Page 55 of Break Point
“So, are you dating anyone?” I ask Paxton, suppressing a laugh as Gemma glares at me over the rim of her glass.
“I’m … not.” The corner of his lip quirks into a teasing smile. “What about you guys? Are you still with Liam?”
“I am.” I force a tight smile and take a longer sip of my drink, hoping it helps push Liam out of my mind. I don’t know how he’d feel if he knew I came to a party. And that I’m drinking. But I’ll call him first thing tomorrow morning and let him know I came here with Gemma. It’s not like I’m doing anything wrong.
I need a moment to clear my head and forget about the reasons behind my terrible performance in China. About my never-ending issues with my mom. And Henry. I definitely don’t want to thinkabout Henry.
“What about you, Gemma?” Paxton asks as Vivienne, his older sister and my former nanny, walks into the kitchen. She’s wearing jeans and a blush pink sweater. Her hair is pulled back into a sleek, tight ponytail. She always looks so sophisticated and put together. I admired her so much growing up.
“Gemma’s single,” I tell Paxton, walking away. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to say hi to your sister.”
I glance over my shoulder, and Gemma’s shaking her head with a smile. I’m sure she’s silently thanking me because Paxton ishot. She looks tiny beside him, and the height difference is adorable.
“Hey, Viv!” I shout over the loud music as she opens the fridge.
“Oh, my God! Belén?” She sets a milk carton on the counter and nudges the fridge door closed with her hip. “Get in here!”
She pulls me into a tight, warm hug, and I’m worried I might accidentally soak her with my drink. “I almost didn’t recognize you all dressed up. I’m so used to seeing you on TV in your cute sporty outfits.”
Vivienne pulls away, smiling, but her amber eyes seem sadder than ever. She’s clearly trying to hide it.
“It’s been years since we last saw each other.”
“I know!” I say. Viv must be around twenty-four now. “How’s everything? Are you still dancing? Tell me everything.”
Her smile falters, and I wonder if I’ve hit a nerve. I take a sip of my drink to fill the awkward silence. She glances down for a moment and forces another smile.
“I left the company last summer. So… I’m back living with my parents.” She sighs, grabbing a cereal box from the pantry, along with a bowl and a spoon. “But not for long …”
“Wow, that’s huge. Are you happy about it?” I ask, pulling out one of the stools to take a seat.
Her cereal looks surprisingly appealing, but I’m already halfway through my gin and tonic, savoring the unexpected calm it’s bringing me. I push aside the thought of pouring myself a bowl and stick to my drink instead.
“It was time to leave the company for good.” Vivienne frowns, pressing her lips together as she scans the nutrition facts on the cereal box. “I’d been miserable for a while and flat-out exhausted. You know how it is. I mean, you’re a tennis player and not a ballerina, but I know youunderstand the pressure that comes with living up to excellence. And honestly, what I really want is to be a lawyer.”
She stares at the cereal box for a moment before pouring herself a bowl.
Gemma mentioned Vivienne’s battle with bulimia a while ago, so I know she struggled with the eating disorder in the past. I’m not sure how she found out, but the news wasn’t shocking. I remember Vivienne’s frequent “tummy aches” that always seemed to make her throw up after pizza night. I was too young to think much of it back then. The pressure to maintain a specific figure and weight in ballet must be brutal, so I’m not surprised Vivienne was affected by it.
She gives her head a quick shake and licks her lips as she pours in the milk, looking slightly uneasy. “I’ve gained some weight since I left the company,” she says, her voice quieter now, before taking a bite of cereal.
“You look great.” And she does. Vivienne’s curvier than I remember, but to me, she looks stronger. Healthier. But I’m not inside her head. I can only imagine how hard it must be to accept change after being so rigid with herself for so long.
“Thank you.” Her smile is small but sincere. “I’m trying to stay balanced.”
“I get that.” I take another sip of my drink. It’s best to change the subject. “So, tell me about your plans to become a lawyer. Are you going to apply to law school or what?”
I’m feeling super relaxed and chattier than usual.
“I’m graduating this December,” she says, her face lighting up. “I’ve been juggling studying and dancing for the past few years. It hasn’t been easy, and you know my mother. She nearly collapsed when she found out I’d applied to law school behind her back and against her wishes.”
“Oh, I know all about mothers,” I say, draining my drink and realizing I might need another.
Vivienne chuckles, shaking her head as her cereal crunches in her mouth. She softly taps her lips with a napkin and says, “I’m planning to move to the city after graduation. But I haven’t told my parents yet.” She shimmies her shoulders like she can’t wait to keep defying them. “I’ve already found a place and a roommate.”
“Oh, wow! I’m so happy for you!” I push back my stool, stand up, andpour some ice into my plastic cup to fix myself another gin and tonic. How convenient that my mom taught me how to make them.
“So, are you going to apply for a job as a lawyer?” I sit back down next to Vivienne to continue our conversation. Running into her tonight was a pleasant surprise and exactly what I needed. Talking to someone outside the same five or six people I see all the time has helped me get out of my own head.
