Pirouette

23: Fire On Fire

Her dad had died out of the blue. If there had been anything she could've done to prevent it back then, Fiona would've done it, no question or hesitation.

– Adam was refusing to report Grip and the other guys who assaulted him, which meant he was inviting every possibility of it happening again into his life. How was she supposed to stay beside him, knowing that?

She just couldn't support it.

But after all that Adam had done for her to support her... even when she had been making stupid choices...

Squeezing her eyes shut, Fiona felt so torn. A few more sobs broke from her throat, unwilling to stop them.

She would have to choose sooner or later, just like her father had done. Was she going to put everything on the line for him... or was she going to stay where everything was safer? If her being with him put him at risk...

Opening her eyes, Fiona looked at her father's headstone. He had been brave enough to go for what he wanted, but she wasn't sure she was as strong as he was.

He had chosen love: Could she do the same?

~~~

About an hour later, Fiona was at the DanceDec. She had been the first one there, everyone still being in church or asleep at home. She had gone up to their usual dance studio, but as she walked in alone, it suddenly felt... empty. Like something was missing.

Or someone.

Strapping on her ballet slippers, Fiona had warmed up and continued doing her old routine until she finally heard life begin to come in downstairs. She heard music begin to boom from the other studios, heard the usual chatter and laughter from around the place, people having fun and enjoying themselves, dancing.

But as Fiona finally stepped out onto the floor to begin her new dance routine that Adam had made for her, she found her legs trembling, just like they used to before she met him.

It felt like the room was coming at her from all angles. Her bones felt insecure, just as the mirror seemed to skirt around on the wall, unable to provide her with a spot to hold. It felt as if everything hurt when she took those first steps, and it didn't take long before she had to stop.

Guilt was weighing in her stomach again. Too many thoughts, too many concerns, too much... everything.

Was this what she wanted? Was ballet still all she wanted in life, or had something changed within her? Did she even want to dance at some ballet company, and was it even worth all of the grueling work that she knew would come in the future?

Just as Fiona felt like she was having an existential crisis, there was a sudden knock on the door. Her heart flew up into her throat, for some reason expecting him to walk through the door, but... as the door opened, it was Kalo's face that met her.

"Heya," She softly spoke, sending Fiona a careful smile. She obviously knew what had happened, which meant the whole DanceDec also knew. "I saw the shades were down, so I figured you were in here."

Fiona swallowed a ball. As Kalo came in and closed the door, she realized she wasn't just here to check up on her. Was she about to get reamed out by Adam's best friend for storming out on him in his condition? "Uhm... y-yeah. My audition is tomorrow, s-so I have to practice."