Page 187 of The Bittersweet Bond

Evin rolled her eyes but couldn’t quite suppress a small grin. “Appreciate the kind phrasing.”

He shrugged, a flicker of amusement at the corner of his lips. “Just being honest. It was… okay. If you ignore the lifts.”

“Very uplifting.” Evin scoffed softly and straightened up. “I know it was bad. No need to rub it in.”

Rafael leaned casually against the wall, his posture effortless. “You are hard enough on yourself. I don’t need to add to it.” He shot her a sideways glance. “What’s going on, Evin? You seem like you’re not really here.”

Evin flinched at the question, even though Rafael’s tone was casual. She avoided his gaze, staring briefly at her hands as she unconsciously rubbed them together. “I… I don’t know. Maybe I’m overthinking. Or not thinking enough.”

Rafael raised an eyebrow. “I’ve watched you long enough. Normally, you’re pretty… focused.”

Evin shrugged, letting her shoulders drop again. She knew exactly what the problem was.

“Maybe it’s you. Maybe you’re just too good, and I’m trying to keep up.”

Rafael let out a quiet laugh, an easy, effortless sound. “Me? Too good? —Trust me, you’rethe last person who should be worrying about that.”

Evin shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Well… Sometimes it feels like I’m always a step behind. Like I’m… not enough.”

“Evin.” His tone grew more serious, but it wasn’t heavy. “No one here thinks that about you. And even if they did, do you really think it matters? You dance for yourself, not for anyone else.”

She scoffed but couldn’t completely shake off his words. “That’s easy to say. I think I’m too in my head. The fear of not delivering keeps growing every week.”

“I know.” He straightened, his eyes flicking toward the stage. “But you’re good, Evin. Really good. This is just a damn run-through. Tomorrow will be different.” He hesitated briefly, as if choosing his next words carefully. “You know what might help? Getting out. A distraction.”

Evin gave him a skeptical look. “Getting out? We train every other day. When is that supposed to happen?”

Rafael grinned, almost conspiratorial. “This weekend. A friend of mine is throwing a party. Bring a friend if you want. It’ll be good. Music, people, no coach yelling at you.”

“I don’t know,” Evin muttered, making a face. “That sounds like the opposite of what I need right now.”

“Or exactly what you need,” Rafael countered. “Think about it. It’s just a party, not an orgy.”

Evin let out a laugh.

The tense silence between them was interrupted by the dull tapping of pointe shoes on the red carpet. Evin turned and saw Nele approaching with her usual elegance. Her tight bun was flawless, not a single strand out of place, and her face was a mask of professional neutrality—except for that ever-present hint of arrogance.

“Oh, how nice,” Nele said with a thin smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I thought we were here to witness perfection, but it seems like we’re still working on the basics.” Her gaze flicked briefly to Rafael before settling on Evin.

Rafael, however, remained unfazed. “It’s a run-through, Nele. No need fordramatics.” His voice was calm, but a small smile tugged at his lips as he glanced at Evin, almost as if encouraging her.

Nele arched an eyebrow, her posture growing even straighter. “Of course,” she said sweetly. “But for a lead role, one would think the basics should already be solid.” Her voice was sharp as a blade, and Evin felt her irritation flare.

“Thanks for the reminder,” Evin said, her tone level but with an unmistakable edge. She took a small step back, widening the space between them. Her hands clenched unconsciously, but she forced herself to stay composed.

“I’m just saying,” Nele continued, as if she hadn’t noticed Evin’s resistance, “if Rafael and I were dancing together, we wouldn’t be having these problems.” Her smile widened, and her eyes gleamed with smug satisfaction.

Rafael sighed and leaned back against the wall. “Nele, can you go five minutes without turning everything into a competition?”

“This isn’t about competition,” Nele replied with feigned innocence. “It’s about the quality of the performance. And I think we all know how important it is for everyone to master their role. Maybe someone else should take on the part. Someone who actually knows how to hold tension.”

Evin’s cheeks burned, but she bit her tongue, stopping herself from throwing out the first sharp remark that came to mind. She took a slow breath, trying to stay calm, but the words pressed against her lips anyway. “Oh, and who would that someone be? I think we all know how important it is to focus on your own performance instead of constantly judging others.”

Nele’s eyes narrowed, but before she could respond, Rafael stepped between them. “Okay, enough. We all have enough to deal with without tearing each other apart.” His gaze flicked between them, sharp but not unkind. “Nele, you’re not the coach. And Evin, don’t let her get to you. We’re all here to do our best.”

Nele let out a huff, muttering “Unbelievable,” before spinning on her heel and walking off with one last disdainful glance.

“She’s impossible,” Evin muttered under her breath, though Rafael offered a small smile. “Ignore her. She knows how good you are, and that’s exactly why she’s being this nasty.”

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