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“I’m afraid not. I am finished. My family will be furious with me.” Jacqueline’s eyes teared. “They will see me as a humiliation to the family. I’m not sure they will even let me home.”
“Where will you go, then?” I grabbed her in a hug. “I am so sad for you. This is what I fear the most for myself, too.”
“Yes, and this is why you practiced all night, I think. And why you are sleeping on a pile of dirty towels?” Jacqueline stood, pulling me up with her. “Come, let’s get you cleaned up before Yury sees you like this.”
“I don’t think I can do this. I’m not as good as you and everyone knows it.” I stopped walking. “I can’t go home either, so I will continue, but I’m frightened.”
“I know you are, but what choice do any of us have? Yury and Mother Russia own us.” She turned me into the bathroom. “Now go clean up. I must go. Stay strong, my friend.”
Jacqueline was gone before I could ask her more. I could hear the bustle of the dancers preparing for practice. One last look in the mirror, then I went to join them before Yury started screaming.
If I can get through the next three hours, I just might be able to get some sleep this afternoon, unless Yury makes me stay here practicing.
Yury stormed in like the Tasmanian Devil, barking orders from the front of the stage. I took my place in the center as lead dancer. He never said a word to me, but I could feel his eyes on my every move. You could never tell what he was thinking because he was always angry. Three hours crawled by with every minute bringing more body aches and pain.
“Be back by four o’clock. Everyone stays in their rooms until then.” Yury looked straight at me next. “Lead, you be back at three o’clock.”
Thank God! He’s not making me stay. Just get your stuff and get in the bus before he changes his mind.
By the time I got in the room, I didn’t care about anything, including food or a shower. My three roommates were wide awake and chatty. Nothing was keeping me from sleeping. I dropped into the bed and pulled the covers over my head. Seconds later I popped up, reaching for the alarm clock. The girls were all sitting on the other bed looking at me.
“You scared us, Sabrina. You look possessed,” my bedmate, Nadia, laughed. “We wouldn’t have let you oversleep. None of us want the lead.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry I’m so tired, that’s all.” I buried myself again. “I’ll eat later, so save me a few crumbs.”
ChapterEight
COTA
The guys were still sleeping when my ringing cell woke me. I glanced at it quickly to make sure it wasn’t anyone I didn’t want to ignore for a few hours. It was Murphy and she was definitely calling to yell at me for not coming back to the after-party. I hit the side button to quiet the call and plopped back onto my pillows. Twenty minutes later, the same scenario repeated, and then again twenty more minutes later.
“Murphy, you better be bleeding in the emergency room,” I moaned into the phone from under the pillows.
“That’s an awful thing to say,” Murphy chuckled. “I wanted to talk to you more about coming on board with me at the ballet.”
“You called me three times within forty-five minutes to talk about this?” I mumbled still under the pillows. “Murph, I’ll come early tonight so we can talk about it if you’ll let me go back to sleep.”
“I’m gonna hold you to that. Meet me at five o’clock. I’ll order a pizza. I know how you like your junk food.”
“We’re gonna have a conversation later about you calling pizza junk food but, for now, go away.” I hit the end button.
I woke once again to my cell ringing, only this time it was two hours later. I rolled over and answered the call.
“What’s up, Sawyer,” I asked my older brother, “you still hiding out on your island?”
“I’m not hiding, I’m living life,” Sawyer said. “When are you coming to hang out?”
“I wanted to be there next week after I secured a spot in the family business, but Dad’s being difficult.” I pushed up against the headboard. “Any suggestions?”
“Not really, except maybe stop the partying,” Sawyer said. “I know that’s a big statement coming from me, but remember I wasn’t interested in the family business right out of school.”
“Oh, don’t I know it. It’s your fault Dad thinks of me this way,” I argued. “Now I need you to help me convince him.”
“No can do. You have to prove yourself. You know how it goes,” Sawyer laughed. “Come out to the island and we can come up with a plan.”
“Alright, I’ll come next week. Murphy is bugging me to help her with the ballet.” I climbed out of bed, hitting the remote to open the blinds. “Can you order up some great weather?”
“I don’t think the Hawthorne power can honor that request,” Sawyer joked, “but I have a machine that will make any sound you want. And if you click on the remote just right, your windows will make you think it’s nice out.”
