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I left all my troubles behind and soared into my role. Everything disappeared while I graced the stage, turning and leaping and floating before a full crowd. And when the audience went wild and the final curtain dropped, then, and only then…did I feel my knee.
A breath rushed out of me, and I leaned heavily into my right side. Everyone was so excited about how well opening night had gone that no one noticed me stumble back into the dressing room, where I washed down an ibuprofen with a giant bottle of water.
I had already changed into street clothes and had my dance bag over my shoulder before the dressing room was flooded with the company.
Cassidy found me and drew me into a big hug. “That was incredible. I’ve never seen anyone dance that role like you.”
“Oh, thank you, Cass. What do I need to do to help you clean up?”
She waved me away. “Go enjoy your night. I can take care of it.”
“Oh no, are you sure?”
“People will want to congratulate you. It’s opening night.”
“All right. But if you need help tomorrow night…”
“I will let you know,” she said with a laugh.
I ignored the pain in my knee and headed out the door to the lobby. This time, instead of being bombarded with overeager donors, I was bombarded with an even more eager group—my family.
A cheer went up at my entrance, and tears came to my eyes when I saw everyone I loved standing in one place. My mom and dad were there, holding a giant bouquet of flowers. Piper stood with her not-boyfriend, Bradley, and Peter was with his definite-boyfriend, Jeremy. Even my abuelita, Nina, had made it, looking as proud and strong as ever despite only being four foot nine.
When I had been young, we’d throw a party the year that each of us grew taller than Nina. We thought it was a great accomplishment to be taller than our grandmother. And she’d always reveled in the day, bestowing gifts on whoever had managed such a height and reminding everyone that she was still the smartest among us.
Abuelita came forward and wrapped me in a hug. “My Peyton, you looked wonderful out there tonight.”
“Gracias, abuelita.”
“Que es esto? You cannot visit your grandmother now when you come home?”
I laughed and squeezed her tighter. “I have been busy, but I will be sure to visit.”
My parents saved me by stepping forward and handing me the large bouquet. I hugged each of them as they lavished compliments on me.
Piper grabbed me next. “Even better than New York.”
“No way,” I said at once.
My family had come out almost every year to see me in a performance. They had seen too many Nutcrackers to count.
“Yes,” Piper said. “You really lived in this one.”
“Thank you,” I said honestly.
“Nice work,” Bradly said with a head nod.
“Yeah, it was okay,” Peter said with a shrug.
I punched him in the arm. “Jerk.”
He laughed. “Honestly, it would have been better if Jeremy hadn’t spent the entire time discussing the merits of the ballet story to the actual children’s literature.”
Jeremy shrugged. “They bastardized the story.”
I just laughed and shook my head as Jeremy launched into some explanation about lit theory that I had no chance of following.
Isaac wandered over then with his parents, Annie, and Aly, who was carrying a bouquet of flowers nearly as big as she was. My parents gave each of them hugs and offered praise to Aly, who bounced around with excitement for the completion of her first dance.
“I just wanted to say thank you,” he said once we finally had a moment to talk.
“For what?”
“Aly told me that you helped her not to be nervous.”
“Oh,” I said, flushing.
“She had been nervous all day, and I didn’t know how to fix it.”
“Just…tricks of the trade. Nothing big.”
“But it was,” he said with that same perfect smile. “And I appreciate it. Are we still on for Wednesday?”
I bit my lip and nodded. “Can’t wait.”
Once my parents said hello to every person they knew in the entire lobby, we all finally retreated to the row of cars. I got into Piper’s Jeep while she spent the next ten minutes chatting with Bradley and then leaving before he could kiss her. I didn’t even have the energy to ask about that.
When we got home, I went straight for the freezer and filled an entire bag with ice.
Piper watched with wide eyes. “What are you doing?”
“Icing.” I sank into the couch and expertly wrapped my knee with the ice packet.
“You said you were better.”
“I am,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Peyton!”
“It’s preventative,” I lied.
She dropped down next to me. “Why are you dancing if you’re still hurt?”
“I’m not hurt.”
She nudged my knee, and I yelped. “Peyton?”
“I’m fine,” I said with a glare. “I am, like, ninety-five percent better, Pipes. Knees just take a long time to heal, and then they can give you trouble forever.”
