"What is the Dollhouse Affect it's where everything seems perfect, but in reality, it's not."
When you're introduced to a hierarchy you want to fit in you don't want to make ripples because you think you won't be accepted.
But as time goes along you don't know how but you either get in or you are put to the side.
In Maribel's case, she did something different, or so she thought because after so long she kind of got consumed by the thrill, the high of performing but also the pressure it becomes an obsession.
There is a price you pay to learn an art like dances
They steal your childhood, your family... leaving you only with friends that will stab you in the back because they want your spot, they the spotlight.
Dances in no place, Redemption.
It's a place where you can be on top of the hierarchy be the queen that looks down on her servants, is the dominant party, and there is only room for one.
*
The morning is young, and the weather, it's warm and peaceful she can hear the birds chirping.
Maribel reaches for her iced coffee and thanked the employee behind the coffee cart.
The girl walks quickly across the campus her coffee cup came to her lips every time her foot hit the pavement, she was on her way to an English literature lecture, and she checks her watch for the time it reads 8:45.
As she makes her way she doesn't notice Syd, but she caught his eye in an instant and his previous action is discarded, he began to run to catch up with her.
When she comes aware of his presence her movements quicken, Maribel has a tendency to ignore things to me go away. So let's just say Syd is one of those things.
Their relationship is complicated.
She is supposed to be Syd's best friend; that's what he told her one time at dinner. They get each other, they're each other safe havens,but there's so much you can be for a person until you're exhausted.
Syd caught up to her despite her luck and pulls her in another direction.
They were heading toward study hall where people study, lounge, or do whatever college kids do.
She still has 30 minutes to spare, but she didn't want to talk to him even if he looks dashing in the morning and she is surprised that he was not grumpy because he isn't a morning person.
"Syd Move." Maribel makes a face at him.
Syd has a smart remark to respond with "It talks." it was dripped with sarcasm, this is what he does he makes a smart remark, so there is no real feeling involved.
When they finally got to the location, it was empty; it was ass early, so that explains that.
"Syd I don't have tim-" She doesn't get to finish her sentence, because he interrupts her and tells her to be quiet.
Maribel was not in the mood for his games so she ignores him, " Syd where are you taking me?" Syd did not respond, he just continues to drag her along.
Maribel tries to leave after Syd lets go of her hand. But she was not successful at all. He pinned her to the brick wall in a swift motive; Maribel yelped in surprise and then makes intense eye contact with him.
" Why are you avoiding me?" He spoke in a husky tone, and she was trying so hard not to blush at that. She clears her throat, "Who said I was avoiding you." Her tone has a hint of sassy.
"I don't know,maybe it's the way you leave a room when I'm in it or when we are in practice you barely speak two words to me and the only way to talk to you is through one of your girls, you are treating me as if I'm fucking stranger"
Maribel breathed as her heart quicken her eyes were staring into his.
"You are not a stranger, I'm just busy, that all."
" Mari don't patronize me." he expresses this to her while he grabs her face.
He clenched his jaw it as if he was trying to restrain himself.
Like he wants to do something, but he can't have it0, she can see the conflicting evidence in his eyes. Maribel can see behind the complexion, it's something untamed, something that's itching to come to the surface.
It feels as though she can't breathe, but he enjoys being watched by him even at this moment.
"I'm always on your side, even if that means going against everything I believe in."-M
Maribel was just released from class and her head is in a thousand places right now because of her morning with Syd.
*
"Don't ignore me." Syd whispered to her he sounds vulnerable and he wants her to let him in.
She just looked at him deeply as there no space between them.
Their breathing was heavy than it was before and this isn't innocent in the slightest and they both know it.
Their noses brushed together so often, this moment was the hottest and most intense thing ever.
But Maribel's phone breaks the compulsion between them, she bites her lips as she takes her eyes away from him and checks her watch. "Shit." She said under her breath.
She looked back at him and put her hand on his chest, "I have to go."
[Present day]
Maribel walked across campus to where the practice is being held; she had to stop at the coffee cafe to get herself an iced coffee to deal with the bullshit that was ahead, as they had a performance at a ball for one of the donors for the school.
That meant the leaders were under a lot of pressure, and that is why Maribel and Syd needed to be on one accord.
Maribel walked into the dance studio; she was early, like always.
She dropped her other bag and grabbed her dance one and headed to the bathroom to change into a white t-shirt and some gray shorts and put her hair in a low bun.
She comes back to the studio and plays the song that she and the girls would be dancing to.
She ran through the dance about three times and she always has to catch up on the walk to get back in formation.
Maribel would have to talk to her coach about that later when she talked to her on FaceTime.
Maribel heard her phone buzz and she stopped and checked it, and while looking at the message, she drank some of her water.
The message was talking about there would be a solo with the direction prodigy and the main majorette dancer would be Maribel, even if she shared the title with someone else she was the most experienced.
So now Syd and Maribel would have to add that to the agenda as well, two months away.
Maribel looked over the message and saw the routine along with the song as she shared the dance moves and the song to her notes and got back to work.
She would soon have to meet everyone in the Gathering Area for them to go over the plan.
*
Maribel left the dance studio to the gathering area, to meet the rest of the band. She was slightly dreading going but made her way there anyway.
She arrived five minutes later and was greeted by Ava, "Hey Mari, have you been here a while." She said while hugging Maribel.
"Yeah, I have been here for about half an hour practicing the routine for the Ball."
Ava and Maribel moved away from the embrace and continued to talk until they were in the gathering area with the main band, Syd, and Antonio.
There were a few missing from the main band and some from Auxiliary.
Maribel looked around the room, to see if everyone was there, so they could start with their goals for today. She looked at Rose and asked. "Where is Lena?
"Haven't seen her." Rose tells her as she gets the stands to go on the last row.
Maribel nods before walking away.
*
Maribel waits five minutes before she looks at Syd, and he is already looking back at her. She walks over, Syd had a smirk on his face, and she wanted to slap it off, but right now that didn't matter; it was time to play her part and not raise any red flags.
You could call it the dollhouse act, if you will.
Maribel took another look at the clock. She looks back at him and clears her throat; She was done waiting; whoever was late was just going to get PT.
She was not in the mood for games.
"All right, let's get into weekly goals and announcements." She walks over to the board and pulls out her phone and looks at notes that were labeled: Bands Goals & Announcements.
Maribel looked at the crowd, then began speaking again, " Auxiliary, we will continue work on the routine that I sent to your google drive and by the way, when we get back in formation it does feel rushed, so don't be too hard on yourself if you are little back behind.
I will talk to coach Anderson about that later, and we have to come up with a show tune for the ball as well, and I was just notified that I will be doing a solo with the drum major at this year's ball so if I'm more strict than normal.
The reason is I won't be around to watch all the time in these coming weeks. I will be working on my solo but I will be having an open line of communication with my second in command, if you need anything call me, and please be on your best behavior." Auxiliary responded with a Yes ma'am.
After she went around the room to the different leaders and asked about any new goals or announcements. Later, Syd did a practice run-through with a warm-up song. Maribel and her girls went back to the dance studio and began practicing the routine and having water breaks in between.
Shortly after the third run-through, she left them to practice by themselves.
Meela and the other two girls came after the meeting had ended and Ava caught them up on the latest; Maribel put in her reminders to talk with them about showing up late to practice.
Maribel walks down the hall and stops at the door where the band was playing, and she just watches for a minute, because at this moment Syd wasn't being a jackass.
He was consumed by the surrounding of music, and nothing else mattered because as long as every note was played with perfection.
That look on his face would stay, it reads peaceful, like no one could ruin this; his shoulder wouldn't be so damn tense like they were early, and she loved seeing him like this.
Seeing this version of him reminds her why she also let him back in and why she stayed even when he didn't deserve it.
But that moment was short-lived; Syd's eyes locked with her.
Syd told Amir to take over for him and walked over to her.
"Bel, what's up?"
" Nothing, I just came down here to hear the band that's all."
" Are you done avoiding me?" Syd said this while leading Maribel into another, more private room.
" Syd I said this once before, I'm not avoiding you." Maribel said tiredly like she didn't have time for this, and she went to change the topic at hand.
"Did you get the information about our Solo?"
" I got the song and the routine and I'm guessing by your face you got the same."
"Yeah, so after today's practice we can work on our solo where is Amara I thought she would be here at practice today."
" She is- "
Something clicked in Syd's head when Maribel asked; he knew what she was doing.
"Mari, getting me to talk about her or change the subject won't get you out of telling me why you are so damn distant." Syd said, this starting to get frustrating; Maribel looked him up and down for a second, just analyzing him.
" Why do you care so much?" She said this while moving away from him, but she didn't get far because he grabbed her hand and shifted her to look him in the eyes, but she wasn't the first one to break the silence between them.
"Because I'm your best friend, and it's my job to care, Mel."
Syd didn't want to let her go. He was dying to know why she was so mad at him.
He wanted to break down all her walls; see what was truly troubling her, and have a solution to make her happy.
But he didn't get a chance to respond because someone was calling for them to tell them the band was going outside to practice for the rest of the remaining time.
While that was happening Maribel let go of his hand and left the room.
Syd knew that he would have to get her completely alone for her to pull down her front.
He was going to need her more than ever over these next few weeks and the pressure was on thick.