Chapter 32
Elena
The clock on the wall ticked nervously, each sound echoing in my head. Anxiety had been gnawing at me for days. Jade squeezed my hand. Her smile was calm, as if she knew what was going to happen. She didn't look worried. The door opened, and the doctor beckoned us in.
“Hello, Elena, how are you?”
“Good, for now.”
He sat down at his desk and looked at my file.
Doctor Petit asked a few questions about my recovery from the operation, but I couldn't make out the look on his face.
His smile was as warm as ever, but I couldn't predict what he was going to say.
He stopped talking and watched me in silence.
Eventually, the doctor stood up and took my hands. My heart was pounding in my temples.
“Don't worry. Your career is not in danger. Your results are excellent.”
I turned back to Jade, wide-eyed, unable to answer.
My aunt hugged me. Unable to hold back, I burst into tears.
Jade stroked my hair until my tears subsided.
Doctor Petit led us to the hospital entrance before attending to another patient.
Ella and my mother, who’d been waiting in the cafeteria, bombarded us with questions.
Jade gave them all the details, while I silently enjoyed the good news. I could finally dance again.
***
The lights went out and the curtain rose.
Silhouettes of dancers stood on the stage, waiting for the music to bring them to life.
This was to be the best day of our careers as ballet students.
From the crowd, I could feel the buzz of anticipation.
When the show began, I held my breath. They were all dancing with such grace and passion.
I'd been away for over six months. With everything that had happened, it felt like a lifetime had passed.
A twinge of sadness bubbled to the surface when one of the other girls in my class performed my solo.
If I hadn't had my accident, I could have been on that stage.
Maybe I would have been spotted by a professional ballet school.
Maybe not. But several things were certain: I wouldn't have gotten to know Alex, nor would I have reconnected with my family.
And above all, I wouldn't have been able to accept my brother's death and free myself from my father.
All these little miracles had one thing in common: Alex, the person who had taught me to love myself and to never give up.
The person I'd come to love more than anything.
Once the show was over, the audience went wild. The teachers presented a bouquet of flowers to each final-year student, giving a speech on the performances.
“And last but not least, we'd like to thank Elena Fleureau. Even if you couldn't make it tonight, you're still part of the team and we'd like to thank you for all the years you've spent with us.”
All eyes were on me as I made my way down to the stage. I accepted the flowers my teacher offered me, grateful and moved.
Some of the dancers in my class were approached by scouts, and I was so proud of them. Everyone in this room has worked so hard to be here today. It took blood, sweat, tears, and a lot of passion to make it happen. And they had succeeded.
The room began to empty, and I looked at my bouquet of white roses. It somehow felt like they didn't belong to me.
“Elena! I'm glad to see you're still here.”
Marya, my dance teacher, and a man in his early thirties approached. The man looked at me with great attention. I'd seen him talking to Pauline, a girl in my class, a few minutes earlier.
“This is Dimitri.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
His grip was firm. I tried to shake his hand just as hard.
“The show was beautiful, wasn't it?”
“Yes, it was breathtaking.”
His Russian accent was barely perceptible.
“I was disappointed not to see you on stage tonight. I looked forward to your performance.”
That wasn't possible. My name had been removed from the program after my accident. I turned back to Marya. She, too, was surprised by this revelation.
“Let's have a drink,” Dimitri suggested.
We followed him to the bar. Marya and Dimitri were having wine. As I was underage, I stuck to a flat white. Dimitri kept his focus on me.
“You've had a very interesting dance career despite your young age. You've skipped a class and won a lot of competitions. We've been following your progress for a few years now. What do you plan to do next?”
“I'm going to continue dancing. My doctor told me that I can resume my sporting activities full-time.”
I plastered a smile that I wanted serene on my face—quite the opposite of the shock his words had given me. Marya congratulated me and raised her glass in my honour. Dimitri played with the rim of his wine glass. His gaze was inscrutable.
“Several months off are not very promising in a dancing career. Do you think you can catch up?”
He was testing me. Just you wait. I was a good dancer. No, I was a great dancer, and nothing could hold me back this time. I was ready to take my life back. I looked up at him and held his gaze.
“I have no doubts.”
Dimitri nodded and turned back to my teacher.
“I'm curious. All right, Marya, what do you think?”
“Elena is my best student; she always has been. She'll amaze you. I just know it.”
I stared at Marya, mouth agape. They weren't saying what I thought they were saying, were they? Dimitri smiled at me at last and raised his glass in my direction.
“I'll be watching your performance at the Vaganova Academy entrance exam. Dazzle me.”
Vaganova, the academy of my dreams.
“Pinch me. I think I'm dreaming.”
Marya pinched me, but nothing changed. Dimitri was still there.
“You'll still have to retake your final year at the conservatory,” Dimitri added, taking a sip of wine, “but I have faith in you.”
***
I held my bouquet of flowers to my chest as I watched the sun set over the horizon. The light bathed the basketball court in a soft, orangey glow. I still felt like I was dreaming; everything felt so surreal. Life was smiling at me at last.
Footsteps caught my attention. Alex was standing a few steps away from me. The sunlight made him seem to glow from within, like an angel. Maybe he'd been right all along and was an angel placed on my path. I stood up and handed him the bouquet. Alex took the roses with a smile.
“You really like giving me flowers, don't you?”
“They were given to me at the dance show,” I confessed.
My nervousness fuelled his.
“Then why are you giving them to me?”
“I don't deserve them, but you do.”
“I'm not sure I understand,” he said, running a hand through his hair.
I beckoned him to sit down, and Alex settled on the bench, keeping the flowers in his lap. I nibbled at my thumbnail while I cleared my head, pacing back and forth. My mind was going in all directions, I didn't know which way to turn.
“I went to see the show I was supposed to be in. Marya gave me these flowers to thank me, but they felt wrong. This year has been incredibly hard, and I realize that if I've managed to get through it, it's because of you. So, I want you to accept my flowers.”
Alex nodded.
“It feels like we're at a crossroads and that things are about to change, aren’t they?”
I could only nod in agreement. Everything was going to be turned upside down from now on. But damn, I was ready for these changes! Alex frowned, looking worried. I really hoped I wasn't going to screw things up.
“Alex, I have to tell you something.”
“Okay, talk to me.”
He clutched the flowers to his chest as I had done a few minutes earlier.
“I saw my doctor this week. I'm allowed to dance again.”
“Truly?” he exclaimed. “I'm so happy for you!”
Alex leapt to his feet and took me in his arms. His embrace gave me that warm feeling I'd come to associate with him.
He made me feel special and loved. Now it was time for me to return the favour.
My heart quickened to the point where I could feel it pounding in my throat.
I swallowed hard. I stepped back enough to look him in the face.
Alex bit his lip. He was having trouble deciphering me, and it was making him panic. I could see it in his eyes.
“I've got something else to tell you.”
“Which is?”
I took a deep breath. There was no way I was going to chicken out this time.
“Be my boyfriend?”
For a brief moment, he looked at me, unable to react. Alex shook his head and grinned.
“What? I'm sorry, but I didn't quite hear that.”
I rolled my eyes but played along. I resumed with more confidence:
“Alexander Niessen, be my boyfriend.”
Alex hugged me again, tighter this time. He peppered my temples and face with kisses.
“If you insist, I think I'll accept.”
THE END