Page 150 of Rome: The Ballerina

“Bye, Saint.”

“Not bye… Later, baby. See you out there.” He pecked my lips.

“See you out there.”

I tooka final swig of water and stepped on stage. Everyone was running around, trying to find their places in the midst of chaos. Quietly, I took mine.

“Places everyone.”

“Places.”

“Excuse me.”

“Pardon me.”

“Where’s my mark?”

“Is everyone ready?”

“We’ve got this you guys.”

“Good luck out there, Rome.”

Voices near and far rang out. Overwhelmingly. At once. One after the other. Together. Apart.

Please, I begged.

My stomach knotted and flipped twelve times in a single minute.

Pull yourself together Rome.

Heat consumed me.

Breathe.

Sweat beads formed on my forehead.

Rome!

I struggled to gain my composure.

“Curtains up in five. Four. Three.”

My God.

“Two.”

What’s happening?

I weakened, unable to support my body’s weight.

“One. And we’re on.”

Blinding lights left me struggling to see. To breathe. To hear. To feel. Anything. Anyone.

First position…

Second posit...

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