Dance With Death

Aurora's POV The moment I stepped onto the stage all eyes were on me watching my every moment intently. I felt my heart beating in a fast rhythm out of nervousness and at the same time excitement. When the music began, it filled the theatre with its gentle melody. I took a deep breath before taking a smooth leap. With each graceful movement, I let the music control me. I extended my arms like delicate wings, as I twirled and spun across the stage. The heaviness in my chest was now gone as I let my body move freely. At that moment, the stage became my world. I lost myself in the rhythm and movement, surrendering to the music's embrace. The energy of the performance flowed through me, guiding each step and gesture. It was as if time stood still, and only the dance mattered. As the music came to a stop I made my last leap and took a deep breath out of relief. A smile crept on my lips as I faced the audience. I bowed my head and my smile grew wider when their applause erupted in the theatre. I can feel warmness crawling in my system when I see admiration in their eyes. I stepped off the stage a smile never leaving my lips. "I'm proud of you, Aurora," Isabella, my best friend, pulled me into a tight hug, her eyes filled with pride and joy. "You did great as always," she said, a huge smile plastered on her face. Isabella handed me a bouquet, and I happily took it from her hand. "Thank you for coming," I said and kissed her on the cheeks. "You know I never miss your performances, Aurora," she said, making me smile. "Are you free tonight?" she asked, and I already knew what she meant by that. I let out a deep breath because I knew Isabella would pull me into a club party, as she always does. "Come on, Aurora, let's celebrate your successful performance," she said, which made my eyes playfully roll at her. I let out a deep sigh. "Fine," I said, defeated, and when she heard those words, she pulled me into a tight hug and even jumped for joy. However, her excitement was interrupted when I was called back onto the stage. "I'll be back," I assured her as I made my way towards the stage. As I set foot on the stage again, I scanned the crowd, and my heart warmed as I saw their eyes filled with awe. I smiled at them. "Good evening, everyone. Thank you for coming tonight," I started with a smile on my lips. "I have always dreamed of this day, to perform in the New York Opera House, and now it has finally happened. Thank you for helping me achieve that dream. Thank you for allowing me to dance in front of you and making this concert possible. I will always treasure this moment, and your applause and bright smiles will linger in my heart forever," I said and bowed my head once again. Their applause resonated throughout the theatre. Flashes of cameras blinded me, but a bright smile never left my lips. After entertaining some questions, I left the opera with Isabella. We headed towards my unit. I took an hour's rest before we decided to leave and drove towards Marque. When we arrived, loud music filled my ears. Isabella pulled me towards a table and handed me a cocktail. I took it from her hand and took a sip while surveying the crowd. "That guy is checking you out, Aurora," Isabella nudged me and pointed at a man leaning at the counter. I shook my head and raised my hand, showing him the ring. The man looked away, probably searching for another target. "You are no fun, Aurora," Isabella scoffed, and when I looked at her, disappointment was evident on her face, which made me laugh. "I'm engaged, Isabella," I said, but she just rolled her eyes at me. "Engaged, my ass. You were kids back then, but here you are, acting all loyal to the man who hasn't contacted you for years. Are you sure your engagement hasn't been called off?" Isabella looked at me intently. She had been telling me this for years. She always doubted if I was engaged or not because it had been years since I last talked to Gio. When I flew to New York to pursue my dream as a ballerina, he never contacted me. But he didn't tell me to call off our engagement, so I assumed that maybe I was still his fiancée and he thought the same. "Gio is just busy handling their business," I reasoned. Isabella let out a sarcastic laugh and rolled her eyes at me once again before sipping her drink. "A few minutes of calling you won't cause their business to fall apart," she said, but I simply smiled at her because her words struck a nerve and somehow made me doubt if our engagement was real or not. I downed the liquor in my glass and let out a deep breath. "Gio loves me, Isabella," I said, insisting that what we had was real. Isabella stared at my face, and I saw pity in her eyes, probably because I looked desperate. I looked away and fixed my gaze on the crowd, trying to lift my mood. After a while, I felt Isabella hugging me, and I felt her hand softly caressing my arm. She leaned her head on my shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said. I let out a deep breath and faced her. "Let's just have fun, okay? But no men for me," she said. Isabella smiled and nodded her head. "No men for you, just all mine," she said, which made me laugh. She pulled me into the dancing crowd. We started dancing to the beat of the music. "s**t, I found the one!" she shouted after a while and left me in the crowd. I saw her walking towards a man wearing a black polo shirt. I just shook my head, watching my best friend flirt with a man she had just met. "Wanna make out?" I heard someone whisper, and when I turned around, I saw a random man with a lip piercing grinning at me. I flashed an awkward smile and shook my head. "No! I'm engaged!" I said and showed him my ring before stepping out of the crowd. I walked back to our table, trying to find Isabella. When I spotted her in the corner, making out with a stranger, I walked towards her. I tapped Isabella's shoulder, but she continued kissing the man, not minding my presence. "I'm tired. I want to go home," I said, shouting so she could hear me over the loud music. She finally looked at me, panting. "Use my car. The key is in my bag. Text me when you get home," she said and pulled the man's face towards hers once again. I rolled my eyes and walked back to our table. I took the key from her bag and stepped out of the club. I walked towards the parking lot, and when I found Isabella's car, I stepped inside and drove towards my unit. After a few minutes of driving, I arrived at the condominium building where I was currently staying. I headed towards my unit and, when I stepped inside, I threw myself onto the couch. I wasn't that sleepy, so I decided to turn on the TV, and immediately, I regretted it. Because as soon as I turned on the TV, my world shattered before my eyes. "Giovanni Russo, CEO of Russo Security Company, calls off engagement with Aurora Valencia, heiress of ArtVista Studio and renowned ballerina after a 10-year relationship," the news anchor announced. I stared at the TV intently, tears cascading down my face as I watched the news about my engagement with Gio being broadcast to the whole world.