Breaking Pointe

Destiny.

Friday came around, and the studio buzzed with a palpable excitement as the students chatted animatedly about the party that night.

Stella and the girls walked into the studio. They exchanged excited glances and chuckles about the night ahead, but the buzz of conversation about the party quickly shifted their focus to the task at hand.

Stella put her bag down with practiced ease, her routine fluid and familiar. She slipped out of her street clothes, revealing a sleek black leotard that showcased her toned physique. Today, she opted not to wear her cardigan, leaving her slender arms exposed, but kept her leg warmers on for comfort. Tying up her pointe shoes with precision, her eyes briefly flicked toward the door where Max, Ryan, Elliot, and Alex had just entered. She hadn't realised Max had become friends with them, and the sight of him settling really well into her life made her stomach flip.

She focused on her shoes, trying to push the thought aside. After taking a quick sip from her water bottle, she made her way to the spot of the studio where she and Max worked last time. The studio was already full up with students as Laurent and Ferdinand entered, and the room fell silent almost immediately.

Laurent stood at the front, her presence commanding the room. With her usual authoritative tone, she addressed the class, "Alright, everyone. Last week was just an introduction to get you used to your partners. This week is where the real work begins."

She paused, letting the words sink in. "After your paired warm-up, I'll run through a schedule for you to build your own dances. You will both have to utilize your own skills to choreograph your own pas de deux with a classical song of your choice. I will give each pair your own theme to base your work on. You'll spend the next month working on it, and we will be assessing them at the beginning of October."

Stella's heart skipped a beat. The idea of choreographing her own piece was exhilarating, but the thought of spending more time with Max stirred an uncomfortable mix of emotions. She hated how unsettled she felt by something so ordinary, and she couldn't help.

Max approached her a few seconds later, his presence as noticeable as always. "Hey," he said casually, offering a warm smile.

"Hi," Stella replied, forcing herself to keep her tone neutral. She reminded herself to stay guarded, a habit she had developed over the years to protect herself from getting too close to anyone outside her close circle of Alice and Bridget.

Laurent began the class with a series of warm-up exercises whilst the students copied after her. She and Max had to work together closely, and she couldn't shake the anxiety it brought.

Max glanced at her as they moved into their first exercise—a series of graceful lifts and extensions, retesting his strength before committing to their dance. His touch was precise and controlled, but every point of contact sent a jolt through Stella. She tried to focus on the task, reminding herself to remain professional. However, the way Max looked at her, with an intensity that seemed to pierce through her guard, made it difficult to concentrate.

After the initial exercises, Laurent announced a brief break before she went through the plan and the start of them working on their choreography. Stella took the opportunity to grab an apple from her bag and chat with Alice and Bridget, who were buzzing about the party and their excitement for the night as well as the dance routine assessment. The lighthearted conversation was a welcome distraction from the tension she constantly felt around Max.

When the break ended, Laurent began demonstrating some advanced partnering techniques alongside Ferdinand. She told the class to focus on different aspects of the dance at a time. "Today, focus on choosing a song that appropriately compliments your theme. A song you can base your emotions and dynamic on. Then start to consider which of the techniques I just showed you would be fitting for your Pas de deux."