Page 46 of Freestyle (Academy of Stardom 1)

“Good for you,” I mutter.

“Don’t get me wrong. It was hard at first, I had to prove myself over and over…”

“Because you were poor, and they were rich?”

He shakes his head. “No, because they were better dancers than me. At least in the beginning.”

“And your point is?”

“My point is, that you should never close the door on a gift just because you don’t think you fit the mould. Don’t ever define yourself by what youbelievepeople see. Open yourself up to possibilities because you’re talented enough to do anything. Okay?”

I frown, mulling over his words. That’s easier said than done when you’re so used to being ridiculed for your passion by the people who are supposed to love and support you the most.

“But I don’t have rich parents who pay twenty thousand a year to secure my place here.”

“What has that got to do with anything?”

“It means that I’m already judged.”

“Does it?

“Of course it does,” I respond. “I’m a scholarship student.”

Sebastian sighs. “Maybe you’re right, maybe it does. Then again, isn’t that the point becauseyou’vealready judged half the students here because they’rerich,” he says, finger quoting the word. “You’ve not bothered to look past that to see what really counts. Rich or poor, every student is here because they love to dance. It really is as simple as that.”

“I wish it was,” I mutter, knowing that isn’t the case for all the students. Some are just here to fuck with me. Speaking of which… I swallow a groan.

“Seb, I need to borrow your studio. Tuillard has a cleaning crew in mine. She’s obsessed with polishing these damn wooden floors,” Xeno says, as he strolls into the room. He doesn’t acknowledge me, choosing to concentrate his attention on my ballet teacher who is currently flushing pink beneath his tan skin. Is there no one immune to Xeno’s good looks?

“Sure thing, Xeno. You’re always welcome to get sweaty in my studio. I’ll see you next week, Pen,” he says, giving me a squeeze on the arm before winking at Xeno. The flirty bastard. I make my move to leave, trying not to wince with every painful step. How the hell I’m going to get through tonight is beyond me, but right now that’s the least of my worries. I need out.

“You. Stay.” Xeno orders, pulling me up sharp.

If Sebastian heard, he doesn’t acknowledge it. He simply leaves, closing the door to the studio behind him.

“I need to go,” I respond, hobbling as quickly as I can to the door. Xeno gets there before me and flips the lock, leaning against the door for good measure.

“Where were you yesterday? You didn’t turn up for your introduction to my class,” he asks, fixing his gaze on me.

“You have no right to ask me anything, Xeno. Why the hell are you here, huh?”

“I asked first.”

“I’m going to ask for a transfer to another discipline. I don’t want you to teach me a damn thing.”

He nods, scoffing. “Running again. You’re good at that.”

“I don’t have time for this. Are you going to let me pass or do I need to kick you in the balls?”

“You could try,” he grins, challenge in his eyes. “Is the feisty Tiny still in there, or did she fuck off as well? When the going gets tough, the tough gets going? Ain’t that how the lyrics go?”

“Ididn’trun. It wasn’t me who fucking left,” I shout back, shaking. Xeno makes a snorting noise, disgust making him ugly. Still, he blocks the damn way out. If he hates me so much, why does he insist on standing in my way?

“Xeno.” I grit my teeth, forcing my anger down. Forcing every emotion rising up within me away. I need to leave. I need to go. I can’t do this. Ican’t. The longer I’m in his company the harder it is for me to convince myself I hate him. I’ve missed him so fucking much. So, so much.

“You owe me a truth, Pen.”

“I don’t owe you jack shit.”Please, please, just let me go, I want to beg but I don’t. He can’t know how scared I am that he’s here, that the Breakers are back. So I turn to the one emotion I can rely on, anger. I dig deep, funnelling it. “Just get the fuck out of my way. I don’t want to speak to you, see you, fucking dance with you.Anyof you. I will not let you ruin this for me. I’ve worked too damn hard.”

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