Page 55 of Love You Still

I open my mouth to respond, but then I hear my cell phone ringing. “Hold that thought,” I say to my friends, then answer the call. “Hello?”

“Selina Grymes?” an unfamiliar voice asks.

“Yes, this is Selina,” I reply as a sense of dread settles in the pit of my stomach.

“This is Stefanie from the New York City Ballet office. We would like you to come in for an audition tomorrow. A principaldancer for this season’s ballet was injured, and the director isn’t set on giving the understudy the role. He specifically requested you be called for an audition. We’ve scheduled your audition for nine tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, I understand. I’ll be there.”

The moment I have been waiting for has finally arrived, but I’m not feeling the way I thought I would. My chance to get back on the big stage is within reach now, but the only thing running through my mind is having to say goodbye to Vance once again.

Did he mean it when he said he was prepared to give up his entire life to follow me around the world? Well, not in those specific words, but the sentiment was there. But how can I ask him to do that? How is that fair? Vance shouldn’t have to give up his entire life for us to be together.

Stefanie’s voice brings my mind back to the present, reminding me that this is what I hoped for. I can’t let anything, or anyone, get in the way of following my dreams. I was perfectly happy with my life before I let Vance back into it, and I’ll be fine after I leave. Nothing has to change.

Making up my mind, we exchange a few more pleasantries before I hang up the phone. Then I turn back to my friends, who are both waiting with bated breath. “That was the ballet. They need me to come in for an audition tomorrow. I have to get a flight booked.”

I pull up all the different flight apps I have on my phone and scramble to find a flight. I know it’s going to cost me an arm and a leg to get a last-minute ticket, but I can’t let this opportunity pass me by. Luckily, I locate a flight leaving this afternoon and purchase the ticket immediately.

“Are you sure you want to go?” Bristol questions, echoing the nagging voice in my mind that’s urging me to take a minute and think things through.

Maybe there’s a way for me to have Vance in my life and continue to dance, fulfilling both of my dreams in the process. Vance said he was willing to do anything to ensure things work between us this time around, but is it even fair for me to ask?

“This is the chance I’ve been waiting for since my injury. It could be my last shot at fulfilling my dream.” My head shakes back and forth as I drop my chin to my chest, not wanting to see the sympathetic looks on their faces I know are there. What more do they want from me? I’ve been waiting for this chance for most of my life. I can’t turn it down for a chance of things working out between Vance and me, can I?

“Haveto orwantto?” Bristol challenges before wrapping her arms around me.

“Haveto.” I press the palms of my hands to my eyes, welcoming the pain, needing it to tether me to the here and now. “Plus, it’s just an audition. There’s no guarantee I’ll get the part. I’ll probably be back in town, teaching class in no time, but I have to try.”

“Who is going to teach the classes while you are gone? The girls can’t go months without class,” Bristol mutters softly, tightening her grip.

“I’m sure I can call Ms. Cassandra to help, and Emersyn is more than capable of teaching the classes in my stead.”

“You seemed to have thought of everything.” Audrey sniffles before wrapping her arms around Bristol and me. “It’s like you’ve been planning this or something.”

“I never intended on staying here forever, Audrey. I always knew I was going to head back to New York when the company called me in for another audition.” Tears pool in my eyes as Leia joins our group hug.

Each breath feels like pure agony as their grips tighten around me. A gut-wrenching sob escapes me as I bury my nosein Bristol’s neck. Snot and tears collect on her skin, but she never releases her hold on me as I try to regain control of my emotions.

“You’re going to do amazing,” Leia chokes out, her voice thick with emotions.

“We’ll hold down the fort here and make sure everything is perfect when you return,” Audrey whispers from somewhere beside me. “Just promise to come back to us.”

“Come back to all of us. Especially him,” Bristol whispers, tears streaming down her face as she rests her forehead against mine. “We’ll all be here waiting when you get back.”

“I will,” I reply with conviction as we untangle our limbs from each other and break apart.

All three of them flash me a weak smile before heading out the door without another word. It would be easy for me to turn down this audition and stay here in Tyson’s Creek, but I know I’ll always wonder what would have happened if I had gone. I need to see this through, or I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. With my mind made up, I stride toward the front desk and grab my cell phone from my bag. I take a deep breath before pulling up his phone number. My finger hovers over the call button before it suddenly vibrates in my hand, signaling an incoming text message from Vance.

Vance

I hate to do this, but I need to take a rain check for dinner. This proposal is a lot more complicated than I planned. I love you.

Selina

No worries. I need to head home to pack. I got the call for my audition. Wish me luck.

Vance