Chapter 34
Maxime
Every fiber of my body is on high alert. Where is this conversation leading? Could it be that she's suggesting...?
"You have to keep dancing, Maxime. That's what I mean." She tries to show me her strength, but I can hear the trembling in her voice. I notice her restless gaze and the fidgety movements as she pulls the sleeves of her sweater over her fingertips.
The sea rages behind her. Inside me, a storm is brewing. And a future is building between us that I don't want to see. "You mean...?" I ask.
She nods. "As long as I can't do it, you need another dance partner."
That's out of the question. More than that, the idea is so absurd that I don't even know how to respond. Has she lost her mind?
"No," I finally say. "I don't want to dance with anyone else but you."
"I know that." A melancholic smile graces her face, then she bites her lip. "But it's not possible." Breathlessly, she places her hand on my heart. "You might no longer be able to dance with me, but I'm asking you to do it for me."
Dance for her?
By choosing a new dance partner?
The mere thought feels wrong. Aurora and I belong together, in life and on the dance floor.
Defiantly, I shake my head. Before Madame Durand paired Aurora and me as dance partners, I didn't even have one. "I don't need anyone; I'll just work as a trainer. That's enough for me."
I hope she doesn't hear that it's not the whole truth. Even if it would be enough for me, Madame Durand expects something else from me now.
"I've seen how much you enjoyed the performances. Besides, you have too much to offer to the world of dance to hide behind the academy's walls." A fighting spirit ignites in her gaze. "Please, it would make me happy," she implores.
She's lying to me. Or is she?
I study her, trying to discern if it truly is her wish. However hard I strain, I can't find the answer in her eyes.
We stand tightly embraced at the railing, swaying to balance the motion of the boat.
Physically, we're so close, our movements forming a unity, yet at the same time, I've never felt further away from her than at this moment.
Still, I realize that this could be the solution to our problems. My place at the academy would be secured. Our future as dance partners would be secured.
"Do you really want this?" I ask, my voice filled with too much hope.
With a strained breath, she nods. "With all my heart."
"Why?" The question slips from my lips before I can stop it. It weighs heavily on my soul.
Aurora's gaze gets lost in the expanse of the surrounding sea.Don't make it so hard for me, Maxime, I read in her expression. Or maybe it's just what I want to read, and she's thinking something completely different.
I force her to look at me. "Why?" I repeat because I just have to know.
Suddenly, her eyes glisten with tears. "Because I want nothing more than for you to be happy."
And she thinks I'd be happy with a new dance partner? "But I am. With you," I reply with force, but it sounds half-hearted. I wouldn't be happier with someone else as my dance partner, but I would certainly have fewer worries.
She blinks rapidly and takes hold of my hands. "You've already lost too much. Don't let yourself lose your dream as well."
I feel the strong pressure of her fingers on mine. She can't know about the deal I made with Madame Durand. But she knows how much my life depends on the academy.
She's letting me go.
