Chapter 1
Being late at the score announcements was something more than common for Catalina. She is not a morning person, yet she still feels concerned about this. Her alarm did not help at all. Or it helped and she snoozed.
Today is an important day. Finally, she will know the results of the diploma project from her choreography school. She has been one of the best dancers in the university and, for the best, would find work on national TV or, even better, maybe abroad.
Even if she was the most talented girl, she would often sneak out of the dormitory to go partying and dancing in town clubs or street dancing. She was criticized mostly by one of her teachers, Alfonso, for wasting her talent and associating with “unworthy people for the school requirements' '. As a student's duty was to be focused on the school curriculum and be disciplined, not mess around in the city with other people than her dormitory friends and school teachers to hang around. The South City in Spain was full of people of different nationalities; Arabs, russian, Latinamericans and other eu-citizens, so for Catalina this was never a problem. Therefore, she made it easy to get involved with them and, as an easy-going person, she always saw them as friends, people that needed to be known and not some propaganda that was sold by stereotypes.
Living in the South City has its own perks and being accepted into Art University was one of those. Many respected and knew her family due to her dad's achievements in the military, but her talent made Catalina distinguish from others and gain her place in school and in most of her teachers' hearts, except professor Alfonso, who judged her for always taking the initiative to be more of a solo learner than following the school guide. Dancing was a passion that Catalina had and all her family knew it. They even encouraged her to go to Art University. She wanted not only to continue her grandmother’s legacy, but also to learn all the dancing disciplines. While walking to the school hall she thought to herself:
“Oh God, grandma would be so proud of me. I just have to go there and take my paper, so I can apply for a job. Can't wait for it, money, money....The famous choreographer Catalina Casal Forte… I can hear the applause right now.”
-”Earth to Catalina!” -the voice startled her.
-”Isabel! Hola! I didn’t see you. How are you doing?”
-“Well, of course. I was greeting you, but you seemed so lost in the train of your own thoughts. Still nervous about the results? I just read my name and had a high score. And your name was under mine. I made it to the top three and you to the top five.”
-”Wow really? I’m impressed. It would have been a real struggle for professor Alfonso to hear that.”- she said smirking.
-”Oh Catalina, you always try to see it in a positive way.”- Isabell said, smiling.
-”Hey, I’m more than OK. I graduated, and he kept his word to not put me in the top 3 of his magnificent students.”- said Catalina, hyperbolizing with her hands and body, imitating the professor's attitude, making Isabel laugh.
After they passed through the hall, all the students were happy because now many opportunities would be on their way to employment. They could perform in Spain or overseas. They would become a VIP and a world of fame and opportunity would lie ahead now.
Coming out of the secretary's office with their degrees, the girls saw professor Alfonso talking to the principal, so Isabela went to greet him. He was the well-known professor to guide the students to find a job directly after graduation, but Catalina decided against it and wanted to leave at once. After all, he had many close contacts with theaters and other media.
Going home, she saw that her aunt Anna was discussing with Catalina’s mother about the divorce procedures with her husband and how she gained custody of her son. Being sad for her aunt, she could not stop thinking about how her husband was the one who sold the information about her father's moves to foreign military operations that caused his death 3 years ago. When it was discovered, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. But there was no point in dwelling on this memory of hers.
She entered directly by greeting them and kissing both her and aunt on the cheek. -”Hola tia! This is a gift for the best aunt in the world”- she said, and extended the gift. It was a carved wood painting of a man playing the guitar, and she knew her aunt loved handmade crafts. She bought it on the way home from a street venditor, and it made her think of her favorite and only aunt.
Her aunt took it with enthusiasm and then she said:
-”Catalina, Thank you my dear. Now, you know I love you the most as my brother’s daughter and I will always help you. I also have a surprise for you and was talking with your mother as well."
-"Really? What is it?"
-I heard of some opening job applications abroad for artists and that’s why I brought a form for you to fill in for job applications. There are some countries in North Africa that are looking for interns for some youth-paid projects. Have a look at it later.”
She took the papers and saw that those programs had the basis of youth integration and EU applied laws for internship guides.
-”Aunty, I studied choreography to dance and not to do politics, otherwise I would have joined the military. Looks like I have to work as an undercover agent.” - Catalina said, joking.
-”We never pressure you on anything, young lady. Dad wanted you to do what you always love.”- Catalina’s mother said while preparing the table, while warm memories flashed in her mind.
-”Well, your mother has a point, so it was you who made the choice. You were trained from a young age in combat and guns. Your father would love to have seen that, but he never went against your desires and wanted you to live life to the fullest.”
Sighting Catalina said: -” I know aunt, I know. That’s why my sister and I loved him so much. But hey, those who can fight can dance!” - she added sarcastically. All the three women laughed together and then headed to the kitchen.
-“ OK, now let's go and eat. Nana is waiting for us.”- Catalina's mother said then.