Ghosts

CHAPTER 4: Ghosts Elodie’s POV "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our newest principal ballerina, the stunning Elodie Moreau, making her debut performance with the New York City Ballet tonight!" the announcer's voice boomed through the grand David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. I stepped onto the stage with my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. This was it.. my big comeback after three years of piecing my life back together, raising Chloé on my own and trying to forget the man who broke me. The audience sat in their fancy seats, all dressed up and ready to judge every move I made. I wore a soft white tutu that hugged my graceful figure perfectly, my long dark chestnut hair pulled into a sleek bun and my porcelain skin glowing under the bright stage lights. My expressive gray-blue eyes scanned the crowd quickly before I locked in.. time to show them what I was made of. The piano music started soft and haunting at first like a whisper of old memories and I began to move. My arms rose slowly, flowing like water with every note as I glided across the stage in elegant steps, my legs extending high in perfect arabesques that made my body look like it weighed nothing. Each turn was sharp and controlled, my pointe shoes whispering against the floor as I spun into a series of pirouettes that built speed with the rising music. I leaped high, landing softly before bending into a deep cambré, my back arching like a bow. The dance told a story of heartbreak and stReesegth and I poured every bit of my pain into it. My muscles burned in that familiar way but it felt good. For those few minutes, I wasn't the neglected wife or the single mom hiding secrets. I was just Elodie, owning the stage like I was born for it. Then my eyes landed on one face in the crowd that made everything stop. Reese Bennett...?! He sat there in the front rows, tall and devastatingly handsome in his sharp tailored suit with those steel-gray eyes fixed on me with a dreamy look. My heart pounded against my ribs and my foot slipped just a little on the next turn and I wobbled on pointe, almost losing balance. Shit.. That cold bastard was really here, staring at me... The man I once loved with everything I had, the one who signed our divorce papers without blinking. I caught myself fast, pushing through the rest of the routine with fire burning in my chest. The piano hit its final powerful notes and I ended in a deep, graceful curtsy as loud applause exploded through the theater. I hurried off stage, my legs shaky and my mind racing. What the actual f**k was he doing here? After three years of silence, the ghost from my past shows up at my debut like nothing happened. My chest clenched with emotions as I slipped into the changing room, sweat still glistening on my skin. The other dancers were already buzzing in their corners, whispering and giggling like high school mean girls but I heard every word. "Did you catch that slip? New girl's nerves are showing." "Thought she was supposed to be this big star. Looked shaky to me." "Probably distracted by all the rich guys in the audience." I ignored them and sat down, wiping off my stage makeup with rough wipes. But one girl with icy blonde hair and a perfect model smile sauntered right over. She stuck out her hand like we were best friends. "Hi there. I'm Elise Dupuis, the best dancer here at the company. You must be the new addition everyone's been buzzing about." I shook her hand, keeping my face neutral even though I could smell the fake sweetness from a mile away. "Elodie Moreau. Nice to meet you, Elise." Elise smiled so sweetly it hurt but her eyes were sharp as knives. "That was quite the performance out there. Very... passionate. Though that little wobble in the middle? Oof. Must be tough coming back after your break. I heard you were off raising a kid or dealing with personal drama. Ballet waits for no one, you know. Especially not for someone trying to play catch-up." I raised an eyebrow, already feeling my temper rise. "Yeah, well, I managed just fine. The crowd seemed to like it." She laughed lightly but it was all poison underneath. "Oh, sweetie, they clap for everyone on debut night. Don't get too excited. Some of us have been here for years, training properly, not popping in after playing housewife. You move with a lot of emotion, I'll give you that, but technique? It needs work. Maybe stick to smaller roles until you shake off those rust spots. Wouldn't want you embarrassing the whole company again." That did it.. I stood up fast with my gray-blue eyes locking on hers. "Listen here, you fake-ass Barbie doll. Why don't you take that sugary smile and shove it straight up your tight little ass? If you've got a problem with my dancing, maybe worry about keeping up instead of throwing shade at the new girl. Jealousy doesn't look good on you, honey." Elise's perfect smile cracked for a second with her cheeks flushing. "Excuse me? Who do you think you are, talking to me like..." Before she could finish, Robert Fraser stormed over with his slim frame moving dramatically and his styled hair not shifting an inch as he pointed a finger right at me. "Elodie! What the hell was that mistake out there? This is the New York City Ballet, not some community show. You can't afford to get distracted like that in front of a full house. One slip and the critics will tear us apart. I expected better from a so-called principal!" I opened my mouth to defend myself but my mentor Rebecca Gallagher walked up right on time. She carried herself with that graceful stReesegth, silver-blonde hair shining under the lights. "Robert, take it easy on her. The mistake wasn't Elodie's fault. The lighting crew was supposed to dim the audience lights completely during her solo. They left half of them on and it threw her off balance. Blame the tech team, not her. She recovered like a pro and the audience ate it up." Robert huffed and threw his hands up. "Fine, fine. I'll go deal with those idiots right now. But Elodie, pull yourself together next time. No more excuses." He marched off, muttering complaints under his breath about "unprofessional distractions." Rebecca turned to me with a kind smile and squeezed my shoulder. "You did amazing out there, Elodie. Really. That recovery showed real stReesegth. I've seen dancers crumble over less. The crowd loved you, mistakes and all. Don't let these petty girls or Robert get in your head. You're a fighter and that's what makes you special on stage." "Thanks, Rebecca," I said, pulling her into a quick hug. "I really mean it. You've been in my corner since day one. I don't know what I'd do without you shutting down the bullshit around here. These dancers act like I'm fresh meat for the wolves." She chuckled softly. "That's ballet for you, darling. Full of beautiful snakes. Just keep doing what you do best. And go give that sweet daughter of yours a big hug. She probably can't wait to see you." I changed quickly into a cozy sweater and jeans, my body still buzzing from the dance and the shock of seeing Reese. My mind wouldn't stop replaying that moment... his face in the crowd, those eyes that used to look at me with so much love now staring blank like I was a stranger. It hurt more than I wanted to admit. I still loved that cold prick deep down, even after everything. I headed out to pick up Chloé from the nanny near the side entrance. My little girl always waited with her big smiles and endless questions after shows. The hallway felt longer tonight with my heels clicking against the floor as I walked. Seeing Reese had stirred up too many old feelings... the good nights in our tiny apartment, the way he used to hold me after tough days, the promises he broke one by one. As I turned the corner near the exit, I suddenly came across him. Reese Bennett, standing there silently in the shadows, watching me with open curiosity. His tall, commanding frame leaned against the wall with his broad shoulders filling out his expensive suit. Those steel-gray eyes locked onto mine intensely and searching like he was trying to solve a puzzle he couldn't quite name. My heart did a stupid flip, just like the old days when his look alone could make my knees weak. I stopped dead in my tracks with my breath catching in my throat. "You..." I gasped..