Virtuoso (editing)

Chapter 4

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Sutton sighed and picked up Victoire’s ballet bag. She had run off, clambering over her knees and forgetting that she had a bag with her. Sometimes Sutton questioned her sanity.

Leigh and Priya had followed the rest of the crazy crowd, where they would just have to wait for it to thin out anyway. Sutton walked slowly out of the theatre. Not only did she have two bags to fetch now, but she was hoping the crowd would thin out by the time she got there.

She was wrong, of course. After most of the girls found their name on the list, they had stuck around comparing parts and talking about which ones other people got.

Sutton figured she may as well get to the front of the crowd. After pushing through (and Victoire’s bag may or may not have been used as a battering ram), she found Victoire, Leigh, and Priya at the front, looking at the sheets of paper tacked to a corkboard. They all screamed when they saw her.

“Oh, my God!” Victoire shrieked when she saw her.

“What?!” Sutton never reacted well to pressing crowds and hysterical screaming.

“We’re in Ellis’s group!”

“But--”

“We’re rehearsing solo roles!”

Sutton couldn’t stop herself; she screamed too.

She hadn’t expected being pushed into the level D rehearsal, and even then, she would have expected a corps role.

She scanned the sheet, and then read, “Ellis Cohen. Victoire Murphy-solo. Sutton Opal-solo.”

A few Level D girls were glancing at them, some admiringly and some jealously. Sutton acted as if she didn’t see them.

“What did you guys get?” she asked Leigh and Priya.

“We’re in Level C with Natalia from ABT. Pas de deux roles,” Priya answered.

“Name dropping already?” Victoire teased.

“At least you guys get company dancer to choreograph for you,” Sutton said.

Victoire, who was back to reading the list, said, “Oh, Adrienne got a corp de ballet role. The specific type of foliage isn’t mentioned though.”

“Victoire, I’m going to make you pay me a dollar for every mean comment you make!” laughed Sutton.

Victoire rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Let’s get out of here.” She pulled Sutton by the elbow and dragged her out of the crowd, as Leigh and Priya followed.

“Did you see those other girls staring at us?” Victoire whispered in her air as they walked away.

Sutton nodded.

“Guys, what did I do with my ring when I took it off today?” Priya’s worried voice startled them.

“I think you put it in your bag,” Victoire said. Priya always wore a ring on her left thumb. Most teachers just let it slide, but their technique teacher that day yelled at her to take it off, recounting horror stories of being sliced by a ring or getting an earring pulled clean through your ear on stage.

“In the side pocket, right?” Priya started to unpack things from the bag.

“I’m pretty sure,” said Sutton.

“Damn, it’s not here,” Priya muttered.

“I guess you’ll have to tell the front desk,” shrugged Sutton.

“Look, I have to get home,” said Victoire, looking at the time on her iPhone, “I hope you find it.”

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Victoire rushed outside and joined the throngs of people in Lincoln Center. Heart beating wildly, she slipped the ring out her jeans pocket.

Why did she take it that morning? She just remembered the feeling that it would bring her something good.

She tossed the ring into the air, just to watch the silver sparkle against the Manhattan skyline, and caught it.

Something very good.