Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Plié with Fire (Dancing Dream #3.5)
    Plié with Fire (Dancing Dream #3.5)
    Plié with Fire (Dancing Dream #3.5)
    Ebook60 pages1 hour

    Plié with Fire (Dancing Dream #3.5)

    By Leslie DuBois

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    When Tiki Velasquez has to decide between jail and ballet school, the decision seems obvious. But after living on the streets in order avoid the dance world, sashaying right back into it may be too painful for her to bear. With a quick wit and a hard exterior, most people believe that messing with Tiki is just playing with fire. No one can really see that she’s only trying not to get burned.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLeslie DuBois
    Release dateSep 14, 2014
    ISBN9781310803680
    Plié with Fire (Dancing Dream #3.5)
    Author

    Leslie DuBois

    Leslie DuBois lives in Charleston, SC with her husband and two daughters. She also writes as Sybil Nelson.

    Read more from Leslie Du Bois

    Related to Plié with Fire (Dancing Dream #3.5)

    Related ebooks

    African American Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Fighting Time When You’re Doing Time

      Jan 10, 2020

      “Time has made it abundantly clear that my ability to exercise patience—or not to—doesn’t sway it in the least.”

      6 min read

    • Article

      Just a Kiss

      Jun 4, 2020

      Just a Kiss
      6 min read

    • Article

      My Cellie Was the Father I Never Had

      Jun 13, 2019

      Editor’s note: This week, we’re running a special Life Inside series about fathers and incarceration. Read the previous essays about next-cell neighbors, dancing in the prison gym and a surprise meeting. I was born in 1964 on the South Side of Chicag

      5 min read

    • Article

      Shame Is Ever-Present When You’re Sitting in a Cell

      Oct 23, 2020

      Between a strained relationship with my family and the death of a good friend, I’ve struggled to feel like I’m worth something.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Tomorrows

      Mar 15, 2022

      The night, as most nights, was like a dream. At ten, once I’d fed the dog the last scraps off the stove. Once I’d cursed the cat for scratching up my mama’s antique furniture, then welcomed him back into my arms. Once I’d slicked my hair into a ponyt

      26 min read

    • Article

      Makes What Me, Me?

      Apr 14, 2022

      Makes What Me, Me?
      9 min read

    • Article

      Plundering The Past

      Mar 9, 2022

      I used to hate it when contemporaries would say: ‘At our age…’ This observation always preceded some gloomy admission – that they could no longer dance the night away, get a good night’s sleep, enjoy sex, get a man to look at them twice or perform a

      3 min read

    • Article

      Makes What Me, Me?

      Apr 14, 2022

      Makes What Me, Me?
      9 min read

    • Article

      Leaning Into The Pain

      Nov 2, 2020

      Leaning Into The Pain
      13 min read

    • Article

      A Few Words to the Graduates

      Jun 11, 2018

      A Few Words to the Graduates
      7 min read

    • Article

      What Makes Me, Me?

      Apr 14, 2022

      What Makes Me, Me?
      9 min read

    • Article

      The Hammer Interview Steve-o

      Jul 20, 2023

      Before finding fame with MTV’s OTT stunt show Jackass, Steve-O had already had some wild experiences. He’d lived in five countries, been arrested multiple times, and worked as a clown on a cruise ship. Then, as Jackass evolved from TV hit to worldwid

      7 min read

    • Article

      Uncontrollable, Irrelevant

      Dec 6, 2022

      My sister called me the other day. She wanted to let me know that I had once more been merciless and cruel in my relations with our parents. “They say there’s a lot of anger in you,” she said. “It makes them mad. It hurts their feelings. They think y

      14 min read

    • Article

      Getting Out of Prison Meant Leaving Dear Friends Behind

      Jun 1, 2018

      I have spent countless nights like this, lying awake, anticipating life, trying to escape imprisonment through my mind’s eye. I imagine the things I will do once I’m free. Flashes of me laughing with family and friends at a cookout or enjoying the co

      5 min read

    • Article

      Just Say Yes

      Jan 1, 2022

      Just Say Yes
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Space Between Us

      Oct 9, 2019

      The Space Between Us
      8 min read

    • Article

      Finding Peace—and Briefly, Freedom—at My Grandfather’s Funeral

      Oct 11, 2019

      “Saying goodbye with the people who loved him—and me—I remember that I am not the tomb that imprisons me.”

      6 min read

    • Article

      Alan Cumming

      Nov 1, 2021

      Alan Cumming
      5 min read

    • Article

      Josh Gao

      Aug 4, 2019

      Josh Gao
      3 min read

    • Article

      Girls On The Playground

      Feb 18, 2021

      Girls On The Playground
      15 min read

    • Article

      SHORT STORY by MARGARET ATWOOD

      Mar 22, 2023

      SHORT STORY by MARGARET ATWOOD
      7 min read

    • Article

      It Takes Blood And Guts

      Nov 21, 2020

      I’m sitting on Skin’s terrace in Ibiza, soaking up the late summer sunshine via the magic of the internet. It’s the closest I’ve come to travel since the start of the panny danny and looking out my window at the dark Edinburgh sky, I’ll take all the

      6 min read

    • Article

      Not Like Other Boys

      Mar 18, 2021

      Not Like Other Boys
      2 min read

    • Article

      SHORT STORY by MARGARET ATWOOD

      Mar 22, 2023

      SHORT STORY by MARGARET ATWOOD
      7 min read

    • Article

      Kathy Lette

      Sep 29, 2022

      Kathy Lette
      2 min read

    • Article

      Time’s Up for Me, Too

      Feb 22, 2018

      Time’s Up for Me, Too
      7 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Plié with Fire (Dancing Dream #3.5)

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Plié with Fire (Dancing Dream #3.5) - Leslie DuBois

      Plié

      with

      Fire

      by

      Leslie DuBois

      ***

      Smashwords Edition

      ***

      Copyright © 2013 Leslie DuBois

      All rights reserved.

      PUBLISHED BY:

      Leslie DuBois on Smashwords

      All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

      Visit www.LittlePrincePublishing.com

      ***

      Chapter 1

      Clear as a Crack Pipe

      Tequila Velasquez, you are charged with possession of an illegal substance with intent to sell. How do you plead? The judge didn’t even look at me as he spoke. I hated when people didn’t look me in the eye. It was like I wasn’t important enough for even a modicum of respect. What I hated even more was his dorky little bow tie which made him look like Orville Redenbacher. Who in the world wears a bow tie in this day and age?

      My nervous public defender who probably graduated college about three hours ago nudged me in the side when I didn’t respond.

      I ain’t sayin’ nothin’ till he looks at me, I said, crossing my arms.

      Clark or Carl or Carter or whatever white boy name he had looked like he was going to wet himself.

      Is there a problem? Judge Bow-Tie asked looking up finally. ‘bout time.

      Nope. No, prob. I’m innocent, aight?

      Not guilty, your honor, Clark/Carl/Carter said quickly.

      Judge Bow-Tie raised his gavel. Fine. Bail is set at $10,000 cash or bond.

      Oh, well, that’s fair, I sort of mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear.

      Excuse me, young lady? the judge said with gavel suspended in mid air.

      Nothing. She didn’t say anything at all, Clark/Carl/Carter said.

      Oh, yes I did say something. I sarcastically stated that the bail you set was fair thereby indicating the gross inequality prevalent in the judicial system of this country.

      And what inequalities might those be? The judge set down his gavel and waited for me to elaborate.

      Well, let’s look at the fact that I was allegedly, and notice the emphasis on the word allegedly, caught with about 5 grams of crack that didn’t belong to me. With just that inconsequential amount, I can potentially be sent away for 5 years. Five years! Yet if I had been carrying cocaine, I would need to be caught with 500 grams in order to get the same sentence. Now let’s see, what group of people is more commonly associated with crack and what group of people is more commonly associated with cocaine. I think the answer is obvious. Furthermore, a bail of $10,000 for a sixteen year old kid who was found sleeping in a car? Don’t you think that’s a little bit excessive? I’m hardly a flight risk. The car doesn’t even run.

      Silence. There was complete silence in the courtroom. I don’t know whether people were more shocked that I had the audacity to talk back to a judge or whether they just couldn’t believe that a half black half Hispanic kid could talk back quite so eloquently. I decided to go back to the slang they were more accustomed to.

      This is whack!

      Your Honor, my client is deeply sorry for her rude behavior.

      The hell I am.

      The judge shook his head and said, Bail is $10,000 cash or bond, before slamming down his gavel.

      I’d like to pay that bail, your honor, a voice said from the audience. I turned around and almost couldn’t believe my eyes.

      And who are you? the judge asked.

      My name is Sonya Maddox.

      Judge Bow-Tie paused for a second and then said. Sonya Maddox? How do I know that name?

      I’m her ballet instructor, Ms. Sonya added quickly.

      Ballet?

      Yes, ballet, she said. "I guarantee you that

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1