DANCING ON MY OWN (Charlie Puth)

O N E

I sling my backpack over my shoulders, about to head to the dance studio. It's 5 p.m., and this is what I do every day since I've began school at Berklee. I don't talk to many people, mostly just Camila, considering we live together, and we've become pretty good friends. Dancing has always been a huge part of my life and who I am as a person. I've been dancing since I was just a four year old child. My grandmother is the reason I began to dance. My parents separated when I was very young, but old enough for it to take a toll on me. My grandmother wanted to put some type of balance in my life, and according to her, dance was that balance.

Throughout the years, my grandmother has put me in every type of dance imaginable, but now, I'm studying contemporary dance at the Boston Conservatory. It comes naturally to me, but I still think it's fun to try "new" things. Going to college here has been one of the more significant changes in my life. My home is actually in a small town in Missouri, so moving to Boston was a big change, but it was for the best. Hopefully coming here can help me make a career out of my passion.

"Mia!" a voice tears me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah sorry, what?" I ask my room mate, Camila, oblivious to anything that she may have just said to me.

"I asked if you were going to the studio or not?" She reiterates, giggling at my wandering mind.

"Oh yeah," I remember what I was doing before I got lost in my thoughts of the past. "I'll be back!" I yell over my shoulder as the door swings shut behind me. I'm not actually going to the "studio", but that's what I like to say. I always go to this beautiful ballroom in the conservatory that never gets used anymore. No one goes in there, and if they do, they are just putting things in storage. The maintenance door is always unlocked, and no one knows that but me, or so I think. I go there to dance, yes, but mostly to be alone. When I dance by myself it helps me to clear my thoughts. When I sneak into the ballroom, I begin music over my small bluetooth speaker that I keep in my backpack and start stretching in the middle of the cold, elegant floor.

* * * * *

The next day, I'm sitting in my first hour class. It is an elective songwriting class, and while I don't think I would be good at that, I took it for fun. I've always loved music, especially as it plays a huge role in dancing. But, I've always loved music in general, so I guess that kind of helps. It's mid-October, so I've been here for a couple of months now, but I still don't know any of the people that I have class with. Honestly, I don't even remember the name of my professor half of the time. I remember some of their faces. For example there is a girl who always bright blue eye shadow and red lipstick. It would be hard to forget that one. There is also the guy who always looks and smells like he just got done smoking pot. How has he not gotten caught yet? Oh, there is also the guy with the scar on his eyebrow. He's pretty cute. Sometimes, I catch myself staring at his eyebrow, and then just at him. He doesn't talk much, and usually always has his headphones in. He doesn't today though and sits next to a tall guy with dark hair and brown eyes. Shawn! I remember his name. He sits next to me and talks to me sometimes. I tried to ignore him the first few times, but he either doesn't get the hint, or he's very persistent. He's quite friendly though. I'm nice to him now though.

Eyebrow dude and Shawn are looking at something on Shawn's phone, laughing very loudly. I smile, admiring their friendship. I've never had a great friendship like that, however, I'm becoming fairly good friends with Camila. My admiration of the two giggling boys comes to a stop when I'm distracted by the buzz of my phone in my lap. I glance down at the screen, and it's my boyfriend, Josh. Josh and I had been together for about six months. I met him before summer when I first started coming to Boston for college visits. He's a dancer too, so I thought we would be a perfect fit. He was a very sweet guy throughout the duration of our relationship, and was my first serious boyfriend. I read the text.

Josh: Hey Mia, I can't practice with you tonight. Sorry!

I roll my eyes before texting him back.

Me: It's fine. Maybe next time?

We have a recital coming up, and we are supposed to perform a dance together, but he has continued to blow me off for practice for the past two weeks. It's starting to piss me off, actually. I roll my eyes another time and toss my phone into my backpack.

As I'm about to look back up to watch Shawn and his friend laugh some more, Shawn plops down in the empty seat next to me.

"Hey Shawn." I exhale.

"Why were you watching me, Mia?" He asks in a goofy tone. I know he's joking, but I still blush knowing that he caught me.

"I was just admiring your beautiful face Shawn." I laugh.

"What about my face? Is it beautiful too?" An unfamiliar voice asks, as it's owner sits in the empty seat on my other side. The guy with the eyebrow. He smirks at me, and before I can respond, the professor walks in and immediately begins to lecture. I half listen to the professor, but I focus most of my attention on the boy next to me with the scarred eyebrow.

. . . .

Hey guys! First Chapter of Dancing On My Own! I'm really excited for this story, and I hope you guys are too! Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think so far!

- J.