Page 166 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

“I am.” Aaron groaned. “I’ll deal with it, okay? But why would you do that to her? I thought you cared about her. Are you as sadistic as Devin?” He leaned back and curled his lip. “If so, let me know and I will keep my distance.”

Alex stared at him with such confusion, Aaron wondered if he was wrong. He took a deep breath. “Did you know about the rule?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The rule about company dancers not being allowed to date students.”

Alex’s mouth dropped open and his face paled. “That’s a rule?”

Aaron had been wrong. His anger vaporized and he slumped to the floor, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes. “Isaak called us into his office before lunch and told us we couldn’t be together. Anna... didn’t say much, and left.”

“She’s near the studio.” Seth returned, staring at his phone. “At a deli down the street.”

Aaron raised his brows.

“There’s a GPS chip in her bracelet,” Alex said. When Aaron glared at him, he held up his hands in surrender. “It’s for emergencies. In case Devin takes her somewhere.”

Aaron traced the pattern on the wood floor with his finger, defeated. “So you didn’t know that we’d have to break up?”

“Nein, mein Freund. I never would have done that to her. Or you.”

Aaron sighed and leaned his head back, looking up at his friend. “God, it hurts.” He rubbed his chest. “I know it was only two weeks, but I can’t imagine not going home with her tonight.”

“I never would have encouraged you if I’d known. I hope you know that.”

Aaron nodded dejectedly. He knew his friend better than that.

“Maybe I should call Melanie?—‍”

“Isaak already did. Said she wouldn’t change the rule. That it would create a bad precedent.”

Alex slumped in one of the chairs near the fireplace and ran his hands through his hair. “Should I go find her?”

“She’s afraid of you.”

Alex pressed his lips together, then shook his head. He ran his hand over his face. “What will she do? I don’t know how she’ll handle this.”

Aaron pulled out his phone. “I should call Jenna and let her know. If Anna hasn’t already called her.” He pushed the screen a few times, then waited for Jenna to answer.

“Hey.”

“Have you seen Anna?”

“No. Why?”

Aaron sighed and told her the story. “Can you go check on her? She’s at the deli down the street from the studio.”

“Yeah, of course. Where are you?”

“Alex’s.” He glanced up at his friend, who was staring at the floor. “Thought it was his fault and punched him in the face.”

“You got a hit in on Alex?”

“I don’t think he ever expected me to get that angry. But yeah. I got one.” He grinned up at Alex and Alex shook his head, a bemused look on his face.

“Why?”

“Because I thought he was in on the whole thing of having to break up with Anna.”

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