All Aurora Montgomery has ever known is dance.
An aspiring ballerina, she is constantly pushed by her mother to become the best, and that anything less is considered failure. She has to be skinny, she has to be pretty, and she has to be perfect. An...
the dress below is how i imagine Aurora's recital dress to look 🩰💙
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"Maybe just cinch the waist a little tighter."
The tailor nods and pulls the corset. Hard. I wheeze.
"Mother I won't be able to breathe," I try and reason with her. "And if I can't breathe, I can't dance."
My mother frowns. "It shouldn't be that tight," she worries her lip. "Maybe you've gained weight. You have been keeping to your diet, haven't you? Harvey specifically said-"
"I know what Harvey said," I snap, cutting her off. The tailor gives me a sympathetic look and I force a smile.
"Okay, relax honey," my mother attempts to reassure me. "I just want you to look good tomorrow, that's all."
It was Friday afternoon and I was at my last costume fitting before my recital tomorrow night. It had also been two days since I'd let Theo paint me in the dance studio that night. Since then, I had neither seen nor spoken to him. I was too consumed with my upcoming performance, school, and my usual ballet training. But as promised, he let me keep the painting. I kept it hidden so my mother wouldn't find it, and every night I would stare at it in awe. Though I knew little to nothing about art, I knew enough to know he was amazingly talented.
Plus it gave me a secret thrill knowing I'd done something like that behind my mother's back.
I hadn't spoken to Hannah either, though not for her lack of trying. I wasn't mad at her, and I'd gotten over our argument fairly quickly, but I didn't feel like dealing with the situation until after my performance.
After we left the dance shop and my mother was on the road she glanced at me. "Do you want me to drop you back at school so you can go over your routine a bit more?"
I shake my head. "No. I'm tired."
"Okay," she nods and doesn't push it. In the past she would've, but my school ballet instructor Francis, whom she trusted wholeheartedly, had also emphasized it was important that in addition to practice I got enough rest. His word was law, and she never questioned it. He was a retired professional dancer, and had been apart of and worked for several famous ballet companies including the American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet, and New York City Ballet.
During dinner my mother went on and on about tomorrow, how excited she was and how I was going to do amazing. I let her talk because then I didn't have to, nodding and smiling along. After dinner I went to my room and decided to call it an early night. After brushing my teeth and slipping into my pajamas I climb into bed.
Try as I might, sleep does not come.
First I stare at the ceiling hoping. Then I start counting sheep. When that doesn't work I roll over, grabbing my phone and headphones from my nightstand. Laying back down I stick them in my ear and decide to listen to the song I would en dancing to, Once Upon A December.
