“Oh, did he? In what car?” She raised an eyebrow, a small smile gracing her face as she took another sip of her tea.
“I’m assuming yours?” I muttered, taking a sip of my own tea.
“Oh right.” She nodded her head up then dropped it slightly.
“Well, he may not want to take me anymore. He said it last night when he came to check I was okay.” I needed to be careful of what I said around her.
“Okay, well, either way we need to leave in five, so if he isn’t here in––”
“I’m here.” He beamed, walking across to the junk drawer in the kitchen and grabbing Mum’s keys. “Okay for me to take Darcey to her lesson, Zara?”
“Mmhmm.” She nodded as she walked down the hallway. “Drive safely, Conor,” she shouted as she walked away and into the lounge.
I looked over at him, a handsome smile creeping on his face.
“Ready, baby girl?” he crooned.
I nodded shyly, walking towards my bag that I dumped on the side and picked it up. I grabbed a banana on my way out, putting it in my bag as I started walking down the hallway. I looked over my shoulder to make sure he was following me; his eyes were on my butt before he dragged them up to meet mine.
I blushed a crimson red, flipping my head back around and opening the door.
I skipped down the steps and waited at the driver’s side of my mum’s range rover, watching him walking towards me. He was wearing a long white tee that was tightly cuffed at his muscly biceps, black skinny, ripped jeans and black trainers. He looked fucking amazing as per usual. I rubbed my lips together, trying to distract myself from him.
He unlocked the car, I opened the door and slipped in, dumping my bag at my feet.
“You okay?” he asked as he strapped himself in.
“Yeah, I’m not bad.” I smiled at him, turning to face him. “You?”
“I’m perfect, thank you.”
Wasn’t that the truth.
I turned the radio on, James Bay “Us” was playing. I reached across and turned it up slightly, the silence in the car was deafening. I couldn’t work out if there was tension between us or not? Maybe it was me and my mind? Did he feel awkward after our kiss?
I had all this swimming round in my mind. This was not what I needed before my two hour lesson with my ballet mistress. I had to clear my head, but how could I clear it of Conor Royce? I was annoyed with myself for letting myself get distracted by him.
I turned to face the window, looking out at the trees along the road, sighing. I felt his eyes on me, but I refused to turn around to face him. I couldn’t look at him.
When we pulled up at the ballet studio, I ran out the car before he had put the handbrake on. Pulling my bag over my shoulder, I push through the black, heavy, double doors.
“Darcey,” Madame Camilla called out, a welcoming smile on her face.
“Morning, Madame,” I greeted her, dumping my bag on the chair before sitting on the floor and undoing my converse, pulling my leggings down then slipping my pumps on for warm up.
My eyes drifted to the door when I saw Conor walk through them. My ballet mistress’ eyes shot to him. I gave him a small nod in the direction of the chair seated at the side, instantly feeling nervous. I didn’t realise he was going to be watching me, I thought he would have gone home.
Fuck.
Okay, Darce, it’s fine. You have this.
Madame Camilla walked towards me. “Is he going to be a distraction, Darcey?” she asked, side-eyeing Conor.
I shook my head. “No, ma’am.”
“Good, onto the barre,” she ordered as she walked gracefully over, standing at the top, waiting for me. I stood next to it, the wall of mirrors sitting behind Conor.
“Okay, let’s start with a demi,” she called out. I gripped the barre with my left hand, keeping my back straight and my eyes on her the whole time as I bent my knees down, smoothly coming back up into second position.
“Good, give me another,” she said, her eyes watching my every move.
I closed my eyes for a moment, I could feel the intensity of his stare as I moved.
“Grand plié,” she bellowed as I carried out her command gracefully. I then moved into the barre before moving away.
“Straight to fifth,” she said as I moved my left leg in front of my right, turning my left foot out as I rested my right foot on a point, then moved back into demi again, swooping my arm as I smoothly moved into the grande plié, moving front to back.
“Soutane to the other side, Darcey, and straight to fifth please, then take the warm up from the top.”
I did as she said before balancing in sous sous, turning, opening my arms and finishing, my feet turned and flat on the floor, my arm up in the air, my wrist curved slightly over my head. I stepped away from the barre and moved to the middle of the studio, ignoring the pull I was feeling to look at him. I kept my eyes on the floor and on Madame Camilla.
“Darcey, pointes please.” She shook her head at me. I sighed before walking over and kicking off my pumps before sitting and slipping my pointes on and lacing them up round my ankle. I had a drink of water before walking back in front of Madame Camilla.
“You still think black swan is a good idea?” I asked, a little apprehensive.
“Black swan is always a good idea, it is a classic.” She smiled at me. “Position, please,” she commanded as the music started.
I stretched my arms up before going up on pointe. I flicked my eyes to Conor, his eyes hazy, his lips parted as he watched me. I pirouetted as I started my routine, doing everything in my power not to look at him.
“Stop,” Madame Camilla bellowed.
“Darcey, you’re stiff. Start again,” she snapped.
I walked back to my start position, taking a deep breath as she re-started the music, going back into pointe, and this time I kept focussing on him. I needed to be able to get through this with him here.
I glided gracefully across the floor before going into an arabesque then gracefully striding into my leap, landing balletic and gliding into a pirouette, turning three times as I fluently moved into my leap, my head held high. I felt good, I felt this was the best I had performed this dance when all of a sudden, I felt a snap in my lower leg.
A blood curdling scream came from me as I collapsed to the floor in a heap, the tears falling. The pain was excruciating.
My surroundings blurred out around me, a small ringing in my ears as I heard Madame Camilla and Conor calling out to me, but their voices were muffled and far away. I turned my face to look round, my eyes brimming with tears when I saw Conor’s face close to mine. He kissed my forehead as he demanded for Camilla to call an ambulance.
“Baby, you’re going to be okay,” he mumbled, wrapping himself round my body as I lay on the studio floor before blacking out.
CONOR
I stayed lying behind her, my arms wrapped tightly around her. Her tears stained her beautiful face.
“It’s okay, baby girl, I’m here,” I mumbled in her ear. I wasn't sure if she could hear me, but I wanted her to know she wasn't alone. Her eyelids flickered before she slowly started blinking.
“Darce,” I breathed out. “Baby, can you hear me?”
She nodded as the silent tears began to fall again.