Dusk **UNDER CONSTRUCTION**

Chapter 32

"Wake up Amaia!" I'm rudely awoken Monday by my Mother ripping off my sheets and opening my curtains. I groan as I cover my eyes with my arm but ultimately, get up.

After quickly pulling my hair into a ponytail and changing into my leotard, I rush out into the freezing cold of the morning, with just a thin layer of clothes to give me warmth. I shiver as I walk as fast as humanly possible to ballet.

I hated this, being weak. It just felt like when Luke left, so did my determination, so did my strength.

I push open the door, a rush of warm air hitting my freezing body.

"Well, look who it is," Kayla smirks from the barre. "The whale's back to play."

"Leave her alone," Lucy interjects, standing next to me. "She just walked in the door, seriously Kayla?"

"Ugh don't get me started, whore. You stole my boyfriend," she spits, stretching her leg.

You pushed him away, I want to say, but all that comes out is "come on, let's go." I grab Lucy's arm and lead her to the barre, as far away from Kayla as possible.

"What was that? Why didn't you stand up to her?" Lucy asks incredulously.

"Just don't have the willpower I suppose," I sigh. "Let's just drop it, okay? How are things with Tom?" I ask, beginning my stretches.

Lucy too starts stretching. "Pretty good, I think he'll ask me out soon," she says excitedly.

I force a smile. "That's great."

The instructor chooses that moment to begin the class. Me, as usual, struggling the whole time from a mixture of my ankle and lack of practice.

"You did great," Lucy smiles after the class is over.

"You don't need to go easy on me, I know I'm bad. It wasn't always that way," I sigh, walking to the door. Pain in my ankle causes me to limp slightly.

"Maya? You sure you're okay?" Lucy calls out just as I pull open the door.

I turn to her. "Never better."

I make it home and immediately have a shower, desperately trying to keep weight off my ankle. When I exit my bathroom, wrapped in nothing but my burgundy towel, I see my Mother laying out clothes on my bed. "Mom!" I yell.

She immediately shushes me. "Now Amaia, your clothes are laid out on your bed. I expect your makeup to be perfect, remember that." There's that word again, perfect.

Once my Mother leaves, I pull on the clothes she chose, blue jeans, tall, brown boots, a white top and a brown cardigan. I blow dry and straighten my hair and apply more makeup than I've worn in the past few months combined.

Standing in front of the mirror, I'm shocked to realise that I no longer recognise the girl I see. This is the girl I grew up as, perfect Amaia Moore but in these past few months, I've become perfectly imperfect Maya Moore. The girl that isn't always put together, the girl who has room to make mistakes.

But I suppose all good things must come to an end.

I sigh as I head downstairs. I'm immediately pushed out the door along with Thomas and Abigail with no time to have breakfast.

"What happened to you?" Abigail asks meekly on our way to school.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I know exactly what she's talking about.

"You're exactly the same as when you first moved here," she observes.

I don't know what to say, so I say nothing. Abigail was right.