable. It was increasing more until I started dancing to this choreography that Camille wanted me to show her or send a video of what I came up with which was Jojo Gomez's choreo and what I managed to come up with in a short amount of time. The week before late April, Camille texted me asking about when we could rehearse
I thought you wanted me to teach you my choreography mashed with Jojo's
I thought that too until I thought I could see what you have and I'll show you mine because my back has been hurting me and what you have been telling me what you do in your routine, I can't do that
How's next week on Monday during Study Hall?
Monday is when I perform
Oh shit, I have to catch up in English tomorrow, I'm sorry
We can still do it, it'll just be our first and last rehearsal
Okay it'll work
Okay see you tomorrow
Yeah you too
On Monday, I found out that there was going to be a Test in Forensic Science for Blood Spatter and calculations on it, but her acting period was the same as mine. I was hoping that my choreography wouldn't be compatible with hers but turns out for Bury a Friend, she was dancing as a witch who is taking possession of her "friend" making her lose her mind, I ended up being that friend and since I was able to go into a twisted bridge at one part and I was kinda able to hit all the notes with every dance move. The acting class did know me as the most physical person and could make a very convincing possessed person, our first and last Rehearsal was semi successful but the problem is my class and Ms. Hudson who said her and I could perform first as long as Mr. Kelm knew where I was. The bell rang and I walked to the 3rd level where Kelm was at, I came in before the 5 minute bell, I dropped my bag off at my desk and he had the test papers,"Mr. Kelm"
"Yes Sabrina?" Maybe I should just be honest: My friend is counting on me for her lip sync performance, it's a duet and it was a miracle that our choreographies were compatible, please let go for at least 10 minutes, but instead,"I gotta go to the counseling for a few minutes, it's…..it's hard to explain" I had to add a bit of sympathy for him to understand,"Yeah sure, bring a note back"
"Okay" I went back down to the auditorium and told Hudson that it was okay, Camille told the audience that there was a surprise because they only knew that she was going to dance until she said,"I was about to dance alone for this song but then my back threw out and luckily one of my best friends and teammate has stepped up and made this choreography even better. This is Bury a Friend by Billie Eilish" The most nerve racking, shaking to the fucking bone, intense 3 minutes of my life, but the crowd went completely nuts for it. One of my classmates from last year noticed me and called out my name, I drowned it out because I was there to help out a friend. It was hard, but in the end, it was so worth it because after that, everyone was screaming,"Give it up for my friend Sabrina!"
"Look who's back!"
"Alright get to class!" I ran out and went to the counseling office,"Hey can I call my mom? My phone isn't working" Teacher pointed over to the phone and I ended up calling my number which my phone was put on silent mode. I had to act like I was on the phone with my mom, a very light argument,"Hello mom….yeah my phone isn't working….because we didn't get the card for minutes yet….no mom I didnt know it was going to run out until last Friday…..yes I still have practice…..I told you I was rehearsing for Camille, it's okay…..no please not now….I need to go, I have a test now….because I thought you need to know now rather than….." I sigh in exasperation for effect as I put my elbows on the table, ran my left hand through my hair,"Okay fine….I forgot to call you around lunch because Taryn wanted to go to McDonald's for lunch….I gotta go, I'll see you after Practice, no dance Rehearsal" And hung up after a coupleminutes. I walked over to the front counter,"Can I have a note for my teacher?" She signed it, thanked her and wished her to have a good day, took a breather and some water. Walking up the stairs just did it but then again I was wearing a sweatshirt, a thin sweatshirt. My footsteps were echoing the hallways and the Forensic door was open, I came in with a note,"Okay thank you and also Sabrina, if you don't finish the test, I'll request you tomorrow during Study Hall" It would be worth it,"Okay Mr. Kelm" As soon as I pulled out the chair scraping the linoleum floor, attracting attention from across the room, I was silently apologizing and I sat down to begin the test. After that performance, it was a rush, after weeks of hard work and commitment, it paid off and that was when I knew that I wanted to do more…..I want to keep dancing.