The Swan's Wish

Red

"You do understand that if you skip this practice, that Madame will more than likely give the part to someone else, right?" Margot asked between bites of her carrot stick. Her eyes had not diminished in size since I told her the sickening news.

Flinging another blazer across my bed, I just nodded. The knot in my stomach had yet to decrease in size. This was my chance, and my mother was ruining it. "I spoke to Madame as soon as I arrived back. She told me as much." I gulped past the emotion lodged in my throat. "But, if I go against my mother, I'll never dance again. And that I can't live with." Shoving hangers left and right in my small armoire, I pulled out a handful of cocktail dresses. Black, blue, pink, and gold mid-length silk and polyester sequined dresses splayed over my bedspread. "Which dress would you wear if you were intent on breaking a prince's heart?"

Eyes alight with scandal, Margot picked up several of the dresses, dropping them disdainfully one by one. "None of them," she huffed with her heavy French accent. "But," she scurried to the door. "I may have just the thing. Wait here." Mere seconds passed before she was back, holding a garment bag high in the air. Breathless, she unzipped the front, earning a high-pitched screech from me.

"There's no way on God's green earth that I would EVER wear that in public!" My hand clapped over my mouth as my eyes drunk in the strapless masterpiece. The red guipure lace overlaid a nude polyester lining, showing off a corset-inspired bodice. Lightly fingering the fine details, I flashed a quick smile at Margot. "Was this made for you?"

"Oh, of course!" She twirled the dress around so I could see the sweep of the back. "But we're so similar, it should fit you magnificently." Her eyes were twinkling as she bobbed the dress up and down. "You wanted to make a ruckus, no? This is the perfect thing for you." She bit her bottom lip between her teeth. "And, you must let me do your hair. No rat's nest updo for you tonight."

Almost an hour later, I hardly recognized myself. Gone was the innocent child of yesterday, and in her stead was an unruly vixen ready to wreak havoc. Margot had straightened my wild mane, leaving it to fall like blonde silk down my back. "I hope Derek eats his heart out." The words were almost a prayer. I didn't have an exact strategy worked out yet, but what I envisioned was absolutely evil. I'd make the young prince fall madly in love with me, and then, when I knew he was most securely mine, I'd rip his heart straight from his body so that he'd never want to see me again--thus ending our engagement. If my parents wouldn't listen to me, surely his would listen to him.

It was a rough outline, and I knew I'd have to make adjustments, but it was a start.

A light tap on the door indicated that Thomas was ready to escort me to the town car. "That's my cue," I nodded to Margot. "Thank you."

"Don't forget your lucky charm! Turn around." Margot smoothed my hair out of the way. Feeling the smooth, familiar chain, a small rush of confidence swept through my veins. The tiny heart had been a gift to me when I was a baby. The chain had been replaced a few years ago when I had finally outgrown the length. Mother had never revealed to me from whom the gift had come, but to me, it no longer mattered. I had been wearing it when all the best things in life had happened to me, so therefore, whoever gave it to me must have blessed it. I even credited the locket entirely with getting me into this school. We weren't supposed to wear jewelry to practices, but I had stuck it most carefully in my waist band when I had auditioned here at the Royal Ballet.

Clasping the small gold locket on my neck, I heaved an exhilarated breath. "Let's see if Thomas lets me out of the room." Opening the door, I stepped cautiously into the hallway.

"Come on, down we go." The man said hurriedly. His eyes glued to his phone, he shooed me down the hallway, never once looking up to approve of my outfit. Tapping the trinket on my neck, I smiled. This was going to be a fun evening.