2 kids

Love song.

Ashley.

"Have you slept?" Christina asks as we're eating our breakfast.

The hotel's dining area is spacious, and so beautiful I don't want to leave. Big puffy chairs, long tables covered in bright white tablecloths. There's food of all kinds covering the tables, croissants with so many fillings. Chocolate, nougat, pistachio, raspberry, and so many more. They're all still deliciously warm and the filling has the richest flavour ever.

"Yeah."

Jonah shakes his head. "She would've danced the whole night if I didn't force her to go to sleep."

Christina looks at me with raised eyebrows, and I swear to kill Jonah for this.

Everyone is grouped in small groups of people they know, barely interacting with other people.

"You have to sleep," she simply says. "You can't afford to cut off the sleeping schedule."

She turns to the others, eyeing them all. Everyone but me looks like they've gotten their needed beauty sleep. No dark circles under their eyes, just happy smiles coating their faces. No one seems to be barely keeping their eyes open.

"You need sleep, Ashley."

"It was one night," I try to defend myself.

"I need you in your best condition."

"You have us in our best condition," Jonah assures her with a smile that doesn't really convert his message.

We go back to our breakfast. I devour the pistachio breakfast occupying my plate like I haven't seen food in years. This may be the most delicious croissant I've ever tasted in my life.

Christina interrupts our peaceful eating, demanding our attention. All eyes turn to her, as she says, "I have another competition for you all. Different categories, but I want you all to participate."

"Do we have a say in it?" A young boy, not older than thirteen, asks. I try to recall his name but unsuccessfully.

"You don't," she winks at him. "They do."

"Why do they have a say in it, and we don't? That's not fair."

"Because we're instructors too," Jonah explains. "And we're graduating this year. If I were you I wouldn't even question not going. Take all the chances you get."

"What competition?" I ask before those two can get into a morning argument.

Christina places her intertwined hands on the table, holding my gaze. "All styles, you choose. It's for duos, and I'm giving you a chance to form those alone. Of course, if it turns out to be bad pairing I'll make the pairs."

"The expected preferred styles of this year?" I continue asking the questions.

"Contemporary and ballet."

Some kids groan, some shyly smile. It's a perfect competition for me, I realise. Though lately I've been too absorbed in this hip-hop choreography, and I've been taking too many hip-hop classes. Seeming to go back to that style a little more than I expected. I haven't had enough time to focus on my contemporary choreographies.

Christina addresses these words directly to me, as if apologising for making me focus mainly on hip-hop. Though I admit I did at first feel uneasy and doubtful, I no longer mind it. It has robbed me time to focus on my own choreographies, but it has given me plenty of new experiences and memories. Even opened more doors in the span of one and a half month than contemporary ever has.

"When is it?" Jonah asks.

"In a month. You'd have to start preparing as soon as we get back to New York."