"Happy birthday dear Megan! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"  My family sang.  I'd turned fifteen today.  I only had four days left before I could get out of this town.  I could escape the terrible people, and the terrible things they did, but most of all, I could escape my father.

My mother and father have been having a lot of issues.  Between the arguing and the sounds of breaking glass at night, I was happy to be getting out of here.  My dad was a drunk, he would drink and abuse my mom.  He was a coward.  He never hit us kids.  Which was better than getting hit, but that doesn't make what he did to my mom right.

Most days my mom stays after at work so she could avoid my dad.  My dad sits in his chair and drinks himself to an almost comatose state.  You couldn't get him up to do anything.  So it's me and my brothers taking care of ourselves. My big brother makes food, and my little brother plays games.  I spend most my days at the dance studio.

I've been dancing for twelve years now. In four days, I'll be leaving my dance family.  I couldn't imagine how that's going to feel.  I've known these girls pretty much since I could talk.  I'm not ready to leave for this reason, but I have to.  If I don't, I won't escape my dad.  

I woke up on the first of august.  Moving day.  I had all my boxes packed the day before.  I got dressed and began loading the car with boxes. I put my boxes neatly in the hatchet door and got in the car.  My mom and both my brothers finished after me.  They all filed in and we were off.  My mom promised I'd get to say goodbye to my dance friends so she drove me to the studio.  I stood there outside the door.  I'd be reading the sign for the last time, then I began to go up the stairs.  I could feel myself begin to shake.  I finally reached the top after ages and I walked into the big room. Everyone was waiting for me.  I ran to them and hugged them all.  "We're gonna miss you!" They all shouted.  I lost it, tears rolling down my face like waterfalls at Niagra.

"I'll-" *sniffles* "I'll miss you more," I managed to get out.

"Come on sweety rap it up soon,"  I heard my mom say.

"You've seen me grow and you've taught me lots, I'll make sure to visit when I'm in town," I turned to my dance teachers.

"You'll go to do great things Megan, don't forget we are always here,"  Mrs. Abbie said.

"Always,"  Mrs. Britney repeated. And I waved them all goodbye and walked back to my car. 

 I couldn't feel my face I was crying so hard at this moment. My mom stopped walking and grabbed me.  She crouched to my level and whispered, "Hey, hey stop crying, you are going to be great at the new studio and you're going to make many new friends.  I understand leaving those people is hard, but you will pull trough."

"Thank you mom-" *more sniffles* "I know and I am trying."

"Okay, why don't you get in the car and I'll buy you food!"

"I love food!!!"  I shouted laughing.

I woke up to my phone ringing.  It was my mom "Honey, you need to be ready by the time I get there, I'll be there in 15 minutes, then I am taking you to tryouts."

"Okay.  Need to go finish then," I said looking at the time.  I hung up and ripped my covers off, 4:30??? How is that even possible!? I didn't sleep well last night obviously.

I ran and grabbed a granola bar and threw on my dance clothes in the hallway.  I ran back into my room and threw away my garbage.  Then I got my hair brush, ties, and hair spray.  I bent over and put my hair up in a bun on top of my head.  I loaded hairspray on, grabbed my dance bag, and hauled mail to the door and there was my mom. I ran to the car and jumped in.  "Hey mom."

"Hey sweety.  Did you just get up?" She asked

"Uhmmmmmmmm...."  I trailed off.

"Didn't sleep well did ya?"

"No, I didn't. It's the first night so, I tossed and turned and stared at the ceiling."  I answered looking into my hands.

"I didn't sleep well either."  And I felt the car stop, "We're here Megan." I felt my heart start to drop down to my ankles, my stomach following.  I opened the door and stepped out.  I looked up and felt tiny.  I was so used to being at my old studio with the "normal" dancers.  These dancers are so much better.  I don't feel normal here.  I feel like I won't fit in.  And I don't feel well so great combination.  "Megan!" My mom said to get my attention.

"Huh?"  I asked.

"Fill this out,"  She commanded.

"Okay,"  I answered taking the packet.  It was simple questions like, 'What type of dances do you dance?' Or 'Do you teach dance?'  I answered honestly and and took the paper back up to the counter.  The polished, but dressed appropriately for dance, lady walked me to the "Break room" and showed me to an opened locker.  

"This will be your locker until you finish tryouts, and don't leave anything please,"  the nice lady said in a high pitched voice.

"Okay, thank you!"  I said.  Deep breaths Megan, played on repeat in my head.

The lady waited till I had my jazz shoes on and then she walked me into the dance room.  I looked around.  The walls whale grey and maroon.  The Marley perfectly polished.  The tape lines perfect.  All eyes were on me.  

"Everyone, this is Megan Dunst." She started, "She is here for tryouts so please welcome her."  Then the lady turned to me and told me to say something about myself.

"Hi everyone.  I am excited to be here and I hope that this opens some opportunities for me.  I've been dancing for twelve years and I'm fully committed.  I hope I get to do great things with you all." They applauded, "Thank you." I said taking a seat next to this blond haired skinny girl.

"The names Jessica."

"Hi." 

"Are you scared?" Jessica asked, whispering because the teacher was talking.

"No, but shhhhhh... I gotta listen to this."  I told her

"Each dancer will improv each type of dance, you have three counts of eight to show us what you've got."  She paused, "Oh and you get to chose your song."

"You scared yet?" I heard Jessica whisper, but I didn't answer due to the fact that I had a lump so big in my throat that it was almost killing my air way.

"Jessica, why don't you show us what you've got, dance your best type."  The dance teacher instructed.  A fast up beat song played and I instantly knew she was a hip hop dancing god.  She popped with the beats and she was very tight.  She was good.  I looked down trying to keep the tears from streaming.  *breath Megan*

"Megan! Why don't you show all these girls and boys who's boss!"  The dance teacher yelled.

"Okay." I said almost whispering.  My heart began to beat more rapidly and I started off toward the stereo.  I had my phone and I plugged it in.  I chose the song "DNA by: Lia Marie Johnson" it reminded me most of my dad.

I walked out to the center of the floor and sat down.  The music started and I went. My body moved and flowed with the music so fluently it almost felt as if no one was watching. I kept a constant emotion of sadness on my face and everyonce in a while I would look out and see all there heads moving as I went down or up.  Then I ended up dancing the whole song.  The whole room bursted into applause and I was crying.  I got up and ran out.  I was crying while dancing, great!  I sat on the floor right outside the door and started sobbing.  Nobody had followed me, good.  Then I heard music start so no one was coming out good.  I went to wipe my tears when this boy had already began to, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I just needed a minute." 

"Why are you crying?" He asked genuinely worried.

"I barely know you but okay, that song reminds me of my dad who abused my mom and got drunk all the time."  I started to cry again, he wiped the tears. "That's why I chose it and that's why I was crying through the dance and-" he cut me off.

"Shh... it's okay.  My name is Bradley.  I'll be your first friend here," he said grabbing my hand and pulling me up. I turned around and made sure I had no dirt on my butt.  I walked back into the room with Bradley.  He had his hand at the small of my back and I took it off to walk to the section of people.  This tall, skinny girl, way prettier than me was dancing.  She did elegant characteristic dances obviously.  And when I got over there I went to stand by Jessica.  She moved away.  Then a sharp glare that burned my eyes.  I guess that didn't go well.  Wonder what I did.

"That's it for now see you tomorrow."  The dance teacher said. "Class dismissed."  I ran to be the First one out.  I grabbed my stuff and waited outside the door for Jessica, now I'm going to find out what I did.

"Oh not this loser," I heard Jessica whisper to the tall skinny girl.  "What do you want?"

"Why'd you move away and glare at me?" I asked almost agitated at this moment.

Jessica scoffed.

"Why?"

"You were with MY boyfriend!  He had his hand on YOU. And WHY? Because your an attention hog!"  She shouted

"First off, I didn't know he was you're boyfriend. And second if I knew that I wouldn't have done that." I said, trying not to be rude.

"Well good, because if you are with him one more time, I'm going-" my mom cut her off.

"Get in Megan, we are going home."

"Bye girls." I said slamming the door.

"Welcome to east hardy high school!"  The principal says.  "You will be paired with a mentor who will help you out."  Everyone but me was paired and my mentor turned around and I wasn't paying attention but it was Bradley.  "Hey Megan.  Have you been ignoring me?"  He asked I just shook my head and said nothing.  "It was Jessica wasn't it?"  I shrugged my shoulders.  "I swear I'm gonna end her!" Bradley shouted.

"No you won't.  And don't talk like that in front of me please.  You know what my dad did.  And you won't say anything because Jessica will get me kicked out of the studio, so keep your mouth shut and your head down."  I snapped.  "Does she go to this school?"

"No, and she's not my girfriend." 

"Okay, then let's not talk about her please. And show me around I got class in like ten."

"Okay, let's go then."  He said.

             •~~~~~~~~~•

"Open your journal and write a story about something this summer"  My ELA teacher instructed.

I did as she told and I was the second to last person to share.  "What did you write about?" The teacher asked.

"My dad."  I saw Bradley fidget his hands to the table. 

"Share then."  She commanded.

"My dad was a terrible male role model, he did bad things and changed my impression on love forever.  Thank you dad for teaching me about life and how cowardly men can be."  I concluded while everyone applauded and talked.  I read the whole story while looking at Bradley.  He clapped in silence and just looked at me with a fierce look to his eyes.  I returned to my seat, that's next to him, and he passed me a note. 

"You wanna go out Friday?"

"Sure, how's 8?"

"Perfect!  We'll see a movie."

"Sounds great!"

"<3"

I took the paper and put it in my binder.

           •~~~~~~~~~•

It was lunch time and I had found where Bradley was sitting.  He smiled when I sat down.  I felt him grab my hand.  I looked away and put my hand under my chin and smiled.  He obviously saw me because he smile at me.  Everyone at the table was staring.  "Ayeeeee y'all a thing?"  I heard this short rude boy say.

"Is that your buisness?" Brad snapped. The boy threw his hands up in surrender and and walked away.  Bradley then let go of my hand and I felt empty.

Who was this kid and why is he being so rude to us?  I was determined to find out and I will.