Lisa and the Academy

by Emma Bond

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© Copyright 2015 - Emma Bond - Used by permission

Storycodes: F+/f, FF; school; boarding; strip; leotard; ballet; tutor; discipline; boots; bond; gag; pain; torment; cons/reluct; XX

(story continues from )

Story follows on from Lisa and the Academy

Lisa and the Academy 2: The Ballet Lesson

Breakfast came and went in a haze, as Lisa sat in a world of her own. She had gone from teenage delinquent to bisexual French student at a boarding school in the Cotswolds in less than a day. She wasn't complaining mind you. She had enjoyed the French lessons immensely. She was troubled at how easily she had given herself to Madeleine.

Madeleine was a rich heiress of a Paris merchant. Nouveau Riche as Jane Adams the Academy head mistress had said. Madeleine had been sent to the academy by her father for structure and discipline to break her unruly attitude. She was a beautiful, blue eyed, blonde. To Lisa, Madeleine was the epitome of French chic.

Although she had thrown herself at Tim, an ex-boyfriend, she had never really let him do the things the French girl had done to her. She liked Madeleine, and she her. Perhaps this school would be the making of her.

She hardly heard the French girl calling across the breakfast table to her.

"Cher it’s time to go to Ballet lessons."

Great she thought. Something else I have to learn. Lisa had gone to dance lessons as a small child. She had enjoyed tap lessons when she was five or six, but when her parents had her younger sister. Money was tight and she hadn’t gone back.

“Cher, when we get to the class. Please keep quiet and unobtrusive. We are expected to be quiet and act with decorum at all times. The teachers here will show no mercy to pupils if they deem it we have broken the rules. It is best to say nothing unless spoken too first.”

Lisa nodded her understanding. This was something new for her. To be following some rules for a change. Also school lessons were on Saturday mornings too. Normally she would sleep in to noon or be out down the shopping mall with friends blagging cigarettes, or shop lifting. It wasn’t the fact she wanted the things. It was the sense of being able to get away with things. It didn’t look like that would be possible at this new school. Everyone seemed to keep themselves to themselves from those Madeleine had introduced to her.

It was with reluctance she followed Madeleine out of the building across the cobbled back yard to what looked like a set of stables. They joined a queue of ten other girls. All stood quietly in line waiting for entrance into the stable block. Lisa was about to ask about the teacher who took the lesson when a frown and a little shake of the head from Madeleine warned her not to talk.

It was just as well. A tall older woman walked out across the court yard to them dressed in a black spaghetti strapped unitard and pink ankle warmers. On her feet were pink leather pointe shoes.

“Good morning ladies.” The woman said and every girl said “Good Morning” back as Lisa mumbled a hasty reply too. “Inside as quick as you can, get change into your leotards. Get your shoes and Bunheads and start warming up.”

Lisa filed in after Madeleine, worried. The room opened into a small changing room with a couple of shower stalls and opened out onto a long room. The remodelled stables had a floating floor of wooden construction, hiding the old stable cobbled floor. This allowed for dance to be taken. One side of the long room was mirrored with dance support Barre rails.  Lisa had her new gym kit in a bag Madeleine had lent her until her parents could send her own gear to her. She frowned when she saw the girls putting on unitards and leotards.

It was a relief when Madeleine tossed her a black leotard to wear and some ankle warmers to put on as she changed alongside Lisa. All the girls stripped off their bras and panties. When Madeleine did the same, Lisa followed suit. When attired, Madeleine gestured to Lisa to bun her hair and to follow her onto the floor. She led her to a shoe rack of differing sized pointe shoes. “What size shoe are you?” She whispered to Lisa.

“One moment!” A voice called out. “Who are you girl?”

Lisa and Madeleine turned around to look at the teacher as she strode across the floor. Lisa stared. The woman had great poise and seemed to glide rather than stride.

“My name is Lisa Fletcher, Miss. I am a new pupil. I only arrived last night.” She looked up into the face of the ballet tutor. Lisa guessed her to be late forties early fifties. She had blond hair tied up in a bun. Piercing blue eyes stared down a straight, if a little too long, nose at her.

“Very well! Here are my rules of conduct and you will adhere to them at all times. The left hand side of the Barre are where the best dancers stand and warm up. You will stand on the far right until I say otherwise. You will NOT touch the mirror.  You will wear sober attire all times. You do not wear underwear under the leotards. You will shave underarm and bikini line. You will be ladies and not woolly mammoths, even if you dance like one. I am pleased that you are aware of the last three facts at least. You will applaud everyone’s performance at the finish and thank the tutor and pianist every time you leave the dance hall. Do not ask questions or give an opinion to anyone even if they ask you. I will tell you if you dance well or poorly. I will correct your poise. That is my job. This is standard Ballet etiquette. Understand, Fletcher?”

“Yes Miss.”

“Madame Jenson is how you will address me. I have danced at the Royal Opera House and in New York. I have earned that tile. Understand Fletcher?” She barked back.

“Yes Madame. I understand.”

“If you do all that then we shall get on. Now I said do not ask questions. You are a novice at Ballet?” Lisa nodded she was. Taking a few lessons when she was five wouldn’t impress this one she thought to herself. “You will have many questions then. You will remain at the back of the class. You will observe the others. You will mimic the actions of the others. I will correct you at times. You will listen to me only and do exactly as I say.”

“Yes Madame.” This class wasn’t going to be a barrel of laughs she thought. Being a new girl had put her at the top of the “to be observed” list.

“Zola, get her some shoes. Show her how to wear them and get into line both of you.”

“Oui, Madame.”

They pulled out a pair of shoes Lisa’s size. Madeleine showed her how to wear the Bunheads. A thick layer of gel padding layered between two pieces of material. “They are washed after each class.” Madeleine whispered as she tied the ribbon laces of the shoes.

Lisa looked about seeing several of the girls taking their own shoes from their bags and tying them on. These girls then took the positions on the left side of the Barre. Obviously they were the decent dancers. Madeleine left her to take a position in the middle of the Barre while Lisa went to the far right.

“Warm up exercises first Ladies. Posture exercises. Begin!”

All the girls turned and faced the mirror taking the Barre in both hands. Lisa followed suit.

“Keep your feet together. Shoulders should be directly over the hips. Back straight. Stomach kept in. Your back should be absolutely vertical. Straighten the back. Relaxes the ribs and makes it easier for you to breathe.” Madame Jenson called out.

“Bad stance means you open yourself to back injuries. Slowly raise your heels from the floor. Press your toes into the floor and pitch the weight over the toes. Keep your head up Fletcher. That’s right. Everyone. Arms raised six inches above the Barre. If you are standing correctly you will be able to hold the position. Good. Hold the position for a count of ten. Keep the hands above the Barre but not touching it. Lower the feet slowly. Stop and hold for a count of ten. Your heel will be an inch or two above the floor. Now raise the heels up again. Continue. Down. Stop. Down. Stop. Up.”

Lisa could feel her calves burning after ten minutes.

“And rest. Fletcher what are we learning here?”

“I believe we are strengthening the foot and ankle for walking on our toes rather than balls of the foot and our heels Madame.”

“Excellent. I may make you a dancer yet. Normally a person walks heel first. We are getting you to think about walking toe first.”

“Now assume the position with your legs again. This time angle your toes out to the side keeping the legs and the knees straight. Fletcher. This is called the first position. Remember it.

Your feet should be turned out from your body, and held together at the heels. Your legs should be straight and kept together, your back should be straight and your head held high. Maintain excellent posture and balance. Now hands on the Barre and raise the heels again. Then come down all the way. Now raise the heels again.”

Madame Jenson walked behind Lisa. “Yes. Raise the heels higher Fletcher. No. Not so much that you are on the little toe. Yes that’s right.” Lisa felt a hand correcting the feet. “Keep the back straight. The line through the ankle is straight and the shoulders are positioned over the hips.  Good.”

Madame Jenson walked down the line making the odd comment until she was happy with everyones stance. “Hold the position for a count of ten. Keep the hands above the Barre again but do not touch it. Lower the feet slowly. Stop and hold for a count of ten. Your heel will be an inch or two above the floor. Now raise the heels up again. Continue. Down.  Stop. Down. Stop. Up. Hold.”

“Stop. Now rest and shake the legs out.”

This went on one more time covering both exercises.

“Now for the Plié and Tendu exercises.”

“The Plie. Turn to the side and assume the first position. Put your feet together. Ballet comes from an Italian word Baleto, to dance. The steps you learn have French names because they were given these terms by the French royal court. Now place the right hand on the Barre. No firm grips. Just place it there. Left arm slightly bent. Look straight ahead. Now raise the left arm up to shoulder height in its second position. Now half bend and stretch in a demi Plie. Fletcher. These are the basic ballet squats. Position the knees out over the feet. The knee is in line with the knots of your shoes. Stretch up and then bend again and then lower the arm to Bras Bas. Now second foot position open the feet a few inches toes pointing out. Stretch and raise. Stretch and rise. Now lower the dip but keep the heels on the floor. Good”

The girls continued their stretching exercises as Madame Jenson called out the positions.

“Right foot toes out left foot out into a pointe to the left side positioning the arm out in front then to the side bringing the left leg toes pointing out into the third position behind the right foot with the toes pointing out left. Now bend. Now once again but position the left foot in front of the right foot and bend.  Now bring the left leg out and bring to the first position. About turn and do this with the right leg in emphasis. Be graceful with the arms.”

Madame Jenson turned on some soft piano music on the small i-pad she carried into the room.

“Grace and poise, ladies. Backs are to be kept straight.”

After a couple of exercises on both the right and left side Madame Jenson showed the girls the Tendu. Lisa was slowly picking up the steps. It was all about elegantly moving the legs and the arms gently to the music.

“Battement Glisse, the gliding beat. We will do this to a slow Tango to help you place the feet more thoroughly.”  Pressing the Ipad the music became a little faster.

Madame Jenson called out the positions with Lisa trying her best to follow and keep up.

This was followed by Assemble Soutenus and the Rond de Jambe á Terre; the circle of the leg.

When Madame Jenson was satisfied they had completed the exercises correctly she asked the girls to move into a space on the floor for the Pirouette and turn breaking it down into simple steps for the novices to learn.

It was going back to the Barre when Lisa whispered to Madeleine that the dance class was going better than she expected. Madeleine turned quickly with a horrified look on her face, shaking her head in a warning to Lisa.

“Someone is talking in my class. Come here who ever it was.”

Shocked Lisa’s jaw dropped. She wasn’t expecting that reaction. She stood in the middle of the floor as the other girls walked and stood at the Barre.

“Fletcher. You have a question?”

“No. Madame.”

“Yet you feel the need to waggle your jaws in my class. Can you do En Pointe?”

“No. Madame.”

“That’s because I haven’t taught you and you are not ready for it. So why on earth are you talking when you need to listen to me and dance the way I teach you?”

“I . . . I am sorry Madame.” Lisa stuttered, her cheeks burning bright red in embarrassment.

“Take your shoes off. Now!”

“What?”

“Your diction also needs work. The term when you mis-hear something is PARDON not what! If you aren’t going to obey me I will cane you and then you will take your shoes off. What is it to be?”

Lisa knelt and unlaced the ribbon ties on her canvas ballet shoes. She held them up to Madame Jenson.

“Take one, roll it up and put it in your mouth. You will not remove it until the end of this session.”

“Excuse me!”

“ARE YOU DEAF? NO! YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID, SO DO IT!” She shouted in Lisa’s face. Lisa felt the “hair dryer” breath of Madame Jenson over her face as she flinched back.

Lisa looked at the shoe. She knew she was in trouble so she took the Bunhead out and rolled the shoe and squeezed it into her mouth. The shoe tasted disgusting and her mouth felt so full she felt she had hamster cheeks.

“Zola. Is your friend here Intelligent?”

“Oui, Madame. She is very intelligent.”

“So she knows what no talking means in my class.”

 “Oui, Madame.” Madeleine sighed in realisation of what was to come. She had experienced what was to happen once, and had seen it happen to others several times too.

“Take her and get some Ballet Boots and put them on her. Then have her walk back here to me. If she can’t you know what to do! Okay ladies the rest of you will continue your leg stretching.”

Madeleine took Lisa’s arm and led the barefoot girl to one of the benches in the changing room and pushed her down onto the bench. She took a pair of ankle boots from a selection high up on one of the shelves and brought it over. Madeleine knelt down and pushed the Bunhead into the toe of the boot before she started to place the boot on Lisa’s feet.

Lisa picked the other one to investigate the heel. The boot was like nothing she had seen before in her life. The heel was at least eight inches high which pushed the arch of the foot almost vertical making the toes bear the weight of the foot. As Madeleine pushed the boot onto Lisa’s foot she felt the boot tighten about her foot. It was a very snug fitting but not uncomfortable.

“Listen to me Cher. Keep your mouth shut.” Madeleine hissed. “When you stand up keep your legs close together until you gain your balance. I will let you go, and then and you must walk out on these boots and stop in front of the Bitch. Keep your head upright and it is easier if you keep walking and that you walk on the heels with as little time and pressure on the toes as you can. Okay?”

Lisa nodded. She tried to stand when the second boot was laced up. The angle of her foot arch being almost vertical made her sit back down on the bench with a little thump. She never thought that standing up could be so hard. 

“S'il vous plaît, lever.”  Madeleine whispered and held out her hands to help pull Lisa to her feet. Lisa gripped both of Madeleine’s forearms and they both pulled until she was upright. Instantly she felt how utterly uncomfortable the boot was. Well that wasn’t exactly right. The boot was comfortable if unusual while sitting. Standing upright made her ankles wobble violently as the high heels were the highest heel she had ever stood in. Instantly she brought her ankles together which seemed to stabilize her and the wobbles became less severe. Her entire posture was forcing her to fall forward and she had to straighten her back and lean back to compensate.

Christ how do I walk in these, I can hardly stand. She thought to herself. She looked up and saw Madame Jenson had seen her and now deliberately walked further down to the end of the hall away from them.

Madeleine walked a pace in front and to the side of Lisa ready to catch her if she toppled and fell. This did not bode well for her if Madeleine was preparing to catch her. Stop thinking and just do it. I’ll fall. That Bitch expects me to fall and break my ankle or my neck. More thoughts flashed through her brain. A bed and her leg in traction. She shook her head to rid herself of them. There was nothing she could do now but try to walk the hall. She had walked on her toes as a five year old. Her tutor then was kind old dear, and encouraged her. She had held all the girls, holding their hands, raised above their heads walking back as she walked forward. There was no help for her now.

Madeleine, she guessed, was not allowed to help or she would end up in as much trouble. It was still a comfort she stood at her side though. She followed Madeleine’s advice and stepped forward walking on the heels putting the toe down and stepping off on the other foot. Instantly pain shot through her toes. All her body weight was first pressing down on her toes of one foot, and then the other. It was almost unbearable. The adrenaline flowed and she could feel her heart thumping in her chest. Her breathing was shallow. It was only partly from the canvas shoe in her mouth.

She made six steps when she looked down. That was a mistake. Her legs began to wobble. She bit down on the shoe gag and a muffled cry escaped her throat. Her hands shot out as she stared to fall. Madeleine’s arms enveloped her. It was then she managed to stabilize herself. Standing upright her head held high. She made another seven steps but the pain in her toes was intense. Tears started to flow from the corner of her eyes. Again, she bit down hard on the shoe gag and her hand had to take Madeleine’s shoulder. Letting go she made another five steps before pressing her hand on the French girls shoulder. The secret was in small steps and to use the heels. Madeleine’s advice was invaluable. She made another ten steps before she had to hold on again. She was determined to walk the length of the hall or fall on her face trying. Another fifteen wobbly steps closed the distance.

Madame Jenson walked over and closed the distance for her.

“Very impressive. Stand up straight. Head upright. Ankles together,” Lisa did as she was instructed. She stood hands at her side, next to Madeleine who was keeping alert ready to grab her if she stumbled again.

“Hurts like a Bitch doesn’t it,” Lisa nodded. “You won’t give yourself the satisfaction of falling without giving it your all?” Lisa shook her head. “Next time you will not speak. You will follow my instructions. You speak to your friends in your break time, not in my lessons. Now we will do some more leg strengthening exercises.”

Madame Jenson ordered them back to the Barre.

The girls were to hook the right foot over the Barre and the left foot in the first position to lean forward with both wrists until the hands reached the right ankle and to hold for ten seconds.

Lisa tottered over to the far right end of the Barre. She was ready to assume the position when she saw Madeleine return with a handful of luggage straps. As Lisa put her right foot up on the Barre, Madeleine was there strapping first the foot of the boot directly in line with the Barre. The Barre was a stretch to Lisa even with the extra height of the boots. It was when Madeleine moved down and looped a luggage strap around her ankle she became frightened. Madeleine pulled Lisa’s arms down to her right ankle where she tightened the strap. Lisa was bent full stretch on the Barre. Madeleine finished the ankle bonds by cinching the excess strap pulling Lisa’s wrists further down on the boot and stretching her by another inch. Lisa grunted her displeasure as Madeleine moved down Lisa’s stretched leg adding a strap at her calf. This pressed her leg down onto the Barre.  This was also tightened until Lisa could see the strap buried in her flesh. Then another strap was added on her thigh. With the straps tightly pressing on her, Lisa could only wriggle a little. The boot keeping her foot straight and with her leg stretched, she could already feel the burning muscles in her leg protesting the position they were in.

To Lisa this hurt as much as the weight pressing down on her toes of her left boot. She was surprised when Madeleine passed a strap over her back around the ballet Barre and under and around her. Madeleine’s hand pressed down on Lisa’s back pushing her stomach onto her right thigh and she buckled the strap tight. Lisa gasped through the ballet shoe gag. This was brutal bondage. Nothing like the scarf bondage she endured from Madeleine the previous night. She had to bite down on the Ballet shoe gag at the pain shooting down her muscle burning thighs and her left toes. It was a surprise to her as Madeleine knelt down and strapped her upper thigh to the Barre floor upright.

Madame Jenson walked up to the strapped girl.

“Not only will I cane you next time you talk in my lessons. This will happen to you too.” She waved her hand at her as an example of her predicament. “Be warned girl. This school prides itself on discipline. I see Miss Zola has strapped you up nice and snug. This is because I would put her alongside you after I had caned her for not following my instructions.”

She turned to Madeleine nodding. “Now back to your exercises. You will undo and re-strap her other leg in forty minutes and she will remain like this until the end of the lesson.”

“Oui Madame.”

Madeleine looked over to Lisa. She was not happy to have to strap her friend like she had. It showed on her face as Lisa looked up at her as best she could. Forty minutes of torture. It was slowly beginning to dawn on her that the school really was brutal. If all punishments were as sadistic as this, it would be more likely she would end up some fetish mistress trying to get her own back on adults rather than be leaders of science and industry and politics that Jane Adams the headmistress had envisioned for her pupils.

As Lisa’s body was strapped facing toward her foot, she could only turn her head and look at the other girls as they did there exercises. When they moved to the floor she could watch them by their reflection in the mirror. It was all she could do to distract herself from the agony in her muscles which burned from being tied in the position they were.

Lisa’s jaw ached from the ballet shoe holding her mouth open. She could only relieve the ache in her jaw by trying to bite down on the shoe. If they had her tied up in a school lesson, then they would probably be more severe with her if she spat the shoe onto the floor in protest. It was something she didn’t want to chance.

The thigh strap on her left leg held her to the upright from the floor. It had stabilised her a little. She could still move her ankle but this wobbled so it was best to keep still. The boot was designed to strap her foot into a bent en pointe position. Even with the boot strapped tight she knew gravity, and the leather which was stretchable, would allow her foot to slide down the strict boot. The weight was killing her toes. Her big toe felt like it was compressed and would snap off. The time had passed so slowly, that it was a relief when Madeleine returned to unstrap her.

Madeleine gave her a sorry looking smile as it by way of an apology. When the last strap was undone Lisa could do nothing but slip to the floor in agony at the pain in her right thigh and calf muscles and her left toes. She tried kneading her fingers into them to try to get relief. Madeleine bent and tried to help but the look over Lisa’s shoulder meant that Madame Jenson was looking at them both. Lisa grabbed the Barre as best she could and quickly pulled herself up so as not to get the French girl into any trouble.

Madeleine scrambled with the straps and had tied Lisa’s upper right thigh to the upright. She had also looped the left ankle and was strapping Lisa’s wrists to her left ankle on the Barre, when Madame Jenson came over to inspect the situation.

Madeleine had to strap the ankle tight. As she moved down Lisa’s left leg she tightened all the straps to what she thought would make Madame Jenson approve and leave. She was as surprised as Lisa when Madame Jenson picked up the last strap and positioned it around the Barre and Lisa’s torso. She yanked the strap tight.

Pressing hard into Lisa’s back, the strap was tightened another inch or so. It was when Lisa gasped for breath and exhaled Madame Jenson tightened the strap harder still.    

“There that’s so much better.” She ran her hand softly over Lisa’s back. “Your back is now quite straight. Not so easy this ballerina lark, is it?”

Lisa could only grunt and shake her head from side to side.

It was Madame Jenson’s soft caress over her ankle running up her calf to her upper thigh when Lisa shivered. The touch sent a shiver of excitement up her spine. It didn’t matter that she thought it inappropriate for a teacher to touch the pupil. If truth be told the touch was a nice distraction from all the aches and pains in her body, and it wasn’t even a sexual touch.  

“A true ballerina will dance through the pain. At least you will be supple after this class. I think a few more hours strapped up like this will strengthen you ankles to walk en pointe. What do you think?”

As Madame Jenson walked off Lisa began to struggle to escape. She couldn’t spend hours like this. Her body was already protesting under the tighter straps. Try as she might there was no way she could wriggle her wrists from the straps. The strap on her wrist was an inch up behind the wrist joint. She couldn’t bend her fingers enough to reach the clasp to undo the strap. If she could she would escape and say “bugger the consequences”.

Grunting in her position she felt so vulnerable. So helpless. She could feel tears welling in her eyes. Concentrating on the pain and hating her helplessness was all she could do to stop herself from crying. She couldn’t give the class or the teacher the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She dug the nails of her fingers into her palms as the pain in her left thigh and calf and her right toe intensified.

The girls had gone out onto the floor and back to the Barre several times. Lisa had slumped over the Barre uncaring. Every move she made hurt. The ballet boots stretched the calf and she had pains in the backs of both calves, her thighs burned strapped to the Barre. It was a relief to the other leg when she had been swapped around, but her inner thigh muscles near her crotch were progressively in pain now.

Madeleine had to tap her on the arms a couple of times. She was worried at the lack of Lisa’s response. It was only when she slapped her forearm harder did Lisa raise her head to look at who it was.

Madeleine unstrapped Lisa’s wrist and ankle strap and started to unlace the ballet boot. She gently slipped it off her foot and Lisa wriggled her toes in relief. Next she unbuckled the strap at her waist so she could raise her chest off her thigh. Then she moved quickly along the leg releasing her calf and thigh. As she put her hand on Lisa’s back she stood obscuring her from Madame Jenson’s view.

“Stand and be strong, Cher.” She whispered. Then she unstrapped Lisa’s thigh from the upright. With Lisa’s left leg on the floor. It was a relief to gingerly sit and remove the other ballet boot. Lisa lay on her back on the floor. Opening her legs as wide as she could, she slowly raising her arms and body off the floor pressing the weight of her body forward to stretch her hands as far as she could to the front of the floor in front of her, until her back cracked in relief. Then she stood and using the Barre, she did a couple of knee bends to get the circulation going in her legs before she attempted to walk back to the changing area carrying the ballet boots and the bunheads.

Her legs felt so light without the boots. Her leg muscles still screamed in pain but cooperated with her as she timidly walked off the Ballet floor. She stopped suddenly and made a small effort to clap and then said “Thank you” as she removed the drool soaked ballet shoe from her mouth before stepping into the changing room.

“So you did listen to some of what I said.”

Lisa turned and stared at Madame Jenson. She wanted to call her a Bitch and several other un-lady like expletives. However she erred on the side of caution.

“Yes Madame. I apologise it won’t happen again.”

“I don’t think it will either. I will assume you will practice some of the moves you have been shown.”

“Yes Madame. I will try.”

The girls all took turns with the small number of showers. Good dancers always went first so Lisa had to showering in tepid water. The Ballet lesson was the only lesson on the Saturday curriculum, so she was thankful for small mercies.

As soon as they stepped out the door everyone seemed to be relieved the school week had finished. They now had a day and a half of freedom ahead, even if she was confined to the school grounds. The girls now joined into small groups and chatted with each other, albeit quietly, as if a weight of oppression had been lifted.

“I warned you Cher. I am sorry I had to do that.” Madeleine had caught up to her with a glum look on her face.

Lisa looked around for a small quiet place, leading Madeleine with her. She went out into the far edge of the school playing field and slumped down in agony. Tears formed and ran down her face as she eased her shoes off and bent her legs gingerly to rub at her toes. “My legs hurt so much.” She sniffed.

Madeleine sat next to her, folding her skirt underneath her, and took hold of Lisa’s legs. She slowly massaged her calves. Her fingers pressed into the muscles in a deep massage.

“I remember when she did that to me. I only understood the actions because they were in French, as you may have noticed. Not knowing English, I didn’t say thank you or clap at the end of class. It was because I did not know the correct etiquette, she caned me and gave me detention with me wearing those horrid boots and strapped to the Barre for an hour.”

Lisa wiped the tears from her face on her sleeve and stood. The ache in her legs and crotch eased a little but her toes were still on fire. As Madeleine stood she noticed Lisa walking with a limp.

“Come Cher. I will bring some cream to your room and rub it in for you. It will make you feel better.”

“I think leaving here will be the only think to make me feel better. Next week will be worse wont it?”

“Oui. C‘est possible.”

 

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14.11.15