she’d seen you sneak out, she would have
reported it right away.”
Not if she’s waiting to use it against you, a little
voice murmurs in my head. Biding her time until it really matters.
“Relax,” Karla orders me. “Revel in your great
victory.”
I smile. “I haven’t won that solo yet.”
But she’s
right, I can’t let my fears ruin what was a great rehearsal.
“Hey, you guys want to go somewhere and celebrate?” I
ask. I remember Raphael’s parting words to me last night, about
performing at the Piazza Navona this afternoon.
It
wouldn’t hurt to drop by just to see...“We could find a
cute square and get a drink, people-watch. It’s still early.”
“Sounds good to me,” Karla agrees. “Ros?”
“I don’t know ...” Rosalie checks her phone
anxiously. “Mademoiselle said she might need me later.”
“Might,” Karla emphasizes. “C’mon ... You’ve
been running around all day. We deserve a break!”
Rosalie breaks into a smile. “OK, I’m in.”
We make our way to the square and settle in at a sidewalk table,
ordering cold drinks and taking in the view. The piazza is
bustling in the afternoon sun with tourists and locals; the fountains
sending up clear jets of water over the ancient stone statues.
Karla looks around with a grin. “Not too shabby for the girl
voted ‘least likely to be anyone’ in high school,”
she comments.
“That’s not true!” Rosalie protests. “You’re
exaggerating.”
Karla rolls her eyes. “Close enough. If those bitches could see
me now...” She leans back in her chair, happily surveying the
foreign scene.
I sip my lemonade and keep an eye out for Raphael and his troupe. He
did say this piazza , didn’t he? I check again, getting
more nervous as the minutes tick past. Just the thought of seeing him
again has set my nerves to life, an anxious, excited jitter in my
veins.
That kiss...
God, that kiss.
“... Earth to Annalise!”
I snap back to reality to find Karla waving her arms in front of my
face. “Wow, you really were a million miles away.” She
laughs. “What’s up? Reliving your performance today in
all its envy-inspiring glory?”
“I ... no. Just thinking,” I reply quickly, checking
around the piazza again. I drum the tabletop, feeling my
anticipation rise, until Karla stops me.
“Seriously, what is with you?” she demands.
Before I can reply, I hear the music start. I can’t stop a huge
smile from spreading across my face. “Come see,” I say
breathlessly, rising to my feet.
“See what?” Rosalie looks confused.
I scramble for my wallet and lay down a note to cover our drinks.
“Trust me, come on!”
I hustle Rosalie and Karla through the crowd already gathering at the
far end of the piazza . I push our way to the front, just as
Raphael and Francesca step forward in the center of their marked-off
dance floor.
My heart catches at the sight of him.
He’s dressed in a plain black T-shirt that hugs his muscular
torso and tuxedo pants that fit like a glove. He strikes a pose, and
I can tell he’s settling into the role, mentally taking himself
out of this busy square, and into that place in his mind all dancers
go, where nothing matters but the music.
I hear Karla let out a chuckle beside me. “Now I get it,”
she murmurs, but my focus is on him.
Only him.
The first chords ring out through the piazza . The crowd is
growing, passers-by drawn in by the sight of him, poised for action,
and Francesca beside him, bent in a low curtseying pose. Even I can
admit she’s show-stopping in a low-cut red dress that spills in
a waterfall of ruffles. Somehow, she makes it look like high fashion,
not some tacky costume, with her dark hair cascading down her back,
and her eyes lined with dark kohl.
The music builds, and with it, my anticipation. Raphael’s face
is a mask of concentration, but then, just as he reaches for
Francesca for the first time, his eyes meet mine across the dance
floor.
His expression
reported it right away.”
Not if she’s waiting to use it against you, a little
voice murmurs in my head. Biding her time until it really matters.
“Relax,” Karla orders me. “Revel in your great
victory.”
I smile. “I haven’t won that solo yet.”
But she’s
right, I can’t let my fears ruin what was a great rehearsal.
“Hey, you guys want to go somewhere and celebrate?” I
ask. I remember Raphael’s parting words to me last night, about
performing at the Piazza Navona this afternoon.
It
wouldn’t hurt to drop by just to see...“We could find a
cute square and get a drink, people-watch. It’s still early.”
“Sounds good to me,” Karla agrees. “Ros?”
“I don’t know ...” Rosalie checks her phone
anxiously. “Mademoiselle said she might need me later.”
“Might,” Karla emphasizes. “C’mon ... You’ve
been running around all day. We deserve a break!”
Rosalie breaks into a smile. “OK, I’m in.”
We make our way to the square and settle in at a sidewalk table,
ordering cold drinks and taking in the view. The piazza is
bustling in the afternoon sun with tourists and locals; the fountains
sending up clear jets of water over the ancient stone statues.
Karla looks around with a grin. “Not too shabby for the girl
voted ‘least likely to be anyone’ in high school,”
she comments.
“That’s not true!” Rosalie protests. “You’re
exaggerating.”
Karla rolls her eyes. “Close enough. If those bitches could see
me now...” She leans back in her chair, happily surveying the
foreign scene.
I sip my lemonade and keep an eye out for Raphael and his troupe. He
did say this piazza , didn’t he? I check again, getting
more nervous as the minutes tick past. Just the thought of seeing him
again has set my nerves to life, an anxious, excited jitter in my
veins.
That kiss...
God, that kiss.
“... Earth to Annalise!”
I snap back to reality to find Karla waving her arms in front of my
face. “Wow, you really were a million miles away.” She
laughs. “What’s up? Reliving your performance today in
all its envy-inspiring glory?”
“I ... no. Just thinking,” I reply quickly, checking
around the piazza again. I drum the tabletop, feeling my
anticipation rise, until Karla stops me.
“Seriously, what is with you?” she demands.
Before I can reply, I hear the music start. I can’t stop a huge
smile from spreading across my face. “Come see,” I say
breathlessly, rising to my feet.
“See what?” Rosalie looks confused.
I scramble for my wallet and lay down a note to cover our drinks.
“Trust me, come on!”
I hustle Rosalie and Karla through the crowd already gathering at the
far end of the piazza . I push our way to the front, just as
Raphael and Francesca step forward in the center of their marked-off
dance floor.
My heart catches at the sight of him.
He’s dressed in a plain black T-shirt that hugs his muscular
torso and tuxedo pants that fit like a glove. He strikes a pose, and
I can tell he’s settling into the role, mentally taking himself
out of this busy square, and into that place in his mind all dancers
go, where nothing matters but the music.
I hear Karla let out a chuckle beside me. “Now I get it,”
she murmurs, but my focus is on him.
Only him.
The first chords ring out through the piazza . The crowd is
growing, passers-by drawn in by the sight of him, poised for action,
and Francesca beside him, bent in a low curtseying pose. Even I can
admit she’s show-stopping in a low-cut red dress that spills in
a waterfall of ruffles. Somehow, she makes it look like high fashion,
not some tacky costume, with her dark hair cascading down her back,
and her eyes lined with dark kohl.
The music builds, and with it, my anticipation. Raphael’s face
is a mask of concentration, but then, just as he reaches for
Francesca for the first time, his eyes meet mine across the dance
floor.
His expression
Similar Books
