High Pointe

High Pointe - Episode 3

I forced myself to look away from her, ignoring the perfect circle of her lips.

"Monsieur Cantrell," she whispered with the kind of reverence that sent pleasant shivers down my spine and caused satisfaction to tug at the corners of my lips. "How can I help you?"

"I think you'll find that I am the one who may be able to help you," I replied, stepping into the room and closing the door behind me. It did nothing to block the view as each studio door was made of glass, but it gave us a semblance of privacy and that was all I needed - for now. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to her. A peace offering. A first step towards something more. Something incredible. "I've had my eye on you for a while now, Ms. Hawkins, and I'd like to extend an invitation. I'm testing out a rigorous new training regiment and I'd like you to be the first to experience it."

"Oh," she said, taking a step back rather than taking the offered water. The blue of her eyes shined brightly beneath the studio lights, impossibly huge. "That's very flattering, and I'd be more than happy to accept but I don't know that I can afford something like that right now. Maybe once I've actually gotten into the corps I could save-"

"Breath, little gem," I said, cutting off her frantic rambling. I offered the bottle of water again and this time she took it, spinning the cap off to take a sip as she pulled herself together. Her cheeks were flushed with exertion from practice still, and it nearly detracted my attention from the set of her shoulders.

Slouched, uneven.

No one was truly perfect, of course. There was always room to grow, and I had the feeling that this particular young woman was more than willing to reach for the kind of perfection I knew she could achieve. All I had to do was convince her to say yes.

"I really do appreciate the offer," she said. Her voice was wistful and resigned. "How much would it cost?"

I shook my head, wondering just how far she would be willing to go to pay for an opportunity like this. I imagined her dropping to her knees, staring up at me with those wide blue eyes and perfect red lips. Offering to pay some other way for the honor of studying under my wing.

"The price is steep, I assure you, but not outside your grasp," I said, watching avidly as she took another sip of water. Enjoying the way her throat flexed as she swallowed. "And you seem like the kind of person dedicated enough to pay the toll. Tell me, Sophia, how much would you give up to become the best dancer in the world if you could?"

"Anything," she replied in a heartbeat, no hesitation. "I'd give everything if I had to."

"And you will," I promised her with a vicious smile. This was the one I'd been waiting for. This was the woman I would push to the absolute limit, and beyond that if necessary. If she had what it took I would craft her into a model of perfection the likes of which the world had never seen.

"Not that I have anything of value to give," she said, and she looked distraught. The sadness in her eyes only made her more attractive in mine.

"I think you have plenty left to offer," I assured her, noting the way she still stood in first position while we spoke. Completely at ease to remain that way for hours. Maybe even days. "Potential like yours should not go to waste. Let's see something from your repertoire, something you're proud of, and if I like it I'll consider offering you a full ride scholarship."

She froze, her eyes wide as she seemed to process both the opportunity and her entire repertoire in a short moment. Then she lifted the water a third time, and I grinned, thrilled at the determination I could see in her eyes.

Capping the water bottle and setting it down, she whirled around and scrolled through the music on her phone. Settling on a song, she moved to the center and stood in first position.