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to try. I wasn’t even sure where he lived now. Based on the expensive suit he was wearing, I knew he couldn’t still live in the tiny place we’d shared.
    I moved around my loft with ease as I turned on a few lights and made my way into the bathroom. As hungry as I was, I knew I needed a soak in the tub first. Every muscle in my body hurt, some more than others, and my feet needed some serious TLC. I slowly stripped out of my sweats, leaving a trail as I pushed open the tiny door that hid my bathroom. I turned the knob on the tub to let the water begin to heat before stripping out of my leotard and tights. When I got to where the tights covered my feet, I sucked in a painful breath. I was used to my toes bleeding on a long day, but that combined with the new shoes had caused it to be worse than normal. My tights were practically glued to my toes with dried blood. I cringed as I sat on the closed toilet seat and picked at the offending objects, trying to get them off me. By the time I’d freed myself, the tub was nearly full. I slowly stood, careful not to put too much weight on my ankle, and I lowered myself into the warm water.
    It felt heavenly as I sank in up to my neck. I’d pinned my hair on top of my head before climbing in, and as I leaned back and closed my eyes, I all but drifted off to sleep. I couldn’t remember ever feeling this tired except maybe when I’d auditioned for Julliard.
     
    “I’m never going to be good enough for this,” I whined as I fell out of a turn I’d been doing since I was eight. Tyler had been staying after school and giving me support as I practiced for the audition that I was hoping to land next month. I’d sent in an application to Julliard six months ago when I’d finally decided that that was where I wanted to go to school. Tyler had been so excited. He’d been accepted to NYU, and we’d already started making plans for our big move.
    “You’re going to be great,” he grinned as he turned down the music I had playing in the background. “They’d be crazy not to take you.”
    “Everybody that’s there is going to be great,” I muttered as I scowled at him.
    “But everybody isn’t you,” he smirked.
    I rolled my eyes at him as I positioned myself and attempted the turn again. My body moved effortlessly through the air as the world spun by me in a blur. Thoughts of not being good enough settling right in the forefront of my mind. “I don’t know, Ty. Maybe I’m not good enough.”
    “What?” He stood and ambled over to me, stopping in front of me, and placing his hands on my shoulders. “You are good enough. You’re more than good enough, and you’re going to show all of us that you were born for this. Do you hear me… you were made for this Mia. You make it look effortless. You move around on stage like you own the place. You’re so graceful. You remind me of a bird, delicate but strong at the same time.”
    “You make me believe it, Ty. I love you.” I grinned as I pressed a light kiss to his lips.
    “I love you too. Now, get back to work. You’re stalling,” he winked as he smacked my ass and spun me.
     
    I spent that entire afternoon and evening running turn after turn and going over my audition piece. Ty had been right. I nailed it, and one of the judges told me the same thing. I made it look effortless and seemed like I was born to dance. I’d spent the night soaking in the tub, much I like I was doing now.
    I stayed in the water until it cooled before climbing out and hobbling into my tiny kitchen area. I popped a few painkillers before wrapping my ankle and falling into bed. Dinner could wait. I didn’t need the extra weight, and I was so tired that sleep was the only thing I was interested in at the moment.
    As my eyes fluttered closed, and I let myself succumb to exhaustion, my dreams filled with thoughts of Tyler and wondering what he was doing at that very minute. How could I convince him to come to ballet, and what would it take to