Dancer's Body

Chapter 23

"There's the lead!" her mom said, dropping her ancient suitcase in the living room and embracing Olivia. "Just one more night! Are you ready for dress rehearsal today? Can I come?"

"Mom! Enough questions," she said. The idea of her mom being there, seeing her in that latex costume she'd drenched last night, was embarrassing. But the thought of her mom being there with Roman was unbearable.

She didn't even know how she'd face rehearsal herself. Maybe he wouldn't be there. She knew that was a lie.

Why did you say that? She ran over what happened all night and morning. Was he really so surprised?

He'd apologized again and again, but it had already been ruined. By the time he'd untied her hands and pulled off the blindfold, the shame was too much to bear.

"Did I hurt you?" he kept asking her, and she'd brushed him away. As soon as she got her rehearsal clothes back on, she'd ran out of there. He texted her repeatedly, and finally stopped near midnight.

She hadn't heard from him at all today.

"So, can I?" her mom asked.

"Can you what?"

"Come to dress rehearsal!"

"No!" she said, too quickly. "I mean, I want it to be a surprise. For tomorrow."

"Oh, come on. Plus I want to see that foxy director of yours."

"Mom! Seriously, no."

"Oh, okay, fine," her mom said with a huff.

"The rehearsal might go late," she said. "You should walk around. Explore. There's the food truck pod right down the street, or Voodoo Doughnut, OMSI—"

"I can take a hint," her mom said with a smile. "Don't worry, I'll entertain myself."

"Here's the spare key," she said. "Nyla has one, too. I don't expect her to come by, but she might pop in to escape her roommate."

"Great," her mom said. "You'll do great, honey," she called to her as Olivia walked out of the dorm, rehearsal bag in hand.

"As you know, we're just going to do a straight run-through," Professor Bernard said. "I don't want to tire you out before tomorrow's performance. I'll only stop you if there's something that needs immediate attention. Olivia, you look just stunning in that costume," she added, smiling kindly at her.

Olivia could still smell him on the latex, mixed with her own juices. He sat to Professor's Bernard's left, his face expressionless.

"Okay. Here we go," Professor Bernard said.

In the costume, it was easy to transport herself back to last night—before she ruined it, of course. There was an energy in her she'd never felt before.

By the end of the dress rehearsal, everyone was covered in sweat. Professor Bernard was seated by Roman, a hand over her mouth. "That was unbelievable," she said quietly, lowering her hand. "I've—I've never seen anything like that. Olivia, you're ... you were ..."

"Addictive," Roman said, filling in the space.

"Yes," she agreed. "Addictive. I don't—I don't want to say anything else. Everyone, go home and rest. Be here at seven o'clock tomorrow night."

The dancers were torn between being tired and having pent-up energy, each of them going their own way with the briefest of goodbyes.

"I truly am sorry," he said to her, scaring her from behind as she packed up her bag.