Chapter 2: Ms. Stonewall
Ms. Stonewall’s dance studio was located on top of Berkley’s Bakery. And why was that relevant?
Because she had once told us that she wants to see how well we fair against the sweet temptation lurking around the corner and still come out victorious.
It was a test to see who amongst us would get into the elite dance team. As a result, she had lost half of her initial class strength to the bakery while the other half struggled to sneak behind Ms. Stonewall’s back to grab a bite of the tempting desserts on display in front of the store. In the end, only three of us had been left standing after she had finished her little test.
Rika because she had diabetes and couldn’t have sweets; Pamela because she hated sweets and adored spicy food. And then there was me. I didn’t have any other excuses to resist temptation other than the fact that I had wanted to be on her elite team desperately.
From a very young age, dancing hadn’t just been my passion, it had been my obsession. It had also been an escape from reality, because dancing was the one thing my brother couldn’t do and I didn’t have to walk in his shadows just this once in my life.
It had been hard to resist temptation, but once I had gotten it into my head that this was my one chance to outshine my ‘perfect’ elder brother…nothing had been impossible.
Today, I waved ‘hi’ to Mrs. Berkley through the open door of the bakery, where the scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls waffled out to tingle my nostril, and thankfully, she waved back. The smile that spread across her chubby cheeks a clear sign of delight at having me back.
Mrs. Berkley was one of the few people in town who had been on my side when I’d made an escape and she was also best friends with Ms. Stonewall. After I’d greeted her, I went in through the side where the entrance to the dance school was located, and climbed up the winding stairs to the first floor where Ms. Stonewall made her dance studio.
As expected, the doors were unlocked this time of the day, the morning session just having concluded. When I looked in through the glass doors, I found Ms. Stonewall hard at work with her broom, cleaning the studio as she often did after each session.
But it also wasn't surprising to see her swaying lightly to the tune playing on the radio as she cleaned her classroom. Even though she was fifty one years old, no one could match her grace as she moved in-tune with the music.
The moves were soft, nothing complicated or out of the ordinary, but even the basics looked wonderful when she was the one dancing. It was why I had wanted desperately to join her dance studio. I’d been mesmerised by her grace ever since I saw her perform at our school’s annual cultural festival.
I turned the knob and entered the room without knocking and instantly, Ms. Stonewall’s attention snapped towards me. She was a tall woman of about five feet eight inches, only an inch shorter than me, and her hair was cut short to just above her chin. There were several grey strands in her dark brown locks but by no means could someone call her old. She looked as stunning as any ballerina would in her prime.
“Oh! You’re here early.” Ms. Stonewall said as she wiped a bread of sweat off of her chin. She then put her broom down and went to turn off the radio.
“I was just…terribly nervous.” I shrugged with my hands tucked inside the pockets of my jeans.
“Usually when people are nervous, they either turn up late or don’t show up at all.” She said as she came over to me to engulf me in her embrace.
“Hey! No shading!” I told her, hugging her back as I remembered how I had almost skipped my first dance competition when I was in third grade. Ms. Stonewall had to drag me out of the janitor’s closet and use all kinds of threats to get me on stage. When nothing else seemed to work, she had promised to teach me one dance that she had never taught anyone before.
That promise had worked wonders and I had immediately rushed to the stage without looking back. And thus had started my gruesome training to learn a dance that was not just difficult but meant for students twice my age.
But I hadn’t given up until I had learned the entire dance routine by heart.
“I’m not shading,” she smiled when we pulled back. “Just pointing out facts.”
“So...” I raised my eyebrows expectantly.
“I watched your London performance.” Ms. Stonewall took my hand and led me to a corner where a couple of stools were ready to be seated on. “In fact, I watched all your performances all over Britain. They were marvellous. I’m so very proud to call you my student.”
“Thank you, Lydia.” I told her sincerely. “But all of them? Didn’t it get repetitive?”
“Of course not!” She waved her hand in front of her face in dismissal. “I love Swan Lake and I loved the contemporary twist they added in with the other dancers. Oh, and before I forget, congratulations on getting engaged.”
“You already congratulated me over the phone,” I told her laughing. “But thank you, it means a lot coming from you.”
I’d always felt at peace whenever I spoke with Lydia. She had this calming, motherly vive to her that had always drawn me in. Today, when I’d stood in front of the door that my mother had slammed in my face, I had simply been shocked, not heartbroken.
I get that Gabby wants me to make peace with my past before we start our future together, but I feel that deep down, I always knew that I never truly belonged in this place or in the posh Wilder household. As if they were never truly mine.
“So,” Lydia began. “Tell me more about your Gabby. I saw her perform with you and I must say I’m quiet intrigued.”
“Gabby is the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me.” I told her truthfully, not missing out on the opportunity to gush about my beautiful fiancé. “I met her right after I joined the academy. She literally had rainbows in her hair.”
“Now I want to know all about it!” Lydia clapped her hands together in anticipation. “Tell me more! I never quite got the whole story.”
So I told her the whole story.
“At New York Dance Academy, we are given two classes, ballet and contemporary. Gabby, Gabriella Gilbert, was the contemporary protégée while I was the ballet expert. We were literally from two different sides of the world, and I’m not saying it geographically but personality wise. She was this outgoing, fun, lively kinda girl that just grabbed everyone’s attention while I was the scared little introvert who shied away from everyone else, too scared to make new friends and prove to be a disappointment to everyone.
“We didn’t really get along at first though. I thought she was too loud and outspoken and she thought I was snobbish and the high-n-mighty kind. We clashed all the time, arguing and bantering about mindless things. That’s why the teachers decided to throw us together and make us a team. She thought we had passion and the tension between us could grab everyone’s attention. I had to teach her ballet for a performance during our annual exams and she had to improve my contemporary, that was the deal.
“It was the most difficult year of my life. And I’m not just talking in terms of dancing; that was the fun part. But I was having trouble getting a hold of my feelings.” I told Lydia truthfully. “You know my parents; you know how conservative they are. I’d grown up with the notion that girls could only like boys and vice versa. Even though I felt out of place during high school, I just had to keep my mouth shut and endure it. Gabby made me feel things that I thought were unnatural. I was so scared and confused, until one day…Gabby just went ahead and kissed me. Nothing had ever felt so right before. It was like...I finally realized something about myself...like something just fell into place.”
Lydia took my hand in hers and gave it an affectionate squeeze. “You have the right to love anyone you want, Kyra. I know you’ve already discovered that by yourself, but I just wish you could’ve told me this before...when you were alone and trying to sort your feelings. And I’m so happy that you’ve found the woman of your dreams who will share not just the rest of their life with you but also your passion for dancing. It’s very difficult to find someone like that.”
“Thank you, Lydia.” I told her, my eyes blurry with tears. “I needed to hear that.”
Even though those years were well behind me, those struggles had been long overcome…it felt nice to know that I was loved and there were still people in this world that had my back.
“Kyra!!”
Two voices sounded right then as the door to Lydia’s studio burst open to reveal two familiar faces.
Chapter 3: Reuniting with Friends “Angie! Rika!” I got up to greet my friends but was instead tackled to the ground by both of them. Angel Michelson, the golden haired, blue eyed beauty was another one of the dancers in our elite dance group along with Rika Palmer, the brunette with hazel eyes. Angel and I have been inseparable ever since Kindergardenth, but I met Rika in Ms. Stonewall’s ballet academy when I was chosen for the elite class. I was so glad to see them in person after being apart from them for seven whole years! We had been chatting, calling and messaging each other through the years though, but I can hardly call social media connection as ‘keeping in touch’. We hadn’t been able to meet up and have lunches or dinners or even go to the movies like we used to when we were teens. I had missed our sleepovers and girls nights most of all. “You guys!” I hugged them to my sides. “How did you know I was here?” “Words already circulating,” Angie told me when we all pulled ba
Chapter 4: A Blast from the Past “Kyra, don’t.” Angie grabbed my hand as I was about to leave my seat and head over to greet Cathy. “It’s for the best.” “For the best?” I asked her incredulously. “Cathy is married to Jordan in my place and she has two kids with a third on the way and I only get to know about all of this just now? Is that what Rika was about to say earlier? That the town shouldn’t blame me because Jordan is already married?” Rika gave me a guilty look from beneath her lashes but she too placed her hand on top of mine to get me back into my seat. “A lot has changed, Kyra.” Rika begged me to understand. “Everything isn’t as easy as it looks.” “Then tell me!” I pleaded with them. “Tell me what happened after I left so I can understand. Why is Cathy married to Jordan? And if the problem had been resolved, then why is everyone still so mad at me?” “We will.” Angie told me. “But not here, especially not where everyone can overhear and judge our reaction.” “Yeah, let’s j
Chapter 5: Back to where it all Began “Are you sure you’re alright?” Rika asked for the millionth time as we drove back to the hotel I was staying at. “Yes. I’m fine.” I told them through gritted teeth. My knuckles were white against the steering wheel and I was driving a few miles over the speed limit, but this was Ruthwell, the sheriff had only one job here and that was to solve family disputes and the odd cases of stolen lingerie. Nobody would care if I was driving at a hundred miles per hour. But then again, with how my welcome back party to my hometown has been going on so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if I get pulled over for speeding and handed a thousand other bills along with them just for breathing Ruthwell air. I never should’ve come back. Promise or not, this had been a terrible idea. I knew what I was doing when I decided to leave this godforsaken town for good and I have never regretted that decision in the past seven years that I had been away. But now that I wanted
Chapter 6: Revelation “It all started eight years ago, when your brother came back from college.” Angie began. “You must remember that he wanted to open his own business and asked your dad for money?” “Yes.” I frowned, pushing my hair out of my face in frustration. “What does any of this have to do with him?” “Everything had to do with Kyle, trust me.” Rika pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration before taking a gulp of her beer. “Just stay calm and listen.” Oh, she had no idea exactly how calm I was right now. But if I had to wait any longer to find out the truth, things were going to get ugly really soon. “As I was saying,” Angie gave Rika a glare before continuing. “Your father basically gave Kyle all of his savings so he can get his business up and running. But after an entire year of struggling to get things together, the business crashed, badly. Your family was in debt and your brother could go to jail at any moment. That’s when Jordan’s family stepped in to help.” “S
Chapter 7: The Ugly Truth He’s dead…he’s dead…he’s dead… The words kept reverberating inside my head until it was all I heard. He’s dead…he’s dead…he’s dead… I clutched at my head with both hands, trying to make it stop. Trying to silence the ominous voices that kept on repeating those dreaded words over and over again like a stuck tape-recorder… “Kyra!” Angie and Rika were on either side of me in an instant. “We’re really sorry, Kyra.” Rika told me, her hand around my shoulder in a comforting gesture. “This is why we were so nervous to tell you about this, because we knew you would feel guilty for it even though you didn’t have anything to feel guilty for.” “It’s not your fault, Kyra.” Angie told me reassuringly. “Please know that.” I shook my head, finding it difficult to get words past my throat. “Kyra…we’re right here, okay?” They both reassured me, their embrace warm, but why did it still feel so cold? “She didn’t even tell me…” I managed to whisper finally, my voice ho
Chapter 8: Running Away 7 Years ago… I looked at my reflection in the mirror, wondering for the thousandth time: What was I doing with my life? My make-up was light, hardly falling in the category of make-up at all. The light smoky eyes and the nude lipstick made me look paler than normal. There were two stud diamond earrings on my ears, no necklace since the collar of my dress was already high enough to cross all levels of decency. My hair was also a simple bun at the back of my head, with a jewelled clip to hold my veil in place. The bridal gown was pure white and simple. The skirt was flowing with a slight train and the sleeves were lace. Although my father had objected to the ‘unconventional dress’ at first…but he had changed his mind at the last minute when my groom’s father, and by father’s good friend, Mr. Davis, had reminded him that this was the twenty first century and women dressing in lace sleeves was appropriate enough. And yet…Mr. Davis hadn’t thought that arranged
Chapter 9: The First Time We Met Getting to New York was a chore indeed. My two friends had covered for me until I was out of the church building, and then Ms. Stonewall, my dance teacher, had driven me to the bus terminus and provided me some of her savings to use in times of need. ‘Use it well, Kyra. I trust you and I believe in you.’ ‘But…this is a lot, Lydia!’ I had looked at the card in astonishment. ‘How do I ever return this favor?’ ‘Oh, don’t worry, I will get it back with interest.’ She had grinned at me. “When I see you perform on some of the biggest stages in the world. That would be my biggest reward.’ She had no idea how much her words had encouraged me to move forward. She wasn’t just my teacher or my mentor…she was my idol. And one day, I planned to make her proud. And preparations for that day, started right now. That day, I had gotten a good few stares from the people who had boarded the bus with me, everyone wonder what a woman in her wedding dress was doing i
Chapter 10: What She MeantThe morning started with an abrupt interruption to my peaceful slumber. The despicable sound of loud rock music rudely pulled me from the depths of sleep. Rubbing my eyes, I stumbled out of bed, cursing under my breath about the unnecessary disruption.Stepping into the living room, I found Gabriella in her usual morning ritual—stretching and twisting into yoga poses as if she was auditioning for Cirque du Soleil, all while the music blared sky-high in the background. Irritation bubbled within me, and I couldn't help but voice my frustration."Gabriella, seriously? Do you have to blast music this early just to do yoga?" I asked, my annoyance palpable.To my surprise, she turned to me with an unflinching demeanor. "Kyra, this is how I do my yoga. Music helps me get into the flow," she explained, her tone unwavering. “You should know that as a dancer.”I sighed, not wanting to escalate things. "Fine," I muttered and decided to ignore her, since it was kinda cl