Master of My Heart

by Marissa Honeycutt

  “How do you know they were waving at you?” Number 43 asked, scorn in her voice.

  Sabrina blinked and snapped her hand back to her chest. “Do you know them?”

  She rolled her eyes. “They’re company dancers. Of course not.”

  “Oh.”

  “Do you know them?”

  “Yeah. A little.”

  The other dancer narrowed her eyes at Sabrina, then turned away again. Sabrina continued stretching, wondering what the girl’s problem was with her.

  A while later, she saw Jayson at the edge of the stage. He motioned at her. She glanced back at Number 43, then looked at him again, pointing at her chest. He rolled his eyes and nodded.

  She stood up and walked over to him.

  “You look good in red,” he said with a smile that warmed her heart.

  Sabrina looked down at her red hoodie. “Thank you. Is that why you wanted me to come over here?”

  “No, but I wanted to say it anyway.” He chuckled. “I can see you’re getting nervous about that girl next to you. Don’t worry about her. Martin doesn’t like attitudes and hers is written all over her face. Just relax and dance as best you can. You’ll do great.”

  “Thanks,” she said, smiling as her nerves lifted a bit.

  “And smile. You’re gorgeous when you smile like that.”

  She blushed and hurried back to her place on the stage. Feeling eyes on her, she glanced around, seeing fellow audies watching her. She sat down on the floor to stretch again and buried her face in her knees.

  After a few minutes, Sabrina snuck a glance back out at the audience. Jayson was talking animatedly with the other dancers, but saw her and winked. She blushed again and looked back down at her knees.

  “You’re friends with Jayson Reynolds?” Number 43 asked incredulously.

  Sabrina nodded. She supposed they were friends . . . of a type. She was staying at his apartment.

  The dancer huffed and rolled her eyes as she turned away, not speaking to her again.

  A while later, Martin and the other judges walked out of the wings and onto the stage. All except Martin walked down the ramp to a table that had been set up on top of the enclosed orchestra pit.

  Martin clapped his hands twice, but he already had everyone’s attention. “Please push your bags behind the barres, then line up in the center in numerical order. Ten in the front row and ten in the back.”

  Sabrina pushed her bag back and found her place. Second from the end in the back row.

  “Stand easy for a few minutes while we get a look at you. We just want to remember who you are.” The judges shuffled papers as they studied the front row for several minutes. Then Martin instructed the front row to line up at the barres while the second row stepped forward. Sabrina bit her lip and avoided looking at Jayson. Papers shuffled again as she stared into the darkness at the back of the theater.

  “Number forty-four, please come here. The rest of you, please line up, leaving her space.”

  Number 43 smirked as Sabrina passed. She walked carefully up to the table, twisting her fingers around each other.

  “Name?” Martin asked.

  “S-Sabrina Mansfield.”

  “What did you write on your form as an answer to why you danced?”

  She blinked. “I think I wrote ‘Because I have to.’”

  Martin smiled. “I wanted to make sure you were the same girl from yesterday. You look much healthier.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “What happened for this change to occur?”

  She glanced down at Jayson, who gave her an encouraging smile, and looked back at Martin. “I had something to eat and a good night’s sleep.”

  He nodded, looking pleased. “Good. You may go to your place now.”

  She hurried to the space between Number 43 and Number 47. They began as they had the day before, but there were no tricky instructions. After the initial warm-ups, they moved the barres to the back of the stage to prepare for the floor work. They lined up and performed the cross-stage work, then returned to the center. Sabrina felt pretty confident.

  “One line at a time, so there’s plenty of room. Sixteen fouetté turns.”

  The second row stepped to the back of the stage and watched. The music started and the first ten dancers began the difficult turns, moving their feet from the back of their knee to the front of the knee as they turned before straightening their leg to the side to prepare for the next turn. They all did well.

  Of course they did. They’re probably all principals and soloists, stupid.

  “Thank you. Second row.”

  Sabrina’s row moved forward and spread out. The music started and they began. One. Two. Three. Four. Her spotting was going well . . . She wasn’t moving out of place . . . Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Doing great, Sabrina. Nine. T—

  An unexpected explosion of pain erupted in Sabrina’s ribs and she fell to her knees, clutching her left side.

  She looked up to see Number 43 glaring down at her. Did I move out of position? She thought she had stayed in place pretty well.

  Jayson skidded toward her on his knees, stopping beside her, as Martin knelt on the other side of her and looked around. “Take ten, everyone.”

  Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain. Pointe shoes hurt.

  “I must have moved farther than I realized,” Sabrina said softly, looking up at Martin. She grimaced at a throb of pain. Number 43 stood over her with her hands on her hips, frowning. “I’m sorry I got in your way.” The girl just stomped away.

  Jayson growled.

  “Easy, Jayson. I have eyes,” Martin said calmly. “Take her into the back and get her some ice.”

  “No, I’m okay,” Sabrina protested. “Just give me a few minutes and I can continue.” She slowly sat up and took a deep breath, trying not to groan.

  “Sabrina, you’ve had a fine audition. I don’t want you hurting yourself further by aggravating it.”

  She shook her head and looked up at him. “Please, Martin. Let me finish. Just give me a few minutes to catch my breath. I’m fine. Really.”

  He frowned, but finally nodded in agreement. “You’re a remarkable girl.” He stood, walking away.

  Jayson rubbed her back gently.

  “I didn’t think I’d moved so much.”

  “You didn’t,” he said softly. “She did. You were perfectly in place and she let you take the blame. If I know Martin, she just lost her chance to join the company.”

  “Oh, Jayson, I don’t want to be the reason for her—”

  Jayson shook his head. “I told you, Martin doesn’t like attitude. If you screw up, own up to it.”

  Kyle appeared next to her and handed her a bottle of water.

  “Thanks, Kyle,” she said gratefully and took a long sip.

  Sabrina moved to stand, Jayson helping her up. She put her hands on her hips and walked in a circle, stretching her ribs. The pain had subsided dramatically. All the beatings from Khyan and Ramon finally resulted in something good. She laughed aloud.

  “What are you laughing at?” Jayson looked amazed.

  “Nothing.” She shook her head. “Just a random thought.”

  “I want to take a look at your ribs as soon as we’re done here.”

  “Okay.” She put her hands above her head to stretch. She cringed a little, but it felt much better.

  “Sabrina, you don’t have to do this. This is just some extra stuff,” Jayson insisted.

  “Really, Jayson. I can do this.” She gave him a pleading look. “I need to do this.” She needed to prove to herself she could still dance.

  “I don’t want to see you hurt anymore.”

  “I’m fine. It’s feeling a lot better.” The throbbing had subsided immensely. She leaned from side to side. He frowned at her. “I’m a fast h
ealer,” she added with a shrug. Well, she used to be. She was thankful that the pain had gone away. Unless that meant she was becoming Immortal again. She closed her eyes and shuddered. She didn’t want to think about that right now.

  Martin looked at Sabrina and raised his eyebrows. She nodded.

  She took one more swig of water and handed the bottle to Jayson. He gave her a gentle hug and strode away, jumping down from the stage.

  She moved her body carefully, seeing if it still hurt, and Martin clapped his hands. He adjusted their rows so that they were even more spread out than before. He wasn’t taking any chances.

  Number 43 shot her a dirty look as the music began.

  Sabrina felt the twinge in her side as she spun around, but pushed it aside and concentrated on staying in place. She made it through all sixteen turns and ended with a double pirouette.

  When the music ended, she bent down and put her hands on her knees, panting as her side throbbed. When she glanced up, she saw Jayson beaming at her. She smiled weakly before hanging her head and trying to breathe away the pain.

  It worked.

  A little.

  Martin walked onto the stage again.

  “Thank you all for your time today and for putting so much effort into your dance career. We have difficult decisions to make. We’ll post the results . . .” He turned to the audience, “ . . . and Nutcracker castings, in the studio where they were posted yesterday. Give us about an hour. Thank you again.”

  Jayson hopped up onto the stage as the other dancers packed their things and left. He grabbed a chair from the wings and motioned for Sabrina to sit down.

  “Can I check your ribs?” he asked, kneeling down next to her chair. Sabrina nodded and he started gently probing her side. “You did fantastic, Sabrina. I see why Martin wanted to make sure you had a place to stay last night.”

  “He asked you and Liz to take me home?” When she’d seen Martin in the hallway yesterday, she had a feeling he was watching over her, but she didn’t think he’d ask someone to help her.

  Jayson nodded. “He said he’d seen you dance before and wanted you to have your best chance today.”

  “Did he say where he’d seen me?”

  “No. Have you met him before?”

  She nodded. “I came to a summer session years ago.”

  “A summer session? When?”

  She shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. That was when life was still good. “When I was sixteen. Just before—” She swallowed and closed her eyes, the horror of that day flashing in her memories. “Before things . . . changed.”

  He stared at her, a mixture of sadness and something else she couldn’t quite define in his expression. “I’m sorry that happened,” he said after a moment before lifting her arm and pressing his hand firmly against her side. She winced. “Sorry.”

  “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.” She sucked in a breath as he pressed on an especially tender spot. “How do you know what you’re doing?”

  “My mom’s a nurse,” Jayson said. “I’ve learned a lot from her.” He gently probed the area. “Did it start hurting again? You didn’t look like it bothered you much on stage.”

  She nodded, teeth clenched. “I can push the pain away when I’m dancing, but it returns with a vengeance after I stop.”

  “You need to see a doctor.”

  She saw Martin walk out on stage. When he saw them, he hurried over. “I called the clinic. They’ll see her if she needs it.”

  “Clinic?” Sabrina asked.

  “We have a deal with a local clinic if any of my dancers get injured.” Martin looked at her. “You look like it’s hurting again. She whacked you pretty good, eh?”

  Teeth still clenched against the pain, she nodded. He frowned.

  “I think they’re just bruised,” Jayson said.

  “Good. Less recovery time before getting back into the studio.” Martin grinned. “I didn’t say that.” He winked at her, then looked at Jayson. “Can you get her to the clinic?”

  “Yeah. I’ll grab a cab.”

  “How far is it?” Sabrina asked.

  “Couple blocks.”

  Sabrina shook her head. “Give me a few minutes and I can walk. Just need to catch my breath.”

  Martin chuckled. “Well, I don’t have to worry about you missing performances or rehearsals, do I?”

  She tried to smile. “I’ve danced through worse.”

  Martin frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that. But I’m glad to know you’re strong. Just don’t push it.”

  With a little effort, she smiled at him.

  “Take a cab and get to the clinic. They’ll give you something for the pain.” He turned to Jayson. “She’s staying with you and Liz?”

  He nodded.

  “Good. Make sure she rests. I’ll call you after I post the lists and give you the results.”

  “Thanks, Martin.”

  He nodded. “Get some rest. I’ll see you soon.” He disappeared into the wings.

  “We’ll have to go out and celebrate tomorrow night,” Jayson said, smiling. “If you’re up for it.”

  “Celebrate what?” she asked, frowning.

  “You being accepted into the company.”

  She shook her head. “He hasn’t posted yet.”

  “Didn’t you hear what he said?” Jayson helped her to her feet. “Why else would he talk about you missing rehearsals?”

  “Oh!” She grinned. “I really made it?” Jayson laughed as she clapped her hands together. “I can hardly believe it.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jayson insisted on taking a taxi, even though Sabrina said she could walk. But, deep down, she really didn’t want to walk much farther than the front of the opera house. Her whole body started aching again and she knew she couldn’t simply go to sleep and wake up healed. She would have to wait and work through the pain like a normal human. She had no idea how long it would take. This was the price of being normal, she realized, and the thought gave her a newfound respect for what her friends dealt with their entire lives. It was a wonder they didn’t hide away from any activity that might hurt them.

  Once they arrived at the clinic, Jayson guided her to the cold, plastic chairs in the waiting area and went to check her in. He returned with a clipboard containing forms to fill out. “Use my address for your address.”

  When she was done, he took the papers back up to the desk, then they sat and waited. He put his arm around her, and she leaned her head against his chest. She liked being comforted while in pain. It was a new experience for her.

  “Thank you for taking care of me.” She looked up at him and smiled.

  “You’re very welcome. I’m glad I met you yesterday.” He smiled back. “I can’t imagine what you would be going through right now if I hadn’t.” He frowned. When his phone buzzed in his pocket, he pulled it out and looked at her. “Martin.”

  Her stomach filled with butterflies. She watched Jayson’s face carefully.

  “Hello? . . . Great. I’m so glad. If you hadn’t . . . I know . . . Yeah, okay. I’ll let her know . . . Thanks.”

  When he hung up, his expression made Sabrina swallow hard, though his eyes glinted mischievously. “Well, Sabrina . . .” He didn’t continue for a long minute.

  She let out a shaky breath as they stared at one another.

  “How would you feel about dancing the role of Clara in this year’s Nutcracker?”

  She blinked as her stomach dropped. “Clara?” Sabrina hoped her face didn’t show her disappointment. Clara was a role for a little girl. Did Martin feel sorry for her and put her in an eight-year-old’s role? “I—” She’d been hoping for Snowflake at least. Maybe even one of the Flowers. She looked down at the floor. “I’m honored,” she finally said in a soft voice.

  “He said he had to fight with the board
to put you in there, since you’re new and untried, but he insisted and won.”

  Sabrina wrinkled her brow. “Why does it matter if I’m new or not?” She felt the tears in her eyes and kept looking at the floor, hoping Jayson wouldn’t notice.

  “Sabrina, you do know that Clara is, like, the star of the show, don’t you? That role is as desired as Sugar Plum, but Martin’s really picky about who he chooses.” He smiled. “He says he’s dreamed of having someone like you in that role.”

  “I danced Clara when I was eight . . .”

  Jayson suddenly laughed. “Oh!” He grinned. “You must do a different version of Nutcracker. Here, Clara has a beautiful pas de deux with the Nutcracker Prince before the Snowflakes. She also dances in most of the second act.”

  Sabrina’s heart leapt in her chest, a glimmer of hope peeking through the darkness. “You’re not teasing me?”

  He shook his head emphatically. “Of course not. It would be cruel to tease you about something like this.”

  She allowed herself a small smile that slowly built into a huge grin. “Omigosh!” Tears of joy filled her eyes. “I can hardly believe it!”

  Jayson nodded and hugged her gently. “I can believe it. You’re a phenomenal dancer, Sabrina.”

  “Who’s the prince?” she asked, feeling a little breathless as she imagined dancing with him. Was that even possible? He was . . . famous!

  He smiled and gave a tiny shrug, almost looking embarrassed. “Me.”

  She gasped and then pressed her lips together as she looked away, wondering what he would think of her excitement. “You sure you don’t mind dancing with me? I haven’t partnered in years.”

  Jayson’s smile broadened and her heart fluttered. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Sabrina?” A woman in scrubs stood by a door in the corner of the room.

  Jayson helped her to her feet and Sabrina followed the woman into the back, thinking about her role. Never in a million years would she have dreamed of dancing with someone like Jayson Reynolds. Someone who’d been featured in a dance magazine!