Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 75983 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75983 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“It is rather tedious.” He hummed a jaunty polka, taking a few plodding steps with his pool stick as a partner.
“Precisely.” I gave him the laugh he was so clearly going for. “You’re only in town a few more weeks. Why not put the time to better use?”
“Why not indeed.” He fetched another pool stick and handed it over like a formal peace offering. “It’s not an orc deck, but perhaps you’d fancy a round?”
“I would.” I nodded, matching his more somber tone before brightening. “And speaking of your bloodthirsty ways, there’s no play group tomorrow night because of the holiday, but I’ve tweaked the shark deck with some new cards that arrived.”
“I suppose we could make a game of it.” Alexander was back to his usual guarded enthusiasm, which I happily welcomed.
“Good.” I grinned, deliberately widening my eyes so he’d see I was truly pleased.
It wouldn’t do for him to see any lingering sadness on my part. I’d won back his friendship. My wounded heart could wait.
Thirteen
Adagio: a slow solo (either alone or as the beginning of a pas de deux) designed to showcase the dancer’s extension, grace, and strength.
Alexander
“Oops.” Victoria stumbled into me rather than performing a graceful spin as choreographed. Her face fell as Tavio stopped the music. “Sorry.”
“Victoria. Where is your head?” Tavio’s scolding was no harsher than most directors I’d worked with. His tone was more gently prodding than genuinely irritated. “And don’t say here in this studio. You’ve been a million miles away all rehearsal.”
“Sorry. I guess I’ve got too much on my mind.” Shoulders slumping, Victoria stepped away to take a sip of her water bottle. “Auditions for summer intensives are coming up, and while I’ve got something of a promise from one program, I still have to prepare other auditions just in case. Meanwhile, I’ve got midterms coming up, papers due before break, and a best friend who’s acting all kinds of weird.”
“That’s a lot.” I made my tone sympathetic to show I wasn’t harboring hard feelings about her being distracted. It was the day after Thanksgiving. She was allowed an off evening. Better tonight than closer to the performance.
“How did you do it when you were my age?” Victoria sized me up with a shrewd gaze, making me feel eons older. Somewhere in my brain, Rudy’s Thanksgiving lecture echoed, reminding me that growing older was a privilege and not all bad. Accordingly, I managed a small smile as Victoria continued, “Tell me there’s some trick to compartmentalizing.”
“I’m not sure,” I admitted as I used the impromptu break to fetch my own water bottle and check the state of my T-shirt, which I’d switched right before we’d started rehearsal. I wished I had some secret to share other than the fact that I’d had no life beyond ballet for over two decades. “I’ve always been a bit…hyperfocused.”
“That’s putting it mildly.” Tavio gave a fond chuckle. “A parade could come through the studio, and Alexander would block it out.”
“I guess it comes down to priorities.” I pursed my lips, unsure whether Tavio was complimenting or teasing me. “Dance has always been my all-consuming passion. I can’t imagine making anything else my life. From middle school on, making it as a professional dancer was my only priority.”
“I get that.” Victoria sighed, briefly shutting her eyes. “My mom says I can’t waste the opportunity in front of me.”
“She’s not wrong.” My tone was pragmatic, born of years of my own experience and watching countless others. One only got so many opportunities. Tavio, however, shot me a warning look as if I’d said something insensitive.
“But you are also still a human teenager.” Tavio adopted the same soothing voice he used with Kitty’s many crises. He undoubtedly was far more fluent in speaking teen-girl than I was. “Distraction happens as I well know. Unlike Alexander’s single-mindedness, I had to learn to leave all my other various passions at the studio door.”
“That’s good advice.” She offered him the smile I’d hoped to earn. “I’ll try harder.”
“Just do your best. And point your toes,” Tavio advised sagely before tilting his head. “Do you need me to talk to Kitty?”
“Oh God, no.” Victoria’s eyes went horrified. “She’d never forgive me. I’m not sure what’s up with her. Probably just the performance deadline getting to her and the rest of the costume committee too.”
“Perhaps.” Tavio shrugged. “We are all wound a bit tight, Kitty included. Shall we take it again from the top?”
We resumed rehearsal, and I tried not to let any distraction of my own enter. I’d agreed to play Odyssey with Rudy after rehearsal, but I refused to let myself dwell on the little jolts of anticipation that kept sneaking in until we were actually finished with work for the night. Tavio and Victoria packed up in short order, and Victoria’s waiting mother, who had been watching us through the hallway window, collected her right before Rudy came bustling in. A sharp-edged draft from the hall followed him into the studio, and I shivered as my sweat cooled.