On paper, Pete and Valentina are perfect for each other. Their friends used 'soulmates' when describing them and at one point they were. As they reflect on the last five years of their relationship, they try to understand the complexity of their lov...
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Ever been told that in order to manifest something, just think positively?
Replace the "I hopes" with the "I wills", "I can't" to "I can", "if" to "when"?
Sometimes it works, like in the case of wanting a good grade on a test or to memorize a solo.
But what happens when that type of encouragement and optimism does not yield the expected results one hoped for?
This is something that our young and insecure ballerina came to blows with. This constant internal battle with herself since joining the company at such a young age. Her quest of trying to move up in that corporate ladder.
Then came that question of whether she found her job joyous or tiresome.
At what point do you call it quits when you're not progressing the way you were supposed to? Or at least, wanted to?
Do you even continue to practice it or give up?
The Metropolitan Opera House is celebrating its ninetieth anniversary this year and the coordinators have planned an entire gala season around it. The theme is 'timeless classics'; the entire lineup of the season will be full of shows that have aged gracefully since the theatre's grand opening in the early nineteenth century. On that list for the American Ballet Theatre is none other than the Tchaikovsky masterpiece: Swan Lake.
She had auditioned for the coveted role of the Swan Queen, and in turn, the Black Swan. If she were to get this role, then it meant all those years of working hard, perfecting each move, the blood, sweat, and tears she had shed--- she would be seen at last and receive the recognition she so rightfully deserves.
The day started like any other: Valentina would go to her Pilates class, grab breakfast with Mateo and her godson, return home, get dressed, and head to the studio for morning class. The air didn't feel any different, the atmosphere is bleak, and the weather is tolerable. She met up with Avery, interlacing her hand into her girlfriend's, talking about their plans for their date later tonight as they walk to work together.
The French woman knew that the cast list would be posted today, but she just didn't know when and she couldn't bear to see her partner's heart break once more. The blonde woman does everything she could to keep the brunette distracted, however, it didn't ease the ever increasing anxiety bubbling inside Valentina's stomach with each step as they enter inside the building.
It is clear that there is tension among the other dancers of the company. Other girls pass by, some bumping her ever so harshly, some crying, and some glaring at her. The men looking at her sympathetically, in disbelief, or sheer bitterness. Even in such a professional work environment, rumors and gossip is still ever so present and alive. To the Arizonan, it felt like she never left high school.
"Valentina! There you are! C'mon, the cast list was just posted," Marcus, her assigned dance partner and good friend, proclaims.
The three of them rush down the hallway to the bulletin board and stopped right in front of it. Her eyes automatically scans the bottom portion of the paper labelled ensemble, searching for her name.
