Page 73 of With You

Our friends stay in the wings as the dancers take turns going back on stage and bowing, the room filled with clapping hands and cheers as everyone is celebrated for their performance. River and I go out when it’s our turn, and once again, Grayson starts whistling from the side. He’s like an overexcited puppy, but it only makes the smile on my face brighter as River raises our joined hands up before bringing them back down, both of us bowing to the crowd in thanks.

At the end, every dancer comes on stage together for one final bow as the curtain falls, and the applause slowly comes to a stop. The loud chatter returns soon after as people filter out of the theatre, and we go offstage to find our friends and River’s dad.

They stand in a circle talking about their favourite performances, and while they compliment the other dancers, all of them agree that ours was the best. Whether they’re saying that because it’s true or because they’re obligated to, I don’t mind either way. A tap on my shoulder gets my attention.

“Amelie Devereaux?”

I turn to see the scouts, a petite woman with light brown skin and dark curly hair like mine, dressed smartly in all black. She’s joined by a taller man, olive skin and light hair, dressed in a similar fashion to her.

“That’s me,” I tell them, and our friends go silent behind me. River’s hand tightens around mine.

“River Campbell, correct?”

He nods, squeezing my hand even tighter, to the point that I worry he’s cutting off both our circulation.

“Your performance was wonderful. I’ve only seen passion like that in a pas de deux at the Royal Ballet from our principal ballerinas.”

I try to let the words sink in, storing them in my head for later when I can process them at a time when my heart doesn’t feel like it’s about to burst out of my chest.

“We have our summer intensive coming up,” the man starts to say.

In my peripheral, River’s head snaps toward me, his eyes widening but I don’t dare to look at him, or I’ll fall apart.

“Unfortunately…”

My heart drops instantly, and River rubs his thumb over the back of my hand, stepping closer as if he can shield me from whatever they’re about to say.

“We only have one spot available.”

“It’s Amelie’s,” he says, before she’s even finished her sentence. “You have to give it to her. I wouldn’t have even performed if it wasn’t for her. I don’t even like dancing if it’s not with her. It’s Amelie’s spot.”

The lady smiles, her eyes darting between River and me before dropping to our joined hands.

“Amelie, would you like to join us this summer?”

My mouth falls open, but I can’t get enough air in my lungs to get a word out. River uses his free hand to shake me slightly, bringing me back to my senses.

“I’d love to,” I say, shakily.

“Then welcome, Miss Devereaux. We look forward to seeing you this summer.”

The two walk away as quickly as they arrived, and the only reason I don’t collapse to the ground is that River lifts me into a hug, his arms crushing me to him.

“You did it,” he whispers into my ear. “I’m so proud of you.”

He holds me tightly, and even though I can hear our friends crowding around us to congratulate me, I don’t want to let go.

I’ve dreamed of this moment for years, imagined every single possible way it could happen, but nothing could have prepared me for how good it feels to have achieved this long-held dream, and to do it with River by my side.

Epilogue

River - Five Months Later

The Palais Garnier is even more beautiful inside than it is outside. An iconic part of Paris’ landscape, a firm reminder of the history of art that lives within this city. It’s always been a beautiful building to me, somewhere I enjoyed visiting with my parents when I was younger, and even after spending plenty of time here this summer, I’m not sick of it.

The journey from the university takes just under an hour, and while some days I’m exhausted from working long distance with dad, the end goal is more than worth it.

I pass the grand staircase and the hubbub of tourists gathered on it, taking photos of the painted ceilings, the onyx balustrades, the marble steps, all the beautiful features that have been expertly maintained for hundreds of years. I’m lucky enough to see them pretty much every day at this point so I bypass them all, making my way through the just as ornate hallways so I can reach the auditorium.