Foundation of Dance

Chapter 24

Olivia

The sound of the shower running in the background of the house was grounding, bringing me out of my daze and my phone rang. "Hey dad," I answered, holding the phone to my ear. I rubbed my eyes tiredly.

"Hey love, how are you feeling?" Dad asked.

"Not too good," I answered quietly, I pinched my lips together as the intense anxiety I had been feeling since the court date was set washed over me, it was going to be on November 29th. "How are you?"

"We're getting there," Dad said. "I just want to run you through what's going to happen during court, alright?"

"Yeah, okay?" I said. I was sure I didn't actually want to hear it but I needed to, if I want to be with dad then I have to deal with the hard parts.

"We'll be led into a small room and the judge will be there, we will be set down and she will question both your mother and I individually on living arrangements and other things to determine who will be best suited to take care of you," dad explained. I let out a shaky breath, in my mind I could hear the gavel banging with the court ruling 'custody to Valerie Locke.' It bounced through my head, a constant reminder on how badly this could go. "You okay Ollie?" Das asked and I snapped out of my stupor, I blinked rapidly, pushing away the watering of my eyes.

"I don't think so," I answered, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Soon darl, soon and it'll all be over."

I sniffled, fighting back tears. "But what if it's not?"

"Then I won't stop fighting for you."

I could have sobbed in relief but the shower stopped running. "I-I gotta go," I said, turning in the direction of the door. Dad sighed through the phone.

"Alright, call me if you need it, okay?"

"Yeah, I promise. I love you," I said.

"Love you too Ollie," dad replied and he hung up. I sighed heavily, throwing myself back first onto the bed. About a month and a half had passed and we had learned the majority of the Christmas dances for the festival, we also did a competition and Alexandra did an amazing acrobatics solo but even if things with the studio had been good other aspects of my life had been lacking severely. I yawned tiredly, sleep had been practically non-existent and I wouldn't be able to count the amount of panic attacks I've had.

'I haven't said anything to Alexandra,' I thought, but I have the suspicion she knows. Alexandra walked into the bedroom, towel drying her hair. "Was that your father?" She asked, gesturing at my phone.

"Yeah, the court date is set for November 29th, it's only a while away," I said quietly. 'Just a couple more weeks and it will all be over,' I thought, rubbing at my eyes. Alexandra sat next to me on the bed.

"At least it'll be over soon," she said and I shrugged.

"I think I'm scared of it being over soon," I mumbled to myself. Getting to the court date means finding out whether or not I get to be with dad or I have to go back to mum, someone that doesn't accept who I am. "We should head to school," I said and I grabbed my bag.

"Hey, hey," Alexandra said and she grabbed my wrist.

"Yeah?" I asked, Alexandra moved her grip on my wrist and intertwined our hands.

"You know you can talk to me, right?"

Alexandra had been saying this a lot lately and I couldn't blame her. I knew I had shut down a little and we had begun to drift apart. I nodded, pinching my lips together and drifting my gaze down. Alexandra sighed softly and pressed a kiss to the top of my head, her hand coming up to caress my face. A lump formed in my throat and I held my breath, holding back the watery tears threatening to spill.