The Faded Dancer

The music plays in and out as the whole club is packed with young adults drinking, talking and the majority dancing near the stage where a short women, dressed in all black, black hoodie, baggy black pants black shoes a black hat and a half face mask was dancing.

As she danced on stage she has the audience and the people entranced as they all follow along with the music and her dancing.

Her long red hair flows behind her as she dances with a mix of hop and breakdancing aswell as a bunch of other styles.

Suddenly a women dressed in a tuxedo came to her side and tapped her on her shoulder, snapping the girl dressed in black back to reality like she herself was caught in a spell from dancing.

"It's time Fade, it's almost 9, time to go"

"Ok, thanks. I'll see you guys next time."

She said as she walked off stage, and towards the kitchen.

"For sure kiddo just don't get caught haha!"

The women yells to Fade before she entered the kitchen in the back.

"Yea I'll try haha"

She shouted back as she turned the corner and took off her half face mask, showing her young bit beautiful face.

The girl grabbed her money from the old man that owns the club and then put her mask back on before heading to the exit. "See ya later Old timer"

"Not if I see you first Fade!"

The old man laughed as he called back to the girl as she was leaving the kitchen.

"Fade! You killed it tonight!"

"Yea when will we see you again?"

"I can't believed fade danced with us! hahaa!"

Her hidden dance persona had become quite popular throughout the nightclubs around the city, and it was great for her because she could make money by performing at clubs while also getting to do her favourite thing, dancing.

"Not sure guys, but you'll see me around!"

She waved goodbye and left the club, walking through the dark streets that where barely lit by the street lights. She eventually got to the train station, waited while she listened to music through her headphones until the train arrived.

She boarded the train and roads

For 4 stops before getting off the train and walking up the stairs to the street level as she was now underground.

After a few minutes of walking in the dark. She made it home.

The lights flicker on as she walks into her tiny second floor apartment.

She kicks off her shoes and hoodie and drops them on the floor, she then walked over the the other end of her living room, slides open the door to the balcony, steps into the cold refreshing air, then pulls out a pack of cigarettes and light one up.

"How many times do i need to tell you to quit smoking kid, your still in school"

An old women across the way was talking to her, they had known each other for some time now.

"Yea yea I hear ya. One day I will."

She said to the older women who just rolled her eyes at the girl.

"So how was tonight? The clubs packed or what?"

"Yep, you should know any club I go to is packed."

"Yea that's fair haha. I still remember when you first moved in haha you where so shy and didn't talk, then I caught you dancing. And ever since then you've been a lot more open haha. Then I find out that your the mystery dancer known as Fade that's been dancing here for 3 years now."

"Yea well Your the only one who knows. And I love to dance and this way I get paid too, haha win win."

"That's true haha, but your still going to school right?"

"What do you mean?"

She said as she tied up her hair, lowered her sleeves and covered her tattoos. She then smiled kindly.

"I'm just a normal hardworking student right?"

"Hahaa jeez it's still shocking to see you do that. Just make sure you don't fail school, and always keep dancing sweetie"

"Yea I know haha I'll do my best, good night Mable"

"Yea yea night….Lily…."

"What?"

"Your name really dosnt suit you hahaa! Your more like a tiger Lily!"

"Oh shut it Mable she said as she laughed.

She finished her smoke and went inside. And grabbed her speaker, went to the bathroom and had a shower while listening to music.

She often listens to music whenever she can. Even in class if she can.

After her shower she watched some tv, had a snack and decided to go to sleep for the night.

As she lay down to go to bed she could only feel depressed a bit that it's the start of the week, meaning she had 5 days of school before she could go back to a club and let loose. It was only when she was dancing to loud music she felt truly fine and happy.

But because she dances at nightclubs that are bassicly bars. It's not really legal seeing as she's only 17. But she's done her best to keep her school life and fades life separate. At school she's pretty much a normal student, she's smart enough to pass most test if she tried and she's athletic and healthy as well.

She's also got an amazing body that she always hides under baggy clothes.

She has long red hair and light blue eyes. She was secretly known to the other students as the silent shadow queen. She was one of the prettiest girls in school but she didn't act all high and mighty, she didn't hangout with anyone either.

Most of the time people approach her they can't talk to her because she's useally listening to music.

The next morning she woke up a bit late, so she was in a rush and didn't realize that she had forgotten a few things as she was still half asleep.

She had forgotten to grab a hoodie, nor did she do any laundry yesterday so she had to wear her normal school uniform, it was black and sleek, with red trim and a skirt, along with short sleeves.

So now she had unkept hair, she felt uncomfortable, and her tattoos where showing which she totally face palmed herself for even forgetting about them.

As she walked towards the school entrance many students stopped what they where doing to look at the Silent shadow queen.

"Damn…."

"Wow."

"Is that really her?"

(Can't you guys just keep it to yourself? God)

She thought as she put on her headphones.

(Thank god that there's only one more year until I can legally just be myself Ugh.)

She couldn't wait to be able to do what she wanted without someone telling her that's bad or she's to young.

She raised herself from the age of 5 from the streets back up to her feet. No family, all alone, she built herself back up from nothing. She knew the hard parts of life. And finally now at 17 years old she was doing great. She had a home and technically a job that made a lot of money, she was well off for a high school student.

And it was the times the teachers forgot this when they would ask to speak with her parents for the days she's mist or other things they didn't like. Just like right now as she was called to the office.

"So, why am I here?"

"Your in my office, because I have concerns about your lifestyle and choices. So I'm calling your parents for a meeting."

Lily suddenly stood up out of the chair with an angered expression.

"Excuse me? Seriously? Your fucking Jokeing right?"

"That's no way but I talk to your teacher girl!"

"Then do your fucking homework idiot. I don't have parents, not a family. I was homeless since I was 5 and I crawled my way up alone with no help. So you don't get to sit here and judge me like that. You want to punish me? For what? For things I didn't have control over? Ha. Fuck off. If I leave school just remember this is why. Congratulations on losing a student you ass"

She said as she flipped him off and left the school before the day even started. As she was about to leave the gate she was stopped by the headmaster.

"May I ask as to why one of my most promising students is leaving so early in the morning?"

"Because this student is sick of all the bullshit that your workers put me through. Constantly threatening to call the parents I don't have? Telling me im making bad life choices? Not knowing what I've had to actually go through to even stand here on my own today? That would be why im leaving. I don't need school. I've done fine on my own without it."

She said as she never stopped walking and past by him.

"How about a deal then."

She stopped for a second.

As she just remembered what Mable said last night about school.

"What sort of deal?"

"You can do the entire school course from wherever, school or home, but you have to get at least 70% on every test from now on. No holding back. If you do that then I won't force you to actually be here as long as you can agree to do the work"

"Fine. Deal."

She agreed quickly as this would suit her just fine.

After getting home Mable seen her and quickly questioned why the girl wasn't at school. And so Lily explained what happened.

"Damn huh? Well it's sucks a bit but I guess that works out better for you huh?"

"Yep, now I can actually just be myself and not have to go to school, I can just do my school work from home and every now and then I bring it in, it's almost like if I was working as a writer, do proper work bring it in go back home."

"Yea I see that haha so what's the plan for tonight?"

"We'll seeing as he said it would be a couple days until the first set of school work ready, I'm definitely going out dancing haha"

"Nice! We'll have fun, want me to call around and set something up?"

"Nah I'm gonna go to Lizzies, I'm not working tonight i just want to dance and blow off some steam"

"Alright then be safe kid and tell Lizzie I said hello" Mable said kindly as she went back inside. And Lily did the same after putting out her cigarette.

Lily spent the rest of the day cleaning her apartment, doing some laundry, and making some meals. After a while she was ready to head out.

And so she got dressed and left. After her useally train ride she made it to her destination. A few hours went by and it was now about 10 pm and Lily was in a crowed of people at a club, all dancing on the dance floor.

And of course people recognized her black outfit and dancing, as Fade so they all jumped In aswell. Which also started bringing in more people from them being curious about the hype.

Hours flew by as people danced and danced with Lily at the center, eyes closed, as she moves her body perfectly with the beat and one could feel the emotion she put into her dancing.

It was now 1 in the morning as she finally felt better. She had a lot of pent up stress after the morning she had so this hit the spot just perfectly. She walked over and sat at the bar, drank some water then got back up and started to walk to the exit.

"Alright I'm heading home Lizzie, see ya, oh also Mable says hi!"

"Heck yea! Have a good night girl!"

Lizzie was a 23 year old that got a bar from her father when he died, she turned it into a night club with full dance floors and everything. It was a well known place and one of Lily's favourites, Lily was close to a lot of nightclub owners through the city.

She had a secret contract with a lot of them two, that whenever she danced for them and brings in customers they would pay her for her time. It was to great of an opportunity to pass up for them, as when she shows up to dance it's like a mini crowd always forms, bringing in over 20 plus customers and once even 100 as they treated it like an event, it was the first 1 year mark since Fade apeared.

Even now there where videos of her dancing and even a website of fans that all want to know who she is.

She knew about the videos but not the website of over 12 thousand people worldwide that all watch her videos and love her.

Without knowing it she had become a minor celebrity and having a hidden identity made it better the only things known about Fade are,

1: fade is a female.

2: fade can dance like a mf

And lastly 3rd, don't ever mess with Fade unless you want to catch a Fade. A video apeared in her first year when a group of drunks dudes tried to hit on her and started getting rough so she kicked the shit out of them, easily to.

Ever since that video, anyone that was a fan or knew of Fade only did there best to enjoy her dancing and nothing else out of fear and respect.

A few days later.

"Here you go! This is your new outfit! I hope you love it!"

"Thanks Magie, but why short sleeves?"

"To show off your tattoos of course! I promise it will help make you more popular!"

"What? When did I ever become popular hahaa"

"Well, the fact that you said that tells me you don't know. Here look!

She flipped her phone around to show Lily.

There's a website called Emblem and they are full of celebrities and dance artist and much more. I bet you also didn't know that you've been put on their website and your rated in the top 500 out of thousands of other people!"

"Wow…I had no idea…"

"Obviously haha that's alright though I've been taking care of your publicity Hahaaa"

"Thanks…I guess?"

"So what will you do about this?"

"About what?"

The women pointed out an article on the website as Lily started to read it.

It was posted by a man named Rin Wolf a 27 year old man who's also at the top of the dance world. The post read as such.

(Hello, my name is Rin, I'm posting this today because over the last year I've seen posts and videos of this women who goes by the name Fade, and upon watching her videos myself I decided I must meet her. Such dancing is beautiful and skilled. So I Rin would like to extend my hand out to meet Fade. I do hope she sees this. We all know she's not one for publicity after all. I do hope to hear back from you.)

"What the hell?!"

"Cool eh? So you gonna meet him or what?"

"Of Course not! Do you keep forgetting I'm under age?! If anyone finds out I can go to jail! Yea cool I'm popular but I'm a popular nightclub dancer I cat let anyone know who I am until I turn 18!"

"Oh damn that's right haha whoops. We'll just email him and come up with something."

"Ugh….fine"

And so the 2 came up with an answer for the man.

(I'm sorry Mr Rin but I can't do a meeting anytime soon, I have my own reasons as to why but I hope we can meet in the future. Thank you for understanding.)

In an office downtown, a blond haired, well dressed guy sits at a desk as he gets an email on his computer.

He read it and simply smiled.

"Well I guess that's fine. It's understandable seeing as your only 17 I can see why you want to wait. Very well Lily, I'll wait a year."

He said to himself as he looks at her file, he had gotten some people to find information about her, not for any bad reason but simply because he fell in love with her dancing and wished to know who she was.

Back home Lily was relaxing In a bath. With her normal tunes on in the background.

Then her phone lit up with a message, she checked it and it was from her school.

(These are the handout for the first half. There is only one set date for handing in projects and that's during summer break. And the second half will be near the end of the year.)

Along with a bunch of school work to be done attached in a file.

"Cool that's all set then. Plus im still able to go, so whenever I feel like it I can still go to class. It's a nice to get a change of pace here and there after all."

She finished her bath and went outside to have a smoke. Out front and not on her balcony as she was doing laundry and didn't want all her cloths to smell like smoke.

As she was leaning on the gate a man noticed her from a distance.

"Hmm that's not…oh my god it is isn't it?"

He was one of Lily's older teachers from a few years back.

"Lily! Long time no see"

"Ah Sebas?! Wow it's been like 2 years huh?"

"Yea it has…and I see in these 2 years you still haven't quit smoking huh?"

"Not yet no..I will one day"

"Yea that's what you said every other time hahaa so how are you doing?"

"I'm doing good, I'm still in school but I'm living life my way."

"That's great news I'm glad to hear your doing well. When we first met you where struggling but you didn't want help. But you never gave up."

"Haha of course, I knew I could get back up haha. Anyway Better get going it's late and I've got a lot of work. I'll see you around, it was nice to see you again"

"Yes you to Lily, have a good night."

They said there goodbyes as he left smiling, remembering the frail girl he met and now seeing her and how much better she was doing made him happy for her.

"I'm running into a lot of people I used to know lately huh? Oh well, that's just life."

Lily relaxed for a bit, watched a movie then went to bed. She had plans starting tomorrow. She would grind through her school work as fast as she could and make sure she did well enough. This way she would have more free time in the future to do whatever she wants to do.

And so the first week flew by as she stayed home the whole time only taking breaks to eat and sleep and other needed things.

And now on the 8th day she had completed a months worth of school work. She was never really bad in school and she could get amazing grades if she wanted. So she sped through the work doing the best she could.

She was now eating breakfast just after her shower.

She grabbed her phone and called the dean of her school.

"So what time will you be in today?"

He asked her as he knew she would come with lots of completed work.

"I'm actually going to come spend the day at school but not in classes, I'll probably be in the library or something. Then I'll be taking a break since I did just do a week straight."

"Alright sounds good. I'll see you when you get here."

"Yep sounds good thanks headmaster."

"Please, call me Jean hahaa"

"No thanks"

She hung up and did her useally routine to get ready before heading out.

On her way there she stopped at a little cafe as she liked there coffee, it was the best in town and it always made her feel good.

"Could I get an extra large coffee please."

"Sure thing, what's the name?"

"Pardon?"

"Oh uh sorry but we write the names on the cup…"

"Oh my bad….sorry, names Lily."

"Lily?….Ok."

"What?"

"Nothing…"

"Your totally thinking that Lily dosnt suit me am I right?"

"Woah… can you read minds?"

"Pfft no but it's a pretty common thing. A lot of the time I get the same reaction about it but I don't see the big fuss it's just a name"

"I see…well then Lily please wait a minute and I'll get your coffee ready."

"Thanks.,(she looked down at his name tag,

"Jun. wow ok, well you actually suit your name haha"

"Is that a compliment?"

He answered back with a smile as he went back to making her coffee.

He was tall and well built, he had blond neat styled hair. And he had a peircing or 2. And some tattoos aswell.

(Actually he's kind of cute…)

Lily thought

"Alright here you are Lily, have a good day."

He said as he handed her drink to her with a kind smile.

"Thanks…by the way…could I maybe..get your number?"

"Uh my..number? Uh sure i don't mind.."

And so he gave her his contact information and she gave him hers.

She then headed out to school with a smile on her face.

Back in the cafe, a women walks over to Jun.

"So, what was that about?"

"I…I think she was hitting on me?"

"Haha jeez kid loosen up, of course she was why else would she ask for your number? Cmon your young and she young you guys might get along"

"I…I guess… but I've got work to focus on aswell as school stuff I don't know if I can handle all that right now…"

"What do you mean? Jun, listen kid, your 17 years old and your a hard worker. I understand having trouble with school but you can't stay away from this stuff it's what helps kids grow. And who knows maybe she's a student around here to."

"Yea…maybe…ok..I' guess it wouldn't hurt to try….."

"Just relax though ok? You don't need to rush in, just be yourself with her if you guys hangout."

"Yea I'll do that. Thanks boss"

"Jeez Jun it's Mom! it dosnt matter if where at work."

"Haha yea ok sorry mom."

As Lily gets to school she was thinking about how she got the guys number, her face started to go a bit red.

"I can't believe I actually asked for his number, and I got it to…I wonder if he'll call first?"

She was pretty interested in him, but only for his looks and attitude at the moment, but she also wanted to get to know him as a person as she was curious about what kind of guy he is and what kind of stuff he likes to do.

An so as the day past by slowly as she hung out in the library, reading some books about the art of dance.

She had lunch and handed in the work she had completed.

"Well done Lily, I appreciate that your putting in the effort."

"Yea well you did give me a really good deal, it's only natural that I do what's asked in return. So thanks you, Jean. See ya."

She waved goodbye and walked out of his office. Down to the first floor and was about to leave out of the schools front doors when suddenly from behind she was pushed hard as she slammed into the door.

"Ugh what the fuck?!" She was now holding her head as she turned to face the person who just shoved her.

"You…. why am I not surprised? What the hell did you do that for Ezran?"

"Because you think your hot shit! Your just a loser and an idiot! Why do you get special treatment huh?"

She was about to slap Lily when Jean the headmaster appeared behind her, grabbing her raised arm.

"The fact that you just injured a fellow student, and was about to hit her again, is more then enough for me to kick you out of my school. Apologize and don't act up again or, I will! call your father."

"Tsk, fine, sorry!(bitch)" she whispered the last part and only Lily heard it.

"Pfft. God I hate these high school kids. See what we got to deal with?"

She said half jokingly to Jean as she held her head where a small cut had formed and was bleeding slightly.

"Jesus. I'm sorry about all that Lily. Let's go get you fixed up"

"Hm? No it's fine. Not the first time I've ever got in a scuffle."

"Oh? Interesting. Please, do tell me more"

"Ugh, how about no. Private life remember?"

"Haha yea yea alright. Still you sure you don't want to get that checked out? What if you have a concussion?"

"Your not gonna drop it are you?"

"No. I'm not"

"Ugh fine. Off to the nurses office then" she said as she slouched and walked past Jean back into the main hallway of the school, stopping and looking back at Jean.

"Seriously, are you just gonna stand there or what?"

"Ah sorry I was just thinking is all. Let's go."

He said as they walk down the hallways towards the nurses office.

"Oh by the way, if that girl comes at me outside of school you know I'll fuck her up right?"

"Lily…please just don't kill my student ok?"

"No promises old man. Hahaa"

She said as she entered the nurses office and closed the door behind her.

"Oh Lily! It's been a while what's up? Oh! Your bleeding!" The nurse quickly grabbed some bandages and a wet cloth to wipe the blood off.

"Thanks ms Kimber. I appreciate the help"

"I'm surprised you actually came for help. Usually you just stick it out on your own"

"Yea well Headmaster wouldn't drop it so I came."

"Ah so it was Jean then? Hah, that man is like a doting father isn't he?"

"Haha yea it does feel like that, but he's more like a grandpa haahahaa!"

After a quick check up she was cleared and patched up.

"Alright your all patched up, leave the bandage on for the rest of the day, you should be ok later on."

"Thanks! I'll see ya later"

Lily said as she half ran, half speed walked out of the room and out of the school. Finally able to head home for the day.