The Gray Dancer

50. PERFORMANCES

HANNA STEPPED ONTO THE STAGE, HER EYES GLEAMING. It finally became her time to turn the stage into hers. It became time for her to honor Derrick's memories and make their dreams come true. It became time for her to achieve their goals together, dancing on a stage she once believed she would never step on.

Hanna gazed into the audience, peeking her head through the curtains from the side, her eyes scanning across all the faces she saw, looking for a few in particular. Even though she knew her family wouldn't have come, Hanna's smile didn't disappear once.

Some things never changed.

As long as she could be proud of herself, then it didn't matter whether her parents came or not. Sometimes, things don't happen the way she wanted, but Hanna had no other choice but to put up with the rain, dealing with the storms until the flowers arrived. Sometimes she'd need to struggle, but it would all be for the best.

"Thank you, Derrick," Hanna mumbled to herself.

Without him, she wouldn't have ever been here at all. She wouldn't have been able to achieve her dreams one day, standing upon a stage she only wanted to dance on once in her lifetime. She'd forever be grateful to him, whispering into the stars, hoping he'd be watching her tonight.

Without him, she wouldn't have called her parents. She wouldn't have begun to believe in herself, slowly beginning to trust in her abilities.

Hanna slowly made her way to the center of the stage, standing right behind the curtains, a small smile over her lips. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in as she waited for the curtains to spring open with the bass beats echoing within the park. She calmed down her thoughts, ready for the first time to begin doing something she could confidently say she loved.

Hanna had no fear of dancing. Not anymore.

Once the curtains opened before her, Hanna began to showcase her talent through dancing.

She waited until the beats began to resonate through the stage before starting her performance, putting everything into her one dance, spinning from one end of the stage to another. She didn't need the alcohol to guide her as she once did, entirely within her senses as she danced today, her smile as vivid as ever.

At first, she danced in her own style, graceful as a swan. She danced a gray dance, one full of sad emotion, contrasting her bright outfit but pairing perfectly with the bittersweet song of the blackbirds. She continued her contemporary, dancing the way she loved to, sharing a story full of emotion. She didn't stop even once, moving at all times, from one corner of the large stage to another. She floated like a butterfly, singing a beautiful tune with her dance.

Only when the beat dropped did she change her style.

The deep bass filled the air, the tempo quickening with Hanna's dance. As the upbeat drumming pounded, Hanna's moves became crisper—the same way Derrick danced, full of power and emotion. She took on his style as she did his part, doing it in a way everyone could cherish his memory and personality. She performed in such a way, no one could forget him. Each of her moves meshed in perfect synchrony to the drums slamming in the melody.

As the music began to switch into a light classical, Hanna held her arm out with a twirl, pretending to bring herself into the stage as Derrick would if he danced with her. Hanna shared a story as she continued to twirl across the stage with the classical melody.

It was as if she shared her own story as she danced.

Hanna flew with grace, her arms twirling as she extended her foot upwards into a perfect spin. She danced the way she wanted, doing her best to capture the emotion of the choreography, flowing as smoothly as water. Her dance had so much pain. Anyone could see her emotions vary as the music switched between paces, going from fast to slow.