Rise Like The Sun

CHAPTER NINETEEN

MADISON

"Where is your tie?" Madison bites out angrily, her brows furrowing together.

Nick scowls at her. "It's a noose."

"You couldn't put it on, could you?" Nick doesn't answer so Madison simply rolls her eyes and mutters, "Can't even put on a tie. Pathetic."

"Alright," the dancing teacher calls out to them, clapping his hands together, his accent tilted with a soft French edge. He sets down a bottle of wine, to which both Madison and Nick raise their eyebrows at. "Let's all be civil here, now, alright? My name is Bastien Beaufort. I am here as a favour to Elizabeth –,"

"Oh, joy," Madison hears Nick mutter.

She turns her head to scowl darkly at him before summoning her best smile as she lifts her head towards Bastien. "Mr Beaufort, I am honoured to have you teach me. I will do my best," Madison says sweetly.

"Call me Bastien, my dear." Bastien smiles on her brightly. "Oh, but you have the form of a ballerina!" he says excitedly, as Madison dims very slightly. "Do you dance?"

"Yes, when I was younger," Madison says quickly.

Bastien is ecstatic. "It will be so much easier for you to pick up the steps, then!" he says, as Nick pretends to gag. "You will have the form down, Madison." When he turns to Nick, he furrows his brows a little. "I see why Elizabeth wanted you. Your form is rather... big. You would look perfect next to Madison, though I do wonder at how you will hope to move with grace. No matter. Dancing is an art form, children, and anyone can do it, if they try hard enough!"

It doesn't take long for Bastien to eat his words. Or rather, drink them through.

First, he instructs them to move separately of each other so that he can size up their abilities. But every time Nick stumbles clumsily or Madison misses a step, his fingers wrap around the bottle of wine and his smile turns a note more desperate. But Madison is feeling less angry than she thought she would be. There's a strange sense of ease within Nick's company because Madison truly doesn't care what he thinks of her. It's actually freeing, in a weird way.

"Alright, I've seen your abilities – or lack of. It's time for the two of you to dance together. I want Nick to move first. I need to see if you can lift Madison," Bastien instructs. "Put your hands around her waist, Nicholas. Come on. Don't be shy now."

Both Nick and Madison are staring at him as though he's speaking French. Bastien fumbles for the bottle of half-empty wine, looking a little despairing.

Nick blinks. "I have to what?"

"He'll drop me," Madison says, at the same time.

She's thinking fast; if she could find a way to lift herself, she would. Nick is reaching for her, looking awkward and uncomfortable, and Madison swallows before Nick turns clumsily. He lands on her foot before she can move in time and Madison lets out a gasp of pain. She hisses at a guilt-faced Nick in annoyance as she reaches for her foot.

"For God's sake, Nick," Madison bites out. "This is the third time."

She's going to get bruises, at this point, and then it'll be bye bye open toed heels.

Bastien claps his hands. "Alright, let's just walk it off," he says, wiping his forehead. "Madison, are you alright?" When Madison jerks her head towards him angrily, Bastien continues, smoothly. "Perhaps a lift was too much to ask for, especially on the first day. How about you take her hand, Nicholas?"

"Like this?"

"No."

Madison holds her breath, wetting her lips, as Nick looks at her, with something like shock within his eyes. This is stupid, she thinks. Of course, they were going to have to hold hands. But why is she so pent-up about it? As Nick moves forward to take her hand, something like sparks and heat crashes within her. Madison hates how nervous she is, how her heart is pounding so hard she fears it will burst out of her chest altogether.