Page 187 of Swallow Your Sorries

My pain.

My flame.

And when he kisses me I melt into his embrace.

When we come to a standstill, and the music ends, it takes me a second to realise it. It takes me a second to realise that Gant’s brushing his lips against mine when he turns his back to the crowd. And I return his kiss.

“I know you don’t want to let go,” Gant whispers in my ear. “But the dance is over.”

I blink and the spell breaks, propelling me back into the classroom with Madame, whose raised eyebrows and smug grin says she appreciated the routine at the very least.

Face flaming, I hide behind Bae and ignore Aria’s smirk. Gant stands behind me so close that his chest is pressed against my back. I want to tell him to back up, but the truth is his warmth was keeping my heart beating.

“I think we can all agree that there’s no need to wait until tomorrow for my announcement. The selection was as clear to me as the sky is today.”

What?I’m not mentally prepared for this. I thought I had at least twelve agonising hours ahead of me.

“I think we can all agree that Gant will be our prince with Sylo, serving as his understudy.”

Polite claps echo around the room. No one’s shocked by that.

“Elle,” Madame begins.

My stomach soars and flips over.

“You danced excellently. I felt like I was at the ball, fully costumed, watching two lovers. The chemistry between you two is immaculate.”

So other people could see it? Could feel it too? It isn’t just in my head?

“Because of that, you’ll be Aria’s understudy.”

What?

Gant’s arms lock around my waist as if he knows my knees will give out. I don’t even have the strength to shove him away. To care that everyone can see us. No. This isn’t just about being Gant’s princess for a night though if I allowed myself to admit it, it was a major part of it.

If I was the understudy, I’d miss the scouts altogether.

“Aria?” Rin balks. “Aria won the part?”

“Yes dear,” Mistress says. “You’ve also earned a pivotal role. You’ll be the wicked stepmother.”

Rin’s dark skin ashens, her eyes wide and ready to burst from the sockets. “Thestepmother?”

“She’s cold and frigid, and you emulate those characteristics in your dancing with shocking accuracy.”

The breath Rin lets out draws concern from Mistress.

“Please don’t give yourself an aneurysm in my classroom,” Mistress says, peering at Rin over the edge of her glasses. “It’s far too much paperwork on my end. Why don’t you go outside to get some air?”

With a swish of their ponytails, both Kesia and Rin venture out. Through the window, Rin is stomping her foot and screeching like a toddler, though no sound permeates the studio.

I feel like joining her, but instead of screaming, I feel like crying, and then I feel nothing at all as numbness spreads from my aching toes still stuffed in my pointe shoes to my head that’s grown too heavy to hold up. So I lay it on Aria’s shoulders as I congratulate her with a hug, hiding my face from Gant and the world in her fluffy, soft hair.

The magic I’d felt just seconds before with Gant is gone and reality has settled back in.

I’d lost.

I wouldn’t be Gant’s princess after all.

---