Drev silently congratulated himself for remembering to put on pants before he emerged from his bedroom. Still in a daze though, it wasn't until he was in the kitchen, making himself some hot chocolate, that he realized Wren was sitting on the couch crying. An instant later her words registered.
"No problem," he said as he stretched his sore muscles. He took another sip of his Swiss Miss and walked into the living room. The movie she was watching could be the source of Wren's tears, but it wouldn't hurt to ask anyway...
"You alright, hun?" He plopped down in a big, soft, comfy chair that was next to the couch, and let the warmth of the hot chocolate soak into his muscles.
Self Pity, Anyone?
Wren sat with her body wedged into the corner of the couch that was serving as her bed. Her heels were tucked so close to her butt that she was almost sitting on them, her right hand held a spoon and her left was curled posessively around a carton of chunky Monkey icecream. She had come straight home, Drev had still been asleep, and taken off her prim skirt and jacket in exchange for yoga pants and a sappy movie marathon on Lifetime.
She sniffled at Renee Zelweiger told Tom Cruise to shut up, when Drev padded softly into the room.
"You're out of ice cream." She sniffled and put a spoon full of chocolate vanilla and banana into her mouth. "I'll buy you more when I go back out." She spoke around her mouthful, her voice watery and sniffled again.
Milazo
18 years ago
Wren
18 years ago
She watched him drink from a steaming mug, her nose was too stuffy to smell what it was though. She plunked her spoon into the almost empty carton and flipped off the credits of Jerry Maguire. Putting the remote down she scraped at the carton and put another spoonful in her mouth.
"People are so...so stupid."
It was the best she could do. She had been thinking about the job hunting fiasco all day and she decided that she would rather teach, but if the only way to teach was to strip until she could buy a place, then she would, but she wouldn't like it.
"People are so...so stupid."
It was the best she could do. She had been thinking about the job hunting fiasco all day and she decided that she would rather teach, but if the only way to teach was to strip until she could buy a place, then she would, but she wouldn't like it.
Milazo
18 years ago
Arching a brow curiously, Drev took another sip.
"No luck on the job hunt?" he asked as he lifted his feet onto the ottoman. Yeah, he was definitely going to have to practice Blades more often. Being this stiff and sore was not acceptable.
"No luck on the job hunt?" he asked as he lifted his feet onto the ottoman. Yeah, he was definitely going to have to practice Blades more often. Being this stiff and sore was not acceptable.
Wren
18 years ago
Wren put the last spoonful of ice cream in her mouth and stretched over her body to put the container on the coffee table. She should be cold in black yoga pants and ruby red camisole, but Drev kept it warm in his home and she was comfortable. She settled back into the couch and turned her head to Drev.
"You could say that. You could also say that if you aren't Mary Sunshine you aren't capable of teaching ballet to children nor are you anything but eye candy."
She sniffled again and pulled a tissue from the box she'd found and put on the end table next to her. She wiped at her eyes and blew her nose. It made a little squeak sound and she gave Drev an embarrassed smile.
"You could say that. You could also say that if you aren't Mary Sunshine you aren't capable of teaching ballet to children nor are you anything but eye candy."
She sniffled again and pulled a tissue from the box she'd found and put on the end table next to her. She wiped at her eyes and blew her nose. It made a little squeak sound and she gave Drev an embarrassed smile.
Milazo
18 years ago
"I'm sorry..." Drev said with a sympathetic look. He truly was sorry -in this day in age, with various laws and regulations in place to battle against discrimination and promote Equal Opportunity, it downright pissed him off that people would blow her off because she used to be a stripper. If anything, they should be impressed that she had the cajones to do it just so she could keep dancing. To him, it just showed her dedication.
"Do you ever regret stripping?" he asked before taking another sip of hot chocolate. But he already knew the answer.
"Do you ever regret stripping?" he asked before taking another sip of hot chocolate. But he already knew the answer.
Wren
18 years ago
"Thanks." She wiped at her nose and tucked it into the little bag of other tissues next to the box. She hated picking up used tissues so she almost always kept a plastic bag next to the box if she was sick or crying or whatever. It was the anal part of her that made her think about grabbing a plastic bag while she was bawling her eyes out or doped up on Nyquil.
She sighed softly and wished she hadn't eaten all of the ice cream, she could use some more. Maybe Drev had cookies, cookies worked almost as well as ice cream.
"No, I don't I did what I had to do. It was a means of going beyond what Michigan had to offer me. It was my way out and I won't ever look back on it and go, man I wished I had never done that."
She uncurled her body from the couch and walked into the kitchen on her tip toes, the floor was still cold, and found a box of chocolate chip cookies. She returned to the couched and tucked her feet back up against her butt.
"I had fun doing it. It wasn't just taking my clothes off, you know. I mean I still danced and it was fun to be brave and silly and not worry about pain following it."
She bit into a cookie to stop herself from saying anymore. She was not re-living her childhood with Drev, she was not.
She sighed softly and wished she hadn't eaten all of the ice cream, she could use some more. Maybe Drev had cookies, cookies worked almost as well as ice cream.
"No, I don't I did what I had to do. It was a means of going beyond what Michigan had to offer me. It was my way out and I won't ever look back on it and go, man I wished I had never done that."
She uncurled her body from the couch and walked into the kitchen on her tip toes, the floor was still cold, and found a box of chocolate chip cookies. She returned to the couched and tucked her feet back up against her butt.
"I had fun doing it. It wasn't just taking my clothes off, you know. I mean I still danced and it was fun to be brave and silly and not worry about pain following it."
She bit into a cookie to stop herself from saying anymore. She was not re-living her childhood with Drev, she was not.
Milazo
18 years ago
Drev nodded softly as she spoke. "I think you'd be even worse off if you did regret it. Cuz then you wouldn't have the confidence you have now."
Drev was looking down into his mug as he spoke, unsure himself if he was talking to Wren, or if he was just musing out loud.
"The worst way to live is to live with regret. There's no way to go back and change what's in the past, so dwelling on it in the present is pointless, and only serves to dampen your future."
After a moment, he lifted his eyes to Wren and rubbed his nose, careful not to wrench the silver ring hanging from his septum.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to get all philosophical." He chuckled softly and took another sip of his hot - no, warm - chocolate.
Drev was looking down into his mug as he spoke, unsure himself if he was talking to Wren, or if he was just musing out loud.
"The worst way to live is to live with regret. There's no way to go back and change what's in the past, so dwelling on it in the present is pointless, and only serves to dampen your future."
After a moment, he lifted his eyes to Wren and rubbed his nose, careful not to wrench the silver ring hanging from his septum.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to get all philosophical." He chuckled softly and took another sip of his hot - no, warm - chocolate.
Wren
18 years ago
She ate the rest of her cookie as he spoke and put the bag on the table. He was right, regret and along with that pity wouldn't do her any good. She looked at the litter of her day on the couch then looked at her watch. It was nearly four and she had managed to eat a pint and a half of ice cream and watch two crappy movies on television.
"It's alright. You're right, though. I need to get up off this couch. I'm sorry I ate all your ice cream."
She uncurled from the couch again and began to pick up her trash.
"Um do you have like a boombox or something I can take into the studio thing or can I just play music on your kick ass stereo loud enough to hear in there?"
"It's alright. You're right, though. I need to get up off this couch. I'm sorry I ate all your ice cream."
She uncurled from the couch again and began to pick up her trash.
"Um do you have like a boombox or something I can take into the studio thing or can I just play music on your kick ass stereo loud enough to hear in there?"
Milazo
18 years ago
“Don’t worry about it,” Drev said with a smile. “That's what ice cream is for.” His warm chocolate gone, Drev got up and went back into the kitchen to rinse out the mug.
“As long as it’s not country, rap, or showtunes, blast away,” he called across the house. “Would you eat home-made pizza if I made it for
dinner?”
“As long as it’s not country, rap, or showtunes, blast away,” he called across the house. “Would you eat home-made pizza if I made it for
dinner?”
Wren
18 years ago
"But I like showtunes." Wren finished gathering her trash and followed hin into the kitchen, smiling. She dumped her stuff into the trash and took her spoon to the sink and using a paper towel and a little bit of soap washed it and Drev's cup, leaving them to drain on a fresh paper towel.
"So long as you don't put meat or fish on it, I'm all over homemade pizza."
She dried her hands on the dish towel on the counter and hung it across the stove handle.
"Vivaldi okay with you?"
"So long as you don't put meat or fish on it, I'm all over homemade pizza."
She dried her hands on the dish towel on the counter and hung it across the stove handle.
"Vivaldi okay with you?"
Milazo
18 years ago
"Yeah, Vivaldi's fine. Black olives and mushrooms okay with you?"
Drev moved lightly around the kitchen, taking out the dough mix, a big mixing bowl, two round pizza pans, a frying pan, and a package of ground beef.
Drev moved lightly around the kitchen, taking out the dough mix, a big mixing bowl, two round pizza pans, a frying pan, and a package of ground beef.
Wren
18 years ago
"Can't have pizza with out them. You can however have pizza with out dead cow. Now don't get me wrong I like dead cow, just not on my pizza."
She gave his arm a nudge with her elbow, and walked out of the kitchen. She moved into her room and rummaged through her bags. She found her CD case and flipped through to the V's she pulled out Vivaldi and set it aside. She rummaged around some more, and pulled out a pair of footless tights, an amethyst colored leotard and a whispy black tutu. She changed quickly and took her CD out and played around with the stereo and got the disc in and pushed play.
Wren turned up the volume and La Cetra filled the air. Smiling she headed to the studio thing and began to warm up her muscles with a quick jog in place and some light jumps.
She gave his arm a nudge with her elbow, and walked out of the kitchen. She moved into her room and rummaged through her bags. She found her CD case and flipped through to the V's she pulled out Vivaldi and set it aside. She rummaged around some more, and pulled out a pair of footless tights, an amethyst colored leotard and a whispy black tutu. She changed quickly and took her CD out and played around with the stereo and got the disc in and pushed play.
Wren turned up the volume and La Cetra filled the air. Smiling she headed to the studio thing and began to warm up her muscles with a quick jog in place and some light jumps.
Milazo
18 years ago
"More dead cow for me then," Drev said with a grin as he dumped the pound of beef onto the frying pan. It began to sizzle immediately. Drev danced
around the kitchen, seemingly doing three things at once. 'Good pizza-making music,' he thought with a grin.
around the kitchen, seemingly doing three things at once. 'Good pizza-making music,' he thought with a grin.
Wren
18 years ago
Once her muscles were warm she stretched her entire body. It was a bit difficult to do the backs of her legs with out a barre, but the table thing he had worked well enough, but she had to do more floor stretches than she liked, to make sure all of her muscles had been limbered. Complete lack of a barre became more of a problem when she decided that the best work out for her would be to go through a class.
Sighing she padded out of the room, grabbed a dining table chair and set it in the middle of the studio floor. She went through plies in each position, then went through the basic barre steps. Her body remembered well the steps and flowed from one to the next, as a light sheen of sweat began to glisten across her chest, shoulders and face.
After twenty minutes or so of barre work, she moved the chair to the side of the room and La Cetra moved into concerto number 3, it had a bit faster violin work than the first and was god for traveling the floor.
She picked a good travel step, and starting in one corner, moved across to the other, and down the side. Her second pass was a leaping step. For another twenty minutes or so she alternated across the floor with traveling steps and leaps.
As the music continued to move, she started in the middle of the floor and ran through the choreography of a chorus roll she'd done in her school's production of Sleeping Beauty.
Her mind had gone blissfully blank as she moved over the floor. All she heard was the names of the steps and their timing. She escaped gratefully into the music, letting her body move through the ebb and flow of Vivaldi.
After what seemed only a moment, when it had been thirty, Wren landed in the final pose of the movement and stood panting with her right arm over her head, her left across her waist, and her feet together in third position releve.
She set her feet down and started her cool down stretches. Ten minutes later had her padding into the kitchen to find a glass of water and a very yummy looking pizza on the stove.
Sighing she padded out of the room, grabbed a dining table chair and set it in the middle of the studio floor. She went through plies in each position, then went through the basic barre steps. Her body remembered well the steps and flowed from one to the next, as a light sheen of sweat began to glisten across her chest, shoulders and face.
After twenty minutes or so of barre work, she moved the chair to the side of the room and La Cetra moved into concerto number 3, it had a bit faster violin work than the first and was god for traveling the floor.
She picked a good travel step, and starting in one corner, moved across to the other, and down the side. Her second pass was a leaping step. For another twenty minutes or so she alternated across the floor with traveling steps and leaps.
As the music continued to move, she started in the middle of the floor and ran through the choreography of a chorus roll she'd done in her school's production of Sleeping Beauty.
Her mind had gone blissfully blank as she moved over the floor. All she heard was the names of the steps and their timing. She escaped gratefully into the music, letting her body move through the ebb and flow of Vivaldi.
After what seemed only a moment, when it had been thirty, Wren landed in the final pose of the movement and stood panting with her right arm over her head, her left across her waist, and her feet together in third position releve.
She set her feet down and started her cool down stretches. Ten minutes later had her padding into the kitchen to find a glass of water and a very yummy looking pizza on the stove.
Milazo
18 years ago
Drev was just pulling the pizzas out of the oven when Wren came in wearing her dancing outfit and a healthy sheen of sweat.
"Have a good workout?" he asked as he retrieved the pizza cutter. He went about cutting the pizza with quick, sure movements, spinning the round pies as he did.
"Have a good workout?" he asked as he retrieved the pizza cutter. He went about cutting the pizza with quick, sure movements, spinning the round pies as he did.
Wren
18 years ago
"I did, thanks." She finished her glass of water and set it on the counter. Her body was relaxed and comfortable.
"I'm going to go change then submit myself to your cooking. It better be as good as it smells or I shall be forced to order chinese food."
Chuckling she left the room. She changed into a pair of yoga pants and a purple t-shirt that had the name and date of some intensive camp she'd gone to years ago. They were great lounging/sleeping shirts. She returned to the kitchen in her bare feet and re-filled her water glass.
"I need a shower, but I think I'll eat first, then go take an excruciatingly long bath, unless you have some aversion to it."
"I'm going to go change then submit myself to your cooking. It better be as good as it smells or I shall be forced to order chinese food."
Chuckling she left the room. She changed into a pair of yoga pants and a purple t-shirt that had the name and date of some intensive camp she'd gone to years ago. They were great lounging/sleeping shirts. She returned to the kitchen in her bare feet and re-filled her water glass.
"I need a shower, but I think I'll eat first, then go take an excruciatingly long bath, unless you have some aversion to it."
Milazo
18 years ago
Grinning, Drev put three pieces of Wren’s veggie pizza on a plate and set it on the table. Then he shoveled half of his own hamburger and pepperoni pizza onto another plate and set it down.
“Sorry, this isn’t gourmet or anything fancy. Just good,” he said with a wink and sat down. “Feel free to take as long as you want in the tub - I have a nice big water heater.” He took a bite of pizza – it was perfect – then looked up at Wren as he washed it down with cherry Kool-aid. “I hope you don’t mind, but I glanced in on you for a minute while you were dancing.”
“Sorry, this isn’t gourmet or anything fancy. Just good,” he said with a wink and sat down. “Feel free to take as long as you want in the tub - I have a nice big water heater.” He took a bite of pizza – it was perfect – then looked up at Wren as he washed it down with cherry Kool-aid. “I hope you don’t mind, but I glanced in on you for a minute while you were dancing.”
Wren
18 years ago
Wren took a big breath over her pizza, it smelled incredible. It was over run with black olives, mushrooms, onion, peppers, tomatoes and some little yellow thing she had no idea what it was, but damn if she cared. Picking up a slice she bit gingerly into the hot gooey goodness, and moaned softly. It tasted better than it smelled, it was either just amazingly good or it was a combination of good pizza and the fact that she hadn't had to make it or order it. She washed the bite down and grinned at Drev.
"Not bad, mister. I don't mind, I just hoped it was during the time I had my clothes on."
To keep from laughing she took another bite of pizza, her eyes dancing as she watched Drev over the slice.
"Not bad, mister. I don't mind, I just hoped it was during the time I had my clothes on."
To keep from laughing she took another bite of pizza, her eyes dancing as she watched Drev over the slice.
Milazo
18 years ago
“Unfortunately, it was,” he said with a grin and a wink. “But even with clothes on, you’re very good. Of course this coming from someone that knows absolutely nothing about ballet...” Drev sucked the grease off his fingers before starting on another piece. “But some of the moves looked very familiar to what I do with Blades.”
Wren
18 years ago
"Damn, so much for saving my virtue." She chuckled and took a bite of pizza. She didn't normally eat quite so fast, but this was really good stuff.
"Thanks. Well, that makes sense really. I've always thought any martial art is like a dance of it's own. Your body must be used to follow the ebb and flow of a fight, while mine is used to follow that of a piece of music. The end result is still something beautiful to behold."
Wait did that even make sense? She shrugged and finished of her first slice of pizza. She wiped her hands on a napkin and took a drink of water, before picking up her second slice.
"Thanks. Well, that makes sense really. I've always thought any martial art is like a dance of it's own. Your body must be used to follow the ebb and flow of a fight, while mine is used to follow that of a piece of music. The end result is still something beautiful to behold."
Wait did that even make sense? She shrugged and finished of her first slice of pizza. She wiped her hands on a napkin and took a drink of water, before picking up her second slice.