“I look like an idiot,” Bob mumbled glancing at his reflection in the studio dressing room mirror. Laurel chuckled from the other side of the door.
“You chose to take the dance class. Your fault,” she reminded him. He winced again at his reflection.
“I might as well go audition for Hamlet,” he whispered to himself pulling on an over sized gray T-shirt that fell a little above his knees. He opened the door and walked out. He noticed the amused look on Laurel’s face and blushed.
“Madame LaBelle isn’t going to let you dance with a huge shirt on Bob,” she laughed re doing her ponytail.
“Well, sucks to be her because I’m not about to go prancing around the room in tights,” he spat. At the reminder of the tight nylon that covered his legs, he tugged the shirt lower. Laurel laughed.
“You should have thought about that before you signed up for the class. Didn’t you read the sheet? Guys are to come wearing tights, dance shoes, and a short loose fitting T-shirt,” she recited the flyer.
“I’m not doing this,” Bob said simply, flopping down on the chair and glancing down at the ground.
“Well, what are you going to tell Brooke when she gets here? And sees you sitting here?,” Laurel asked stretching her arms
“That I came to see her,” he grumbled. Laurel stopped stretching her arms and looked at him. “You really like her, don’t you?,” she asked glancing in the direction of the studio door.
“Yes, I really do,” he whispered, looking up at her. Laurel’s eyes softened and the corners of her mouth seemed to frown.
“Ladies! Ladies! Class is starting!,” Madame LaBelle yelled, beckoning to class to the floor.
“I’m going to go change out of this, okay?,”Bob said standing up and heading for the dressing rooms.
“Whatever,”Laurel mumbled and made her way to the dance floor. Bob sighed and turned to walk into the dressing rooms.
“Bob! What are you doing here?,” Brooke asked, blocking his way. She looked beautiful.
“I...uh...oh. I came to watch,” he lied.
“You know Laurel?,” she asked, a slight look of disgust on her face. Bob looked over his shoulder and saw Laurel stretching on the bar.
“Yeah, she is my best friend’s sister. Darren’s sister. Are you friends with her?,” he asked.
Brooke laughed, “hardly. She is so...freakish. I mean, the way she dresses. Yikes! Anyway, she thinks she can beat me in the spot for Clara in “Nutcracker”. Isn’t that funny?”
Bob furrowed his brow, “yeah....hilarious.”
Brooke smiled, “well, I gotta jet. I’ll see you later!”
She smiled and passed him, walking out onto the dance floor.
“Alright class! Today, as you know, we are having try-outs for the part of Clara and the Prince...,” the instructor drug on. There were 4 girls trying out. Laurel, Brooke, a girl everyone called Karen and one named Julie. The instructor had them take a number and went through a run through of the dance. Bob laughed at the fact he had never seen Laurel serious about anything. Laurel saw him laughing at her in the mirror and tried not to laugh herself. When the song ended, she turned around and stuck her tongue out.
“Nice girls! I would like to see Karen Winters and the rest of you may go get some water.”
Bob watched as Laurel gave Karen a ‘good-luck’ hug and quickly exited the floor. She walked in the opposite direction of him to her bag to retrieve her water bottle. Bob smiled and made his way over to her.
“Hey, Laurel! Great job!,” he smiled as he approached her. She turned around and faced him, and squirting water into her mouth.
“Thanks!,” she said after swallowing her water.
“When do you go on?,” he asked.
“Next,” she said sitting down on the rug. Bob sat next to her.
“Are you nervous?,” he inquired, observing her shaking knee.
“A little. But I mean, I have tried out for the last three years. Nothing big about it,” she huffed, trying to hide her anxiety. Bob furrowed his brow and thought of something he could do to cheer her up. He jumped up, startling Laurel.
“I’m going to go get something. I’ll be right back!,” he told her.
“Promise? You won’t miss me go on?,” she asked. Bob smiled.
“I would never do that! I’ll be real quick!,” and with that he left. Running down the small mini-mall, he ran into the small Sushi restaurant that Darren, Laurel, and him had always gone to. He ordered a take-out of California Rolls and sat down. Nervously he glanced at the clock, not wanting to miss Laurel’s audition. A bell dinged over the door and he glanced over and saw Brooke sit down next to him.
“What a coincidence that you would be here to!,” she said with a sly smile.
“I’m just getting something for Laurel,” he told her, glancing back at the clock.
“What is with you and Laurel? I thought you didn’t have a girlfriend,” she smiled, wrapping her hair around her finger.
“Laurel is one of my best friends, that’s all,” Bob admitted innocently.
“I’m sure,” she whispered. Glancing over at him, she placed one hand on his leg. Looking deep into his eyes she smiled.
“Do you like me Bob?,” she asked. Bob shifted uncomfortably and glanced at her. She was nothing like she had been on their date. What was wrong with her.
“I..uh..I should be going,” he stuttered. Brooke pouted.
“Why?,” she asked.
“Because I promised Laurel I would be there to watch her audition,” he said heading for the door.
“Well, I think your too late,” she informed him with a sly smile.
Bob’s heart stopped, “what do you mean?”
“She was going on when I left, the song isn’t that long,” she laughed at his obvious stupidity.
“Oh my God!,” he muttered. Turning he ran out the door and down the mini-mall. When he reached the studio, he threw open the door to find Laurel throwing her stuff into the bag, furiously.
“I am so sorry Laurel! I didn’t realize that they time..it had flown by!,” he apologized profusely, running up to her. She looked up at him and stared him in the eye. A furious look on her face.
“Whatever Robert. I don’t want to talk about. I’m going to miss my bus,” with one more cold stare she walked around him and out the door.
“Wait! Laurel!,” he ran after her. Brooke jumped out in front of him.
“Let her go. She is used to not having guys run after her,” she whispered. Bob just stood there. Knowing Laurel, she would be over this tomorrow. And tomorrow was another day.