I struggled to enchant the key with no success for another hour before class was dismissed. I wasn’t surprised I didn’t get the spell. My thoughts were on Ethan, and worrying about him would only mess up the anti-negativity spell every time.
“You all may keep your items that I’ve given you today, to continue practicing,” Calliope said, with a nod at me. “Keep in mind this will be on the test.”
“I have to go to Monster Theory,” Kiara said as she gathered her things. “Don’t give up, Emma. Things aren’t bleak just yet.”
They sure looked like it. It felt like there was a dark storm cloud over my head as I strolled around the castle. I had a class with Lord Lucien in an hour, but I was going to skip it. Tears were threatening my eyes, and I wasn’t going to embarrass myself by breaking down for the whole class to see. They’d think it was about the breakup.
In a fucked up way, kind of.
Moping around all day wouldn’t help Ethan, and it wouldn’t help me. I had to cheer up. If there was one person who could put a smile on your face, it was Odette.
I took a breath and steered myself toward the dormitories. When I knocked, Odette immediately opened the door. Her blue eyes blinked as she pushed her oversized glasses up her nose. She was wearing her hair in a messy bun, with a bow a foot across atop her head. Her baggy fuzzy sweater cut off at her midriff, and her skirt was designed to look like a frosted cupcake, sprinkles and all. Her galaxy tights finished the outfit with a splash of color.
She must not have class today. I thanked the gods she was free.
“Emma! What a lovely surprise.” Odette patted her hair. “I’m glad you stopped in.”
Before I could say anything, Odette noticed the key I was twiddling between my fingers. “What’s that? You get that from Calliope’s class?”
“Yeah. I’m supposed to be practicing enchanting with it,” I said. “It’s so small, though. I’m afraid I’ll lose it.”
“Ooh, let me see.” Odette took the key from my grasp, and bustled over to her desk. She pulled out a jewelry kit, and fiddled for a moment before she held up her handiwork. “All done!”
She’d put the key on a thin rose-gold bracelet for me to wear. I slipped it on over my wrist. “Thanks, Odette. I truly appreciate it.”
Odette put a hand on her hip. “What brings you by?”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry if you’re busy. I just really needed a friend.”
“I’m not busy at all.” Odette looped her arm in mine. “Let’s go for a walk.”
The halls were empty this time of day, as most everyone was in class. We wandered until we came to one of the inner courtyards, the one where a round pool was resting peacefully in the sunlight. It was the same courtyard Ethan and I had broken up in… still, it was one of my favorite places in the castle. It was so beautiful here.
Odette sat cross-legged by the edge of the pool, and I sat across from her. “What seems to be the trouble?”
I blew a lock of hair out of my eyes. “Everything, really.”
“It can’t be all that bad. Keep your chin up, Emma. There will be happy days in the world again,” Odette said kindly.
“I’m not so sure.” Thinking about other people’s problems was easier than my own, so I changed the conversation. “How are you doing, Odette?”
Odette’s face fell a little. “Better, I think. I’ve been eating, but mostly because everyone still watches me. I don’t know if I’m ready to do it on my own. I have a weird relationship with food now. It’s gonna take time for me to get used to it.”
Odette had been treated for her eating disorder, and I don’t think she’d slipped up, but she still needed help in order to be accountable. “What exactly happened in rehab, if you don’t mind me asking?”
She shrugged. “It was a lot of therapy. Theo saw me as much as he could. He was the only one.”
“What about your mom?”
Odette’s gaze was watery when she looked at me. “We haven’t spoken since I collapsed onstage the night of the ballet. She’s ashamed of me. She thinks I threw my chances of being a prima ballerina away.”
Odette’s words cut me. I couldn’t imagine her mother could be so cruel.
Odette wiped at her eyes. “I kind ofdid. The Malovian Ballet won’t touch me now, and word spreads in the ballet world. I won’t be able to get a position as a dancer, after what happened.”
“So what? It doesn’t mean you can’t dance for fun.”
“I don’t want to dance for fun. Ballet was mylife, Emma. It was everything I ever wanted, and I let that dream slip away.” Odette sighed. “I haven’t put on my ballet shoes since that night. It’s too painful. I can’t dance knowing I lost my one chance to be great.”
