Calore Dance Academy// Red Queen AU

Chapter 87

Hey all! I hope everybody is having a lovely summer. Another chapter, as promised. Do enjoy! Because next chapter, everything will go to absolute shit. But I suppose that will be fun, too. 

Anyway, do leave a star along with your thoughts and feelings! Enjoy! <3 

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"Miss Barrow. You look simply gorgeous in that dress. How are you?"

I remind myself that the formalities and the ass-kissing are just a means to an end. A nice, clean, happy ending. I throw a smile at the pristinely-dressed man.

After a brief series of texts yesterday evening, I received an invitation for an early dinner at a bougie, artsy-fartsy restaurant on Columbus Circle. I've only ever walked around the circle, never having looked down from above in one of its skyscrapers. I have to admit that it's a breathtaking view of the city.

I feel the small gesture stretch my cheek muscles. I haven't enjoyed a real smile or laugh in days. Everything's becoming a stage face.

The three men, each clad in dapper, expensive-looking three-piece suits, are familiar faces around the private dining room table. The lone, unfamiliar woman looks all business in her figure-hugging black dress. She has the same air as Bess Blonos—the woman must be a choreographer.

"I'm okay. How about yourselves?"

A nameless waiter closes the door behind me, enclosing me in the luxurious private dining room. Rustic lights with red, green, and blue shades hang over a sleek wooden table, surrounded by velvet olive-green armchairs. We're ten stories off the ground, and low-hanging fog couples with late-autumn dusk and the shadows of buildings. It makes for an eerie scene.

"Well, we're all doing just wonderful now that we have you here," the older man returns.

I just have to roll my eyes at that.

"There's no need to suck up, Bracken. I asked for a meeting because I'm interested in dancing for you, not because I wanted a free steak dinner."

Bracken, Alexandret, Daraeus, and the woman all laugh at that.

We might as well cut to the chase. It's not like I can't see the stacks of paper neatly arranged on the table in front of Bracken. He smiles at me. The gesture turns refreshingly warm and real.

"I appreciate your honesty. Then let's get on with talking about ballet and money."

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Cal chuckles behind me, his voice mingling with Juliet's Variation.

"What are you laughing about?" I hiss.

I swear that this man wants me waking up unable to walk tomorrow morning. Sweat pastes baby hairs to my forehead and my tank to my back. My calves are about one more pas de deux from developing actual shin splints, and my thighs come close to shaking. I watch my own sweat fall from my forehead to the ballet barre that I balance against.

"Just you," Cal returns.

I huff as I bend a new pointe shoe halfway around the barre in attempt to crack its sole.

"That's mean," I murmur, pushing the weight of my body into the barre. After rehearsing Romeo and Juliet's pas de deux about twenty-five times, my shoes gave out on me. They should've lasted for another couple of days, but thanks to Cal, I'm breaking in a new pair at the late hour of ten o'five at night.

"Really? It sounds like something you would say."

"That's because I'm a mean bitch."

Cal comes up to the barre, taking the shoe from my hand. Before I can protest, he gently cracks the shoe between his hands with as much effort as it would take for me to crack an egg.