The Dancer and the Don | ✔️

Chapter 7

I wanted this chapter to be longer, but sometimes the author has no control over their thoughts. I hope you guys enjoy! I'll try to have another update out soon. Thanks!

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Practice had not been fun today. Not that it was really that fun every day, but she could usually get through it with no problems.

Today was different.

Throughout the entire practice nerves had been taking over her body, causing some simple mistakes that she was continuously scolding herself for. Slowly Fran was falling down a deep, dark hole that she didn't know if she could pull herself out of.

She was eating her potato soup now, watching Holly curl her hair and pin it up.

"You doing alright, Francesca? You're not normally this nervous on a performance day," Holly asked quietly. Fran took a big drink of water.

"I don't know, I'm just not feeling the best today." She wasn't lying, her stomach had been acting up after practice. She hadn't really told anyone because they would tell Vira, and she would take her off the lineup tonight.

She didn't go through a car chase to not be on the lineup.

"Should I grab Nathan?" Holly asked. She had stopped curling Fran's hair and was looking at her in concern.

"No, no, that's alright. I just need a few minutes to calm down, and you pulling my hair usually does the trick." Fran winked at Holly causing her to laugh, but drop the subject.

The truth was her stomach had been rolling after the car chase. Who was driving? What did they want? Had Maran taken care of it and called the police, or was the person still roaming free? What would happen after she left here?

"Alright!" Holly announced, "All done!" Fran was trapped in her own mind with nothing to stop her.

"Thank you, Holly," Fran responded. She slipped on her headphones and immediately hit play on her phone. The music flowed through her ears, mildly relaxing her, so she rolled her neck around to try to loosen up.

Holly left the room, unnoticed by Fran, leaving her to relax by herself.

As soon as her husband's ringtone filled her ears, she hit the accept button.

"Tony," she said. This was just the person she needed to hear from.

"I'm here, baby, already in my seat. How are you doing?" He asked, voice hushed. She began to get her clothing on.

"I'm doing okay, just can't seem to relax just right." Holly came back in the room and smiled when she noticed she was on the phone. Without speaking she was behind Fran, helping her smooth out her uniform.

"I'll be right her watching you, Fran, nothing to worry about. Then once you're done," he left off with a suggestive note. She could picture him wiggling his eyebrows.

"I know, I know," she giggled, nodding her thanks to Holly as they both left the room.

"Alright, I'm starting to walk towards the stage so I'll see you after?"

"You'll see me afterwards," he assured, "I love you."

"I love you, Tony."

The dial tone rang in her ears so she took them off and handed them to Nathan.

"You good?" Nathan asked, watching her with worried eyes. She gave him a nod and began bouncing on the balls of her feet to get her body loose and ready.

Carefully all of the girls got on stage and into their positions behind the curtain. Exactly thirty seconds later the curtain rose and a hush fell among the audience. The music began, and they were off.