Revenge

After Ali realized what he was saying, he held her hands explaining and apologizing again: “Mia, that’s not what I meant...I was
insane...” Seeing Amanda not respond, he slapped himself in the face.
Amanda felt not insulted by him at all, neither did she feel sorry or distressed seeing him slap himself. Sometimes the words he
blurted out without deliberation were the ones he most wanted to say. After a moment of silence, Amanda looked Ali in the eye
and asked, "You're my boyfriend. They say I'm no longer a virgin, do you believe it?"
"I..." Ali hesitated for seconds and nodded. "Of course not, Mia! I love you!"
Amanda felt amused; even she was still 17, she wouldn't have believed the lame lie.
However, she was not going to breakup with her “boyfriend” on her first day back in school. He would still be very useful;
Amanda took in a deep breath and beamed at him with an attitude of earnestness saying: “whatever they said, it's enough that
you trust me."
She had never said his name because it kept reminding her of “A”, the way she used to addressed Aaron Gu.
Ali gave out a sigh of relief and squeezed her hands affectionately saying: “Mia, hurry back to class, I have to go..."
"Don't!"Amanda, who had been cold, suddenly grabbed his hands and was reluctantly part from him: “Walk me there would you?
I am afraid...”
"Don't be, Mia, you have me!" The big boy held her by the hands and led the way; his palm was scorching hot just like that man,
but it was way tender and his strength was unlike that of that man, either.
The building they they were going in was the one they had walked past earlier, the Art Building, donated by Mr. Hu with that red
cloth reading “Thank you for your kind donation” still hanging there.
Taking the elevator to the third floor, Ali stopped before the practice room, saying: "Here you are, Mia, no boy is allowed in; the
front is a locker room, you are on your own, good girl.”
He bent down and kissed Amanda on the lips.
Amanda didn't back away from that kiss, but she didn't respond, either; over his shoulder, she saw Rae Yan stand at the end of
the hallway. When Rae Yan saw them making out, her steps stopped and her eyes darkened. Amanda was more sure that they
had affairs.

"Baby, call me. I'll miss you."
Ali pinched her face gently and walked away without noticing the sullen girl behind his back.
With her gaze following Ali, Rae Yan turned around abruptly and disappeared into another door before slamming that door shut
loudly.
Jealousy?
"Mia, it's time for class. Why are you still wearing your leisure clothes? The warm-up should begin in minutes, couldn’t you be
more sensible!"
A heavy girl coming out of nowhere shoved Amanda as she saw her stupefied there and sent her plunge forwards.
"Lady Mia is the top student of our school, her dance skill is outstanding and so are her methods. She could erase her scandal
and crawl back after being official expelled. Who are we to her?” The slim girl standing right next to that heavy girl rolled her eyes
and jeered at her.
Hearing the noise, girls in the practice room all gathered around them and chitchatting.
Girls of this ages were all gossipers and big mouth; besides, Mia must be such an excellent dancer to deserve so many
attentions and hostility.
"What’s the fuss about? Why are you all crowding here? Class!"
After a shrill and sharp snap, the girls dispersed in seconds.
At the end of the hallway, in the empty space, stood a middle-aged woman in loose-fitting dress, her figure erect and elegant,
which must be the result of years of studying dance; she was supposed to be the teacher. With her eyes piercing and her face
cold, Amanda thought she must be the "Madam Gorski" Rae Yan had mentioned.
Madam Gorski gave Amanda a grim look, glanced up and down, and then dropped her a word: "Mia, you may be good and gifted
in dancing, but don’t you ever try to provoke me. Go get changed now, if I haven’t seen you in two minutes, a hundred sit-ups!"
Amanda obediently went to the locker room; she felt relieved that it was hip-hop course rather than ballet while undressing; she
would not be able to explain away the bruises on her body.

As she entered the practice room, Madam Gorski turned her head back to look at her and say: “Mia, as the leader and with your
solid foundation and talent, you demonstrate what we have learned yesterday to everyone else.”
Amanda froze not knowing what to do; she was not even here yesterday, how was she supposed to demonstrate for them?