Today is my final show…
After speaking with the investors who fund my charity shows, they agreed to keep supporting me in Hill Crest once I find a studio. Shows will be at the Hill Arts Stadium, so I won't have to return here.
I told the parents I was leaving town with my fiancé—yes, I said fiancé just to annoy certain mothers. The kids demanded one last show, and what moved me most was that they wanted to sell tickets to help pay for my new studio.
I declined, of course, and explained that sales would be split between all the charities I’ve worked with in Rose Hill. I’d likely set up shows to raise money for other charities in the Hill Crest area once we’ve moved. Now, after two weeks of planning, we’ve sold out the hall and raised twenty-nine thousand dollars and I’m watching my kids dedicate a farewell dance they learned together.
A few tears fall, and I quickly wipe them away.
This is for the best. I know it, and so do the kids. It helps that one of the moms—Caty—has decided to take over the lease of my studio and apartment. She’ll keep the ballet studio open, though she mentioned she wouldn’t be able to run the shows I did. The classes will still go ahead, which is the main thing.
Madeline, the youngest of my kids, does a solo, and more tears fall at how graceful the little two-year-old is, not caring at all about the attention on her, and pride fills me.
I’m going to miss them, I know I will. They made me who I am today, but I need to do this, to leave, and not just for Bellamy, but also for myself.
I know I left once, but that wasn’t for long, and I came back to harassment and nasty pettiness.
Drake attacked me, would have raped me had I not broken his dick. I was kidnapped, and memories of being neglected are spread all over this town because of my mom’s misplaced guilt.
Leaving for a new start sounds pretty good to me.
I watch in awe as the kids finish their parts and the music changes. I know it will take everything in me not to cry as I do my final dance in Rose Hill.
I take a deep breath and rush onto the stage and go into anarabesque, keeping my back straight, my bump proudly pointing forward. I hear a loud cheer that I know will be my rowdy lot.
The Dark Angels MC are in town to help us move, my parents, and my fiancé.
I quickly change into adeveloppe, then dance my way to the middle of the stage. I let the music flow through me and keep my composure, despite the urge to cry.
My kids surround me as I go into aleveethen I spin elegantly with my arms above me, my fingers just touching as the music slows. I end in a leap. The crowd goes wild. I breathe heavily as the tears begin to sting. Instantly, they fall as the kids surround me, all trying to wrap me up in a hug. A little sob escapes, causing Sophie, the oldest, to hold me tighter.
She chokes, “Thank you for always supporting me, thank you for getting me into my dream school, and thank you for believing in me when no one else would. I’m going to miss you.”
I wrap my arms around her as the crowd chants my name. The kids line up with me in the middle, and we all bow in unison just as hundreds of flowers are thrown onto the stage.
When I stand straight, my eyes lock onto the ones I love so goddamn much. The amount of pride radiating from him makes me grin a mile wide. The claps and cheers from the brothers are loud and joined along with my parents. My mom's tears stain her cheeks as she takes in the crowd, while my sister, who had never been to the show, glares.
Same old, same old.
“Okay, munchkins,” I choke, “one last bow as the curtain closes.”
***
Twenty minutes later, I excuse myself from the crowded backstage area and head towards my dressing room, needing a minute.
My emotions are going haywire, and I know Bell is packing away my stuff, and right now, I need him.
I kiss Mia’s head as she sobs in her mom’s arms, and I walk towards the room where I always get ready, trying my hardest to keep my tears in.
I knew this would be difficult, I just didn’t know it would be this hard.
Taking a deep breath, hoping to stop myself from sobbing, I rush into my dressing room only to stop dead in my tracks. I raise a brow as Elizabeth screeches and lands on her ass as a very pissed off Bellamy glares at her, his hands fisted at his sides.
Uh oh…
“What on earth?” I hear my mom gasp while I cross my arms over my chest and glare at my little sister.
“This is the last fucking time you ever try to throw yourself at me, do I make myself clear?!” Bell roars, and Elizabeth jumps as her tears fall, and Mom sighs, catching her attention.
