Page 118 of Unraveled

Dance had been my safe space. My escape when everything was unraveling that had helped me hold the pieces together. Music and dance had saved me. It was apartof me.

I could do this.

Leo beamed when he saw my expression shift, confidence taking over me again. “There’s my awesome dance partner.” He squeezed my shoulders and left me to my thoughts, but I was glad he couldn’t hear the wince I held back.

I looked at my upper arms in the mirror where I knew my latest bruises still were. They were a dark, yellowish purple color now even weeks after what Zane had done, but I had them well covered with makeup today, hiding them from myself and for my audition. But as much as they bothered me, they would heal, too. Just like the rest of me.

And he can’t hurt me anymore.

A certain sense of victory filled me in that. The restraining order had gone into place a few days ago.

And I wasfree.

“Isabel Donovan!”

I smiled as my name was called for my turn. This was my fresh start, my chance to shape the future I wanted, and Zane no longer had a place in it.

Leo took my hand when I walked over to the edge of the curtain, and he gave it a squeeze. “You’ve got this, Donovan.”

I walked out, my head held high as I took my place on the stage. The music started, and I sucked in air, that familiar rush filling my veins.

Hell yes I did.

ANNIE

I grinned at Tucker from where we sat in the theater. His legs kept fidgeting, and his knees bounced as his feet tapped the floor. His hands gripped the armrests on either side of his seat, clenching and unclenching.

“You okay?”

He looked down at me. “Yeah. Why?”

“Because you look like you’re either more nervous than my sister or like youreallyneed a bathroom break.”

His eyes narrowed. “Funny.”

“Truth.” I popped a shoulder and saw him shift in his seat, as well as he could considering his size, his hands splaying out flat to try and relax.

“I guess I am a little nervous for her.”

“Please, Tucker, she’s got this. My sister is phenomenal.”

A slow, wide smile spread across his face. “Yes. She is.”

“Isabel Donovan.”

My own stomach swooped, though I figured it was partly from my sister. Or maybe not. I was so excited for her right now. We had a whole crew here today to support her. Mom, Jenna, and Helen along with Tucker, Jet, and I. Even Harper and Nic had come, and we were clustered into a group together between two rows.

Mom looked over her shoulder with a smile, crossing her fingers, and I held mine up to match hers, smiling back. It felt good to have her here, and I knew Izzy would be happy she came.

Things were getting better between us. After Jet’s talk with me on graduation night last weekend, I’d gone to Izzy, and we’d talked to Mom together, asking if we could start counseling. Not for just ourselves but for our family, too. The tears that followed that day had been needed, and Mom already had an appointment booked for us to start with a counselor next week, slipping us in faster with her connections through work.

Jet squeezed my hand from my other side as Izzy walked out, taking her place on the stage, and Nic shushed Harper who’d been whisper-chatting his ear off.That…things withhim…had surprisingly been okay, too.

When the music started, a few measures passed before Izzy moved into her first steps, and just like every other time I watched my sister dance, I was blown away.

But today was different. Pure emotion filled her moves, like she was leaving a piece of her soul on that stage. Shewasn’t just dancing for an audition. She was dancing forZoey, for her life and everything she’d been through. I grabbed Tucker’s arm, lost in the emotion of watching her. Just like I’d said before, my sister was phenomenal.

She had two solo numbers and a partner dance with Leo, each as breathtaking as the first, and the second they dropped into their final pose and the music stopped, Tucker shot up from his seat, pride exploding from him, as every one of us cheered. Even one of the judges stood up to applaud, and when I peeked over, the other two were dabbing at tears.

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