Page 30 of Reminders of Her

We vowed to never let anyone know her secrets, including that she never brought food to school.Sanford and I cared for her, ensuring she always had her three meals.

Breakfast before the first bell rang, lunch, and ...well, Sanford and I took food to the academy too.We tried to feed her right after her ballet class, but before her mother arrived to pick her up.It was a contingency plan in case her mom couldn’t afford dinner that day.

“I always thought she would end up teaching ballet at the academy,” I admit, my voice a bare murmur, heavy with introspection.

Sanford turns his gaze toward me.“I see why.She was a teacher assistant at fourteen and taught several classes the summer before she headed to college.”

“Sure, but I hoped that one day she would be brave enough to say fuck ballet and start a new career.A career that would include teaching four-year-olds their pliés and pirouettes,” I confess, the wistful tone in my voice hoping we could make that come true.

“She was so patient with the little ones,” Sanford chimes in, his eyes distant, probably on thoughts of the academy.

“Marina, her stepmother,” I utter, the name falling from my lips like a hushed prayer.

His gaze snaps back to me, his curiosity piqued.“Who?”

“I recall this one conversation we had about Marina—or Miranda as they called her in the book.She painted a vivid picture of a woman who was patient and kind.Having had a strained relationship with her father post her parents’ divorce, she was never privy to the reasons behind Marina’s abrupt departure barely two years into their marriage.”

“Moses Carlton was an asshole,” Sanford says as a matter of fact.

“There’s that,” I agree, leaning my head back and wondering what we’d be doing if nothing had happened to her or us.

“We’ve always had this unique connection with her, ever since our paths first crossed,” Sanford muses, his voice barely more than a whisper.“I just wish we’d treasured her more.”

ChapterTwenty

Sanford

Then...

My best friends entered my life when I was just a kid.Beacon, Manelik, and Fisher are the same age, while Grace and I are a year and some months younger than them.Byron Langdon joined us when we were eight, completing our group.

Our bond is unbreakable, an alliance of six souls that understand each other deeply.I know the power of lasting friendships, but what I share with Greyson and our shy ballerina is different.It’s a special connection I can’t explain.No matter how busy I am, I always make time for them.

The thought of starting high school worries me.The building is on the other side of the campus, and if I want to use the arts building, I need to request a special pass.Teenagers have stricter rules to follow.However, those concerns are still several months away.

It’s nearing the end of October, and our ballerina seems more open but also more nervous.The auditions forThe Nutcrackerare approaching, and we retreat back inside the music room.Greyson plays the piano while I play the violin.I excel at almost every instrument except the drums, which I enjoy listening to but have yet to try playing.

“You’ll do great,” I reassure her on the audition day.

She closes her eyes and shakes her head.“But will I?”she voices her self-doubts.

“What’s bothering you?”Greyson inquires, concerned by her uncertainty.

“Mom is expecting me to get the role of Clara—even when I’m not twelve.”The ballerina sighs, her frustration clear.“What if she fights with the principal again and tries to find a new academy for me?”

“Understudy,” Greyson offers a solution that doesn’t make any sense.

“What?”both the ballerina and I say simultaneously, surprised by his suggestion.

“Tell your mother that because you’re not twelve yet, you’re the understudy,” Greyson explains.“You have a role but also the understudy position in case there’s an emergency.”

“It’s a lie,” she argues.

“A necessary lie,” Greyson says, determined to make his point.

“I agree with him.You don’t want to go through the aggravation,” I say, pointing toward the empty space.“Now it’s time to dance your heart out.We only have a few hours before the big day.”

As expected, she doesn’t get the role of Clara, but her mother believes she is the understudy.Despite that, we watch her perform three nights in a row.She is spectacular, captivating the audience with her talent and grace.

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