This is the second part of three. Again, thanks to Patricia for proofing.

Chapter 8

Kyle felt intimidated being under the watchful eye of Madam Kathryn.

This class was much more different than the one Miss Arceneaux taught. That one was more relaxed. This one seemed much more serious, even though it was still fun.

She watched almost every detail. She was a lot more "hands on" as Olivia put it. She grabbed his arm to show him how it was supposed to be in second.

He thought he had a straight leg in arabesque, only to have her push it actually straight.

She made sure they finished each exercise.

"You are cheating the audience if you do not finish," she said.

The class was divided into two groups. Group “A” was the more advanced girls like Olivia and Claire. It seemed to Kyle like they've been dancing since they were born. They were already pointe.

He, Beth, Emilee and a few other girls were in group "B". They were the ones who were the beginners. At the barre, the girls in group "A" were at the end of each line.

The others were in between those in group "B,” so the dancers in group "B" knew how to do each exercise. It still wasn't easy. Kyle messed up quite a few times and was really frustrated.

It helped that he wasn't alone.

In the center, group "A" was in the front, group "B" in the back

Kyle marveled at the dancers in group A. While he was working on preparations for pirouettes and pique turns, they were able to do them.

"Oh my gosh, they're so beautiful," Kyle said watching Olivia, Claire and two other girls danced seemingly effortlessly across the floor.

"I can't believe I just said that," he whispered to Emilee.

He admitted being lost in the moment. When it came time for him, Beth and Emilee to do their simple combination he got caught up the music.

It was a feeling he never felt before. He just let go. He felt free.

When he reached the end of the room and finished, some of the girls applauded.

"That was very nice Kyle," Madame Kathryn said. "I do not know where that came from. But you need to keep it up."

"You made us look bad," laughed Beth.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to do that," Kyle said.

"Oh no, you were right there with the music," Emilee said. "It actually helped us out."

"Keep working at it," Olivia encouraged. "You’re going to make a great dancer."

What started out as a bit of a scary, frustrating class ended up being a great one. It went by too fast.

They finished the class with a porte bras.

Madame Kathryn then asked Kyle, Beth, Emilee and a few others to stay after class. She went over a few things with each of them that she felt would help.

"I will also tell Marie, so she can watch for them too, for those of you who are in her class at school," she said.

She put her arm around Kyle as they left the classroom.

"Your mother told me about what your father said," she said. "You're a very brave young man. From what I saw tonight, you are also a very good athlete. I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you, Madame," Kyle said.

"We have a lot of work to do," she told him. "When I'm done with you, you are going to be a very graceful, powerful dancer."

The words shocked Kyle. It made him feel awesome.

"Oh mom, you should have seen him," Caitlyn said on the ride home.  

Unknown to Kyle, several of the girls in Caitlyn and Katey's class were watching the class through a window.

"He was amazing mom, really amazing," she said.

Chapter 9

He read the note he was given in homeroom.

"See Coach Ruiz in the office," it said.

What did Coach Ruiz want with him, Kyle thought as he walked to the office. When he got there, Oliva and Claire were waiting with a box of supplies.

"They've got to decorate the bulletin boards around the school before the game on Friday," Coach Ruiz said.

"We needed a strong boy to carry our supplies for us," Olivia said.

"You'll be excused from class until the three of you get done," Coach Ruiz said. "Thanks for helping."

"Lead on," Kyle said as they went to the first bulletin board.

He passed them whatever they needed, scissors, tape, construction paper, markers.

"So Kyle, what got you interested in taking ballet?" Olivia asked.

"My grandmother took us to the Nutcracker before Christmas one time," he said. "It was awesome to watch. But I pretty much forgot about it until Miss Arceneaux started describing the class during exploratory signups. I don't know, it made me want to try it."

"You've got a lot of guts," Claire said as she reached for a roll of tape. "Sorry I sort of picked at you the first day of class, you know about what we're supposed to wear. I've never had a class with a boy before."

"No problem," Kyle said. "I was sort of nervous taking the class. Still am. But I like it."

"How are you going to handle it when someone does tease you about it," Olivia asked. "You know it’s going to happen. We really talked about it around school, but I'm sure the word will get out. And I know how hurt you were about what your dad said."

"I don't know how I'm going to handle it," Kyle said. "It hurt, what dad said. But that's dad. I am sort of glad Justin and Alex are cool with it."

"But other guys might not be cool with it," Claire said.

"We just want you to know, when you are teased and get upset, you can come to us," Olivia said.

"Yeah, we're your big eighth grade sisters," Claire said with her best mafia voice. "We'll rough ‘em up for ya. No one messes with the family."

Olivia and Kyle laughed.

"Seriously Kyle, your one of us," Olivia said. "We've got your back."

"I appreciated that," Kyle said. "You know, you guys are nothing like a lot of us thought you were."

"How so?" Claire asked.

"Well let's see, me and my friends are sort of computer geeks," Kyle said. "You're cheerleaders, most popular girls in the school. There is no way you'd have anything to do with us."

Olivia and Claire looked at each other.

"I guess it’s because we have different interests, live in different neighborhoods and I guess we all sort of develop our on little cliques," Olivia said. "But Claire and I, we're not in the in crowd like you'd think. We don't go to their parties or hang out with them."

"You don't?" Kyle asked, amazed.

"Other than cheerleaders, we're sort of outcasts with everybody else," Claire said. "They like us..."

"But we're ballet fanatics and like to hang out with our church youth group," Olivia said. "We're goodie-goodies."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Kyle said.

"Well, you're stuck with us now," Claire said. "We ballet fanatics stick together."

That conversation stuck with Kyle the rest of the day. He couldn't wait for Miss Arceneaux's ballet class to begin.

Chapter 10

Kyle loved the combinations from the center and the side the best.

Oh, he liked barre work, too. It was fun, too. But the combinations across the floor felt like actually dancing.

The whole class was also challenging, not only to the body, but the mind. Don't pay attention for just a second usually meant messing up. Trying to catch-up during the middle of an exercise or combination wasn't easy to do.

"Miss Arceneaux?" he asked. "Was that glisade, glisade, pas de chat?"

"Yes Kyle," she replied. "Good for you for asking. It's always good to ask if you can't remember. Let's mark it, shall we?"

He found transitions tricky too. He tried his best to remember...jete, jete, pas de bouree...only which way with the pas de bouree.

"How do I know remember which way to go with the pas de bouree," he whispered to Olivia.

"Which direction is your foot pointing in the back?" she answered. "Go that way."

"Very nice Olivia, Claire and Julia," Miss Arceneaux said after one combination. "You're getting it, Kyle, Beth and Emilee. It needs to be a bit cleaner, but it’s coming along."

She apologized for being pickier than usual in the class.

"That's ok, Madame Marie," Olivia said. "We want you to be picky. We want you to correct our mistakes."

Madame Marie, it did make her feel more like a ballet teacher. Miss Arceneaux made her feel more like the English teacher.

Kyle began to like the chaine turns they were learning at the end of the class. He gained confidence when "Madame Marie" told him his were coming along.

He tried to turn in time with the music, although sometimes he found his momentum carrying him a little faster. He also had to work hard on finding and keeping his spot. One side of the room it was a poster. On the other side, it was a pompom taped to the wall.

Even with keeping his spot, he still found himself a little dizzy.

"We all get a little dizzy," Claire said.

The class went by fast as usual, too fast. One minute they were lining up at the barre. Next thing you know, they were finishing with a rá¨vá¨rence.

"Good job class, very nice," Miss Arceneaux said at the end.

She then told each of them things they needed to work on.

"A little more plié when we're working on jumps, Kyle," she said. "I want you to get a little more height. I'd like for your jumps to be very powerful before we're done."

"I need those of you who are going to the workshop on Saturday to stay for a few minutes after class," she said.

Olivia, Claire, Kyle, Beth and Emilee stayed.

"We should be able to take just one vehicle," she said. "We need to meet here at the school at 8 in the morning. The workshop starts at 9:30 in Parksburg. Wear your sweats over your stuff. I don't know if there will be rooms to change. Also, bring money for lunch. We'll be going somewhere to eat during lunch break."

The workshop was being led by a woman Miss Arceneaux danced with when she was dancing with American Ballet Theatre. She now led a Christian dance company and some of them would also be helping.

"She's a very good teacher," Miss Arceneaux said. "I know you'll get a lot out of it. Dancers from several dance schools will be there. Kyle, there may actually be another boy or two there."

That would indeed make things a little interesting.

He put on his sweats and left the classroom and the auxiliary gym to get ready to change.

Standing in front of the old gym door was Paul Lawree and Chuck Stinson. They were known for being school bullies.

"Stop right there, Thornton," Paul said. "Why do you need to go into the locker room?"

"We've heard a rumor about you," Chuck said. "We want to know if it’s true before we let you pass."

Kyle worried

Chapter 11

"What rumor? I have no idea what you guys are talking about," Kyle said.

"You know what we're talking about," Paul said. "There's a reason you go to the auxiliary gym."

"We know you're a ball--er--ina," Chuck said laughing.

"I'm not a ballerina guys, let me passed, I've got to get dressed," Kyle said.

"Not until you admit you're a sissy ballerina," Paul said.

"Guys, come on," Kyle said as he tried to get past the bullies guarding the floor.

As he tried, Chuck pushed him. Kyle tried again, but Paul shoved him to the ground.

"Guys, I take ballet, does that satisfy you?" Kyle said. "But I'm not a ballerina."

It didn't.

"Admit it, you're a sissy ballerina," Paul said. "Then we'll let you pass."

Kyle had too much pride to say it, but he didn't know what to do.

"Hey Kyle, what's going on?" he heard a familiar voice say.

It was a Olivia, who along with Claire was on the way to cheerleading practice.

"I'm trying to go get dressed," Kyle said.

"But we're not letting him through before he tells us what we want to hear," Chuck said.

"Which is what....you guys are a couple of stupid cavemen?" Claire said.

"No, that Kyle's a sissy ballerina," Paul said.

"See, I told you they were a couple of stupid cavemen," Claire said.

"Olivia, Claire, we need you at cheerleading practice," another familiar voice said.

It was Coach Ruiz.

Kyle couldn't hear what was being said, but Olivia whispered something to her coach.

"I see," Coach Ruiz said. "Chuck and Paul, I'm sure Coach Miller is not going to be too happy with you guys being late for football practice."

"We were just going," Chuck said.

"Actually, you're not," Coach Ruiz said. "Because we're going to the principal's office."

"Told you we have your back," Claire told Kyle as Coach Ruiz marched the two bullies away.

"Are you Ok?" Olivia asked.

"My pride's a little hurt," Kyle said.

Chapter 12

The kidding did not stop the next day as word spread that Kyle was taking ballet.

He tried not to let it show that it bothered him, but every once in a while, he could hear the laughing and the giggling from some of his fellow students.

"It's really mean, you know?" Beth told Kyle, trying to reassure him.

Middle school could really be a cruel place.

Kyle was relieved when the final bell rung. He didn't tell anyone, but his friends, his sisters and his mother all could tell he was distracted.

It was also evident to Madame Kathryn that night. She could tell he was not paying attention as he had the class before. Nor did he seem to have the energy that he'd shown.

She knew there was a passion in him. Even though he had only taken a handful of classes, she also saw talent in him.

She tried talking to him, but he assured her he was okay. She mentioned to him that several of the dance schools in the area combined for a performance of the Nutcracker and that boys were desperately needed "especially boys who can dance."

He shrugged his shoulder. Deep down he wanted to try out for it, but he didn't know how much ridicule he could take.

Madame Kathryn cornered some of the girls before they left to find out what was going on.

Olivia and Claire told her about the incident after class at school. All of the girls told her about the kidding he had been hearing.

"He tells us it doesn't bother him," Emilee said.

"Of course he says that," Claire said. "Guys are supposed to be tough."

"Well I'm concerned," Madame Kathryn said. "Even the boys who take dance when they are little and love it; we lose them at your age because of it. He has a passion and I don't want to see him lose it."

Madame Kathryn told them they needed to encourage him and defend in front of others.

"We're going to a workshop together on Saturday," Olivia said. "We need to help him have fun. We need to show him, he doesn't need to quit."

Chapter 13

The quarters seemed a little cramped.

Madame Kathryn decided to join the crew in Miss Arceneaux's Tahoe on the way to the workshop in Parksburg.

Kyle was a little groggy. Saturday morning is usually a day for sleeping in. He tried to catch a few more minutes sleep and found himself leaning on Beth, who was, of course leaning on the side of the door. And Emilee leaned over on Kyle's shoulder.

The girls were tired too, at least most of them.

Suddenly a flash. They looked up to see Claire holding a digital camera.

"Oh, you guys look so cute!" she said. "This will look good on the bulletin board at the studio."

"How can she be so hyper?" Beth asked Olivia, who was trying to get some sleep in the back.

"I don't know, you think she'd be so tired from cheering and going to the movies last night," Olivia said while yawning.

Sleepy as they were, Kyle was amazed by how neat the girls looked. Although all of them wearing t-shirts and sweats over their dance clothes, he noticed their hair was all up in buns, neatly, not a strand out of place.

They looked, well...elegant, even glamorous. It was a side of dance he felt was worth all of the bullying.

They pulled up to the Parksburg Center for the Performing Arts.

Other dancers were getting out of cars and vans as they pulled up. Most were dressed as they were.

"Oh my gosh, Michael Evers!" Olivia said to Claire.

"We haven't seen him since that partnering master's class last summer," Claire said.

"See you aren't the only guy here, Kyle," Beth said.

She was right. There were about four or five other guys.

The workshop was interesting, to say the least. There were classes for just about every level. While most of them were ballet, there were also classes in lyrical, jazz and modern.

"I'd like for you to sample as many different styles as you can," Madame Marie told them at registration.

There was a beginning ballet class that Kyle, Beth and Emilee took first. Just as he was trying to decide what class he was going to take next, Olivia locked arms with him and said, "You’re coming with us."

It was into a partnering class, more of a just getting started partnering class.

"I didn't think I had taken enough classes for this," Kyle said.  

But the teacher assured him they would be learning some simple things to take advantage of the boys who were there....and there were five to be exact. They were outnumbered 2-1, which meant Kyle spent the class working with Olivia and Claire.

The class ended with Olivia and Michael showing the rest of the class more complicated things.

"You're not jealous, are you?" Claire whispered to Kyle.

"Oh no, they're amazing," he whispered back.

"One of these days, you'll be as good as he is, maybe even better," Claire said. "You’re much more athletic and talented."

Kyle didn't know about that.

After the partnering class, the boys were steered to their own class. They were at different levels, but the teachers showed them things they all could learn. They also went over things they don't normally go over in classes at home.

More leaping, more powerful. It was an enlightening experience.

Most had similar stories. Michael and another boy had actually been dancing since they were little. Two other guys were like Kyle, late comers.  

Three of them were either the only guys in their studio or in their classes back home. Just about all of them had been kidded or bullied.

Their teacher explained ballet and dance was "a very manly thing to do."

"King David, Israel’s greatest king, was a warrior who slew giants and led men into battle," he said. "He was also a musician and a dancer. Jerry Rice, the NFL's greatest receiver, took ballet to get ready for Dancing with the Stars. Emmett Smith, one of the NFL's greatest running backs, won Dancing with the Stars...so you are not alone."

Kyle admitted that made him feel a little better.

"See Kyle, other guys do dance and they’re not sissies," Olivia told him at lunch at a Chinese restaurant that Madame Kathryn picked out.

All of his friends talked about the amazing classes they had taken in the morning.

They used the afternoon classes to experience different forms of dance. Kyle, Olivia, Claire, Emilee and Beth stuck together for those. They went to a jazz class and then a modern class.

"You know what class I wish they'd offer?" Emilee asked Kyle. "I wish they'd offer an Irish class."

"That would be cool to learn," Kyle said.

They ended the day with a dance worship class. All of the dancers from all of the schools in the gym at once. They listened to their teachers give personal testimonies, which Kyle thought was cool.

"We are commanded by God to dance," one of the teachers said. "Psalm 150:4 says we are to praise Him with tambourine and dancing."

They then learned some moves they could use if they were participating in a worship service.

All in all, it was an awesome day, one that went by too quickly.

"Kyle, this is Kendra Wallace," Madame Kathryn said. "She is coordinating the Nutcracker performance this year."

"We have very few boys," Ms. Wallace said. "We would love to have you audition next week."

"You could ride with us," Olivia said. "My mom is driving."

Kyle told them he would think about it, but he already knew the answer.

"I don't think I have anything planned," he said.

Chapter 14

Kyle wished Beth and Emilee were at the auditions with him.

Like him, they were first-year students. But the Nutcracker auditions were limited to at least second-year students at their age, with two glaring exceptions.

Students displaying exceptional ability were exempt by invitation. Boys were exempted because it seemed they needed as many as they could find. And from what he understood, only three were auditioning, including Olivia's former partner, Michael.

Professional male dancers were being brought in to play the older male parts, and fathers were helping with the party scene, but that was it.

Kyle was a bit nervous, looking around for any familiar face he could see. There weren't many. Olivia and Claire were there, but they were in another group. Olivia's little sister Taylor and Claire's little sister Amber were also there somewhere roaming, as were there mothers.

He didn't see the other two familiar faces until his group prepared to perform the routine it was supposed to perform in front of the judges, a line of teachers at a table that included Madame Kathryn and Madame Marie.

Kyle felt wobbly and unbalanced as he tried to keep up with the girls in his group, all of them with much more experience than he had. He noticed the whispering, nodding, pointing and writing among the teachers.

They weren't through. They were asked to perform another routine, which went about the same.

"Not too good," he whispered to Olivia when his group was done.

"I didn't think you did so bad at all," she whispered back. "You're an amazing dancer for someone whose only been dancing for a few weeks."

He appreciated the encouragement.  

"Where would you guys like to go for lunch?" Olivia's mother asked when all were done. "We're going to wait and go after they posted the list."

"You mean they are going to post it today?" Claire asked. "They usually wait a few days."

"Well, Marie said they were going to post the main roles today, and some of the minor roles would be filled later."

Not many of the dancers were left when the teachers were done. Madame Kathryn and Madame Marie took up Olivia's mom's invitation to have lunch with the group she brought to the auditions.

They went straight to the bulletin board when Madame Marie posted the list.

"Wow, Madame Marie, you're the Sugar Plum Fairy?" Claire asked when she saw their teacher's name on the list.

"It took some arm twisting, but we talked her into it," Madame Kathryn said.

She had danced the role before years ago.

Kyle glanced and saw Michael's name listed as the Nutcracker Prince.

"No surprise there," Claire said. "He was the prince last year."

To no one's surprise, Olivia was cast as Clara.

Kyle was surprised when Olivia put her arm around him and said, "It looks like you're going to be my bratty brother, I've always wanted one of those."

"You mean he's Fritz?" Claire asked.

There it was on the list.

"Way to go," Olivia said. "Lucas (the only other boy who auditioned) wanted to be Fritz pretty bad."

"But he's never been good enough," Claire said. "We usually have a girl as Fritz."

"She should know, she was Fritz last year," Olivia said of Claire, who was content to be an Arabian dancer this year, along with being Olivia's understudy."

As they filed into Olivia's mother's SUV, Madame Marie and Madame Kathryn came over.

"We thought you all did very well," Madame Marie said. "Especially you Kyle. You hung in there very well with girls who have a lot of experience and were very good."

It was it seemed a time of celebration.

"How is Kyle handling the bullying at school?" Madame Kathryn asked Madame Marie at lunch.

"He still seems to have some problems," Marie said. "He seems to be becoming more comfortable with it. It will probably die down before too long. I'm really proud of how he's handled it."

"I hope it will," Madame Kathryn said. "He's very talented. I think he has more raw ability than Michael.... but there may be one problem keeping it from dying down."

"What is that?" Madame Marie asked.

"A reporter from the Gazette called about the auditions," Madame Kathryn said. "She wants to do a profile on two of the dancers. I told her about Olivia and Kyle. She wants to do an interview with them after class on Monday night."

This is the final part of the story. The sequel, "Dancers Within." will be posted in a couple of days. Thanks to Patricia Allen again for proofing. I've been trying to attach a photo to go with the story, but seem to be technology challenged,

Chapter 15

"I can't believe they wrote that on his locker," Claire said as they were waiting for their class to begin.

"What was written, where?” asked Ava Perez, who was another student in the class, but went to a different school.

"Someone wrote Ballerina Boy on Kyle's locker at school," Beth replied.

"In hot pink marker or paint and Kyle couldn't get it off," chimed in Emilee. "His face turned red, you know he was really embarassed."

"Do they know who did it?" Ava asked.

"A couple of guys named Paul and Chuck," Olivia said. "They were giving him a hard time after our class at school the other day."

"But they didn't get in trouble," Beth said. "No one saw them do it."

"How is Kyle taking it?" Ava asked.

"He probably would have been doing better if he had some support from some of his guy friends," Emilee said. "Even Justin and Alex told him that's what he gets for taking ballet..."

Things got silent when Kyle emerged from the dressing room.

"What's up?" he asked, noticing the girls were all staring at him.

They all couldn't figure out what to say when when Ava blurted out..."We were just saying how cute you looked in your tights."

Olivia elbowed Ava and the rest of the girls gave her a strange look.

"Well he does!" she said with a laugh and sort of embarassed at not coming up with something better to say.

"Okay ladies and gentleman, it's your turn," Madame Kathryn said as she opened the classroom door and let out a group of younger girls that included Kyle's, Beth's, Olivia's and Claire's sisters.

They were a little surprised to find a reporter and photographer coming into the class after them.

"This is Susan Ames, she is a reporter from the Gazette," Madame Kathryn said. "This is Linda Chavez, her photographer. They'll be observing the class and taking some pictures. Kyle and Olivia, I need you two to stay a little bit after class."

Olivia gave Kyle a puzzled look as they lined up at the barre. Kyle shrugged his shoulders. Neither had any clue what was going on.

"Ok we'll start with plies in first position," Madame Kathryn said as she demonstrated the exercise. "I want two demis and a grande with a reverse port de bras, then we'll port de bras forward and back."

The class started as it usually did. Exercises with tendues, degages, frappes, ron de jambres, petite battements, developpes and grande battements followed.

Madame Kathryn did her usual, watching each one of her pupils as Madame Marie called it, a proud mama hen making sure each of her little chicks did the excercise correctly.

"Kyle, point your foot," she said, correcting him when he was doing a tendu.

"Emilee, your knee needs to be a little on top," she said during the developpes.

Her students tried not to be distracted with the flash going off every time the photographer took a picture.

"It's good training for each of you," she said assuringly. "You have an audience tonight."

It made some of the dancers a little nervous. For some strange reason, it seemed to get the adreneline flowing for Kyle. It inspired him to work harder.

After stretching at the barre, they went to the centre to do an adagio. While some of the students were wobbly and had a hard time keeping their balance, Kyle actually seemed to perform it with what seemed like ease and drew praise from Madame Kathryn.

The same thing happened during jumps. Being the only guy in class, it was a time when he could impress them with his power and he got elevation, much to everyone's amazement.

"Are you sure you've only been doing this for a few weeks?" Olivia asked him.

He nodded. It made him feel good to receive that kind of complement from her. She was by far the best dancer in the class.

They finished from the corner with chaine turns, pique turns and worked some on waltz turns. His turns weren't quite as clean as Olivia's or Claire's, but he felt they were coming along.

He wasn't the only one in the class making progress. Beth and Emilee were also progressing pretty well.

They were all a little surprised by the applause they received when they finished the class with their curtsies and bow. It was from the reporter.

"That was very nice, all of you," Madame Kathryn said when it was over.

"Fritz, Clara, I need you over here," she then said to Kyle and Olivia and pointed to the little stage off to the side of the room.

Chapter 16

His secret was no longer a secret.

He awoke on the morning the newspaper article came out to see his mother clipping it out and putting it in his scrapbook.

He overheard his mother talking to his dad on the phone. His father went ballistic, totally embarrassed to see his son in a large picture, dressed in tights in a partnering pose with a ballerina.

He hoped his son would be a football, basketball or baseball star. He was afraid of the kidding he would get from his friends and co-workers since the word was out his son was a dancer.

"But he has a chance to be a star on the stage," Judith Thornton said, trying to calm her ex-husband down.

"I thought it was a very good story," she told Kyle. "You and Olivia did such a good job. I'm so very proud of you."

"Thanks mom," Kyle said, appreciating the reassurance.

He wasn't just concerned about his dad. What will the kids at school think? Maybe they didn't read the story, he thought.

Any chance that students at school would miss the story went out the window. Kyle saw the bulletin board at school titled "Our Stars,” which highlighted stories on students.

The story, the picture, the whole works were on the bulletin board. It was also on the bulletin board in some of the classes he had.

And someone, he had no idea who, taped the photo of he and Olivia right under the words Ballerina Boy on his locker that he tried get off the other day.

"Look at the bright side," his friend Justin said. "There's a picture of you holding the best looking girl in school."

Kyle actually appreciated the words, especially after the words Justin and Alex said the other day.

"Well, you dancing does take some of the heat off us," Justin said with a laugh. "We're geeks. We're used to being picked on. Since word got out you were taking ballet, they've sort of left us alone."

"Thanks a lot," Kyle said with a laugh. "That really makes me feel better."

"Well you know what I mean," Justin said. "Besides, we sort of miss you hanging around. You've hardly got time for us since you're dancing all the time."

"Sorry about that," Kyle said.

"Does it really mean that much to you?" Justin said.

"You know it really does," Kyle said.

The final words of the story actually kept Kyle going through his dad's disappointment and through the kidding at school."

"Kyle is really progressing for a student in his first year," Madame Kathryn was quoted as saying in the story. "He and Olivia both have the potential to be among the best students I've ever taught."

Just then, four of his "ballet buddies" as Justin called them came walking up to his locker. It was Beth, Emilee, Claire and Olivia.

"You know, it really does kind of grow on you," Emilee said of the decoration on his locker. "Instead of trying to get rid of the words and the picture, why don't you make it your own?"

"Yeah, I mean you're proud of being a dancer, aren't you?" Claire said.

"Yeah, I am," Kyle said.

"Well then, we'll help you really decorate it," Olivia said. "And we'll decorate our own lockers just like it."

"What if someone comes back to try to mess it up?" Kyle asked.

"We'll just beat them up ourselves," Claire said, pretending to flex her muscles, which brought laughter from everybody.

"Kyle, I do have to admit, your dancer friends are pretty cool," Justin said.

Chapter 17

Olivia called the Nutcracker "a huge deal."

After going through a few of the rehearsals, Kyle was beginning to see what she meant.

There were costume fittings. There was the task of pulling dancers from four different studios together for a performance, not to mention pulling different acts together.

Dancing was only a part of what was going on. His part also required a good amount of acting. What direction he was supposed to go was important, as when he was supposed to be on the stage.

He also saw, in Madame Kathryn's words, "the method to the madness." He began to notice the steps they practiced in class being used in the dances that were being performed.

Kyle was also amazed by the skill of the dancers, especially the ones helping out from a company.

"He's really good, don't you think?” Claire asked him as they watched the man playing the role of the Sugar Plum Cavalier.

"Uh, huh," he said.

"One of these days, you'll dance that role," Olivia said, draping her arm around her friend.

"And one of these days, you'll be the Sugar Plum Fairy," Claire said to Olivia about the role one of their teachers was performing.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Kyle said.

"I think she's incredible, too," he said watching Madame Marie practice her role.

"You can tell she's a good dancer when she's teaching us in class," Olivia said. "But we don't get to see how good until now."

There was a lot of waiting and watching on Saturday. The Nutcracker was a family affair for Kyle and both of his friends. All three of their mothers were guests in the party scene, and Kyle had to admit his mother was a pretty good dancer.

Their little sisters were all playing small, cute roles.

"Are we ready to go?" His mother said when all were done.

"Kyle, you did a good job today," Madame Kathryn said when they were leaving.

"She asked me if you were interested in a little private work after class a couple of days a week," his mother told him. "She believes you're really talented."

Chapter 18

They were just glad to get out of school as they loaded the van.

They were going on a field trip. The note they carried home the night before instructed them to bring "their dance clothes" if they had them.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" Kyle whispered to Olivia.

Olivia and Claire shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads.

"We have no clue," they said.

The van ride took about a half-an-hour, with Miss Arceneaux telling the van driver which way to turn.

They finally pulled up to a building called the Wilson Community Center.

"Everybody get out," Miss Arceneaux said. "I'll find out where we can change."

A gray-haired lady held the door for them as they walked in and pointed to the locker rooms where they could dress.

"We're really glad you could bring your class, Marie," she said. "The children are really looking forward to this."

After they dressed, the followed their teacher into a very rustic gym with portable barres. Waiting on them were several elementary-age children.

"We had 58 sign-up for the clinic," the woman told Miss Arceneaux, who explained to her students that they would be helping with a dance clinic for low-income children.

Before they started, Miss Arceneaux went over the basics of a ballet class with the children and the dress code, which explained the reason why her students were asked to bring their dance clothes.

She then went over a few routines at the barre, using her students as examples. Miss Arceneaux then asked each of her students to help the children as they went through basic steps at the barre and in the center.

"See, I told you ballet isn't for girls," the gray-haired lady told one of the few boys who attended the clinic as she pointed to Kyle.

"This is fun, isn't it?” Beth whispered to Kyle before showed the children one of their combinations.

"You know, it is," he said.

Kyle was then surprised when Miss Arceneaux told the children they would show then some simple examples of a pas de deux.

She then called Kyle and Olivia to come to the middle of the gym.

"This is Kyle's first year in ballet, so this is new to him, too" Miss Arceneaux told the children. "But Olivia is an old pro with working with a partner."

She walked her two students through a couple of basic moves, much to the delight of the children.

"You know, I think you're a natural," Olivia whispered with a little bit of laugh. She could swear she could see her inexperienced partner blush.

The clinic ended with the gray-haired lady telling the children they would be going to a performance of the Nutcracker for free in about a month.

"And some of these students will be dancing in it," she said.

They were there for most of the afternoon, but it only seemed like a few minutes to Kyle.

Madame Marie told her students she was very proud of them for working with the children.

As they headed down the road, Miss Arceneaux's cell phone rang.

Kyle didn't know it, but life for him was about to change.

"That's too bad," he heard his teacher.

"What is it?" a curious Claire asked.

"Michael's mom was in a car accident," she said. "Michael broke his leg."

She then looked at Kyle.

"You just went from Fritz to being the Nutcracker prince."

Chapter 19

It wasn't like Kyle to miss class or a rehearsal, not with the Nutcracker so close.

Olivia tried to reach him by his cell and found that it wasn't on. She tried calling his house, but the line stayed busy.

She insisted that her mother drive her over to his house. She was sure something was wrong.

"I'm sure there is some explanation," her mother said. "I'm sure you're overreacting."

Olivia rolled her eyes.

"Mom, Kyle is a dedicated dancer and he has such an important part," she said. "He would never miss unless something was really, really wrong."

They both were stunned as drove down the street and saw the police cars with their lights flashing parked at the Thornton’s house.

"I told you something was wrong," Olivia said as her mother parked the car.

They saw Kyle's mother standing at the door talking to a police officer. She had a black eye.

"I'm sorry Judith, should we leave?” Olivia's mom said.

"No, it's ok, Abby, you can come in," she said. "We were just finishing up."

"We'll let you know when we find him, ma'am," the officer said. "We'd advise that you and your children stay somewhere else until we do."

"Thank you," she said. "We'll find some place to go. You have my cell number."

Olivia and her mother found out that Kyle's family had another secret, which had nothing to do with him taking ballet.

Kyle's father could be abusive when he drank. It was one of the things that led to his parents' divorce.

"He had gotten better," Kyle's mother told Olivia's. "But this was the worst it has ever been."

He had come over to the house drunk and got into fight with Kyle's mother. Kyle took his sisters over to Beth's house. He went back over to the house after Beth's mother called police.

He saw his father strike his mother and he lunged at his father to protect her. His father then hit him and fled the house when he heard the police was coming.

Olivia didn't know what to say when she saw her friend sitting on the couch with a black eye and a fat lip.

He looked up and had a faint smile when he saw Olivia.

"How was rehearsal?" he whispered,

"Well, it wasn't the same without you," she said. "Madame Kathryn seemed really upset you weren't there, but you shouldn't worry about that."

"Olivia, help Kyle get his things," Olivia's mother said. "They're going to be staying with us tonight."

"I'll go get the girls things if you can go get the girls over at the Cokers' next door," Kyle's mother told Olivia's mother.

Olivia went to Kyle's room and helped him pack his clothes. He seemed really quiet.

"Where's your dance bag? We’ve got class tomorrow" she said.

"It's over there, everything is in it," he said, pointing to his closet.

They crammed into Olivia's mother's minivan. The police felt it best if Kyle's mom left her car at the house, just in case his father tried to look for them.

Kyle was amazed as they pulled into the driveway at Olivia's house.

"It's pretty nice," he said of the two-story house that seemed like a mansion compared to where he lived.

"Kyle can bunk in the den," Olivia's mother said. "Olivia will show him where the air mattress is."

He helped her put the air in it after she got it out of the closet.

He then looked around the den and saw a picture of Olivia wearing a tutu sitting in her father's lap.

"That's a special picture," she told him. "It was after my last recital before he died of cancer."

It made Kyle realize he wasn't the only one who has had a tough life.

Chapter 20

"How is he holding up?" Claire asked Olivia as they stretched before class.

"Good considering," Olivia said. "They arrested his dad last night. He set fire to their house. They've lost everything. They're going to be staying with us until they get back on their feet.

"Sort of makes what my family's going through seem really small," Claire said.

"What do you mean?" Olivia asked.

"Dad's being deployed to Iraq for the third time," she said. "He's leaving after Christmas."

"At least he'll get to see you in the Nutcracker before he goes," Olivia said.

"Hard to believe it is only two weeks away," Claire said.

Just then Kyle entered the classroom. He sat down next to Claire.
She put her arm around him and gave him a hug.

"I think it’s so cool you stuck up for your mom," Claire said. "You stood up to your dad, that's very brave."

"Yes it was," a familiar voice said. It was Madame Kathryn. "Welcome back."

One by one, the other students entered class.

"Ladies and gentleman, we have much work to do," she said. "The Nutcracker is only two weeks away."

It was an intense class. Madame Kathryn incorporated some of each of them were supposed to in the Nutcracker in the class. She scrutinized their every move.

Even though he kept quiet most of the class, Kyle enjoyed being back. It made him feel free. Dance got him away from his troubles.

"Very nice, Kyle, you worked very hard tonight," Madame Kathryn said. "All of you did tonight."

"Olivia, Kyle, hurry up and get changed," Olivia's mother said the students filed into the lobby. "Your mom is taking your sisters shopping for clothes. Olivia and I are taking you to get some clothes."

Kyle hurried and got dressed, putting on his jeans and shirt and putting his tights and shoes in his dance bag.

He and Mrs. White waited until Olivia and Claire emerged from the girls' dressing room.

"Mom, can Claire come with us?" she asked. "I think she needs some cheering up."

"Sure, what's going on?" her mother asked.

"My dad's going back to Iraq after Christmas," Claire said.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Mrs. White said.

"Um, before we go, Kyle, put your hands over your eyes," Olivia said.

Kyle was puzzled, but did as his friend said. He was curious as he felt Olivia put a necklace around his neck.

"You can open them now," Claire said.

He looked down to see a golden necklace with a cross. It was identical to the ones both Olivia and Claire were wearing.

"Thanks," Kyle said. "But you didn't have to do this."

"Yes, I did," Olivia said. "Claire and I got ours after dance camp last year. To us, it symbolizes God is protecting us."

"He's also protecting you," Claire said as they climbed into Olivia's mother's van.

Chapter 21

"Pretty intimidating isn't it," Olivia said as Kyle walked on the stage at the theater.

He didn't realize the place was so big during dress rehearsals. The seats, his friend exclaimed, were going to be filled on opening night.

"Yeah it is," he replied, not entirely knowing what to expect.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," she said.

"Easy for you to say, you've done this several times," Kyle said, knowing that Olivia had danced roles in the Nutcracker since she was very small.

"I still get nervous," she admitted. "But there is something magical once you get on the stage."

"Time to get ready, you two," a voice said from the wings. It was Miss Areceneaux, wearing a robe and a towel on her head.

She put her arms around both her students and gave them words of encouragement.

"You'll both be great, I'm so very proud of you," she told them.

"Madame Marie, we're so looking forward to seeing you dance," Olivia said.

"Why thank you! Now go get ready," Miss Arceneaux said. "Kyle, can I walk you to your dressing room?"

"Yes ma'am," Kyle said.

"So how do you feel about this?" she asked. "You've been through a whole lot with your dad, with your friends at school."

"I am a little nervous, and kind of excited, too," he said as they walked down the hall. "I'm really glad I'm doing this.

"You'll be fine," she said, trying her best reassure him. "You've come a long way from the day you walked into my exploratory class."

"Can I tell you something Madame Marie?” he asked. "Promise you won't laugh?"

"Sure, I won't laugh," she said.

"Claire said you're like my muse…" he said. "That day when you described the class, it really made it sound magical. I'm glad those other classes were filled."

She hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"That's really sweet for you to say," she said. "I'm glad to be the muse who awoke the dancer in you. After what your dad did to you and your mom and all the bullying you took at school, I was afraid that dancer was going to go back inside."

"Well he didn't," Kyle said. "Ballet has sort of been my refuge."

"Well, promise me you'll see how far that dancer can go," she said. "You've got a lot of talent. I'd love to see you dance in New York as a principal of a major company."

Kyle blushed as he opened the door to his dressing room, one that he shared with the real male stars, the guys who were dancing the real star roles of the sugar plumb and snow cavaliers.

Sitting on the dressing table was a vase of flowers with a note attached.

"Break a leg Kyle, love Beth and Emilee," it read.

It was kind of ironic. Maybe his friends weren't thinking about what happened to Michael, he thought.

But he also wished they were there to share the experience with him.

Chapter 22

Kyle's heart leaped when the orchestra began to play. It was almost time to go on.

His butterflies felt more like eagles when the party scene began. He immediately calmed down when he saw Olivia and Claire going at it on stage as Clara and Fritz.

They were very good. Of course, they've played the roles before.

He couldn't help but smile at his mom in her role as a party mom in the scene. His sudden interest in ballet also seemed to awaken the dancer in her, one that was buried long ago.

She seemed to be having so much fun on stage, as did Olivia's mom, who played Mrs. Stahlbaum, and Claire's mom, who was also playing a party mom.

He felt a couple of arms wrap around him as the scene played out.

"It's almost your time," a voice whispered. It was Madame Kathryn.

The scene played out just as he remembered when he saw it as a child. Fritz broke the nutcracker. Her Drosselmeir fixes the nutcracker. The party scene comes to a close.

He looked down to see his little sisters, dressed up as mice for his big scene.

Then it was time to go on.

He didn't focus on the crowd, like he was afraid he was going to. He seemed to relax as he got into his sword fight with the Mouse King, also known as Lucas, the only other boy left in the production after Michael's accident.

Lucas seemed to relish the role and almost got a little zealous. Then with a little help from Clara…aka…Olivia, he was able to defeat the oversized rodent.

He and Olivia performed their dance. It was simple, but to him amazing. She was to him an incredible dancer.

The rest of the performance went by pretty quick. It was also, in Olivia's words, and his long ago, magical.

"Wow, how can they do that?” he whispered as the two watched the Snow pas de deux, careful not to make it obvious he was talking to her while they were on stage.

The Arabian and Russian dances, they were fun to watch. They were so cool and so athletic.

He was impressed with Claire during her dance in the Waltz of the Flowers and tried to keep from laughing during his, Olivia's and Claire's sisters next big scene, popping out from Mother Ginger's skirt. It was made even more funny that Mother Ginger was played by Coach Rickard, the head coach of the high school football team.

There was no whispering, no attempts to laugh during the Sugar Plum pas de deaux. Olivia elbowed Kyle when Madame Marie reentered the stage.

Stunning, mesmerizing, incredible.

Kyle couldn't think of enough words to describe the dance of his teacher and her partner, who was equally an amazing dancer.

He understood the thundering applause and the shouts of "Bravo" from the audience. He imagined a time when they would be for him and Olivia, dancing in those same roles as their friend Claire predicted.

He also couldn't believe the applause for him and Olivia when they were brought back on stage for their bows.

It was one of the greatest feelings in the world.

It was a feeling he didn't want to end.

He was mobbed by Olivia and Claire once the curtain closed.

"You guys did so good!" Claire said.

"Us? You were pretty good yourself," Olivia said.

"Especially during the Waltz of the Flowers," Kyle said.

"I thought you all did great," said Madame Marie, who carried a bouquet of roses from her performance.

"Oh, we paled in comparison to you," Olivia said.

"Did we tell you we're honored to be your students?" Kyle said.

"You're just saying that to get an A in English," she said with a laugh.

"Oh no, he's not," Claire said.

"Kyle, we have something for you," Madame Kathryn said walking up to her performers. "All of the other teachers and I chipped in to get you this."

She handed him a plaque.

It read:

To the most courageous dancer in the Parksburg Nutcracker. The Parksburg Ballet Society.

He suddenly found himself surrounded not only by his friends and his teachers, but his mom and sisters.

"Did we tell you that we are so very proud of you?” his mother said.

He really didn't know what to say. It all seemed surreal.

"Just don't let it go to your head," Madame Kathryn said in a stern voice. She smiled and winked.

"We've still got a lot of work to do," she said.

The End