“It doesn’t matter. Youaregreat. Ballet means everything to you. You love it so much. There’s no reason you can’t do something else with dance. There are a million things you could do— you could teach, you could do artistic shows, you could even start your own company. You just have to get creative, and see the possibilities.”
Odette looked into the pool. “I’m not sure. Igor thought the company would take me back at first, but since they haven’t, now he says that it’s impossible— that I’ll never make it in the ballet world.”
I suppressed the urge to strangle her. “Odette, you’re notstillwith that jerk, are you?”
“He’s not a jerk!” She became immediately defensive, and it threw me off. “He’s a great guy!”
“He didn’t even visit you when you were in the hospital,” I reminded her.
“It made him uncomfortable. I get it,” she protested.
“Odette,come on.” I rolled my eyes. “You can’t tell me he’s always there for you.”
Odette hesitated. “Well… hedidget really jealous when I went with Theo’s family on vacation this summer. He doesn’t understand that Theo and I are just friends, and I’ve told him a million times I don’t see Theo that way. Igor doesn’t want me to be friends with boys. He’s worried they’ll take advantage.”
“No, he’s totally insecure, and it’s gross,” I corrected. “You should be friends with whoever you want, not who Igor approves of.”
“He doesn’t want me to have a strong connection with someone who isn’t him. He wants to be first in my life, and since he’s my boyfriend, shouldn’t that be true?” she asked.
“Uh, no.” My nose wrinkled. “Relationships aren’t a competition. There’s nofirstin anything. You have different connections and experiences with different people based on the bonds you create. You’re my friend, but you’re not my mate. Igor shouldn’t be bothered by that.”
Odette bit her lip. “I know, but… Igor’s worried I’m closer to you than him. He’s uncomfortable about the thought of our little girl gang.Hewants to be my best friend.”
Disgust for Igor festered in my organs. “If Igor is jealous of me, or Kiara or Delmare oranyof your friends, that’s a huge sign you need to be careful.”
“I just want to give him everything, because I feel if I don’t share my life with him, it’s my fault if we fight,” Odette objected. “If we have an argument, it must be because I’m not trying hard enough. I know he blames me for the disaster at the ballet, and I have to make up for that.”
“That’s bullshit, Odette.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe.”
“Pleasetell me you haven’t slept with him.” The thought of anyone banging Igor made me want to barf.
“Of course not.” Odette’s eyebrows knitted together. “I don’t want to sleep with anyone until I bond.”
“But you have already—”
“I don’t want to hear it, Em.” Odette sighed in frustration. “I know you believe Theo and I are mates, but I don’t. I don’t feel that connection between us, and I’m not convinced Theo does, either… no matter what he says. If we get together, it’ll ruin our friendship and everything we have.”
“You mean you and Theo haven’t talked about it at all since he confessed you were mated?” I asked in shock.Godsdammit, Theo!He was being too passive again.
She shook her head. “No. And I’m not putting our friendship at risk to explore a connection I don’t think is there. It’s not worth losing him.”
“And you think you have a connection with Igor.” My voice was flat.
Odette sighed. She twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger before she said, “It’s just…”
Her voice trailed off. Odette stared into the pool. Her eyes widened, and went glossy. Her form went utterly still, like a mare in the field. The water consumed her gaze… she stared downward into the sapphire waters, mouth dropping open.
She was scaring me. I forced my arm to move as I shook her shoulder. “Odette? Odette, what’s going on with you?”
She didn’t answer. I was really starting to worry. I tried yanking her away from the pool, but she remained rooted in place, watching the ripples underneath the sunlight.
I couldn’t move her, so I didn’t know what to do. I glanced behind me, looking in the hallway and hoping a teacher was walking by so they could help. As luck would have it, I saw Stefan, Alexei, Delmare, and Theo. They must be heading out to lunch. I got up from my seat and ran past the glass doors that opened into the courtyard. “Guys, I don’t know what’s wrong with Odette!”
Theo immediately sprang into action. He ran into the courtyard while the rest of us followed. He knelt by Odette’s side and placed a gentle hand on her arm, but she continued staring into the pool’s depths like they were bottomless. Theo waved a hand in front of Odette’s face, but it’s like she didn’t see it.
“What’s wrong with her?” Delmare asked.
