Fan Fiction |
by Hibiscus
Ariel straightened immediately, fixing on a polite smile and with her public personality firmly in place, turned toward the door.
The door opened but instead of the dance instructor, the same receptionist who had shown Ariel and Mary to the room came in. She gestured to some people behind her, “Please come in. Mr. Lang will be here in a few minutes.”
Ariel whispered to Mary, “That’s what she said to us.”
She watched curiously as the new comers entered the room. Her polite smile wavered as she recognized Mike’s unruly hair. Her back stiffened and her gaze dropped. She thought, “Oh snap, I didn’t realize I’d have to face him again so soon.”
Mary greeted Mike’s manager Sandra and Mike.
“Hi.” Ariel looked up. Mike was standing beside her. “I’m He Jun Xiang or Mike.” He said politely and offered her his hand.
Ariel shook it cautiously.
“I’m looking forward to working with you.” Mike continued, smiling pleasantly.
Ariel let out a deep breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. So he had decided to play along with her. Well.
“I’m Lin Yi Chen. Ariel.” She smiled back at him. “I look forward to working with you as well.”
They both fell silent. The silence stretched bordering on extreme awkwardness when suddenly the door opened and a whirlwind rushed in. Mr. Lang.
“La, I’m sorry I’m late. I despise mornings, I do!” He was a tall man, extremely slim with graceful movements. He had black hair going gray and a little mustache which, in Ariel’s opinion, seemed painted on.
“Please follow me to the studio!” He rushed them out of the room at a brisk pace.
The studio was a large airy room with ballet bars on one side and soft mats on the floor. Large windows opened to let the sunshine in and Ariel suddenly feeling excited, turned and beamed at Mike.
Mike looked startled at first but then smiled cautiously back.
“Now, do either have you any experience dancing?” Mr. Lang asked. “And please call me Damon.”
Mike turned to Ariel raising his eyebrows and mouthing, “Damon?”
Ariel grinned.
Damon looked up from the clipboard which presumably had the information he needed. “It says here that Ariel, you took some ballet classes when you were young?”
“Yes, but it was a long time ago.” Ariel smiled.
Just then Mary’s phone rang.
“Please, either turn it off or leave. I will not stand for such bothersome things in my sacred studio!” Damon exclaimed.
Mary shrugged. “Okay, I guess I’ll be off then. Ariel, you have nothing scheduled for the rest of the day but there is a party you need to attend in the evening.”
“Thanks, Mary. I’ll see you later.”
“I’ll be off too, Mike.” Sandra, a pretty, tall lady with gorgeous auburn hair told Mike. “Call me when you are done here.”
Then they were left alone in the lion’s den. Ariel smiled weakly and edged a bit closer to Mike.
Damon circled them, pretty much like a lion (a starved one but a lion nonetheless). He looked them over critically.
“Are either of you extremely clumsy?” He asked.
All of a sudden a memory cropped up in Ariel’s mind.