Rêveries

Chapter 33.

Because I wasn't sure I still had it, I only told Evie about the competition and she was the only one I allowed to go with me. I didn't tell the boys, my parents or Pascale. The morning of the competition, I met up with Evie at the train station and we took the train to Montpellier. I would compete in both lyrical and street, but I felt a lot more sure of the street choreography. It was a lot more powerful and I really felt it when I danced it. I did my makeup on the train and I fixed my hair. I had my clothes packed and would change when we got there

The building was filled with all these dancers that I became quite sure were better than me. I remembered as I walked in that I know Charles and other people also know who Charles is. Some people also know who Jules was and therefore they may know who I am. It hit me like a truck when I walked inside the building and I saw all these other dancers that had probably danced for years and years. I started to think it was a horrible idea to go there. I wouldn't be able to live with these people telling their friends that I came last or that I was bad and then having it spread on the internet.

I changed, I warmed up, I stretched, and Evie helped me shake off some nerves. When people came up to us because they actually did recognize us she was nice and smiled, making me take pictures, because then even if I was bad, they would at least remember me as nice and sweet.

We waited for the result when Charles called us to ask us where the hell we were. We hadn't told anyone we were going away either. We tried to cook up a lie about where we were and why, but one of the judges started talking in the speakers and even though we tried to cover the microphone, we knew he had heard him. He silenced for a moment before asking:

"Vous participez à un concours de danse?" Are you in a dance competition?

Evie began stuttering so I took the phone from her, "Nous ne sommes que dans le public," We're only in the audience, I told him, still trying to cover the microphone while I heard them start calling the third and second place in the street category.

"Pourquoi tu n'as pas voulu nous le dire?" Why didn't you want to tell us? he asked and I felt a pit in my stomach, but I had to shake it off to put together a lie to tell him. I sighed and was just about to tell him that I wasn't even competing, when Evie grabbed my arm and began jumping up and down. My name had been called and I had won my first competition back. I didn't have the time to save this with Charles so I just hung up. Evie hugged me tightly, squeezing me to the point I thought I was going to pass out.

I got up on the podium, the highest spot. I shook the hands of the judges, the second and third place winners. I got a gold medal and I got my own trophy too. I looked down at it and I smiled before looking up at the people who were clapping. I could walk away from there with some dignity left. They took photos of us together on the podium and I regretted not changing out of the costume I had for my lyrical performance.

When I came back, Evie was on the phone with Arthur instead. She tried to tell him that she hadn't been allowed to tell anyone and I guessed that Charles had told him about the competition. She handed me the phone but I hung up when I took it and then I turned it off. I didn't want to deal with them. I turned mine off too and then I changed into my sweatpants and the tank top I had on when I got here. I thought we could just get out of there, but Evie made me stay for the results of the lyrical category even though I was positive I hadn't won anything there. But we stayed and when my name was the first name they called, my face fell in shock. I had gotten third. Even though I thought I sucked. Evie wasn't surprised but she was happy for me. Probably happier than I was. All I could think about was that I'd have to face both Arthur and Charles when I got home.

To hold off on that just a little bit longer, Evie and I went out to eat. I was in sweatpants and had to find a store where I could find a pair of jeans to even feel accepted in a restaurant. We celebrated with drinks and a nice dinner. We went for a quick walk around the city, which was beautiful, and then we took the last train of the night home to Monaco. The train ride was four hours, it was dark out and we were alone in our carriage. I put the trophy on the table and looked at it proudly. Evie took a picture of me and told me she'd post it everywhere like a proud mother. What did it matter now that they already knew? So I let her.