Dance Into Destiny Read Free Page A

full-length mirror and turned from side to side, trying to find the extra pounds Mark mentioned. She studied her twenty-five year-old, well-toned body, but didn’t see any difference.
    She pulled her favorite pair of jeans out of the closet. They were a size four and usually fit her perfectly. She pulled up the zipper. They fit the same way they always did. Mark probably noticed something she didn’t. Gotta start going to the gym.
    Keeva sat on the edge of the bed and opened her nightstand drawer to pull out a bottle of Ambien tablets. She didn’t like having to depend on pills, but she had to get a good night’s sleep. If she did her usual tossing and turning for hours, she’d never be able to study tomorrow.
    She slipped between her satin sheets and started her deep breathing and meditation techniques, hoping for sleep to come. The pill would soon chase away images of her flunking out of school and losing everything she held dear.

Chapter Two
    W hy in the world did I agree to do this interview?
    Shara Anderson stared at the television camera as if it were her archenemy. She had worked hard to get her hair slicked back into a ponytail that morning. All day, she’d made a special effort not to run her fingers through it like she usually did when she was nervous or upset. Otherwise, it’d be sticking up in some places with deep furrows in others. The only make-up she’d been able to find that morning was cracked and discolored. No telling how long it had been in her bathroom drawer. She’d ended up barefaced as usual.
    â€œDo you really need to interview me? Isn’t this supposed to be about the kids?” Shara almost pleaded with Cheryl Hanes, the Fox 5 News community focus reporter. She looked down at her jeans and sweatshirt, wondering if she should have dressed up.
    â€œIt is about the kids, but we need someone to tell the story.” Cheryl looked down at her clipboard and back up at Shara. “Here’s how it goes. I’ll ask some questions and you answer as clearly and succinctly as possible. Make sure you talk in complete sentences as if the viewers haven’t heard my question. If you don’t like what you say or mess up, we can go back and fix it. Just act natural and talk normal, like we’re friends.”
    A sympathetic smile peeked through Cheryl’s professional demeanor. “Don’t be nervous, you’ll do fine. Pretend the camera’s not even there.”
    Cheryl held the microphone toward her. “So tell us about your program.”
    Shara cleared her throat. “‘Run For Your Life’ is a track program we started here at Kingdom Builder’s Christian Church to reach out to the kids in the surrounding community. Teens from the neighborhood come here after school three days a week to run track or work out in the gym, and on alternating days we have a tutoring program. They have to make passing grades to stay in the program.”
    Shara knew she sounded robotic and staged, but how was she supposed to relax and act natural with that camera in her face? Cheryl coached her a bit and made her answer again. It came out better the second time and they moved on to the next question.
    â€œWhen did you start the program?”
    Shara paused to think about her answer so she wouldn’t have to do it over. “I started the program as a class project almost a year ago. I’m in the Master’s program for Education at Georgia State. Things went so well, we just continued it. It’s turned out better than I expected. Across the board, the kids’ grades are better. They get in fewer fights in school and in the neighborhood. Most importantly, their confidence and self-esteem have improved as well as their overall outlook on life.” Shara started to feel more comfortable talking about her kids.
    She pointed toward the track. “Davon there was having difficulty passing most of his classes and now he’s