A Wedding Tale

Chapter 15: Sealed Lips

     Callie Ann pulled me to center stage once everyone was set for the trial. I held tightly onto her warm hands until I heard the cue to start my solo. I clutched onto my heart and my stomach. It wasn't as hard as last weekend. I struggled mostly with staying in character and the dreadful, one foot, arabesque turns. I could feel my right ankle popping as I turned. My feet began to cramp as I performed bourree's for four counts of eight. I kneeled and looked up at Jonatan panting for breath. I was grateful that the next part was some floor work so my feet could rest for a moment before I had to stand back up. I finished with a fouetté arabesque facing Jonatan, who was now upstage right.

     Jonatan slowly stepped towards me as I coward back in fear. Once we were at the bottom of the stair case- where Skylar was standing, but our characters had no idea he was there- we began a passionate argument. I did a large develope battement while he mirrored me. I ran into his arms and he picked me up, which began the intricate Pas de Duex.

     I knew that this was difficult for Jonatan because most of it was him lifting me. I could feel him shake as he forced himself through the Pas de Duex. I tried to carry my own weight as much as possible, but most areas I had to rely on him. He pulled my elbows back to where my shoulder blades were touching and weaved his arm through them. As I stood en pointe with my chest out, he began pulling me into a back port de bra. Once my head was at his chest, he looked into my eyes before covering my face with his hand and pushing me away. I swiveled down and grabbed the bottom of his legs before pulling myself up on his arms.

     We performed an arabesque promenade with me holding the crease of his elbows behind him. I leaned back and gave him all of my weight for the awful walks forward en pointe. I kept my arms engaged and trusted him as we took large, slow steps to the downstage corner. On the fourth one, I developed my right leg into a ron de jambe en lair and pulled myself away from him. I walked en pointe slowly around him, grazing my hands on his upper body. I could feel his muscles quake as my hands went over his arms, chest, and back.

     He then grabbed my hips and lifted me into an upside down position before circling on himself. He got a lot of momentum and I was scared that he was going to drop me. I was thankful that he didn't. When he put my down, he flung me into a series of chaîné turns. After four counts, I chasséd into a arabesque. I flung my arms into a high, open fifth and he grabbed underneath my arms and laid me down on my stomach. I turned myself over onto my back and watched him begin the arabesque chug turns.

     I prayed that he didn't drop his leg and hit me. I felt the breeze of his leg a few times, but he never made contact with me. Once he was done, I found a moment to sit up and grab onto his legs before he picked my up.

     We latched elbows and he carried me on his back before picking me up into an awkward al le seconde lift over his head. I wrapped myself down his body and into a double stage position before he threw me into the arms of Aiden, Max, Dustin, and Rowen.

I saw Skylar running towards me and I began to fidget. As Callie Ann took him in her arms, I saw his petit body go limp. Even though it was just a scene, my heart dropped. I began to fight against the guards more and broke free when it was time. I felt his feet, legs, and grazed his hair before being pulled back. I struggled as Jonatan carried his limp body upstage. I broke free and reached towards them before dropping dead. I let my body go limp as Callie Ann weeped over me. She shook my head and I could feel her breath. As she laid me down, she took my wrists and crossed them over my chest. I laid in peace as the scene came to a close.

My mother called out when the back drop would fall and you could only see Jonatan and Callie Ann onstage. I stood up and walked off, trying not to draw attention to myself.