The studio was packed on audition day, the air humming with tension and excitement. Aurora stood near the door, her fingers clutching her number tag. Around her, dancers stretched, whispered, and sized each other up.
"You've got this," Rachel whispered, squeezing her hand.
Aurora nodded, but her stomach churned. She'd spent weeks preparing for this moment, but now that it was here, all she could think about was what would happen if she failed.
When her number was called, Aurora stepped into the center of the room, her heart pounding. The judges barely glanced at her, their pens poised over clipboards.
"Whenever you're ready," one of them said.
The music started, and for a moment, Aurora froze. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him—Finn, standing in the back of the room, leaning against the wall.
His presence was like a spark. Aurora inhaled deeply, letting the music take over. Her body moved on instinct, every step telling a story she'd been too afraid to share with words.
The judges watched her intently, their pens moving rapidly across their clipboards. When the music ended, Aurora stood still, her chest heaving.
"Thank you," one of the judges said, nodding.
Aurora walked out of the room, her legs trembling. Finn was waiting for her by the door, a small smile on his face.
"You were incredible," he said, his voice quiet but sincere.
Aurora looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "You mean that?"
"Always," Finn said, his gaze never wavering.
In that moment, Aurora realized something: maybe she wasn't alone anymore.
YOU ARE READING
Unwritten Steps
RomanceAurora Carter has spent her life feeling stuck-in her foster home, in a town that doesn't understand her, and in a reality that keeps pulling her dreams out of reach. The only place she feels truly alive is when she's dancing, pouring her emotions i...
