"-You've had a tortured look on your face for several hours, Lance."
Balan was sitting in their office, scribbling some notes about their current Visitor. Usually it was Lance who took care of it, but Lance's mind was decidedly elsewhere. He was slumped in the chair across from where the Maestro was sitting. He was staring at the ceiling.
The pain in his chest had not gone away. It was so strong that he only wished he could rip his heart out.
Balan closed the thick newspaper, having finished his report, then put his hands on his chin and stared at his comrade.
"-Don't tell me it's because of this Heart Fragment?"
He did not answer and Balan sighed.
"-It was to be expected, you didn't think she would spend her whole life here.
-And why not?" Had he finally dropped, in a cold tone.
"And what does she want?
Lance turned his back.
"It's no use to pout at me, you know very well that you have something to do with it. It is not me who spends my life with her. "
He paused.
"She's close to getting her next fragment, you know?
-What makes you say that?"
Balan stood up and moved to the former Maestro's ear and whispered his answer. Lance turned around quickly, surprised and embarrassed.
"Are you sure of what you are saying?
-Oh yes, I am." he answered with a big smile.
Lance stood up and put back his now messy hair. He sighed and as he looked at the colorful stained glass window, a Koso-Koso settled on the top of his head.
"-Did you know Balan that a kiss was not just a courtesy gesture?" he said calmly as he stroked his cheek.
Balan was surprised.
"-Of course I knew that, you're just finding out?
-Since she offered me some here and there, I was intrigued so I searched" he continued pointing to his cheek and forehead, still elsewhere.
Balan muttered in his beard, falsely annoyed:
"-Silly girl, she was well kept from telling me.
Then he resumed:
"The best of all kisses is the one on the lips, hu hu."
Lance touched his lips with his fingertips, eager.
"-Surely..." He looked at his friend.
"-You who have already experienced this...How is it?"
The Maestro shrugged, flattered.
"It's more exquisite and bewitching every time. Once tasted, it is difficult to do without. But my past experiences have nothing to do with how you feel about her."
Lance bowed his head, lost and pained.
"Patience is a virtue. But tell me, are you sure you want to go through with this? You and I both know what lies ahead for you and what lies ahead for her. Who knows what might happen in the near future."
Lance shook his head. Balan hadn't minced his words, but the truth had to be told.
"-You should get some rest my friend. You're dealing with a lot of emotions you've never felt on your own. Clear your head, it's better."
The enamored one nodded and went to his room while Balan sighed at his Tims.
Lance slid into his sheets, thinking. He was completely distraught.
Should he tell Selene?
After all, she would soon leave and his memory would be erased. As for him, he would face his terrible fate. Wasn't it better to keep it all to himself?
He continued to think about it and then his thoughts slipped to the one he loved and he ended up falling asleep very quickly.
*
**
"-Selene, darling I was looking for you".
Castafiore was in the highest balconies. She had looked for her little Ballerina in the whole Opera House, but the latter could not find her. Indeed it was rare for the young girl to be sitting so high.
"I just needed to think in peace.
-Is everything all right?"
She nodded, thoughtful.
"-I was just thinking about the conversation I had with Balan.
-About that heart fragment?
-Yes..." She sighed.
"I don't understand... I thought that the dance was only the problem.
-I think I know what's wrong."
She turned sharply towards her.
"Really? Oh Castafiore, please enlighten me."
The singer sighed.
"-Your ballet and your relentlessness towards it were far from being the problem. Don't you remember neglecting those around you? You are so focused on your passion that you forget to take care of others, as they take care of you."
Selene was stunned. She hadn't thought about these kinds of consequences and now she felt guilty. She was too obsessed with the dance.
"-I'm sure you've missed a lot in your world."
Selene was titillated.
"-That reminds me of something...
-What is it?"
She gave an annoyed whine.
"-Diana had told me about a boy, and I think he liked me a lot. But I was so focused on the dance, I coldly ignored him.
-What was his name?
-His name was Erik."
Castafiore closed her eyes. She secretly hoped that Lance was not spying on them, fearing that he might be jealous. But they were indeed alone. However, the singer noted one thing: Selene was completely unaware of the excessive attention she had paid to Lance. Balan understood what he had meant when he had explained the situation to her.
"-I have to dance." She had finally said.
She went to the stage, without another word and put on her azure dance shoes. And for the umpteenth time she began to repeat Swan Lake. She let herself be carried away by the music, by her movements. She thought of Lance, of the Waltz and other dances they had shared together. She imagined his face, his eyes, the bewitching look he had. She continued to dance without his vision leaving her mind. Deep down, she wished he was there watching her hypnotically.
She wanted to dance with him. Odette and the Prince. She and her Maestro. Suddenly, she was brutally brought back to reality.
"But...if I leave...what will happen to Lance?"
And with a sudden jolt, she felt her ankle twist violently. The same ankle that had twisted during her dance rehearsal.
Selene fell to the ground with a loud crash and began to shake. She couldn't stand up anymore, her ankle hurt horribly.
"-This is happening again..."
A simple thought had been enough to destabilize her. Was she really ready? Hadn't she gotten that fragment too soon? Maybe her first success was just a fluke? She felt miserable.
She struck her fist violently against the floor
" -Damn it !"
It was the first time she swore. Suddenly she stopped moving and stared at the floor, her thoughts taking over her.
Two dark glares shone in her eyes.
"-Selene!"
With a blank, veiled look, Selene raised her head toward the origin of the voice. Shortly after he had rested, Lance had sensed a strange negative aura emanating from the Ballerina's stage.
He had arrived just in time.
The ex-maestro rushed towards and saw that horrible glow shining brightly in her pretty amber eyes. He held his face in his hands, begging:
"-I beg you, do not let yourself be tempted!"
He tried desperately to seek her gaze, then finally hugged her for a moment.
The glares disappeared and Selene looked at Lance for a moment, lost. The man breathed a sigh of relief.
"-What happened?"
The ballerina burst into tears in front of him and jumped at his neck. Lance let go and that's when he saw her ankle, now purple. He guessed how Selene must have reacted to this accident.
He loosened his embrace and looked at her with a soft and reassuring air.
"-I know what you're thinking and it's not true. What has disturbed you so much that your concentration is lost?
-... "
She didn't want to say that he was the reason. She would feel stupid.
"-Nothing serious, don't worry about it."
Lance gently wiped away the tears that continued to roll down her cheeks.
"-Don't get yourself in such a state, I promise you it will be okay.
-Are you sure?
-As long as I'm here, yes."
She laughed a little, embarrassed. Lance placed a kiss on her hand.
"-Show me your ankle."
The girl complied but then blocked began to undo her ballet shoes.
"-What's going on?
-You've never seen a dancer's feet..."
Lance didn't say a word and took matters into his own hands. He gently removed her slipper. Selene did not move, stressed. The latter gave a small cry of surprise.
Her foot was covered with bandages and patches. They all hid wounds and scars.
"The risks of the job, you know...
-You're amazing..."
Lance snapped his fingers and brought up a long purple ribbon, covered with beautiful ornaments of all colors. Selene thought they looked like the same ornaments worn by the Negatis. She did not take her eyes off Lance, who was taking every possible precaution not to hurt her. He delicately rolled the pretty ribbon around her wounded ankle then, he removed her second foot and gave her her pumps.
Selene was surprised by all the attention he had given her.
"It's not much, but I did my best...
-It's perfect, I sincerely thank you..."
She wanted to cry again. But Lance took the lead and carried her like a true Princess. In surprise, Selene clung to his neck, which made the Maestro laugh. He placed her on a seat, as a precaution.
"Do you think you can walk without help?
She nodded.
"Yes, no problem, I'll be fine now!
-I'm glad."
He bowed, terribly sorry.
"I would have liked to stay, but my duties call me...
-So go, I needed to be alone for a while anyway..."
He stroked her cheek.
"-Call me if you need me. I insist, Selene.
-Okay, okay!"
He smiled at her and disappeared.
Castafiore came out of the darkness, the famous little ghost at her side.
"-And you still dare to reject your feelings for him?"