Soloist #Wattys2015

Chapter Six

Sighing, I placed the box of muffins by my partner's bedside. I wrote a short note on a post it that the nurse gave me. Leaving it on the box, I took one last glance at my ill partner, wishing that Austin would at least wake up to offer me a muffin.

Eli stands where I had left him, leaning against the wall, playing with his white shirt.

"Ready for class?" He extends an arm. I took it.

"Are you sure you remember the steps?"

"Relax, even if I don't, I'll make something up" He shrugged.

As we headed to class, I twisted my hair into a tight chignon, using a trick that Mckayla had figured out and taught me. While Eli walked, he did little hops and almost turns, working through the steps in his head.

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Madame Carolyn wanted to move straight into the dances, waving for us to start in the corner opposite the piano. Just before we began, Aellius placed his warm, reassuring hands on my waist.

Although it did feel different, Eli was still much better than Austin; the extra years of ballet training clearly making a difference. From the way he kept me on pointe, absolutely certain of the delicate balance; to the way that he ensured that I finished each and every turn... as if we were meant to dance together.

I was sure that Madame Carolyn noticed this too- I could see it in her expression.

Usually in the last duet, there was a set of turns that I was hopeless at. Somehow, he knew – perhaps from my hesitation. Around turn seven, he put a firm hand of my waist and gave me a boost, helping me with the last few rounds. The best part was that Madame did not notice.

Beaming, I bowed as required, enjoying the applause from my classmates. Mckayla grinned as Jaxton lead her to their starting places. Julia gave them a thumbs up as I sank into a split beside her.

"Great job, Andy." Casillith smiled, barely.

"What's wrong?" Questions a concerned Lee, wrapping his arms around her as she let out a muffled sob.

She sighs, "I just really want a role in this year's winter performance... but I don't see how I'll ever settle for a minor character." Lee tightens his hold on her and her hands come up to grip his strong arm.

"You were the pink fairy in the autumn's Sleeping Beauty; and Odette in the Spring Sonata production. What makes you think you'll be any less?" Listed Aellius.

"It isn't a crime to have ambition and want to be noticed on stage." I reasoned, defending my friend.

"Andy! Aellius! Back to the centre!" A sharp screech bought both of us back to the present.

Kneeling on the floor yet again, I waited for the waterfall of the piano notes to begin.

Yet again, the music filled me with life as I envisioned a string pulling my listless body up by the hips. I kept my expression blank as I launched into the series to puppet-like moves.

Then, running to where Eli and I were to meet, I stopped, using the momentum from my sprint to do a handful of spins before I had to extend my leg; high and straight as woodwork. Even though Aellius could have raised his leg a lot higher than mine – and made me look bad – he did not.

"That was-"

"Amazing!" Julia cuts me off. Aellius takes a mocking bow as the corners of my lips pulled up into a small smile.

When the last piece of music finally ended, Mckayla drags herself up and over to a non-obtrusive corner of the room and collapses to the ground. She groans when I throw her the towel she brought.

"Can we all agree that no one tries too hard for appraisals?" Jaxton suggests.

Looking across the studio, I half-spied, kind of stalked Daniel Reagans – Julia's somewhat quiet partner. I watched as he

"You know they're casting for the Winter Waltz, we can't mess this up." Casillith releases her blonde hair from its tight bun.

"Well good luck to all of you, but I have my master class to attend so... got to run." Eli picks up his small haversack that he had brought before exiting the room.

Pulling on a shirt, I got up and stretched out for a few minutes to warm down before heading back to my dorm for a shower.

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Austin was not getting any better – in both his illness and his mathematics.

"You've got to be kidding me. This is logically, extremely, and unnaturally wrong." I face-palmed the table.

"Then, instead of telling me that I am wrong, perhaps you should teach me." Picking up his pen, Austin scribbles across his work then throws the writing instrument down onto the table. He grips his hair, threatening to rip out his close-cropped brown hair.

Aussie lets out a frustrated growl, slumping back into his stack of pillows. Catching his dejected appearance, my expression softened. I leant forward, shutting the thick textbook.

"What are you doing?" Austin narrows his eyes as I pull him to stand.

"We," I motioned to the both of us. "Are going to dance"

"But I'm sick." He stops me, digging his feet into the soft carpets.

I spat with disgust, "You're turning own the opportunity to dance because you're sick?"

"Look, Andy..." He trailed off, scratching the back of his neck, mumbling something incoherent.

"What?" I snapped.

"I can't continue dancing. They've found the cause of my fever." He presses the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply.

I gave him a moment to compose himself, remaining silent as he wept, his shoulders trembling as he tried to remain composed. Eventually, he spoke up.

"I've got synovium, and it's really bad."

I looked at him in shock – somewhat stunned that he had listened to what the doctor had said. However, I did not know what synovium actually was, but what I did know was that synovial joints are the joints with the most movement. The whole joint is inside a capsule, which is lined with synovial membrane, and is full of synovial fluid. So, I figured that his joints were in trouble.

"It scares me, Andy." He confessed. "What am I supposed to do know? Ballet is the only thing I know."

"Go home." I replied, my tone void of emotion.

"Alright." He hiccupped and the fact that he had put in a lot of thought into this matter became apparent.

I stepped forward, gathering his broken form into my arms and hugging him tight. It was the only thing I could do.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered.