Chapter 41
In the blink of an eye, New Year’s Eve arrived.
The entire school was buzzing with excitement, and under the guidance of their teachers, the students carried their little stools to the schoolyard to sit.
The school distributed glow sticks to every student to set the festive mood
The first performance was a poetry reading, which nearly put everyone to sleep.
Backstage was a hive of activity.
Jennifer and the girls from Class Z were particularly anxious. Luck was not on their side as they drew the third–to–last slot. To make matters worse, they were scheduled right after Carina.
Canna had been a dancer since childhood, excelling particularly in ballet. Following her performance, comparisons were inevitable. “Jennifer.” A gentle voice called out, and Carina approached them slowly.
She was dressed in a blue and white ballet costume, with the hem of her skirt fluttering gently with her movements, reminiscent of gentle waves brushing softly against the heart.
She appeared ethereal, pure, and otherworldly.
Every smile and frown was perfectly placed, and although it seemed a bit deliberate, there was no denying her breathtaking beauty.
“How are you all prepared?” she asked with concem.
Jennifer replied disheartenedly. “We’re all set, but definitely not as graceful as your dance, Carina.”
“Don’t say that. You’re also great,” Carina said. “I saw the program list and it says all the girls from Clase Z will perform together. Why isn’t Flora here?”
“Why bring her up, Carina? Bad luck,” Jennifer said imitably at the mention of Flore. “She can’t dance, so she didn’t join. I really don’t get what’s so special about her. These days, people in our class almost worship her, just because her grades are slightly better.” Carina still smiled, “if she can’t dance, it’s probably for the best she’s not on stage. Today’s event is quite significant. If Flora w stage and couldn’t dance, it would surely upset the school executives, maybe even result in a major reprimand.”
“Alright, it’s almost my tum. I need to get ready. Good luck to you all.”
After saying her part, Carina left, leaving Jennifer behind to ponder
went on
“Next up, we have Carina from Class A performing a classical ballet–Moonlight Serenade.”
Thunderous applause broke out from the audience. Many boys whistled in admiration.
Flora lazily lifted her head.
On the high stage, Carina stood barefoot in her blue and white ballet costume. Her hair fell to her waist, tied only with a ribbon.
The spotlight focused on her, making her look like a fairy from the mountains.
She danced, leaped, and bent, executing each movement to perfection. Her flexible body seemed boneless, captivating the male students in the audience.
Flora watched for a while before lowering her head again.
Carina was beautiful, yes, but soulless. To her, Carina seemed not so much to be dancing as s she was showing off.
The school executives nodded and praised continuously from below.
In the VIP seats, a man in a dark blue suit with his hair tied back watched Carina’s waist intently, licking his lips with evident interest “Find out about her background.”
His assistant hurried to comply
As the performance ended, the crowd cheered even louder
“Thank you, everyone” Canina bowed and exited the stage, smiling with an unstoppable pride.
Next, it was Class 2’s turn.
With Carina’s exceptional performance as their predecessor, Jennifer and her peers‘ dance seemed lackluster.
The audience watched with diminished interest
From a professional standpoint, their movements were not up to standard or particularly exciting.
1/2
nother respects, there was nothing compelling about their performance.
“Why did Jennifer and the others choose such a dance? I’m totally lost.” Dana scmiched his head, utterly confused
Rafael’s dance felt like a deep, soulful conversation, using extreme movements and performances to paint vivid pictures in the audience’s minds, making them feel as if they were part of the scene.
Jennifer and her peers failed to grasp the essence, resorting to superficial performance moves, which is why the audience was left baffled.
This was also why Flora had initially argued that they were ill–suited for this dance.
As their dance ended, the applause was sporadic and scattered.
Jennifer and her friends left the stage with tears in their eyes,
The host returned to the stage, continuing. “Please enjoy the next performance by Class Z.”
There was a pause in her voice. The program list had been amended with a pen.
-Class Z, Flora, solo dance
any rehearsals, and her name was unexpectedly
The host hesitated because she remembered that Flora had not participated in any included.
However, on such an important occasion, there was no room for mischief. The host didn’t dwell on it, assuming there was another arrangement by the school. She was the host, and she would announce what was written in the script.
“Next, please enjoy the solo dance by Flora from Class Z.”
Flora had become a celebrity at Westbrook High School. The announcement of her performance was met with cheers. Everyone eagerly anticipated her performance.
The teacher responsible for the evening’s program was taken aback to hear Flora’s name and quickly scanned the program list. Flora’s name was nowhere to be found.
Dane and the others looked worried. They spent every day with Flora, who had never signed up for a performance.
Now, her name was announced, clearly someone intended to set her up.
Kaylee also frowned, turning her worried gaze toward Flora, who was at the back.
“Flora, what do we do now?” Dane asked anxiously.
Flora was good in a fight, but asking her to perform a delicate dance might be a bit of a stretch.
“What else can we do? Just go for it”
+
Flora stood up lazily and headed backstage.