Shut the fuck up.
Evelina clears her throat. “This isn't a dealbreaker here. Seriously. I just really want what's best for you.”
I smile curiously at her. “Why is that, princess?”
She rolls her eyes. “Because I love you. Duh.”
44
EVELINA
“Again.From the diagonal.Let it breathe,Evelina! Don’t rush it!”
My muscles scream as Madame Kuzmina circles me like a shark smelling blood in the water. Her eyes follow my every movement, critiquing in real time.
“Yes, like that…good. Hold thedéveloppéa hair longer. Let them see it, let them enjoy it…good.”
My leg muscles tense. Focus churns through my bloodstream.
“Now close—good. That's clean. The balance happensbeforethe turn, not as part of it. Don’t fling the arms,place them. Sharp here, not frantic. Better. Again.”
I end up doing the entirety of the Black Swan solo/coda twice more under her scrutinizing gaze.
“That was good, Evelina,” she nods. “Quite good. You’ve found a maturity in the last couple of months I don’t believe I’ve seen in your work before.”
Well,shit.
Did the Earth just stop turning?
Because I do believe Madame Kuzmina just complimented my dancing. And on the Kuzmina scale, that was a freakingravereview.
I grin as I push stray hairs out of my face and gulp from my water bottle.
“Thank you, Madame,” I smile. “I appreciate it.”
She nods, twirling the rings on her fingers which always make me imagine her as fortune teller. Then she peers at me closely, almost suspiciously.
“You’ve been training elsewhere? An outside coach?”
I blink. “What? No, definitely not.”
Madame taps her chin with one ringed finger, still looking as if she’s trying to pry out my secrets.
Then slowly, her face clears and she smiles.
“Ah. You have a boyfriend.”
Jesus.Isshe a fortune teller?
My face heats.
“I…” I bite my lip. “Yeah, I do.”
“I knew it.”
I roll my eyes. “Are you actually saying thatlovemakes you a better dancer?”
She snorts. “Of course not, Evelina.”
