My heart's beating slowly went back to normal. I went to the living room and sat on the couch in a daze.
Nina... she has come back to me, I thought, a feeling of giddiness washing over me, making me light-headed.
But why?
Suddenly my ears picked up a strange, tinkling sound.
My legs straightened and my feet moved on their own accord, drawn to the sound.
I paused at my bedroom, pressing my ear gently to the cool wood of the door.
Music...
My hand slipped down and my fingers curled around the door knob.
Such a childish melody...
I tested the knob and found it unlocked. Very carefully, I eased it open just a crack.
Nina stood in front of my dresser, a music box open with a tiny ballerina dancing inside it. Nina twirled and danced in time with the music's carefree tune, bringing grace and beauty and sadness to something meant to be pure and innocent.
Her pants discarded on the bed, Nina danced in her sweatshirt and panties, her ballet shoes tied firmly on her feet. Feet that moved as easily as a fish through the water.
My heart flew up and stuck to the roof of my mouth. So choked was I by a sudden rush of emotions that I had no control over my actions.
At one moment I stood spying in the crack of light from the door, the next moment I was standing a foot behind Nina, my arms winding around and down her as she danced.
My body surrendered to the passionate urge of her dance as I joined in with her. She accepted me flawlessly, bending back so I could support her and taking my hand so we could twirl.
Together in the dim light of my bedroom, we danced to the gentle lullaby of a music box.
...
She danced until her ankle twisted out from under her, and I caught her as she fell sideways. She cursed under her breath, sitting down in the floor. I sat down with her, but she slapped away my hands when I tried to take her foot.
"It's all right, Nina," I told her softly.
She turned to me with disgust in her eyes.
Above us, on the dresser, the music slowed to a halt as the ballerina ceased her dance on a lingering, unfinished note.
So sudden was the silence that the room filled with a coldness that had nothing to do with the temperature.
I swallowed an uneasy feeling, looking down.
"What has happened to you, my sweet princess?" I asked timidly, taking her hand in mine. I raised my eyes to hers and we stared at one another.
Her eyes searched mine with a kind of forced anger, until at last her face crumpled with despair and she turned away. She began to sob, her back trembling with misery.
I slid closer to her, sitting up on my knees. I whispered "Nina," and wrapped my arms around her.
She leaned into my chest and I held her as she cried.
"Nina, come now," I insisted lightly. "Why are you crying?" I smoothed her hair back with my hand.
"You betrayed me," she said through her convulsive sobs.
A flash of Lily rippled through my gut. Shame brought tears to my eyes as I knew her words were true. I shook my head anyway.
"Nina, I'm sorry, I-"
"You replaced me with Lily just like you replaced Beth with me!" She said heatedly, pushing away from me.
I sat in a dark puddle as she stood and towered over me, swaying a bit on unsteady, emotional legs.
"Nina," I pushed myself up. "I could never repla-"
"But you did!" She yelled, shoving me in the chest. I stumbled backwards and my back hit into the footboard of my bed.
"No, Nina," I straightened up. "I... I may have replaced Beth, but..." I went to her and took her by the shoulders. My heart was beating like mad. "I could never replace you," I said desperately.
Her eyes filled with dark moisture but when she tried to look away I took her chin in my hand and held her gaze.
"Just say the word," I began. "and you will have it all-"
Without warning, her lips were against mine in a furious frenzy. Her hands gripped into my hair and pulled me closer, tighter against her body.
My hands trembled as I held onto her back, my chest heaving with excitement. My eyes closed and our lips parted, inviting each other in. Our tongues danced together and explored each other's mouths in a sweet, yet sorrowful masquerade.
Her fingers knotted against my bare back, trailing down and seizing my jeans. She jerked me into her, pulling our hips together as her lips continued to suck and mourn over mine.
My body vibrated with desire and my breath came as hesitant gasps. I turned my face away from her lips, resting against her shoulder. "Fuck," I whispered into her hair as she kissed my neck.
This was what I wanted all along, I thought. Why am I trying to resist?
Then her hands reached over her shoulders and she began wiggling off her sweatshirt, and I could resist no more.