will ever get another offer like it.”
I nod, and she sashays away, leaving me to piece together my thoughts. But I don’t have very long.
“You’re up in fifteen minutes,” Bastien says. “We should go get ready.”
I glance in the direction of my paintings. Of Salacious. Wishing I could just have some more time to
think on it. But I don’t. So I simply nod and let Bastien lead me away.
Chapter Seventeen
Chloe
Bastien helps me to limber up and prepare for the stage. Which is the only real reason he is here
since I’m flying solo tonight. But I also wanted him to get credit for the Nutcracker piece we did
together.
Once we’ve gone through the stretches, Mrs. Hilliard appears at the side entrance.
“Five minutes,” she tells us.
I nod and take a deep breath.
“I’ll go set up paint,” Bastien tells me. “You just take a breather.”
I nod and try to relax.
Tonight, there will be no Mr. Vaughn or even Bastien to help me through the performance. I’ll be
painting entirely with my body, using the supply that Bastien’s setting up on the canvas now.
I’ve gone over the design in my head numerous times, the way I want it to be. But I haven’t drawn it
out. Because I don’t want to lose the magic. So it’s going to be completely free form. No chance for
mistakes. It will be imperfect, to me. But hopefully perfect to someone else.
Even if it only resonates with one person in the audience, it will have meaning. And that’s the most
important thing.
Bastien reappears, and so does Mrs. Hilliard.
“You ready?” she asks.
I nod, and she speaks into her headset.
And then I’m moving up the stairs and onto the stage. In front of the crowd.
In front of too many people to count.
I close my eyes as I take my place at the canvas. And all I can hear is his voice. Telling me I can do
this. That I have to do this.
The music starts, and so do I. The room is quiet, save for the sounds of my feet moving. Painting.