1

Walking through the heavy metal gates; the towering statue of Sir Eastwood stood before me, looking over at the whole of the school; he was the one who founded the school all the way back in the 19th century, how I know this I honestly have no idea. I stared with amazement forgetting about my surrounding. Standing here, with the school before me, is just the evidence I need to truly make myself believe that my dreams are most definitely coming true; that this isn't just me daydreaming in maths class anymore. I'm actually here, here in one of the most profound university for the performing arts ; the school were every theatre, music and dance student only wishes to enter but only the best are selected... And I'm one of them, me!

However, suddenly a rough knock at my shoulder pushed me forward causing me to stumble a little.

"Move out the way”

At looked up at the voice; the boy looked young maybe  year older, the sunlight radiated off of his slim face, his eyes glistening and his hair fell perfectly in place. How could anyone look so good yet be such an arse?

"Well, you could say excuse me instead of barging into me like that!" I shouted as he continued to run off into the distance.

"Rude much" I said to myself before looking over at my watch, 12:58 "damn, I'm going to be late even before I properly start school here, "what a great start Jinri!" I whispered while running off to where I thought I was meant to be. However as I entered the glass doors of the university building, the corridors and hallways just consumed me. There were so many and I couldn't comprehend it all. Students were rushing here and there getting to their classes and meeting up with their friends. How am I supposed to find where orientation is?

"Excuse me" I asked a passing girl (that looked a lot nicer than the others) although instead the girl continued walking her way completely ignoring my every presence. Okay then. I thought of asking again but to my surprise every student I had asked simply walked passed me without the care in the world. "Are you lost?"A voice sprang from behind me. I turned around and a boy started walking towards me.

"Yes, do you perhaps know where the orientation is being held?"

“It’s usually in the main hall; Um, down that Hallway, turn to your left and it's the first door on your right" he pointed with his hands. "Thank you so much" I replied before I rushed off to the direction he had told me not giving him a second glance. To my dismay, as I got there; a man, in a newly ironed grey suit, was already standing proudly at the front. Everyone else was seated quietly in their place until I barged in huffing and puffing away. Muted laughter could be heard by the other students as I tried to catch my own breath.

"Sor..ry I'm late, I got lost" I heaved out, holding my waist for some support. I looked over at my watch, 13:04, Great.

"Well at least your here Ms...?" The man said, offering me his hand. I looked down at his palm then at the alarming gazes of the students. "Jinri, Choi Jinri" I choked, taking his hand and shaking forcefully.

"Mr Thomas, head of music"

"Nice to meet you" I spoke, almost as a whisper. "Good thing we've just about started, please, take a seat" gesturing his hand to the empty seat near the far back. Walking to that seat felt weird, as if I was taking the walk of shame. The other student's eyes followed my every step and it wasn't until I had sat down at my allocated seat, when all their heads (almost all simultaneously) turned to face the front again. I breathed out a heavy sigh I didn't even realize I was holding. How can this possibly get any worse?

***

We sat there for about an hour going over the courses we might like to take, the rules of the school, what is expected of us. Everything that was included in the school brochure actually. Of course I already knew all this, as the minute I got my hands on the book I had read it front and back, staying up till late to read something I had probably previously read 4 or 5 times already, Making orientation a breeze for me. We got our documents sorted and admissions completed, finally making us official scholars of the school. The teachers helping out had put us into groups with a senior that would help us to look around the school and get a sense of what it was actually like to study there. This was the bit I was most excited for!

As we walked further into the schools premises; the bigger the school got. I felt as though every corridor had led to more hallways and classrooms. This is going to take me a while I thought to myself.

"Hey, I'm Stephanie" the girl next to me said taking me by surprise, she held out her hand waiting for me to take it "Err...Jinri, I guessed you know that since I embarrassed myself in front of everyone earlier" I joked while taking her hand.

"So what do you do?"

"Ballet and a bit of drama as well but not as much"

"Really? Me too!" she said with pure thrill evident in her voice, her jet black hair was tied up into a ponytail and her fringe softly resting just above her eyebrows. Her eyes were glistening with happiness and gaped open. We stood staring at each other with disbelief for a good minute before we realized we were lagging behind and the rest of our group already far into the distance. Laughing, we sped off to join them again.

We ended up talking for the rest of the tour, she told me many things about like how her sister actually goes to this school, their parents paid for her sister to get in but they didn't have enough her so they were all relying on this scholarship to work out. She also told me she went to St Claire's, a school really close to my own and the best one yet was the fact we went to the same exact ballet school when we were much younger! Ballet academy; where the dream had all started.

The tour was coming to an end but there was only one more place to go and visit; the dance studio. As we walked down the corridor music from 'the Nutcracker' could be heard coming from the doors of the room at the very end of the hallway, it got louder and louder the closer we got. Entering, we all stood in amazement. The room was huge and the walls were lined with mirrors, lines of barre were standing in the middle of the room and the music was bouncing off the walls filling the air.

This was every dancers dream...

***

"This is Mrs Bellerose's class, she teaches the top students in ballet but a bit of a pain in the, you know where..." whispered Isabelle, the senior with us. I looked at the teacher standing at the front of the class, instructing the other. She looked like she was in her mid 40s. She had dark brown hair with stripes of grey sprouting here and there. Her eyebrows were creased in the middle giving off a stern look of concentration, carefully focusing on every move her students were making. Although she looked much older than most people in the school, she still aged with great beauty, with few wrinkles on her face, long legs and slim frame; you could tell she was a stunner back in her ballet days.

As music continued to play, and the ballet student moved gracefully with the music.

"Arabesque" Mrs Bellerose instructed. Everyone got into their position raising their right leg behind their body, extending it into a straight line with the other leg grounded straight on the floor. Mrs Bellerose's eyes squinted, looking around the room, watching carefully at each of them.

"Keep your legs straight Ms Coleman"

We all watched with admiration. The dancers gracefully stood, showing us their strength and grace.

"You too, Ms Langston" She said as she walked toward our little group not even looking at whoever she had been talking too. Butterflies escaped into my stomach, fluttering about and making me feel all nervous.

"Hello you must be the new scholars, welcome" She greeted us after some time; much calmer then she had been when spreviously talking to the other ballet students." I'm Mrs Bellerose and I'm head of Ballet as you can see." Looking back at her student "So did any of you get into this school through your ballet?" I was quite hesitant in raising my hand, I don't know why, Maybe it was just the nerves. Stephanie however was the first to raise her hand later followed by me and two others.

"Hmm, you must be Ms Baker's sister" Mrs Bellerose directed at Stephanie. She nodded her head vigorously with satisfaction.

"Well it's good to finally meet you, and all the rest of you. I wish you the best of luck and I'm excited to meet you properly this September." She said as she left to get back to business.

"OMG, she knows me!" Stephanie squealed next to me when Mrs Bellerose had turned her back.

"No, she knows your sister" I corrected her.

"No, she knows ME!" She had demanded making me roll my eyes, I was too amazed right now to be arguing with her.

"Ok! Sorry Ms Popular!" Putting my hands put to surrender.

"Good" Both laughing, as we exited the dance studio.

***

I got home around 4 in the afternoon. The house was quite as mother was still back at the Shop working her hours and my brother was still at school, probably working on his music. My stomach started to grumble, demanding for food. I went straight to the kitchen looking for something to eat. Ice cream would do, I thought to myself before pulling out a giant tub of Ben and Jerry's cookie and cream ice cream.

Sitting at my desk with a tub of ice cream I started looking through videos of the ballet productions from the Eastwood website. However it was one video that caught my eye. This one was truly amazing.

It had featured a girl with beautiful golden locks of hair that flew with grace as she twirled elegantly with her partner. Her beautiful costume was a white leotard with a magnificent long netted tutu that just about ended at her calf. It sparkled with gems absorbing all the attention toward her. I closed my eyes; focusing on the music in the background and imagining myself dancing to the music with the audience before me. I was in my own world, swaying my head and shoulder along with the flow. Everything was almost so perfect and peaceful until the buzzing of my phone took me back to the emptiness of my room.

Pig Face.

"Hello?"

"Hey, is mum there?"

"No...Why?"

"Nothing she just sounded a little...never mind"

"She's probably just tired. You know how work stresses her out"

"Yeah, anyway I'm gonna be late ok"

"Okay..."

"K, bye" he said in an obvious rush ending the call

God! He doesn't even ask me how the orientation went or even simply how my day went. No 'How are you sis' or 'How was your day' Nothing, He'd definitely win the 'best brother' award then... Anyway His probably just jealous; my brother Joshua actually applied for Eastwood last year, His passionate about music. He played many instrument as we grew up, from the guitar to the drums even the saxophone. He ended up using this passion to create music and wanted to continue doing so. For him Eastwood was the way to go however he got turned down and instead got into another school. I got in and he didn't. Every since I got that letter he's been picking on me and secretly giving me spiteful looks thinking I wouldn't see. Of course I did, but I don't want to brag about it knowing how much the school had meant to him.

Click.

"Mum?" I called out as I heard the front door opening. Silence.

"Mum" I tiptoed towards the top of the stairs and waited; listening out of any movements.

Silence. Please don't let me die today!

I decided to take my chance and tiptoed down the stairs where I could hear quiet breathing. Opening the door; I braved myself for someone to attack, my hands out ready to show off my nonexistent kung fu moves.

"BOO!"

I screamed to the top of my lungs. I closed my eyes and kicked and punched whatever had been front of me.

"Ouch stop... STOP!" I opened my eyes and saw the damage which I had done lay before me. My brother was on the floor, hands hugging his stomach crying in agony.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry" I said crouching down to help him up but to my disbelieve, he wasn't crying in pain... he was laughing. You Idiot! I thought to myself. How can you be so easily fooled by him!.

"I hate you!" I said hovering over him as he continued to scream his hideous laugh.

"You're soo dead to me!"

"You should... have seen the look... on your face" he told me, huffing between his sentences. Of course...it was just that hilarious, wasn't.

"Ha Ha Ha" I said in the most serious tone I could have possible muster.

"Anyway I thought you were gonna be home late"

"Well I'm not am I" stating the obvious as if I was dumb as he got to his feet.

"So I guess you just told me that so you could perform your excruciatingly terrible joke on me, Am I right?"

He walked towards the Kitchen. I Followed him waiting for his answer instead he grabbed a packet of crisp and a can soda walking out the door and headed up the stairs, completing ignoring me.

"Well thanks then" I shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

The front door suddenly opened and it was mother.

"Jinri, stop shouting and help me with these bags" Offering me bags indicating me to leave them on the kitchen table. She had her hands on her hips and was panting softly as if she had just run from her work.

"You ok?" I asked as we both walked towards the kitchen

"I'm fine darling"

***

"So how was your day?" Mother asked as she was preparing our dinner. Spaghetti Bolognese; our favourite.

"AMAZING! You should have been there. There were so many rooms and the dance studio...oh where do I even start" I had exclaimed.

"That sounds good"

"Yeah, Oh and I met this girl her name is Stephanie and she's a scholar as well, her sister does ballet at the school already, anyway... Mum?" Mother had stopped stirring the pot and instead brought her hand unto her chest. She began to cough heavier and heavier until she was finally down to her knees. I grew concern within me every second seeing her collapse. My palms began to sweat and my mouth began to grow dry.

"Mum!" I said grabbing hold of her. She continued to hold on to her chest groaning in pain.

"Joshua!"

"It'll be fine mum, Ok"

"Joshua! It's an emergency come down here!" beginning to panic, I didn't know what to do and all I could do was comfort my mother by holding her in my arms whispering word of comfort to her. She'll be fine I kept telling myself.

"Joshua!" I called out again and the door opened.

"Whats the matte..." Mother had stopped coughing and her hands were no longer on her chest but were now dangling in my arms. Joshua and I looked at each other with pure panic in our eyes...

"Mum!"

Authors note: 

So here chapter 1 guys hope you like it!! Please please comment down below on how your finding it so far and if you have any suggests on how I can improve , it would be highly appreciated! 

Thx

jcookiecakes xxx