Chapter 6: Penny

The water fountain at the side of the studio tastes like metal, but I fill my bottle and drink from it anyway, the cold shocking down my throat.

Across the studio, Madame Loretto is still pacing like a general surveying the wreckage of a battlefield. Her heels click against the hardwood floor, the only sound besides the muffled sniffling of three girls pretending they’re not crying.

It’s been that kind of day.

Madame’s not yelling because we’re bad.

Well—maybe some of us are bad today.

But mostly, she’s yelling because she's furious.

The news hit like a grenade an hour into rehearsal:

The auditions for the Spring Gala have been moved up. Two days earlier.

Apparently, the venue double-booked, and the company that usually rents it to us got bumped. Now everything’s chaos.

Madame had exploded in the middle of the floor, hands flying, French curses blending with furious English ones as she ripped into whoever dared to meet her eye.

It was unfair, she screamed.

Unprofessional.

Cruel.

Most of the girls were already barely holding it together under the weight of Gala season. This was just the final shove. Half the room was either trembling, blinking back tears, or outright sobbing into their towels.

I twist the cap back onto my water bottle and lean my head against the wall for a second.

Madame’s yelling doesn’t really apply to me.

Not today.

Apart from yesterday's disaster of a stumble, I’ve been good.

Better than good.

My solo’s been clean for weeks. The choreography’s etched into my bones now—muscle memory so deep I could probably do it half-asleep and still stick the landing.

If I’m being honest, these extra two days weren’t going to change much for me.

But I'd never, ever say that out loud.

Madame would find flaws. She always does.

It’s her job. Her favorite sport.

I glance at the clock.

Fifteen minutes past five.

Tyler’s probably already outside, waiting in the parking lot with the engine idling and the windows down.

He texted me when he got there—ten minutes early, because he’s always weirdly punctual when it doesn’t involve remembering his chemistry homework.

I shift my weight from foot to foot, restless.

Across the studio, another girl bursts into tears after missing a triple pirouette, and Madame throws her arms in the air.

"Enough!" she snaps. "Enough for today! Go home before you drown in your own mediocrity!"

The poor girl sobs harder and flees the room, ballet slippers squeaking against the floor.

Madame Loretto presses her fingers to her temples like she’s warding off a migraine and shouts to the rest of us, “Go. All of you. Out. You are only wasting my oxygen.”

Everyone scrambles to grab their bags like their lives depend on it.

Me included.

I snatch up my bag and water bottle, practically jogging toward the exit when—

“Penelope.”

Madame’s voice cuts through the noise like a blade.

I freeze.

My stomach sinks a little.

I could argue.

Say I have to go.

Say someone’s waiting for me.

But then again... arguing with Madame Loretto is about as smart as spitting into a hurricane.

I turn, clutching my bag tighter. “Yes, Madame?”

She crosses the room toward me with a precision that makes my pulse stutter.

For a second, I brace myself for it—

the scolding, the critique, the evisceration.

Instead, she stops in front of me and crosses her arms.

"You were good today," she says.

I blink.

Once.

Twice.

Did she just...?

"You hear me?" she says sharply.

"Yes, Madame," I stammer. "Thank you."

She waves a hand, like she can't stand the sound of gratitude. "Your second half—it's the grand jeté into the arabesque. You’re losing your turnout halfway through the landing. Fix it."

I nod so hard my bun nearly comes loose. "I will."

"You have good chances," she says grudgingly. "If you don’t get lazy."

"I won’t," I promise, heart hammering.

"See that you don't," she says, then spins on her heel and marches off without waiting for a response.

I exhale, lungs deflating all at once.

Gathering my things faster now, I practically sprint out of the studio, tossing my bag over one shoulder as I go.

Tyler’s car is parked right where I thought it would be, engine rumbling low, windows cracked.

He’s sitting behind the wheel, tapping the steering wheel to some song I can't hear, looking utterly relaxed—like he hasn’t been waiting half an hour for me.

The second he sees me, he straightens, smiles, and waves.

Not even a hint of annoyance.

I rush across the parking lot and yank open the door, tossing my bag onto the floor at my feet.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," I say in a rush. "Practice was a disaster. Madame had a meltdown. Half the studio was crying. I thought someone might actually faint at one point."

Tyler laughs quietly, shifting the car into gear. "Sounds intense."

"It was brutal," I groan, buckling my seatbelt. "And then she kept me back to tell me—get this—that I was good. And that I have to fix my turnout. But otherwise, I might actually survive auditions."

"See?" he says, reaching over to squeeze my knee. "I told you you’re amazing."

I roll my eyes but smile, warmth blooming in my chest.

We pull out of the lot and onto the main road, heading toward his house.

I reach into my bag, pull out a pair of jeans, and start wriggling into them as best I can without removing my seatbelt.

It’s awkward and probably dangerous, but I can’t show up to dinner in tights and a leotard.

Tyler glances over and laughs. "Need a hand?"

"Not unless you want me to accidentally kick you in the face."

"Tempting," he says, and I laugh.

I manage to shimmy the jeans on, yanking them over my leotard, and pull on a soft, oversized cardigan from the bottom of my bag.

Not exactly haute couture, but it’ll have to do.

I flip down the passenger mirror and swipe on a quick coat of mascara, trying to make myself look slightly less like someone who’s been screamed at for two hours straight.

"You're beautiful," Tyler says, eyes still on the road.

I smile, a little shy. "Flattery won't make us less late."

He chuckles. "Worth a shot."

The drive doesn’t take long.

Fifteen minutes, maybe.

But it feels faster than that.

Maybe because I’m bouncing my knee the whole way there, nerves buzzing under my skin.

We’re almost thirty minutes late.

Tyler doesn't seem worried, but I can't shake the tight feeling in my chest.

I hate being late.

Especially to something that feels... bigger than usual.

We pull into his driveway, the house looking warm and golden in the evening light, porch lights already flicked on.

Tyler hops out first, jogging around to open my door like a dorky gentleman.

I laugh and let him.

Inside, the house smells like garlic and fresh bread and something roasting.

The second we step in, his mom swoops in for a hug.

Mrs. Hayes is all soft curves and bright eyes, her blonde hair twisted up into a messy bun, apron tied around her waist like she’s about to launch into a cooking show.

"We missed you, sweet girl," she says into my hair, squeezing me tightly.

When she pulls back, Mr. Hayes is there too, wrapping me into a one-armed hug that smells like aftershave and warm sweaters.

"Long time no see, kiddo," he says, ruffling my bun with a grin.

"Hey, it’s still intact!" I protest, laughing.

"I'll do better next time," he teases.

The warmth of their welcome melts some of the anxiety out of me.

This.

This is what I missed.

This is what I've been needing.

Home, even if it’s not technically mine.

I open my mouth to thank them when—

Someone clears their throat behind me.

I stiffen instinctively, pivoting slowly.

And that’s when I see him.