The dressing room was packed full with hot, vibrant and thirsty dancers, dressed fully in their ballet attire.

The performance which has given them sleepless nights was finally over. Outside the theater buzzed with people who had watched the performance.

The dancers had their families and loved ones waiting for them, clutching flowers in their hands.

Micah stood by a corner, watching the buzz and waiting to see her dad pop out of the crowd and hand her maybe a rose.

Like a bunch of his other promises, he'd never come. What was she thinking? For the past eight years, he has never shown up for anything concerning her.

Why was today going to be an exception?

She sighed deeply, returning to the dressing room. She slipped off her pointe shoes, flexing her toes and wincing at its pain. She quickly changed into her regular clothes, packing her stuff into her dance bag and making her way out of the room.

"Micah!"

She turned around to see Reneé, a close friend of hers ever since she got into the academy, still dressed in her cyan blue ballet dress.

" You've changed already?" She asked.

"I had to, I've got a night shift at the store"

Micah replied.

My mum's here. She wants to meet you" she said excitedly.

"Let's go" Micah replied, a small smile on her lips.

They walked out of the theater into the wide open space. Renee's Mum, a middle aged woman was standing by a corner waiting for her. She looked just like Reneé, only older.

"Hi" Micah greeted warmly.

"You must be Micah" Renee's mum said with cheer.

"Yeah" Micah replied.

" So good to finally meet you, Reneé babbles nonstop about you. You must be a good girl "

"She is" Reneé chipped

"Are your parents here?" She asked.

"My dad's pretty busy so he couldn't make it " Micah explained.

"And your mum?"

Micah's eyes fell and she turned pale.

"Her mum's late" Reneé said, giving Micah's shoulder a squeeze. The older woman watched with pity, aware of how sad it was to lose one's mother.

"I'm sorry " she apologized

"It's fine, Micah assured, putting up a smile.

"I'll get going. Nice meeting you ma'am"she said almost hastily, walking away. Reneé went after her, catching up with her sooner.

"Hey, you'll be returning to the academy right?"she asked.

"That will be more shifts for me" Micah replied.

"I'll ask my mum, maybe she can..."

"Please don't, I don't wanna burden her with my problems " Micah interrupted.

"But...."

I'll ask my dad, he'll definitely help" Micah came again. Reneé raised a brow at her.

"You sure about that?"

"He's my dad" Micah replied.

"Okay then, I'll keep in touch" Reneé said finally, returning to her mum.

Micah continued her way, taking the next street. Was she really going to tell her dad? Definitely not!

She'd rather work ten shifts a day than ask the man for anything.

The cool night air hit her like a slap, snapping her out of her reverie. She walked briskly, her boots clicking on the pavement, her eyes scanning the deserted street.

It was late and the streets were empty, save for the occasional passers-by hurrying to catch a taxi. The street was poorly lit, with flickering streetlights casting eerie shadows on the wall.

Micah walked faster, her senses on high alert. She had learned to be vigilant, to trust her instincts especially when walking alone at night.

Suddenly, she sensed a strange presence. She had company.

A slightly bulky figure emerged, walking towards her. She stopped in her tracks in a bid to retreat,

More figures!

She could count up to five of them, six to be precise. She stood her ground, eyes flashing with a fierce determination. She had dealt with her fair share of bullies and tormentors and wasn't ready to back down.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a catch today" their leader sneered, smiling mischievously.

She knew him. A street guy who enjoyed taking his toll on girls.

" How was the performance, pretty swan?" He asked, licking his lips as he advanced towards her.

" You shouldn't be out in the cold, your skin's too delicate and....."

He was cut off by Micah's hand on his wrist on his attempt to caress her face. He smirked, sending a signal to his crew. The boys closed in, their eyes roving around her but she was ready.

With a swift kick, she took down the first boy, following a series of swift punches which sent the rest flying.

Taken aback by her ferocity, they stumbled backwards, momentarily stunned. She fought with precision and skill honed from years of ballet training, her movements fluid and deadly.

She stared at them for a while, her breathing steady, her focus unwavering. She picked up her dance bag, her chest heaving slightly.

"You're... you're not a lady" the leader stammered, clutching his stomach.

Micah smiled, a cold, hard smile." I'm whatever I need to be"

She took a step closer, whispering. "Thirty five dollars for a class, your skills are so unbearable"

With that, she walked away, disappearing into the night.

A distance away, behind the tinted glass of a black Bentley limo parked in a curb, a pair of piercing blue eyes had been watching the scene unfold with growing interest, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

He was amazed by the physical strength she possessed. Taking down six boys single handedly? He reasoned

"She seems like a hard nut" he said

"Sir?" His personal assistant asked, looking in the direction his boss stared.

"Gather every Intel on her" he ordered, eyes still fixed on her departing silhouette.

"Yes sir"

Micah got to the store, dashing quickly into the inner room and changing into her work clothes.

Greg, a fellow worker was already packing up, ready to leave.

"Hey Greg." Micah called just as she stepped out.

"Micah, how was the performance?" He asked, beaming.

"Same as always, all set to leave?" She asked

"Yeah, gotta go see Laurie, she's hell bent on me visiting." he replied, chuckling.

"Alright, tell Laurie I said hi."

"Sure thing" Greg assured, leaving.

There weren't so many customers in the store which gave her some sort of relief. she was acutely tired from dancing.

Her toes were hurting plus her pointe shoes were getting tight. That moment, she wanted nothing but her bed which seemed to be her only comfort since her mum passed away.

She fished out her phone, scrolling through her text messages.

The last text she sent to her dad stared widely at her, seeming to mock her for a while.

She felt a familiar ache in her chest. It was a pain she had grown accustomed to over the years.

Either way, it still stung.

She walked herself down memory lane, remembering the good old days which had slowly turned into a painful nightmare.

She got snapped out of her thoughts by a customer who had come to make payments. she did a quick calculation of the goods and summed up the total amount.

"$250.32" she said.

The customer fished out a credit card, handing it over to her. she swiped the card on the card reader... nothing.

She raised her eyes, eyebrow raised.

"Shit!" The customer breathed. Micah sensed that he was upset about something. He turned his face to Micah who had been staring expressionless at him.

"Can I take these with me? I'll cash in tomorrow." he said.

"I'm sorry sir, we don't give room for such." Micah replied.

"I said I'll turn up tomorrow" he protested, almost raising his voice.

"No" she said with a tone of finality.

She could see his hatred for her building up. She was used to the hate anyways. He sighed, taking off his wristwatch and dropping it on the counter.

"I give you your cash tomorrow, you return this to me" he said coldly, grabbing the bags and leaving.

Micah rolled her eyes so hard that they almost fell out. Customers and their annoying temper!!

She quickly grabbed the watch, walking briskly out of the store and meeting up with the young man who had it. She took his hand, placing the watch in it.

"Don't fail." she said, walking back to the store.

He watched her disappear into the store, a small smile playing on his lips. He walked back to the car, getting into the owner's seat.

"To the office." he ordered. At once the car sped off, raising a reasonable amount of dust.

Micah packed her stuff, getting ready to leave as the store was about to close.

"I'll send in your wages." the store owner assured.

Micah gave a weak smile, slowly tracing her way home. She pulled the front door open, walking in and drawing some air.

It never smelled like the home she once knew.

She shut the door behind her, the sound echoing through the silent hallway.

She didn't bother to hide her tiredness as she trudged up the stairs to her room. A quick shower was just what she needed to wash away the stress of the evening. She let the warm water soak her skin, feeling some of the tension melt away.

After her shower, she changed into comfortable clothes and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The family was just finishing up dessert, the remnants of a lavish dinner spread out on the table which they had without her.

That didn't hurt her though for she never fancied having dinner with them.

Her stepmom, Victoria and stepsister,Tovia, chatted animatedly while her dad sat at the edge of the table, a distant look in his eyes. Micah ignored them, rummaging through the fridge for leftovers. She was used to fending for herself when it comes to dinner.

As she heated up a plate of food in the microwave, her dad walked into the kitchen.

"You're home late." he began.

Micah kept mum, eyes fixed on the microwave.

"I'm talking to you." His voice came again. Micah sighed, raising her eyes to his face.

"I had night shift." She replied, returning her gaze to the microwave.

"I have told you to quit that job, it's dangerous for a lady to be out at night." He said.

Micah scoffed. How on earth was she going to pay for her tuition at the academy? And since when did he care about her safety?

" How was the performance?" He asked, his voice a little too casual.

" It was fine dad,the usual." She replied, her expression neutral. He sensed the hurt beneath her words and took a step closer.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your performance, I got held up at work and...."

"Dad please" She began, cutting him off. She turned to him, her eyes flashing with a mix of sadness and frustration.

"You don't have to make excuses, it's not like you've shown up for any of my performance. I've learned to deal with it." She said flatly, turning back to the microwave.

He stared at his daughter, dumbfounded by the way she spoke, his eyes searching for a way to bridge the gap between them but Micah wasn't having any of it. She so much reminded him of her mother.

"I just wish you could be there sometimes" She said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

The kitchen stood still for a while, only the beeping of the microwave could be heard.

Micah sighed, dishing her food onto a plate and turning around.

"Sleep early, you look stressed." She said finally, carrying her dinner along with her.

He watched his once bright and cheerful jewel disappear into her room. He couldn't even remember the last time he saw her smile.

They were slowly drifting apart and he knew it.

Micah was out for an early morning jog, her mind occupied with her conversation with her dad last night. He was responsible for most of the pain she felt .

Hating the man was useless. He was her dad after all. She brushed off all the family thoughts and continued her jogging.

She came across a boutique which displayed gorgeous dresses for eye viewing pleasure. She couldn't help but admire the aquamarine blue ballet dress worn by a silver mannequin.

It sort of reminded her that hers needed to be changed. She needed new shoes too as she was starting to outgrow hers.

She sighed sadly at the possibility of acquiring these things. She was yet to gather cash for her tuition at the academy let alone her dancing accessories and her wages weren't helping.

She needed a new job. One that could pay her tuition and maybe guarantee a few changes in her dancing closet.

She quickly brushed the thoughts aside and jogged along a winding path, her feet pounding the pavement in a steady rhythm.

She had a cold shower when she got home, dressing up quickly and leaving for work.

The store had opened and was packed full with customers. She managed to squeeze her way in, changing quickly into her work clothes.

"Hi, Greg." she greeted warmly while attending to a customer.

"Welcome, you're quite late." he said

"I guess I overslept." Micah sighed.

Greg chuckled. "Everything okay tho?"

Micah smiled instead.

Just then, the store owner, Mrs Smith walked out of her office.

"Morning, Mrs Smith" Micah's voice rang.

"Micah, get me the mail, would you?"

"Sure thing" she replied, dashing outside and towards the mail box.

She grabbed the mail alongside another mail which bore her name. She had personally asked the postman to deliver her mails to the store's mail box where her stepmom was out of reach.

Tossing hers into her pocket, she returned to the store. The store closed early since they were out of stock. Mrs Smith had planned on restocking the next few days.

Micah changed quickly, grabbing her bag. Her destination?

Home. She sighed, leaving the store.

"Good you're back." Victoria began just as Micah walked in, her voice dripping with disdain.

"There's a lot to be done around here. The laundry needs folding, the floors need mopping and the dishes need to be cleaned." she continued.

"I'm sorry Mrs Thompson but I'm really tired." Micah said calmly.

"These chores aren't going to do themselves!" Victoria pointed out.

"You're right, so if you don't mind you can get Tovia to do them." Micah replied.

Victoria's face darkened. "Listen dear, I'm not your mother so you better mind it."

"The last time I checked, I never call you mum so where's all that coming from?" Micah asked, clearly irritated.

Just then, her dad walked in and Tovia was just behind him, carrying tons of shopping bags.

Micah stared from the bags to Tovia then to her dad. She bit her lips angrily, rolling her eyes away.

"What's going on here?" He asked, noticing the tension in the air.

Victoria turned to him, a sugary sweet smile on her face. "It's just Micah being her usual uncooperative self. I'm starting to think her mother didn't do a very good job in raising her."

"You know nothing about me or my mum. If you want these chores to be done, you can go ahead and ask your darling daughter, I bet you raised her the ideal way." Micah spat, her voice venomous.

Victoria's face slowly darkened. "Watch your tongue, Micah!"

"No," Micah said, her tone eerily calm. "You watch it."

That instant, a sharp, stinging pain pierced her left cheek. She clutched her cheek in shock, her brain struggling to process what happened.

Until that day, he has never raised his hand to her. She glared at him, tears clouding her eyes, anger and hurt flashing through them.

"What has gotten into you?!" He roared, his eyes burning with fury. "Apologize to your mother."

"She's not my mother!!" She said, her teeth clenched.

Tovia looked on, a smug smile on her face while Victoria's smile turned into a satisfied smirk.

Micah glared at them in fury, a burning mix of hatred and anger. She turned on her heel, racing upstairs to her room.

"Micah!"

But she was far from listening, slamming her door just as she got to her room. She had her back to the door, clasping her palm over her mouth while sliding down to the floor.

Hurt, anger and frustration swirled in her chest.

She swore never to let their words and actions get to her. She was strong and wouldn't let anyone make her feel otherwise.

Exhaustion eventually took over and she fell asleep on the floor, her body curled up in a tight ball.

The next morning, she was disoriented and groggy. She slowly sat, rubbing her eyes. They had grown puffy from crying.

She looked down at herself, realizing she still had her clothes from yesterday on, she let out a groan. She must've been more exhausted than she thought.

She pulled her phone from her pocket, her mail falling out. She knew the mail came from the academy and was sure of it's content.

However, she tore the seal open, her eyes scanning its content.

She was wrong.

"A job offer?"

A live in babysitter position that could foot her tuition and leave her with extra change.

Micah stared at the mail, her mind racing with excitement and possibility. The chance to pay her tuition was there in her hands.

Maybe a fresh start was all she needed.

Somewhere a lot better than her toxic home. A place where her only job would be to take care of kids and not the entire household.

She felt a surge of hope and determination and she knew she had to grab the opportunity. Real fast because as stated in the mail, she needed to fill in some information about herself and submit via email.

She quickly gathered herself up, pulling a chair to the table where her laptop rested and started immediately.

By the time she finished, it was already noon. She couldn't believe how much time she spent but that didn't matter.

She knew just one thing.....

Hope.