“Hello. It is so wonderful to meet you.” I grabbed her hand, eager to get to know her.
“Lovely to finally make your acquaintance, dear. Please have a seat.”
I sat down opposite her on the other side of her desk. “It says on your paperwork that you go by Nikki?”
I nodded. “Yes ma’am.”
“It’s a pleasure to have you have here, Nikki. Here is your schedule and the information about you mentor. A lovely woman that is highly regarded in our company, Lisa will be your go-to person.”
I read over my rehearsal schedule and all I could think about was how little time I would actually have to spend with Chase now.
“I look forward to meeting her,” I blurted out after realizing how long I had been silent.
“Warmups will be starting in twenty minutes, and you have a meeting with Lisa directly after. If you ever need anything at all, my door is always open.”
“Thank you, Miss Serena.”
We shook hands once more and then I was sent on my way, shocked at how quickly our meeting was over. I pulled out the map of the building as I walked out of Serena’s office and rushed to the warmup room, ducking in with a couple minutes to spare.
The ballet mistress introduced herself to all of us and we began stretching on the barre. It was captivating being in a studio filled with so many talented dancers. Even though I’d enjoyed my little stint of time off, I hadn’t realized how much I missed being in a class. My spine stretched, my feet ached, my muscles cried, and it was amazing.
By the end of the warmup, I was ready to seize the entire company. Waiting for me outside the studio was a kind-looking young woman with a huge smile on her face.
“Nikki?” She rushed over to me.
“Are you Lisa?” I asked as she hugged me.
“Sorry, I’m a hugger, and I am so thrilled to be your mentor this year.”
The warm welcome was so nice. “I am really looking forward to learning the ropes from someone who has been in my shoes.”
Her hand landed on my shoulder. “I am here for you if you have any questions. I know this can be overwhelming, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.”
“I won’t. Thank you,” I said as I checked my tightly packed schedule once more.
Lisa took the page from my hand. “Here, I will walk you to your rehearsal—these hallways can get a little confusing.”
“Tell me about it.” I was relieved to have the help. Being that it was my first day, I was stressed enough, and not having a clue where to go was adding a terrible bit of anxiety to my experience.
She ushered me to the next practice room. “You’ll get the hang of it in no time. Have fun today. My cell is on the back of this sheet, just in case.”
I gave her a hug. “You don’t know how amazing this is. I was so nervous that everyone was going to be standoffish.”
“Be careful,” she whispered. “Not everyone is welcoming.”
I let her words sink in as I nodded. “Okay.”
* * *
Once my busyfirst day came to an end, I couldn’t help but be a tad bit sad. Chase was still at practice, and that meant I had to go to my apartment and not back to his, where I had been spending the majority of my time. Walking up the stairs, I felt like I was going to a foreign place, but a sweet surprise was waiting for me at my door.
It was a dozen roses with a handwritten card. I rushed into my flat, pulling the note from its holder as fast as I could.
Hey Baby,
I know you were a little nervous heading out this morning, and I just wanted you to know I am thinking about you and hope today is even more wonderful than you had imagined. I will call you when I get out of practice.
Yours, Chase.