Breaking Pointe

Blended Days And Dresses.

It was Saturday morning, and Stella had just returned from the studio. She always used the free early morning period to work on her technique, even though the weekend was meant for rest. Her mother had ingrained in her the belief that to be the best, she had to work every single day, allowing herself the luxury of a break only on Sundays, if that. Stella wanted to distance herself from this mindset, knowing how crucial rest was for a dancer's body, but she hadn't quite managed to shake the habit yet.

Stepping through the door, she found Alice and Bridget in the kitchen, both looking like they had just rolled out of bed. They turned to her with wide eyes, surprised to see her up and active so early, seeing the sweat still shining on Stella's forehead.

"You've already been to the studio?" Alice asked, incredulous.

"Yup," Stella replied, setting her bag down.

"I thought you were still asleep," Bridget said.

Alice shook her head with a sigh. "Have you even had breakfast?"

"No, not yet," Stella admitted.

Alice sighed again, this time with a hint of disappointment. "I'll make you something."

Stella waved her off, smiling. "Don't worry about it. I'm just going to shower, and then I'll make something myself."

Alice hesitated but finally nodded. "Okay, just don't skip it."

After a quick shower, Stella returned to the kitchen, her hair damp and smelling of fresh shampoo. She toasted a bagel, spread a generous amount of avocado on top, and prepared an iced coffee. Lately, her control over food had been more intense than usual. The new stress of her classes was beginning to creep in, and it was affecting her more than she liked to admit. Still, she knew how crucial it was to maintain her energy levels, so she forced herself to eat.

With her breakfast in hand, she joined Alice and Bridget in the living room, settling onto the sofa. The other two girls exchanged a glance before Alice broke the silence.

"So, how's it going with your new dance partner?" Alice asked, a playful smirk on her face. "We noticed the sparks flying between you two."

"Yeah, he's obviously mesmerized by you," Bridget added, nudging her with a grin. "But who wouldn't be?"

Stella laughed, shaking her head. "It wasn't sparks, it was anger," she lied, trying to sound nonchalant. "He's not good enough for me anyway," she added, trying to get rid of any accusations the two girls may throw at her.

The girls exchanged a knowing look but didn't push it. They pretended to agree, but Stella knew they saw through her facade.

"Anyway," Stella said, eager to shift the focus, "how was it with you and Ryan?" she asked, turning to Bridget.

Bridget shrugged, her expression thoughtful. "I can't tell yet. He's nice, but... I don't know. There's something that's stopping him from getting close to me."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Bridget hesitated. "I'm not sure. It's like there's a wall, and I'm not sure how to get past it."

Stella nodded, understanding the complexity of these partnerships. They were all in a high-pressure environment, and sometimes it took a while to find the right rhythm with someone. But even as she offered her support to Bridget, her thoughts drifted back to Max, wondering if she was just imagining the tension between them, or if there was something more to it.

"Well, Steven and I surprisingly make quite a good dancing pair," Alice smiled.

Bridget grinned. "Who would've thought?"