Hey guys!
To all those in the Commonwealth Countries, WOOHOO! Queen's Birthday! Long weekend!
Actually, it differs from country to country, but anyway here in the Land of the Long White Cloud we had a lovely three day weekend...
Apart from the aftershock this morning, which was a bit of a wake up call since it's been pretty quiet recently. I was writing, thinking 'Hmm, get under my desk or find out what Edward's up to...'
Fortunately, I haven't bothered to clean up my bedroom since February (seriously, four months...I don't sleep in here, though), so there's not much on the walls to fall down :D
Anywho, that's my little chitchat for the day :D Onto business...
Thanks so much for your reviews!
We're at Chapter Twenty Five now and it's only because of you guys! Thank you!
Oh yeah, also: DANCING TWILIGHT COMMUNITY!
I created it last week, after a few people asked me about other ballet fanfics, and I really need to put some more fics on it (Clair's the only one at present...). I don't have a lot of time at the moment to go poking around Fanfiction - I would love to, though - so I need your recommendations! At present, I'm looking for any sorts of dance fanfics (not just Ballet, though it will always be my favourite...). They must be based around dance (not just a sort of add on which doesn't go anywhere) and they need to be at least ten thousand words long! Also, the dance needs to be well informed!
So yeah, please flick me a review or a PM if you have any ideas!
Okay,
Please Review!
And Enjoy!
All of Me - Jon Schmidt
Viva la Vida - Coldplay
Evenstar - Lord of the Rings, Howard Shore
He held me against his chest for a second, as we both got our breathing in check. The dancers spun around us, black figures in the dimmed lights. The piano played, but I heard none of it. Edward...Edward...
Gently, he lowered me back to the stage floor, until I could sit. I stared up. How? How was this possible? But he was gazing back down at me, his eyes still an intense green, his hair messy.
"You're here," I whispered.
He lips turned up slightly, "I'm here."
His voice...I let out the croak of a sob and a laugh. My ankle moved. I gasped, gulping back the sick feeling.
"What are you doing?" He demanded, the floating world of ours destroyed. The piano was loud in my ears now. Time...as soon as the piano reached its crescendo was reached, I had to be ready...
"I'm dancing," I told him.
"Bella," he said incredulously, "You're injured."
I shook my head, "It's not so bad." Now more than ever, with Edward here...I had to do this...
With my teeth biting hard into my lip, I pushed myself up, getting my good leg under me.
But suddenly Edward's hand was on my shoulder, pushing me back down. His eyes burned, "Bella, you can't do this."
I stared for a second... "I know," I said, my voice wavering "...but I still have to."
"Why? You're in pain, Bella...I could tell from the wings..."
I smiled grimly, "'there are no excuses'."
His eyes flashed, recognizing his own words. He looked at my swollen ankle, then back to my face, studying it, "I can't stop you, can I?"
I shook my head, "You can't."
He raised his chin, looking past the dancer's into the blackness of the unseeing audience. "You must dance, then...but not alone."
In a single movement, he had lifted me up to standing, making sure I was leaning on my left foot.
"Edward," I whispered, my mind struggling to catch up. "You don't have to do this...I know you don't..."
He hooked a finger under my chin, tilting it till I met his eyes. They burned with green fire, "Bella Swan," he said softly, though his words were as strong as bone, "Ignore everything, everything that I have said previous to this moment," but didn't that mean...no...he leaned closer to me, his eyes turning almost desperate, "I know I don't deserve it...but will you trust me? Will you give me your trust, Bella?"
For all the worlds, I could have pondered his words for hours. I could have questioned and fought...but at the end of the day, I realized, there would only ever be one answer, "I trust you," I whispered. No...I couldn't let myself interpret his words the way I wanted to...I couldn't let the delusion win...
"And I trust you," he said back, shutting his eyes for a split second, "More than I have allowed myself to understand."
I was so confused...what did he mean?
Then he gently turned me so that I was facing the front, where soon my class would break apart. "Just keep your weight on your left foot," he said softly in my ear. He was so close...shivers ran up my spine, "If you can, keep your other leg straight. I won't drop you..."
I nodded nervously, "We have four bars..." the eight people dancing around us sped up, spinning and twirling as I had, lifting the music to the most terrific peak. "One," I said shakily, "Two." I was going to dance with Edward... "Three." No...no those same feelings were going to come back... "Four." I had to stay neutral... "Five." Simultaneously, we took in a deep breath. Edward pulled me a little closer to him. It was just a dance... "Six." But was it? "Edward!" I burst out. "When we danced. In the studio... "
"Bella, I – "
But the dancers hiding us suddenly split, fading away into the wings. No!
Edward hesitated only a moment, then lifted me high. My arms rose up. The glaring bright lights were on us. We were bared to the black sea of the audience. The world opened.
I heard the gasp of surprise. The piano suddenly faltered, holding on to its last note. Everything paused. Just for a single second. And then the piano started again.
It was the same tune...but slower...delicate. It was the beginning again! Those first few curious bars...
Edward lowered me, until my left pointe touched the ground. The notes began to roll down, and I did as I had done before, leaning into a penche, lifting my leg up until it was straight with my standing one. But it was different now, because Edward was in front of me, down on his knee, holding my hands. His eyes held mine, gazing at me. I knew I looked confused and flustered. He hadn't answered...I didn't know...what had he been about to say?
The music came back up, and so did I. Then I walked forward, trying to keep my weight on my ankle for only the briefest of moments. Edward held my hand. I went up on my pointe. He seemed to know what I was going to do, and so left my hand and went to my waist. I pirouetted. His hands rung around me, giving me extra spin.
It felt so easy...but I just didn't know...I didn't understand.
The music finished it's tinkling. I should have ended my turn and put my leg back on the ground as I usually did...but my body, without any instruction, leant backwards, letting my bad leg stretch out in front of me, laying my head against his shoulder.
Why? Why was I doing this? It was silly...he hadn't answered...
But it felt so perfect, leaning back against him. I felt safe...my eyes shut. His hand came further onto my stomach.
What was I doing?
The music continued. I stepped away from him, his hands slipping from my bodice. But I knew I wanted them back...
I walked forwards again. Edward, a few metres away from me now, did the same.
This was the part where I was meant to be reaching for something...but I had already discovered the World of Ballet...this time, I had to search for something else...but the one thing that I wanted...it was stupid...it had been proven wrong on so many occasions...but I still wanted it. I wanted it so badly now...
So I gave up.
I let myself be taken.
I let the delusion have me.
As the music came into its final soft chord, I gave Edward one last, almost apologetic look. I knew he was just trying to get me through the rest of my solo...I knew I shouldn't make it more than it was...but then I let my bad leg come behind my other, and I lowered, letting my back knee touch the ground. My tutu was rough on my thigh. I brought my hand to my heart, bowing my head...surrendering myself to him. To Edward.
At that moment there was no past...no future. There was just raw instinct...all there ever is in ballet, once you are here, on stage...
And so I held my position, only looking up a little, peeking at the man across the stage from me...
But he was no longer standing. He was sinking down onto one knee, bringing himself lower than me. His hand clasped to his chest.
My breathing halted. He wasn't...he couldn't be...
Then his face lifted again. Our eyes locked. And it was like that first dance...the same thought in our minds...except that now he knew the question I was asking. And he was giving me the answer.
When we had danced, he had felt it.
The connection. It was real.
The piano broke into the melody, definitive and sure. And I was up, rushing towards him, feeling as light as air. My ankle hurt...but it was covered by something even more potent than adrenalin. Edward! He understood! He knew!
As I reached the middle, I spun into a pirouette. Edward was right there at my waist, and I leant back, my head and arms now over his shoulder. He picked me up just slightly and spun me around. I couldn't help but laugh as I twirled, the air rushing past me. I knew only he would hear over the light, carefree music. And I knew...somehow...that he understood.
As he put me down again, I stepped back, and he leapt across the stage, his muscles flexing as he flew through the air. I could see the smile on his face...he was truly amazing...
As he landed his second leap, he stood and held out a hand to me, his eyes lit with excitement.
I raised my chin, and in a few quick steps, my waist was in his hands again.
I let my legs come out, and it was as if I was leaping, accept my feet merely brushed the floor as Edward lifted me each time, keeping my ankle from damage. The music carried on at it's fast pace, and we went with it. I leapt again and again, but it was growing in volume...something more had to happen.
At my highest point in the leap, Edward suddenly twisted me and let go for a single second. I was spinning in the air! He quickly caught me again, bringing me right down until I was bent back over his arm, staring up at his face. I thought I heard clapping...but the music was coming to its end, powering through. It took only a second for him to pull me back up on my feet.
We separated again, going to our opposite sides.
I pirouetted, feeling so glorious...so happy! As I passed in a blur, I saw Edward doing the same, spinning with equal speed. I had never seen someone so strong...
Three bars...two bars...
And I ran once again, launching myself high into the air. Edward caught me as the final bar played, and I was up high in an arabesque.
An arabesque...just as I had begun the piece...but so much had changed...I was no longer on the ground, I was suspended above the whole world...elated like no one else...save one...
The last note faded.
The lights went out to black.
Edward gently lowered me back to the ground, setting me on my pointe again. My bad ankle tucked behind it. My hands rested on his chest. His arm was wrapped around my waist.
All I could hear was his breathing and my own. In the dim lights from the wings, Edward's face looked shadowed...beautiful and strong. The exhilaration was still on his face.
I stared at him, a smile spreading over my face. The relief...the pain...the dance... "You answered," I whispered, laughing in elation.
He laughed with me then, pulling me up in his arms. My hands went around his neck...he was really here... "I did, Bella..."
"All that you said before?"
He shook his head, "That dance meant everything, Bella..."
And then his lips were on mine.
I gasped. What? But then I was kissing him back urgently, my dancer's instinct taking over. I felt his smile as our mouths met. My bodice pressed into his chest. He was so warm...
His strong arms wrapped further around me. My fingers wove into his hair.
Perfection...perfection in chaos...
"Uh...Bella?" Came someone's voice. No!
I snapped down from my pointe, fumbling a little as I regained my footing. Edward steadied me. My heart was going frantically fast.
I glanced around, patting down my tutu. I could faintly see my class in lines across the stage. Eliza was behind us, a grin on her face.
"Curtain call," Edward murmured.
"I..." but speech was a little too much for me...
Edward grabbed my hand and helped me limp off stage.
The lights went up as we reached the curtain. Edward kept a hand around my waist, "Don't go further back; I think Esme's waiting..."
I nodded nervously. I'd kissed Edward...Edward had kissed me...we'd kissed...Edward...he was here...the delusion wasn't a delusion...
I bit my lip and focussed on my class.
They were in two lines, alternately girls and boys, standing poised and perfect. They walked forward as one, then the ladies stepped to the right and curtsied, as we did in class. I looked at Violet almost bursting with excitement. Lauren was between Tyler and Ryan in the front row, looking demure, her usual half-smirk on her face. The boys then stepped up and bowed, just a simple forward motion. Ben was beaming like he hadn't done for days. Again, I hoped Angela was watching...
The audience, who I couldn't see, clapped and clapped. My class...my class who had been through so much because of me, were smiling and looking at each other proudly. Part of me hummed with happiness. I hadn't failed them...or, at least, they didn't think I had...
They walked back again, leaving space at the front of the stage, and their heads turned to where we stood in the wings.
"Ready?" Edward whispered.
I nodded.
"Can you walk?" He asked.
"I'll have to," I murmured.
I remembered Odette...four years ago, when I'd first experienced ballet...what had she done?
Edward took my left hand in his, and his other hand rested lightly on my back. We walked out. The clapping became louder. Someone shouted something...I swallowed and focussed. I walked high on the balls of my feet, letting my free arm drift out, leading my body. My ankle ached more and more with every light step. Just keep smiling...I forced brightness into my eyes, and made my lips come up. After all, I had more to be happy about than not be happy about...didn't I? As soon as I processed everything...
Edward held my hand lightly in his own. It was only when we reached the middle of the stage that I finally looked up.
I found myself facing a massive auditorium packed with people. There were four blocks of seats in the stalls, sprawling around the stage. Then there was a dress circle, a golden balcony with even more seats on it. Above that was another balcony, 'the Gods', which was almost empty, aside from a few people at the front.
The American Ballet, in their blue, red and white tracksuits were easy to spot in the middle of the stalls, cheering and clapping. Cheering...I swallowed, staring out at the masses of people who had watched my life change...
"Walk forward, Bella," Edward whispered amusedly. I did as he said, taking three delicate steps to the front. He let go of my hand, then, and stepped back.
I fought the urge to look back...where was he?
Just curtsy...
I stepped to the right, my ankle wobbling as I stood on it. Taking a deep breath, I looked to the left side of the theatre, letting my left arm up rise up, recognizing the audience there. And then I looked to the right, my right arm rising up in honour of those there. My hands met above my head and I knelt, trying to put as much weight on my knee as possible. My arms came down on either side of me, drawing a circle in the air as I brought them to my chest, crossing my wrists and lowering my head down to my front knee. The clapping became even louder. I felt my heart thudding through my bodice. These were my last few seconds before the dance was well and truly over...before I had to feel the massive repercussions which were sure to come...
But I had done what I'd set out to do...
With another deep breath, I rose up again, biting back the grimace at having to stand on my right leg. Edward was taking my hand again. I looked at him. He was smiling at me. I stepped back, letting go of his hand this time.
He stepped forward majestically, looking confidently up to the dress circle. He made a wide sweeping motion with his left hand, acknowledging the audience as I had, and then the same with his right. Girls began squealing. He brought his hands back down to his sides as he bowed his head forward. He held it only a few moments before stepping back and taking my hand.
We glanced back at my class, and then together, we walked forward, taking our last curtsies and bows. I went low again, more for my leg than anything else. It was then that I looked up, catching sight of the grand chandelier hanging in the middle of the auditorium. It was made up of three tiers of crystals, all shining magnificently in the lights...but they weren't what caught my attention. It was the words written in silver on the high ceiling around it;
Do not look up, my friends, but forward, for it is upon my stage that you shall gain a glimpse of the heavens.
A shiver ran up my spine. Marcus Vigernon must have written that...
Crap! I was meant to be standing! Too quickly, I lifted out of my curtsy and up onto my right leg. My ankle gave out, and I stumbled forwards, gasping in pain.
Edward was there in a second, grabbing my waist. I choked back a sob, and stood up straight, forcing a smile back onto my face.
They clapped even harder, then, calling out words which were lost in all the other noise. I swallowed, the sickness finally coming at me.
The lights went down.
"Oh God," I moaned.
Without a word, Edward picked me up in his arms and carried me offstage.
"Well ladies and gentlemen," Emmet's voice quickly came on, "What a show of perseverance that one was! A spectacular performance there by Bella Swan, and Madame Cox's First Year Class, with a rather unexpected appearance of Edward Masen! Alright, next up we have Master Rodriguez's class..."
As soon as we were out of the front wing and backstage, we were surrounded by my class.
"Oh my God, Bella!" Eliza whispered as Edward set me back down, keeping a firm hold on me, "Are you okay?"
I took a deep breath and nodded. "I just slipped a bit. I'm fine."
Edward's arm tightened around my waist. He knew I wasn't...
"I can't believe you fell twice," sneered Megan.
"I'm sure it wasn't her fault," said Ben.
"OMG!" Violet popped up in front of us, looking excitedly from me to Edward. "Did you guys plan this?" She gasped, "Is this why you wanted to dance tonight? Oh! That is so romantic!"
Edward conceded a tiny smile, "No, Miss Price, we didn't plan this."
"But you kissed!" She exclaimed. I felt blood rush to my cheeks. Edward cleared his throat, looking down.
Though I had far more pressing things to worry about, I couldn't help the doubts from coming to me. Did he regret it? It was just a spur of the moment thing...
Eliza gave Violet an elbow in the ribs, "Shut up Vi'!"
"Oh I knew it!" She kept going, "This is so amazingly cute!"
The first powerful cello strokes of Viva la Vida began playing. On the stage, girls in white and red dresses began tour jeteing across the floor.
"We caned them," Lauren muttered, leaning back against an amp. She avoided Edward's gaze.
"We so did!" Said Abigail. "Andwe did have a Pas de Deux in the end!"
"Bella! Edward!" Alice was suddenly weaving through my class to get to us. She threw her arms around the both of us. I bit my cheek against the pain... "I can't believe what you two just did!" She looked around at my class, "What all of you guys did! That was amazing!" My friends gave nervous, but still proud smiles in return. Alice turned back to us, "I've never seen you dance a Pas de Deux like that, Edward! It was just..."
But then there was the ominous click of high heels on the stage floor.
"Get out of the way! Get into your dressing rooms!" Snapped Madame Esme. She came up to us as my class hesitantly left. She was dressed in an elegant evening dress, which was a deep red and reached up one shoulder. "You too, Miss Brandon," she said. Alice frowned, but Madame Esme gave her a stony look. Sighing, Alice gave us a quick smile and left.
Madame Esme stepped in closer. "What the Hell did you two think you were doing?" She hissed. "You!" She looked me up and down, "This is the second time you broke the rules! Right in front of me! And you!" She jabbed a finger at Edward, "What did you think you were doing? Running on stage like that!"
"I checked the lighting, Esme," Edward said calmly. "The audience couldn't see me."
She rolled her eyes, "You're meant to be in New York!"
When he didn't say anything, she sighed. "I need to go and get the next class ready. Doctor Hill is in his office. You need to go and see him – you may have fooled the audience, but you certainly didn't fool us. And I don't doubt Master Carlisle will wish to talk to you both after the Review is finished."
We nodded. I gulped, feeling worse by the second.
Madame Esme began to walk off, but then stopped, turning back around.
"Edward," she said, her voice softer. She gazed at him, "You could have saved many people a lot of grief tonight if you had done what I told you to do earlier."
Edward paused, "I know," he said quietly. What was Madame Esme talking about?
She nodded and went into the crossover.
Master Rodriguez's dancers hurried about, getting to their entrances on time. I glanced through the wings. True to the rumours, there were five pairs of dancers in the middle of the stage, the boys helping the girls to pirouette and performing straight lifts.
Watching their right legs snapping up and down from pointe made me feel even sicker...
Leaning heavily on Edward, we silently headed for the stage door.
The dressing room corridors were mercifully empty.
I slumped down onto a bench and began picking at the knot of my pointe shoe. It untied quickly. I pulled off the shoe, relieved at the release of pressure. But then I looked at my ankle.
Even through the tights, I could see it had swelled horribly, and the whole area of my foot had turned an ugly blue and black.
"Jesus, Bella," Edward breathed, kneeling down beside me.
I swallowed, "It's not that bad."
"I shouldn't have let you dance..."
I shook my head, "You said it yourself; you couldn't have stopped me."
He glanced up at me, "Why did you want to do it so much?"
"It's dancing," I replied without a thought.
He gazed at me, a slight smile coming to his lips, "So it is," he said softly. He understood...he understood the one thing which no one else could grasp...
But footsteps were echoing down the hallway.
"Would you care to explain," came a sneering voice, "Why you're wearing my tutu?"
This was probably one of the hardest chapters to write...I'm really sorry if there were any weird mistakes. I had to get this out before I run out of time...
Please review! :D