Page 64 of Kissing the Debutant
Lillian skimmed across the studioen pointe, her toes barely touching the floor as she raised her arms, moving into a perfect pirouette in time withSwan Lake: Dance of the Little Swans.
She’d gone back to her classical ballet roots over the last week. She still wasn’t sure what she was going to do about the looming competition and her mother’s demands she attend a charity event that same night, but no matter what, she had to get her head on straight for her upcoming audition with ABC in a few months. Her time with Jack was a fun creative jaunt, but she needed to find her footing again. It was only a matter of time before her mother showed up to force her back on track. She wanted to beat her to it.
There was just one problem. Lillian paced across the room to retrieve her water bottle, her shoulders tight with tension.
She’d lost her heart for it. Ballet had become something she did out of habit. She was good at it. Great even. But she’d lost her passion for it a long time ago.
As she set her water bottle down, her phone chirped with a message from her competition Divas.
Rose:The competition will be here before you know it! Are you guys as excited as I am? Can’t wait to see you all.
Jenna:I am so ready for this! We’re all going to win our categories, I can feel it!
Layne:Of course, we’re all going to kill it.
Lillian couldn’t claim the same level of excitement. Not anymore. When she was with Jack, focused on learning the new choreography, she couldn’t wait to compete. She’d had passion for what she was doing then. With Jack, she’d learned to love dancing again.
Lillian:I’m not sure I’m going to go through with the competition, guys. I may have to back out.
She didn’t tell them about her mom’s insistence she go to a charity event instead.
Rose:What? Lillian, no way, you have to compete. You’ve worked so hard.
Lillian:Things went south with my choreographer. I’m just not sure I’m up for it, girls. I’m sorry.
Jenna:I smell boy trouble. Dish it, Lil, did you fall for your choreographer?
Lillian didn’t think she could tell the girls everything. She didn’t know them well enough to air her personal problems on a group chat. But she could use all the advice she could get. And they did know what it was like to put so much effort into something to the exclusion of all else.
Lillian:Sort of… Maybe. It’s all a big mess.
Layne:Boy trouble is the worst. We’re here for you, girl. Relationships are hard, but don’t let it keep you from doing what you love.
Rose:Exactly. Now is the time to throw yourself into your art to get through the pain. Focus on kicking butt in the competition, and we’ll all be there to celebrate with you when you win.
Jenna:The best way to get over heartbreak is to go out there and win it, Lil. Then you can deal with the boy drama after. If he’s worth it.
Lillian smiled, feeling a little better after talking to the Divas. Was it weird to feel such a connection with girls she hardly knew?
Lillian: He’s definitely worth it.Thanks for the support, guys, I’ll think about it.
Rose:That’s what Divas are for!
Lillian set her phone down, wondering what it would be like to actually win this competition. Could she do it? Could she win a scholarship to a real school and set out on her own after graduation? Could she use her dance skills to buy her way out of the future her mother had planned for her?
Without even realizing, Lillian found herself dancing Jack’s choreography, a smile lifting the corner of her mouth as she went through the full routine. When she let all of her training go and danced just for the fun of it, she found her passion again. That had to count for something. Maybe ballet wasn’t everything.
Lillian grabbed her phone and made a snap decision when she hit call.
“Mia?” she said when Jack’s best friend answered the phone. “It’s Lil. I need your help.”
23
Jack
Jack couldn’t concentrate. Maybe it was the fact he’d turned in his video the day before, or maybe it was because he’d stayed up all night editing the second video Mia had recorded.
He hadn’t realized it was on the camera until he’d sent it to his computer.
