The Grand Mistress

Lyndon Tang was watching backstage as rehearsals were going on. He had some parts to play on the current performance but his act was only a minor one. At the sidelines from the back of the stage, he was watching Simione gracefully dancing like a swan, being carried to the airs by another male ballerina as both glided into the music. If only Simione wasn't that tall, he could be a perfect match for her. 

He was thinking of many things then of how things would have changed if he could be a perfect partner for Simione in parts where she needed a partner. Just thinking about dancing beside her and sharing a little on her stage made him smile bitterly. How could he think of such foolish things? No matter what, even if he was Simione's partner or not, he'll still not be seen and acknowledged because everyone's eyes were only with Simione.

"Brother Don…" Feather appeared from nowhere. She too was part of the performance but her act was still after a few transitions later. Just as when the boy turned to her side, she walked toward him and looked at the same stage he was watching. "She's a great ballerina," Feather speaks of the Simione who was currently dancing, oblivious to the fact that she had been the topic of them. "But do you know that she doesn't want to become a prima ballerina? All she wished this time was to become a ballet teacher in the suburbs,"

"She can be anything she wants," Lyndon replied timidly.. No matter what Feather will say, it can never change the fact that Simione will always be better than them.

"But she doesn't need all these. If she just wants to be a ballet teacher then why all this? She doesn't need the offers and scholarships in London to be a good ballet teacher," Feather emphasized which was actually true. For one to be a ballet teacher, you just need to graduate in a prestigious academy like Mara Ballet Company. To have performed in big stages is only a plus.

"Feather even if we take her spotlight, she's still better than us," Lyndon pointed. "Besides, what can you ever do?"

"I can do many things for you," Feather looked in his eyes. Lyndon was not dumbed. He had long been aware of Feather's affection for her, she never fails to let him know that. When they were young, because of the Tang's and the Han's friendship, both of them were somehow desired by their families to become each other's partners  but things changed when Simione came. 

Simione was a beautiful girl and even if she was from a certain village, her beauty stood taller than the others. So were her skills. Therefore, when Simione arrived in the picture, the attention of Lyndon shifted from Feather to Simione and the former of course didn't like it. Ever since then, Feather had resented Simione and had always long to catch Lyndon's attention again.

"Feather stop it already, you sound so creepy," Lyndon told her. The look in Feather's eyes shone in a way that was making the boy afraid. As far as he knew, she was always sweet and loving when around him but these days, she was acting really weird.

"Brother Don….you know that I love you right?" Feather confession caught Lyndon off guard. 

"Feather….we are teenagers…" Lyndon replied, hiding away his blush. Although he was aware of Feather's likeness of him, he never expected that she would ever be so bold to confess. He felt flattered honestly, especially that he was just a young innocent boy without much experience this time. "Don't say anything—"

A kiss on the lips halted everything that Lyndon had to say. It was his first kiss and honestly, he all imagined his first to be with Simione if she would return his affection. However he had long been making it obvious to her that he likes her but to no avail. Having Feather like him without the need to do anything and making him wait like a fool as Simione did, he was flattered beyond words.

When Feather withdrew the kiss, Lyndon's eyes were with her and the girl blushed right away as if she went shy. She stood in front of him for a few seconds flushing red before she showed him something she had hidden behind her costume. 

It was a sharp object, like a knife. 

"What is that?" Lyndon was surprised at what Feather had brought. "Feather, you shouldn't be bringing anything sharp in here. It's not allowed. How did you even conceal that to the guards?"

"Brother Don, that is not anymore important," Feather replied. "What's important is that tonight, I am going to show you how serious I am with my confession to you,"

"What do you mean?"

"I am so sorry but I cannot watch you being trampled down by Simione. Not when your mother badly needed to see you on a big stage," Feather looked at him in a way that calls for his sympathy over the matter as if what she was about to do needs a big forgiveness on his part.

He then saw Feather step back from him until she was beside a big stage props that was to be used in the ongoing performance.

"Feather, come back here, no one is allowed—"

"Brother Don, this is for you…after this…be the ballerina that you always wanted to be and make your mother proud," That was the last that Feather said and immediately, in front of Lyndon's eyes, she cut the wire that keeps the big props steady and it slowly fell into the stage, so was everything that was with it.

Lyndon did not understand what Feather did as he was very sure that the props even if it would fall will not cause a serious harm but when it hit the floor, something inside it went rolling in everywhere.

"Marbles?" Lyndon panicked when he saw it and he immediately took a step to warn all the dancers on stage only to see Simione's partner pick her up into the air for a leap. The male dancer unfortunately stepped into one of the rolling marbles and lost his balance. 

He fell and Simione fell with him.

It was a bad fall.

Immediately, horror flushed into Lyndon's face.