ℰ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓁 － ℬ𝓊𝒸𝓀𝓎 ℬ𝒶𝓇𝓃ℯ𝓈 𝒳 𝒪𝒞

𝒜𝒸𝓉 𝑉𝐼𝐼𝐼

Lana's brows pinch. "What thing?"

"You two in the bathroom?" She gestured with her hands again, waiting for Lana to pick up on what she was putting down.

Thinking back to what she could be referring to, Lana shook her head and finally realized that they had gone in together. He had to hold her bag so she could go on a date with Bucky.

She chuckles. "Oh. I had a... I had an event I needed to attend, and he held my bag to change. We are best friends, Mistress."

"I know that. You two have been dancing together for the past sixteen years. But I see the way he looks at you. That's no friend."

Lana shrugs. "He is a sweet and empathetic person."

"Well, have you found any distractions that could tear your focus from performing?"

"No," she shook her head, her mind going back to the thought of Bucky for a split second. "No, Mistress," she repeated.

"Good. I need you focused. I need you alert and lively for the performance, and if you lose focus, I will not tolerate the behavior and will remove you from the role. I gave you this role because you are the best."

Lana nods. "Yes. I understand."

Did Adeline know about the people she slept with on the side? How could she not be aware of her reputation?

Maybe she was, and that's why she was concerned about Peter.

But that was the problem with assumptions. When she and Peter kissed that drunken night, it ended. He didn't like it, and she didn't either. She knew that.

For a fact.

"Also," Adeline clears her throat, looking down at her nails. "I wanted you to thank your mother for inviting me to Thanksgiving next week."

Lana's relaxed expression instantly switched to confusion as she actually made genuine eye contact with Adeline. "I beg your pardon?"

Adeline squinted, tilting her head to the side. "Your mother invited me to your Thanksgiving dinner. I figured that she told you about this."

Lana shook her head but quickly transitioned it into a nod, making it seem like it was her idea so it wouldn't offend Adeline. "Oh- Yes. I wanted to include you because you have been teaching me all these years, and also, you cast me as Sugarplum, and I wanted to repay you," she lied with a fake smile.

Fucking Julia.

"Don't worry. I will definitely thank her for you when I arrive home."

The last thing Alana wanted was to have her strict, brutal and unforgiving ballet teacher talk about her with her mother at a family gathering. Frankly, they would be two peas in a pod, probably exchanging how lazy and immature she was. Or maybe even worse, spreading bullshit praises toward Alana.

Also, thanking her mother? For inviting said ballet teacher, who she was almost 100% sure hated her? Not happening.

"Good. Now, I don't need you to stay late after class today. You and Parker can go home once rehearsal is finished," Adeline looked at her watch and peered over at the rest of the dancers that had arrived.

Thank God.

"Yes, Mistress. Thank you."

"Of course."

Lana hurried back over to Peter and Becca and sighed in relief.

Peter arched a brow. "What did she have to say?"