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A Ballerina in The Studio

Theo could see the towers in the distance, though she knew it would take a good while to reach them on foot. That was alright; she wasn't ready to go home yet anyway. The trouble was that she didn't know where it was she -did- want to go. At first, she had only wanted to get as far away from Tim as possible but now she had half forgotten her original reasons for running out of the limo. She was mostly preoccupied with getting out of the crowd that threatened to swallow her. This mass of people was overwhelming to her, dizzying in its divided quality that was so unlike the unification she had experienced in the church. There was an overall voice of intensity but here individuality cried out all too loud, each voice seeming to vie for attention in her mind.
Finding an alcove in the street, she stepped into it, ignoring the slight sting of glass and gravel digging into her bare feet. It was a bit calmer here, though still far from tranquil. She sighed, feeling something like despair coming on. Why had she abandoned the limo? It was stupid to get mad at Tim; he couldn't help the way he was any more than she could. In fact, she mostly liked the way he was; she was just in a bad sort of mood today. She hadn't really -meant- to cause a lot of trouble...

...but then again, she never did.

Turning to look inside the window of the brick building she'd stopped near, she was surprised to find that it quite captured her interest. It looked calm and peaceful inside. Curious, she walked around to the steps that led up to the wrap around porch and smiled in private amusement at the little sign on the door. How convenient that she had already removed her shoes! To the side there was a plaque that explained what The Studio was, and Theo found she was intrigued. She wondered if she could see any of the dancing people through the window and walked over to get a better look.

Upon looking through the window, though, she suddenly went rigid, tension marking her shoulders. After a pause she relaxed and rolled her eyes, looking like a teen-aged girl dealing with a particularly embarrassing parent.


"I can -see- you, Tim."Â?

She was kind enough to leave off the 'duh', and watched his reflection smile slightly. Rolling her eyes again, she turned around as he approached, looking up at him with an impatient expression. Once he got close enough for her to speak without shouting, she announced her intentions.

"Let's go inside and look."Â?

With that, she opened the door and flounced inside, fully expecting Tim to follow after her. She gave no thought to an apology, thinking that her speaking to him at all was enough of a sign that he was back in her good graces and that was all that mattered.

As expected, Tim followed silently behind her as she passed through the door and into The Studio.


/ooc lemmie know if I got any descriptions wrong or if we're stepping on plans and whatnot :)

Wren 17 years ago
Wren glanced up at the clock at the back of the Studio. It was just after eight, she had fifteen minutes of this class left and then one more. It was dragging for her today, she'd been up late last night working on Drev's taxes, they's been a nightmare and she'd finally given up and decided on hiring an accountant. The song changed and she took the class into a series of core movements using salsa dance steps. Salsa and belly dancing were great from toning the abdominals, all of them including the obliques. She was looking into taking a couple of belly dance lessons at some point, but until then she'd just use the salsa she knew.

The song changed again and she took the class through the cool down, then the final stretches. Sweat seemed to pour down her back. She was going to have to change before her next class, but then she decided as she bent forward to touch her forehead to her butterflied legs, that it didn't matter since the level three/four class would just soak the clean one.

She stood and dismissed the class. She crossed to the stereo stand and gulped water, before going over to open the lobby door. In her lobby stood a man in a suit and a woman in a dress. The woman struck her as delicate and incredibly lovely, if very very young. She wondered at her age, if she was under seventeen she'd have to turn the girl away. Her chest was still heaving slightly from the fatigued workout she just gave.


"Hello. Welcome to the Studio. I'm Wren. Can I help you?"
Theodosia 17 years ago
Over the soft classical music playing in the lobby, Theo could hear the sound of a stereo further inside the building. She looked to the door, curious, but the table of tea things distracted her just as she was about to walk in. While poking at the pouches and containers, a tea bag made its way up her sleeve. She reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and felt it drop down her arm to get caught behind the elastic at her shoulder; even so she hardly consciously registered the minor theft.

Deciding a coffee bar was only so interesting, she turned her attention to the paintings on the wall, picking out details in the scenery. The music was pretty here, and it was very tempting to jump on the squishy chairs. She liked it here much better than outside where the city seemed to crowd in so close.

It wasn’t until the tallish pretty lady walked in that she realized she’d lost track of time. She gave a startled little jump, more at her own thoughts than the woman’s entrance, and flashed a nervous smile.

Tim, she saw out of the corner of her eye, was looking at her questioningly, and it occurred to her for the first time to wonder what it was she wanted here. She didn’t have a ready answer; she’d simply felt drawn.


“Oh,” she said, tugging nervously at her hair. “Well.” Brightening as she realized she could buy herself some time, she chirped cheerfully and introduced herself. “Hi Wren, I’m Theo. This is Tim.” She switched to a stage whisper. “He’s a little shy.”

Hmm, that was done. What now?

“I like your studio…” she admitted, honestly enough. “Can anyone take lessons?”

Hoping that was a good question, she looked doubtfully to Tim, feeling a little shyness coming on herself.
Wren 17 years ago
Wren smiled up at Tim, before returning her attention to Theo. She'd grabbed a towel from the pile by the door and used it to pat at her forehead and chest now. "Just about. My students have to be over seventeen. Would you like to come into my office? I have all the brochures and things in there."

Wren really needed to get a little stand to put some out here. She'd get one while she was out tomorrow between classes.

"What kind of lessons were you interested in?"
Theodosia 17 years ago
“Oh okay,” Theo said, cheerfully but vaguely, in response to the age requirement. “And yes, that would be lovely.”

Following Wren through the door, she turned to gage Tim's reaction to this turn of events. Her body guard did not seem disapproving and followed along silently, likely used to her whimsical behavior by now. At least -she- regarded it as whimsical; other terms, like 'impulsive' and 'capricious' might occur to others but she thought her word was nicer. She honestly hadn't come in with a clear plan in mind, but one was slowly beginning to form as Wren asked her prompting questions.

“An exercise class,” she said with a nod. “that I could bring my friends to.”

This time she didn't check to see Tim's opinion. Though just a few moments ago she had been certain she had not a friend in the world, she was now just as certain that there were half a dozen women she worked with who would -love- her idea and think she was the most wonderful person in the world for bringing it to them. There would, of course, be complications; Theo was well above the age limit...trouble being that she didn't look it. Well, that was easy enough to fake.


She waited until stepping out into slightly different light to push a slight glamor that would make her appear a little older, subtly lengthening and sharpening her features. She guessed she would have to get fake papers; paying wouldn't be a problem but Theo thought one usually had to have identification to go to most schools and this probably wasn't an exception.

“...but I think I should bring them the brochures so we can decide together,” she added, after a pause, mostly to seem more serious and official. She didn't want Wren to think this was all a flight of fancy, after all.

Even though it sort of was.

/ooc permission granted for glamor, lemmie know if I moved her too much - feel free to move Theo on into the office, btw.
Wren 17 years ago
Wren stopped at the door to the ladies' dressing room and turned to Tim. "I'm sorry, Tim, but would you mind waiting here? I don't think my female clients would enjoy being interrupted by..."She chuckled "Then again they might. All the same, would you mind?"

She opened the door and lead Theo through the dressing room and into her office. Once inside she went around to sit in her desk chair and opened the right hand drawer. She pulled out six folders in varying colors and set them on her desk. She needed more packets. What a tremendous thing. She'd tell Joey when he came in tomorrow.

"I offer three fitness classes. One at seven in the morning, one at noon and one at seven thirty in the evening. The schedule is in the packets here, along with price lists, applications, and the like. How many do you think you'll need?"
Theodosia 17 years ago
Theo nodded to indicate that it was okay for Tim to wait, noticing with some amusement that he looked suspiciously embarrassed at Wren's comment. Well, as much as he ever looked anything. Still, he managed a polite ‘certainly, ma’am’ before backing up a few paces from the door.

She peeked around the office a little before sitting down in the obvious chair, which proved to be quite comfortable. It really was pleasant in here.


“I think two will be okay for now – we might need more later though. I’m not sure how many people will come with me,” she said, honestly enough. She thought Dani probably would at least once to see what it was like but no one else was a true guarantee. “But we can share information and decide.”

Considering the schedule, she wondered how she would make that work in the summertime. She decided not to worry about that right now, though, as it was most decidedly –not- summer.

“We’ll –probably- want the evening class. But I’m not sure.”

That was assuming everyone went along with what she wanted, which unfortunately didn’t always happen.
Wren 17 years ago
Wren smiled. The evening class was getting really full. She was going to have to think about offering a second one later in the evening or something. She'd sit down and figure out her enrollment first.

"That's fine. I've plenty of spots right now."

She slid two folders over the expanse of the desk. "You're welcome to take a trial class or sit and watch one before you sign any papers or pay fees. Is there anything else I can help you with, Theo?"

Wren pulled a bottle of water from the shelf under her monitor and cracked it open, before taking a long pull on the mouth. She closed it, set it down and nearly smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand. "My manners are lacking today. Can I get you something to drink?"
Theodosia 17 years ago
Theo was glad to hear there would be plenty of room, though she wondered how long that would last at the 'right now' added to the end of Wren's comment. She felt confident that this would work, though – Dani liked exercise classes and some of the others in her department at work had talked about wanting to start 'for the new year'. Theo didn't think the new year cared one way or another but people had a tendency to get funny things stuck in their heads.


Taking the two folders that Wren offered, she tucked them securely under her arm, choosing the blue one for herself and the yellow one to share. She smiled a little at the practical suggestion that she take a trial class or watch one – Dani would like that sort of sensible option.



“That sounds like a fine plan,” she said with a little nod. She considered whether or not she had any questions when Wren asked if there would be anything else, but couldn't think of any – she tended to hope these sorts of things just fell into place. At the offer of water she shook her head in the negative, smiling.


“Oh, that's okay. I should probably get back to Tim,” she leaned forward confidentially “he gets so shy around pretty ladies,” she concluded with a slight giggle. Then she straightened her expression and stood, suddenly all proper manners, and offered Wren her hand.


“Thank you very much for all of your help. I'll see you again soon.”
Wren 17 years ago
Wren put her hand in Theo's and shook it with a couple firm motions. She slipped her hand from the prospective students and walked to the door with her. She opened it, and gestured for Theo to go first.

"I look forward to seeing you. Just give me a call or send an email to let me know when you're coming in to observe a class or take a trial."
Theodosia 17 years ago
Theo bounded happily out the door, her mood significantly improved, but turned at Wren's final request.


“Okay,” she said, “I'll send you an email.” Theo wasn't fond of the phone and was glad to have another way to communicate. It could get rather confusing to distinguish the voices in her mind from the voices coming through the receiver, with no visual cues to help her.


With a final little wave to Wren, she closed the distance to Tim, who similarly waved and gave a quiet 'have a good evening' before they both turned and headed for the door.



“I guess we could go home now.”


Whether or not Theo ended up changing her mind once they got into the limo was anyone's guess, but at the moment she was quite excited to return home and tell everyone about The Studio.


/ooc out pending responses, thanks!
Wren 17 years ago
Wren returned the young woman's wave with a chuckle and went into her office to use the next five minutes before her next class to stare at a wall and relax a little. She was excited to have so many students and the need for a second class thrilled her. She was going in the right direction. At the moment, life was grand.


((Wren out))