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A wine glass was pressed into my hands by Leslie, and she pulled me to the couch. I paused as I looked down at the black leather. Kendra took a seat next to Aleksi and I fought the urge to throw up on both of them. I sat next to Leslie, but I could still feel that heavy cerulean gaze on me.

The couch was one of those soft couches that you are supposed to sink into, it’s great when you’re tall or average height. I wasn’t; and so I struggled to get comfortable for a minute before I gave up and I—after kicking my short little legs—stood. Kendra raised and wrapped her arms around me, shocking me.

“I’m really glad you came! I’ve missed you… and I want to make things right between us. Autumn
, I was acting like a spoiled ass.” Kendra rambled as she stood inches from me. She said more; but it turned into muted, mumbled nonsense like the adults in Charlie Brown.

“Y-yeah, y-you… you were.” I stammered at her and furrowed my brows. “Am..a-am I just supposed… supposed to forgive you? To k-k-kiss your ass like everyone else and b-bend over
backward t-to b-beg you to be my… my friend again? You ruined everything!” I screamed at her, as all of the frustrations I buried reared their head.
You’re really yelling at yourself. This is highly unbecoming, Autumn. Excuse yourself.
My chest was heaving and my eyes were growing dry and hot, but I ignored it all. “B-because of you I w-was thrown to the f-fucking wolves. You have no f-fucking clue what you caused be-because you couldn’t j-just suck it up and accept that he wanted me.” I sobbed out as Kendra stared at me mortified.

“Oh, Autumn.” She reached to touch me and
I shoved her hand away but she grabbed my wrist before I could blink. Her dark eyes swam with crimson.

“Don’t f-fucking touch me. I hope you’re both very happy, but I don’t want…” My voice trailed off into nothingness as Aleksi stood.

“Kendra, release Autumn and go sit down.” He ordered, speaking the first words since I entered. She released me and without a word walked over to the couch to take her spot again. “Autumn,” He breathed my
name like a prayer. “I understand if you want to leave, if you want to walk away…” He tilted his head to the side and kept his voice soft. That voice of his was like a weapon, a velvet wrapped sword that slid down my body making me shiver.

“I…” I fell into silence staring at him.
Stay strong, you can do it!

“Let’s go watch the performance and after Leslie and Tristan leave we can discuss this like adults, without screaming.”

“Alright.” I affirmed, my fingers playing with the string of pearls at my throat. He led me back to the couch with his hand at the small of my back. He took a seat in one of the chairs off to the side and I sat on the floor beside the chair. Once seated I started smoothing my skirt as I heard a soft near purr escape Aleksi’s lips. Nervously
, I glanced back at him and found those bright blue eyes focused on me. “I’m sorry about that, Kendra.” I blurted out as I folded my hands in my lap.
What the hell is wrong with you? You apologized for speaking your mind…I hear you’re in the running for the stupidest person in the world award.

“It’s okay, Autumn. Water under the bridge.” She offered me a small smile.

“Now that the dinner show is over.” Tristan snickered out as he wrapped an arm around Leslie and picked up the controller to press play.

Watching Aleksi dance was every bit as awkward as it had been when Leslie walked in on me watching him dance almost six months before. I constantly found myself shifting on the wood floor and glancing around nervously. She was right about the mix of modern music making some portions seem almost too erotic. Aleksi was certainly dancing seductively. Kendra was okay, or rather I refused to see it was her he was sliding over, pushing down and essentially having simulated dance sex with. During the intermission, Tristan paused it to refill everyone’s drinks and I lingered in the hall that led to the bathroom. I was tempted to not go back in and watch the rest of it, it was almost like watching porn.

The wine glass felt heavy in my hand as I stood in the hall and watched the others all gathered about. Everyone had a wine glass now, though only Leslie and mine contained actual wine. Leslie was the one who found me.

“You okay?” She asked with that
familiar reassuring smile.

“I’m fine it’s just…” I trailed off and my free hand fingered my pearls as my eyes fell on Aleksi.

“Very intense, I know. But isn’t it great?”

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s amazing.”

“Tristan told me he’ll dance the part of Satan for me later tonight. I honestly can’t wait. It’s just so sexy.”

“Yeah, I guess we should head back before they think we got lost.” I added quickly before I walked back, sipping my wine as I went. I slipped to the floor
again and curled up almost exactly at Aleksi’s feet. I couldn’t help but to glance up at him, he was watching me curiously. His knee slid towards me and rested against my shoulder. He gestured to the screen with his chin and I turned my attention back to his dancing on the flat screen.
Why are you doing what he asks? What’s wrong with you? Are you really this lonely?

Once the performance was over Leslie actually whistled and Tristan clapped along with the audience. When Tristan came out on the screen he actually stood up, Aleksi chuckled behind me. My eyes were glued to the screen, and the two inch Kendra and Aleksi as they came out. Kendra’s chest was heaving and so was Aleksi’s, and then they kissed—or rather she kissed him.
See? You should have left, you didn’t need to see that.
I shifted uncomfortably and Aleksi’s knee nudged my shoulder.

“Autumn, what did you think?” Kendra asked as she smiled at me. Aleksi nudged me again.

“It was technically very good, you could really f-feel the”—I swallowed—“tension between you t-two.”

“Thanks, Autumn. That really means a lot coming from you.” She grinned out. Leslie rolled her eyes.

“There were a lot of technical mistakes.” Leslie snorted. “You know she’s not going to tell you the truth. She’s too polite, but she sure as shit saw them like we all did.”

“Oh, Leslie, my heart.” Tristan chuckled out as he pulled her into his lap.

“It was a really demanding part, I don’t have to dance to know that it was a difficult part. Colette tried to teach me the Rose
Adagio from Sleeping Beauty, and I couldn’t do that. I saw it mimicked, that had to have been hell.” I defended Kendra. It felt weird, but it was the truth.

“I stand by what I said after the first rehearsal, she moved like she was giving in to the seduction. Or like she was trying to seduce me.” Aleksi added, I turned back and watched him as he swirled the blood in his wine glass.

“You were
amazing, though, Aleksi. Really, it was some of your best work, I’m glad I went the direction I did with it. Hopefully, the luck continues. We have Sleeping Beauty, Alice, and Belle before the end of the season. I have a slot for one more, but Dmitri doesn’t want to do a joint production of Nutcracker.” Tristan grumped out.

“The less
Tchaikovsky, the better.” Aleksi grumbled.

“But you like dancing Prince Desire.” Tristan pointed at him accusatorily.

“I tolerate it.”

“You like it because it’s demanding. One of these days I’m going to put you as Aurora, you’ll love that too.”

“I still hate the Nutcracker.”

“But admit you like Sleeping Beauty.”

“Fine, I like one Tchaikovsky ballet, but Swan Lake and Nutcracker are shit.”

“Well, on that note.” Tristan moved Leslie from his lap and stood, setting his empty wineglass on the coffee table. “I’m going to head home before I try my luck further.”

“Why do you hate Tchaikovsky? I’ve never understood that, most dancers dream of landing the
starring role in most of his Ballets.” Leslie asked tilting her head to the side. Tristan froze and suddenly stepped between the two of them, even though Aleksi was still sitting.

“The first rule of Ballet du Nuit is we don’t talk about Tchaikovsky. The second rule of ballet du Nuit is we don’t talk about Tchaikovsky.” Kendra snickered out.

“The Bolshoi sold me to him.” Aleksi responded almost nonchalantly. He then stood set his full glass on the coffee table and left while we all stared after him stunned. Tristan started cackling, before collapsing back onto to the couch.

“Wow, you are very lucky, Leslie. The first time I saw someone ask him about Tchaikovsky he ripped out their throat. Just like”—He snapped his fingers—“dead.”

“Did you know?” She tilted her head to the side. Kendra shook her head no.

“Mhm.” Tristan nodded.

“Autumn?”

“
No.” I felt sad as I said it, so sad I couldn’t keep the frown from my face.

“It’s not as bad as your modern brains perceive it. The Bolshoi—even now—has a habit of selling their dancers to their higher contributors and patrons
for a night.” Tristan shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.

“Aleksi is a bit of a control
freak so I could imagine that being hell.” Kendra added before she sipped from her glass. Leslie and I were both equally wide-eyed as we heard them shrug off the sex trafficking of someone we knew.

“I’m going to see if he’s okay.” I added as I stood and set my glass on the table next to Aleksi’s.

“Leslie will be spending the night.” Tristan snickered out. He pulled her against him, causing a giggle to break from her lips like they hadn’t just been discussing Aleksi being sold for a ballet. “If you need to get home just send me a text. I can have the car service come get you.”

“Or you can sleep on my couch.” Kendra added. “I’ll be practicing in the studio down the hall. It’s just to the right of the elevator.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. It was great seeing you guys, we should do this again.” I added with a smile before leaving.
You should just go home.
I closed the door behind me and started down the hall, pausing at the elevator.
Hit the down arrow and go home.
I hit the up arrow and waited for the elevator. Once it came, I was greeted by the realization that I didn’t know which floor was his.
Just hit the G button and go home.
I glanced at the number of the floor, 7 and I hit the button for eight.

The doors opened on a floor that didn’t look familiar, I hit the 9 button.
You’re being crazy.
The doors closed again, my stomach twisted as they opened on a floor I didn’t recognize. I hit the next four buttons. My stomach turned into knots every time the doors opened, but each time I was greeted by unfamiliar hallways. Did I pass it?
Does it matter? Go home!
I pressed the remaining four buttons and continued to ride the elevator up.

Two more floors and I recognized the short hallway. I froze
. Chicken.
The doors started to close and I slipped out into the hallway. My heart was heavy and high in my chest as I neared that solitary door. Chewing on my bottom lip I knocked on the solid dark wood. My hands smoothed the white linen skirt of my sundress and the neckline. My fingers feathered through my hair before I knocked again.
It’s probably the wrong apartment, or he didn’t go home.
I knocked again and the door opened.

My stomach was knotted more than a balloon animal as Aleksi stood in the doorway shirtless in his tights and ballet slippers. There was a sheen of sweat on his chest and for a moment all I could do was stare. His chest was heaving.

“I
th-thought… I thought we could talk?” I asked pursing my lips as he eyed me skeptically. After a moment, he stepped back from the door and waved me in without a word.
You can still run you know… I mean he is sexy like that but… you should probably leave.

I stepped into his apartment and he closed and locked the door behind me. I tried to slow my own breathing to no avail. He was practically panting, which was odd to me. Did vampires breathe? Why was he panting?

The apartment was the same as I remembered it. All black and white with that neat, silver patterned wallpaper. It looked more lived in now, there was a laptop on the coffee table, and a handful of dance magazines strewn about.

“Talk.” He said as he walked into the mirror lined studio and pressed play on a little console on the wall. Soft classical music filled the air and he twirled and jumped his way across the room. I quickly realized why he was panting. It was the big act three
solo from Sleeping Beauty. I only knew it because when I was with Garrett he was pushed out of the running for Prince Desire because he passed out after performing it during his audition. I had seen it done a handful of times, and not once did they move as much as Aleksi. What I had only seen before as a mimed walk was piquet-ing across the floor.

I was distracted, I couldn’t talk as I watched him dance. The music was so soft I could hear the dull thunks of his feet hitting the floor. As he twirled, he spotted to me, and I couldn’t help but to stare at him. The music only lasted a minute, but when he finished, he slowly walked around the room panting as sweat actually dripped from the tip of his nose.

“Wow
,” I breathed.

“That’s how the act three
solo… is supposed to look.” He panted as he snatched his towel off of the barre and wiped his sweat off. “Is that all you wanted to say?” He asked as he stepped passed me.
He’s shutting you out. You should take the hint, apologize for bothering him, and leave.

“I’m sorry”—
that’s a great start
—“
I…I shouldn’t have shut you out.”—
No! Stick to your guns!
—“
I was just so hurt and angry when you told me you turned Kendra.” I swallowed.
You’re a wimp.