Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 55277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
For two months, the money remained untouched in my bank account. But after another failed audition and being close to thrown out of my newly rented apartment, I told myself I earned that money fair and square.
I used it to pay for a few months’ rent in advance and some dance classes, which I excelled in. The money stayed in my account and I only took out the bare minimum needed to pay for my dance instructor.
Soon enough, I had completed years’ worth of training in a few months’ time. My trainer was Igor, a man who’d danced with the Bolshoi ballet in his youth and was now determined to make me a star. I did everything he said, and he told me I had a good shot of getting this audition. I could only hope he was right.
The role was for a production of Swan's Lake. I was auditioning for the main part, and though the chances of me scoring the lead role were small, I was more ready than ever to impress the people in that theater with my skills. I'd spent all night preparing, watching video after video of the choreography for the role. I was ready.
Holding my head up high, I waited in the seating area until my name was called. The people running the audition luckily didn't look familiar this time, and the woman sitting in the middle seat behind a long conference table gave me an encouraging smile. I could do this.
"Whenever you're ready," a man with an exaggerated moustache told me, and I nodded, allowing myself to close my eyes and count to three before I nodded to the pianist. The notes carried me into a dance I'd rehearsed for. I was good, but I didn't know whether it would be enough. It hadn't been so far.
Still, I gave it my all, twisting and turning on the stage until the song turned to its crescendo. Right there, in the most frantic moment, I stumbled. I felt a collective gasp go through the judging committee as I fell to the floor. Tears of humiliation burned my eyes, but I forced myself to lift my head and smile as if nothing had happened. I kept dancing, and I gave it my all.
Once I was finished, I bowed for the committee with a bright smile on my face. They clapped loudly; their faces enthusiastic as they gave me some praise as well as constructive criticism on my performance.
"Can you wait for us, maybe an hour or two while we see the rest of the applicants?" the man with the moustache asked, and I was all too eager to nod in agreement. I'd never been asked to stay after an audition, and I took it as a sign of good things to come.
Back in the waiting area, I nervously folded my hands in my lap. The minutes ticked by painfully slowly, and even though I tried to force myself to think of the audition, there was only one thing—one man—on my mind. Grayson Kline.
I missed him, though I hated admitting it. But he was gone for good, and that had been my decision—to cut him out of my life after I'd found out what he'd had his business associate do to Margaret. I couldn't be with a man like that. A man who killed people.
Still, a part of me was eager to run back into his arms. I wanted him. I missed his heated touch, the way he'd kissed me, the way he fucked me and made love to me and made me feel whole for the first time in my life. But my own morality was getting in the way, a painful reminder that he was a bad man that had no business being in my life. I couldn't be with Grayson. I shouldn't forgive him for what he'd done.
So why was I still yearning for him? Why was every waking moment spent thinking about the man who'd changed the course of my life forever? Why had fate been so cruel to throw me in his lap when we both knew we could never be together?
I swallowed the lump in my throat just as someone called out my name.
"Amicia Romano?"
"Yes?" I stood up, wiping my eyes before following the coordinator into the main room. Nerves were getting the best of me, and to top it all off, my heart was breaking into pieces, knowing Grayson and I were well and truly over.
"Thank you for waiting, Miss Romano," the man with the moustache said kindly, pointing for me to stand before them. "We were impressed by your technique and eagerness to learn more. While we cannot offer you the lead role in the ballet this time, we would be honored if you played Odile in this production. You will only appear in one act, but it should be a good starting point for you, should you consider accepting our offer."