Chapter 30 Gianna
THIRTY
GIANNA
Bliss. That was Gianna’s new favorite word. It was all she had been experiencing since they came back from their date and continued their secret little meet ups late at night or while they took the bike out. She was completely enthralled, constantly giggly like a schoolgirl with a new crush.
It sickened her.
But she loved it.
All she wanted to do was talk about it to everyone and anything, but that was the one downside.
She couldn’t. She could talk about it to Cecilia, but even then it wasn’t the same because she wanted to be able to get all the girls in on it.
She missed the group gossip and being able to talk about everything together.
While she was avoiding life with Finn, she was able to forget that so many people in her life didn’t know about their relationship yet. The thought made her anxiety constantly flare, which caused her to push herself too much during practice, so then she was left messing up time and time again.
She let out a frustrated groan, pushing small bits of hair back that escaped from her bun.
The studio was empty now, save for a couple of people who might have still lingered in the fitness room next door.
Otherwise, she had the studio to herself, which she preferred.
She hated messing up in front of her teacher, whose nose flared every single time Gianna’s leg wasn’t curled enough or when her face wasn’t serene because she was concentrating instead on getting every move right.
When she was alone, she could let the music consume her without worrying about anyone’s watchful eye.
“That wasn’t a very elegant noise.” Finn’s voice came from behind her, forcing Gianna to turn around.
She snorted. “Yeah, well most things in life aren’t.”
He approached her, letting his hands settle on her waist. “What’s got you so frustrated?”
“I can’t get the move right and it’s making me over think it.
And when I overthink it, I just get more in my head about it when really I should be trying to get out of my head so I could just let my body move.
Even now, I’m wasting time trying to explain it to you when I need to just figure it out,” Gianna said with a huff, throwing her head onto his chest. “I’m so tired. ”
Finn pressed a kiss to her head, wrapping his arms around her. Surprisingly, the action did help her. It soothed her enough to make her think logically, even if only for a second.
“What do you usually do to get yourself out of ruts like this?” he asked.
She shrugged, pulling away to look at him. “Usually, I just dance until my feet bleed, then go home and eat while soaking them in ice water to forget about it all.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that sounds healthy.”
“Well, what do you recommend?”
“Why don’t you go through the dance, and I can help you with the part you keep messing up on. You said it was some kind of jump or whatever, so I’ll help you. Maybe I can see something you can’t.”
Gianna thought about it for a second. It wouldn’t hurt to try. At this point, she really didn’t have much to lose other than her dignity if she fell and completely embarrassed herself in front of him.
She nodded her head. “Fine. Sit against the wall.”
She tried to walk away, but he held her in place for a moment longer. Before she could ask what was wrong, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, allowing it to linger there for a moment before he pulled away once again.
“You almost forgot that, by the way,” he said, finally going to the wall.
“God forbid,” she muttered, a small smile sneaking its way onto her lips.
He took her phone that was connected to the speaker, settling down on the floor while she faced away from him to look at herself in the mirror.
Finn shook his head. “No, try doing it without looking at yourself. Act like this is a performance. You wouldn’t be able to stare at yourself if you were actually performing.”
She turned around. “I also wouldn’t have a crowd of only one person.”
“Am I making you nervous?”
It did make her nervous. She was either comfortable performing for a group of people or for no one at all, not doing a one-on-one with someone like Finn who already made her stomach flutter uncontrollably.
Gianna took a deep breath. “I’ll be okay. Start the music.”
She got into her starting position, locking eyes with him as he clicked play on the music.
The orchestral sound filled the room. The number began slowly, with her on pointe moving her arms rhythmically around her.
She did several chaines turns as she moved across the floor, keeping her gaze locked on Finn’s. His eyes didn’t sway once.
Gianna bent over, allowing her arms to travel down her leg like a waterfall before she lifted her back leg, stretching it up behind her.
She then let it drop, matching the crescendo of the music.
The choreography called for quick changements, where she jumped in place, switching her legs and crisscrossing them each time.
She kept her arms at fifth en avant before moving them out to à la seconde.
As the tension in the music built, the moves became more frequent and dramatic.
She got into fourth arabesque, spinning quickly and using Finn’s brown eyes as her spot with every turn.
She stopped, landing in fifth position. Her legs were on fire, but the cellos and the violins in the music played more rapidly now.
It was almost the end of the dance. Her thighs and feet were exhausted and aching, but she had to finish strong.
Gianna did the pas de chat until she was almost at the center of the floor now, transitioning into a glissade. This was the big moment. The one that she always choked on. The one she was never able to land.
Her arms stayed out beside her as she pushed off to leap into the air.
With both legs extended on either side of her, she made sure to keep them taunt before she was back to landing on the ground.
She dropped on her front leg first, never letting the one behind her touch the ground because she had another series of turns immediately after.
When the last one finished, she slowed down with the music, hearing the last of the violin with her as she did one last glissade. She dropped to the floor slowly, letting the music consume her as she did. Her legs burned, her heart beat rapidly.
And then the music stopped.
Finn clapped slowly, and when Gianna looked at him, he looked like he was in awe. She couldn’t help the blush that settled on her face.
“That was fucking amazing,” he said, standing up. “I swear I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful in my life.”
She shook her head. “I messed up the jump. I always do.”
“Princess, you nailed the jump and every turn after it. You didn’t fall out of it today.”
Her eyes widened as she thought about what he said. Gianna landed the move. She was so consumed with dancing and his presence that she hadn’t even realized that she didn’t fall or even tip over. She landed every single move.
She beamed as she jumped up, landing in his arms. “I landed it!”
“You did. You did so fucking amazing. I’m so proud of you.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, one that she gladly deepened, feeling ready to celebrate in any way that she could.
“You might be my good luck charm.”
“I don’t mind coming and watching you practice,” Finn said. “Hell, I’ll be here every day.”
She shook her head. “I hope you’ll come to my show.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers.
“What do you say to getting something to eat? I’m starving,” Gianna said.
“Let’s go. I know a great burger place not too far from here,” Finn said.
“I have to change first.”
“You know how I feel about the ballet uniform.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know you would love for me to keep it on, but unfortunately this isn’t for everyone’s eyes.”
“I can agree with that,” he said.
She pulled away from him, pulling off the wrap skirt and top and replacing it with sweatpants and a T-shirt from her dance bag instead. She sat down on the floor, beginning to take off her pointe shoes.
“Fuck, Gianna, that looks painful,” he said, kneeling in front of her. “Do your feet usually get all bloody like this?”
She shrugged. “It depends. I had a blister though, so the shoe was rubbing against it while I was dancing. It’s not as bad as it looks.”
He shook his head. “You need to take it easier on yourself.” He pulled the gauze from her hands, helping with cleaning up the blood and locating the blister on the side of her pinkie toe.
“Once the show is done, I’ll be able to.
For now, I have to be strict with myself.
Especially since this was the first time I finally nailed the jump.
I have to start perfecting it.” She handed him the antibiotic ointment she usually used, watching as he applied it to the blister on her foot.
His movements were so gentle, so much so she could hardly feel him doing it at all.
“You scare me with your determination,” he said with a small smile on his face.
“Well, if someone told you to stop fighting, would you?”
He shook his head immediately. “No, I don’t think so.”
“That’s exactly the same case with me. It’s my art. Without it, it would be like losing a piece of myself. In times like this, I have to see the pain as temporary.”
Finn let out a small chuckle while he grabbed the bandage from her hands to place it on her foot. Gianna frowned. “What?” she asked.
“You’re so fucking cute when you act just like me.”
“Does that mean you act like a princess?”
He exhaled, sliding one of her boots onto her foot. “Probably.”
“You know what, I would agree with that.”
In a split second, Finn had her pinned with her back against the wooden floor. His hands rested under her head, providing a cushion for her. He had a smirk on his face. “If I’m such a princess now, that means you have to give me the princess treatment.”
His lips found her neck, kissing the soft skin and moving to the space under her jaw. Gianna closed her eyes.
“Oh please, what sort of princess treatment do I get?” She snorted, frowning once again when he pulled away. She opened her eyes, crossing her arms. “What a tease.”
“Princess treatment includes finishing, among other things,” Finn said, grinning wickedly when her eyes narrowed on him. “But according to you, I don’t give you the princess treatment, so I guess you don’t need that anymore.”
“Fine, you’re not the princess, I am.” She grinned, pulling him down to her. It was fun playing with him like this, riling him up so he would in return rile her up back. “Now, finish what you started.”
“I thought you were hungry,” he said, leaning down to kiss her. “And I’m not gonna let you starve.”
“How about food first and then you finish me off?” Gianna suggested, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Best fucking deal.”