Page 72 of Redeeming Heart

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

The next day Hailey wanted me to show her where Jaylin used to dance before she stopped. I was way too young to have been at her recitals back then, but Camille showed me and gave me the rundown of everything that happened.

Each time we entered the dance studio I could feel Jaylin’s presence and imagine her make around the room drawing eyes and awes.

“Hailey Grant! Hey, that’s Hailey!”

A few young dancers caught sight of Hailey and their practice was long forgotten when they rushed over to embrace her with their awestruck faces. I expected the instructors to have chased us out for intruding on their practice, but to my utter surprise, they came over to shake hands with us.

They started talking about the dancers and when they are having their first recital. They also explained how the dancers were nervous because it would their first. Hailey agreed that the first recital is always the toughest one.

When she just mentioned wanting to see them dance, they were off and got into their positions to demonstrate their footwork.

“I don’t know when last I paid attention to ballet,” Hailey muttered when she noticed that they were starting with ballet.

“For so long my mom pushed me to become the next best ballerina, had me perfect every dance technique, and got in my mind that I finally cracked under all that pressure.” Hailey was caught in a trance and it was obvious what her mother had done to her left a big scar.

“Joining contemporary was a big fuck you in her face and when Elizabeth offered me a permanent change, I took it and I will never get over the look on her face.” Her big, impressed grin said everything it needed to.

“My next tour is taking me back to New York where my mom will be with her perfect ballerinas. Elizabeth wants me to scout dancers for what I’ve got planned before then.” She didn’t lack any determination and I was almost afraid to ask what she had planned.

“Jaylin has a dance studio full of willing dancers,” I suggested.

Hailey nodded.

“I am heading to LA tomorrow. I was hoping that she could help me out—not just with dancers but with her knowledge and training. I might be voted as the best, but Jaylin has a way to break the barriers without giving a shit.”

I suppressed a smile because that’s exactly how Jaylin was. Plain and simple, but tough inside.

“I’m going to miss you,” I admitted. It was fun to have had a friend in town, someone who reminded me that we don’t owe the world anything.

“I’m just a call away.” She assured me.

“It’s just not the same as having you here in person,” I noted with a sad smile.

“I will inform Jaylin and Camille that it’s time to come home because you miss them.” I rolled my eyes at her but chuckled because I did miss them.

Our conversation got interrupted when one of the dancers asked Hailey to demonstrate a dance for them. At first, I thought she was going to turn them down, but being Hailey Grant, she didn’t mind.

I was even surprised at how excited I was to get to watch her dance.

She requested to play her music and when she started to move, everyone was stuck on her. Her movements were flawless, controlled, and done with so much passion—not missing a beat. She displayed everything she worked on for years, shutting down the world’s stereotypes when she included every dance technique into one.

Slow, fast, and focused while having fun.

Whoever believed ballet had to be boring has never seen her dance.

We left after she demonstrated a few dances and had everyone motivated and inspired for their recital. She joined me for one last practice and I secretly wished that she didn’t have to leave.

Due to winning Saturday’s match against the boys and winning the bet, they came up with, we got first debs at practicing on their so-called field.

We were halfway through practice when the dean from the varsity showed up with the boy’s hockey team coach we beat on Saturday.

“Something is up,” Megan muttered beside me when we stopped what we were busy with.

“And it doesn’t look good.” She added and I had to agree.

Coach Peterson met them halfway and shook hands with them. We watched the interaction going on between all of them and the other team's coach didn’t look happy. Coach Peterson had a hard time staying composed as the other coach pointed a finger in his face and yelled at him.