The Black Swan | Reposted

Chapter 23 - Swan Lake

I was feeling crumby.

I was confused over Liam and that whole deal, along with my mother who had been hounding me relentlessly about Swan Lake. Harry was being a bastard, the teasing continued, the quick touches. I should have put a stop to it. I should have laid down the law but I was so weak.

The studio felt very frantic and busy for some reason. I knew there were a few tours happening, but we still hadn't started anything the past few days. We were still going over intensive basics.

I was limbering up with Sarah, Niall and Liam in deep conversation across the room. I was guessing it was about some kind of sporting event.

"Hello, hello, my little principles," Vincent came in with a bright smile. We all gathered around, circling him.

"Today is a very, very big day." We all waited. "Swan Lake," he said those two words, and my stomach dropped. "We are starting early, because we want this to be the best production we've ever done. We are holding auditions, end of next week. We are going to give you all the time to prepare. You all know a great deal of the choreography, girls, we know this is a very difficult performance piece; we expect you to have the fouettes on lock or don't bother auditioning. You have to be within three fouettes of the goal, that's the lowest but the girl who can complete all of them, will be chosen above the others."

I swallowed and he walked out, giving us the whole space to dance. Liam and I left to our own studio; I knew this play backwards and forward. I could tell you every single step, every leap, every single bit of chorography. I knew this, back and forth.

"Come on, come on Dottie," Liam encouraged me as I worked on my fouettes.

"Damn it!" I cried out after I only got to twenty nine. I fell back and buried my face in my hands, panting heavily. I ignored my screaming body, in physical pain, only focusing on the emotional. "I can't do it, I can't do it."

"Hey, hey stop it," he came over and sat on top of my torso, pulling my hands from my face. "Look at me, Odette look at me." I finally did, tears running down the side of my face. "You can do this. You were born for this. You got to twenty nine, twenty nine, that's massive. You have time to master this; I know you can do it."

"But what if I can't?" I hiccupped.

"Then you try again next time, you might not be ready but I really think you can do it. Just keep doing it over and over, do not lie down and cry, got it?" I rubbed my eyes and nodded. He leaned down and kissed me. I hugged him tightly, so overwhelmed. "Now, come on," he got off me and helped me up. "Let's work more on other scenes, okay? Take a step back?'

I did as he instructed, needing his guidance. We kept dancing and going back and forth, he knew the play too. He knew he didn't have a shot at the lead male role, he said he wasn't ready for something like that technically.

"Are you coming Odie?" Liam asked as he tossed his duffle bag over his shoulder, sweats hanging around his hips, a big sweatshirt on.

"Not just yet," he gave me a disapproving look. "I promise, I'm all right, I just really want to keep working."

"Listen to your body," he pecked my lips. "If you need to stop, stop."

"All right, thanks Liam,"

"Call me if you need me."

He gave me a very sweet smile and left. I kept on dancing, pouring all I could into my practice. I gazed at my reflection, panting after I was finished, consumed with becoming the White Queen.

"I will make this." I swallowed. I grabbed my bag and stormed out, more determined than you could imagine.