We Give Our Hearts to Fate

Prologue: Marina

Blinding flashes of the cameras echo through my head like lighting. It's like being pushed out into the brightness of a clear winter day. The light comes from everywhere. Illuminating. Revealing. Unraveling. Exposing. Baring all secrets to an unforgiving sky.

All at once, the voices rush back through my ears. "Celeste," they call "Celeste." A sick feeling of dread rushes over me as I listen to the screaming of the scurrying rats of reporters. The click of cameras sounding like a thousand rifles being pointed at me. Calling me out. Exposing my failures, my humiliations. Exposing the monster I said I would never become.

Something lands heavily across my shoulders and I stiffen, reacting to a threat that no longer exists. Snapping my head to my left, pupils frantically dilating in an attempt to see through the blinding snow. At first, all I see is fire. Then, the icy flames condense into a smiling face with delicate lips that twist around the words, "Smile for the cameras! These will go on the front of dozens of magazines! Crazy, huh?"

And suddenly, thoughts of ice and fire raining from the sky fly away. Suddenly, the real world hits me like a bullet and I feel vulnerable in a way I haven't felt in a long time. Scared and raw, I quickly square my shoulders and subtly shrug off the other girl's arm. At the sight of her betrayed expression, I turn to the cameras and smile with a mouth full of venom.

* * *

The night after the awards ceremony, one of the local Swiss schools had a party to congratulate the girls and boys who won medals. Somehow, someone managed to smuggle in some alcohol for the older students and many were drinking in small groups and chatting with their rival dancers. For me, the judges may have already decided who won and who lost, but the competition is never really over. After all, we're still competing for a spot in a ballet company.

So, being the only individual who seems to think in all of this childish partying, I wisely find myself sitting alone on a sofa near a closed window. I try not to associate with the juvenile dancers that I compete against, but my teacher insisted that I go and join the hullaballoo because there may be recruiters for high-end companies. Yet, all I've seen so far are the effects of poor decisions, evidence of which makes the entire room stink. In an attempt, to breathe in some of the cool, winter air, I crack open the window that I sit next to.

Breathing in a deep sigh of relief at the familiar February air, I don't notice the feet sneaking up behind me. Faster than I can react, an overly warm body collapses onto my sofa and throws an overly friendly arm around my shoulders. I turn my head to my left, to snap at the dumb drunk when I realize that they are the one person I never wanted to see ever again. Snuggling against my side is Celeste Perrot, the girl who won. The girl who took everything from me.

"Heya, cutie. You're... Mary, right?" I grit my teeth together and mash my eyelids closed for a moment to compose myself before I blurt out something embarrassingly lacking in restraint. So, instead of blowing up, I calmly reply with, "My name is actually Marina." Celeste jokingly slaps her forehead with the palm of her hand that is not currently occupied with stroking my arm without my consent. She then pushes her face closer to mine, stinking of alcohol, as she continues in a mischievous voice, "Ah, of course! How could I forget? Marina reminds me of the oceans that I can see in your eyes."

We sit in silence for a while before I raise a skeptical eyebrow at her and she throws her hands up in frustration and declares, "I'm having an off day, alright?! Can we just skip the flirting and go right to the part where we find a coffee shop and talk romantic crap? You're super pretty and your dancing was so pretty and I just wanted to ask if you wanted to get out of here."

So there it is. She didn't come to congratulate me. She came to have a dumb fling with an unsuspecting dancer. She doesn't care about anything or anyone but herself. I bet she even forgot that I was the one who got second place at the Prix de Lausanne. She doesn't know. She doesn't know that next year I'll be too old to compete in the pre-professional tournaments. She doesn't know that I've gone to the finals for the Prix de Lausanne every single year but I have never won. She doesn't know that this year was my last chance to prove myself to the people who matter. She doesn't know that I lost to a dumb girl who can still compete in pre-professional competitions next year. She doesn't know that I'm a prideful monster who lost to a churlish French girl because my dancing doesn't have enough "artistry."

So, the venom fills my mouth again as I stand up to face Celeste and spew, "You can keep your idiotic French 'romance' to yourself. I don't need your coddling or your congratulations. I gave everything to be a dancer. Maybe I don't have talent like you do, but I've practiced until I've collapsed and my feet have bled and who do I lose to? A delusional girl who is far too friendly and self-indulgent." I then level my best glare at Celeste as she gapes in shock and offense. After a few long moments, my lips twist and I sneer, "You disgust me."

As I walk away, I feel her residual warmth leave my body, reverting me back to the empty husk of ice that I was always meant to be. I have been humiliated enough for one day and now I just need to go back to my hotel room and forget about this phantom heat that Celeste leaves behind. I came in second place, so I can still find a place within a decent company, but there's one thing that I'm absolutely sure of.

I will never compete in ballet ever again.

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A/N:

Don't be upset if you're confused. I didn't really explain a lot. Explaining will come in the next chapter. Also, Marina is 18 and Celeste is 17. I'll explain backstories and physical descriptions and nationalities in the next chapter. Also, in case you haven't noticed, Marina's name is added to the title of the chapter. That will tell you who is narrating. It switches between Marina and Celeste.

(I tried really hard. Don't judge me too harshly.......)