Once in a lifetime.

20

July

Sometimes Madame will make us change before we are able to great the audience, other times she will let us go see our families in our costumes so we can get pictures. Today was one of the days she let us go see our families first. I was kind of glad we didn't have to change first because I was too anxious to see Dalton. I knew that if I had the choice I would try and hid in the dressing room as long as I could in hopes that he would go away and I wouldn't have to face him. As I start walking out with Amber and Ethan, because Amber kept saying 'I will not believe it until I see it.' Hadn't left her lips since we got off stage, I realized that this was an even bigger mistake. I was in a tutu. A TUTU. Have you seen those things? Mine went up to my upper thighs and I had my big balky ballet shoes on. I saw my family and Dalton waiting for me and I turned around.
"I'm going to go hide," I say and try and walk away, but Ethan and Amber are there to block my path.
"Umm, no you're not. I told you, I will not believe it before I see it."
Oh, God. "Okay, you know my parents, he's standing right next to them," I slightly gestured towards my brother talking to Dalton and my mom. "You saw him, you, believe me, now, we HIDE," I said eyes wide walking back to where I've come from, but I was stopped by Ethan and Ambers shoulders.
Ethan eyed him for a moment and then said, "I'm going to go talk to him."
"You are WHAT?" But Ethan doesn't respond, he just starts walking towards my parents. I think I'm going to start hyperventilating. Amber starts to follow him. "Where are you going? Aren't you suppose to be on my side. Girls before...bros or something like that?"
"It's bros before hoes, and yes, but I really want to meet Dalton. Besides, if I walk away you have to follow me. Ethan is a smart cookie." She prances off to catch up with Ethan. Greaaaat. This is awesome. I take a deep breath swallowing the feeling of wanted to vomit and follow them.
I try and avoid eye contact with Dalton as best I can, I'm suddenly really embarrassed at how big my feet look, how big my stomach feels in this dress, and my legs. My stupid daddy longlegs, I look like a freaking grasshopper I wrap my arms around my stomach trying to hide it and the protein bar I ate this morning. Ethan and Amber are already in a conversation with my parents, Aaron comes over to me and stands in between Dalton and me.
He pulls me from my thoughts. "Stop it."
"What?"
"stop being self-conscious. He's already seen you in it."
"Yeah, but not up close."
My brother rolled his eyes
"Trust me, I was secretly watching him instead of you, his eyes never left you, the creep."
My heart speeds up. "I don't know whether I should feel protected or insulated that you'd rather watch him than me.
"No offense but I have seen you dance a million times. It gets old after a little while."
"Hey." It's him. Where is the nearest wall I can hide behind?
"Hi." Did my voice just jump up 12 octaves? What the heck Juliet get a grip. I take a deep breath and try and steady my heart hoping he can't see it almost beating out of my chest. "What did you think?"
"It was cool. I only kind of knew what was going on since there weren't words, but since I've seen the Disney movie so that helped me figure it out." I nodded. Ethan and Amber slid over. Seriously, I think I physically saw Ethan slide. I make a mental note to give him crap for that later.
"Hey." Comes out of Ethan's mouth.
"Hey," Dalton responds coolly.
"Dalton these are my friends, Ethan and Amber."
"Nice to meet you, man." Ethan extends his hand for Dalton to shake.
"Didn't we see each other at last night?"
Ethan thinks for a moment "Oh yeah. Yeah, you might be right. You were talking to Rene right?" Now I know I want to slam my head into a wall.
But Dalton seems to find this funny. "Yeah and only to try and be polite." Dalton mirrors Ethan's expression and slowly Ethan starts to smile genuinely. "Oh wait, didn't we bump into each other the other day? You were in tights, right?"
"That was me!" I glance at Amber and she smiles, this is going oddly well.
Dalton seems impressed, "How long did it take you to learn?" I slowly step back hoping to go without being noticed and head over to my parents. I start with my mom first, getting the bad news over with first is always a good idea. Then when the good news comes you end on a good note. I hug them both.
"Darling I am so proud of you." My mother coos.
"Really?" I try not to sound too excited. It's hard to get compliments from my mom, especially when it involves ballet. Since she was in ballet herself she is almost worse than Madame with how everyone dances. She should have become a ballet instructor instead of a receptionist. "Thanks, mom. I didn't think my attitude was high enough the last time around."
"Oh please, you were fantastic as always." My dad kisses my temple. I get sucked into the conversation with my parents so much that I forget that Dalton is even there. But I notice the moment he gets close again.
"Jules." My body comes alive, electricity coursing through me.
"What?" I turn. Dalton is no longer alone, he now stands with Will and Cayden. Great, this is fantastic. Not only does the boy I like to get to see me in a tutu and a tiara but so does some of his friends. "Umm."
"I hope you don't care, I asked Cayden and Will to come with me because I didn't know how it would be just me and your family."
"It's fine," I say trying my hardest to sound nonchalant like I don't really care that these guys that I have talked to maybe four times are now able to see almost every curve of my body. I feel like the Pillsberry dough boy.
"Umm, so we have to leave soon, Alex and Luca are being babies and want us back so we can order food." I look around and I see that Ethan and Amber have both gone to see their families.
"Oh yeah, of course. Thank you for coming and supporting the show and company." I try and plant my feet into the ground so I don't bounce.
"You did really really good," Will says smiling so genuinely.
"Oh, thank you."
"Yeah, you looked really good up there." I meet Cayden's eyes. "Did you hear us shout?"
"Yeah," I awkwardly scratch my cheek. "Thank you." He smiles at me and I smile back. I can't help it, I begin bounding from foot to foot. "I'm sorry I really need to get these point shoes off." Excuses. I'd like to take them off, but not because my feet hurt, but because I want to get away from the situation. I cant feel my feet. Not one bit. Especially when I look at Dalton.
"Wait! Can we see you go up on your tiptoes again?" Cayden asks
"What, like upon point?"
"Yeah."
I smile. These boys find this interesting? I wonder how much of ballet Dalton has shared with him. He knows a lot more than a lot of people do. He's good at asking questions and when we have a phone in between us it's easier for me to talk to him. "Umm, sure?' I laugh as I get into fifth position and then pop up to my toes. I do a crossover of my feet and then slowly come back down.
"That's awesome," Dalton says smiling. I can't read him, it's not the smile he gave me when he first saw me, or when we were alone at my graduation party just two days ago.
"Can you spin for us?"
"Spin? Like to a turn?" Cayden nods excitedly "Umm, I can't really. Sorry, this floor is too slippery. I would fall on my face faster than you can say 'turn'." Oh, God. I'm an idiot. I smile and try to tell myself that if I seem confident they will think I'm confident. That's how if works right?
"Oh. Well, that's fine. I just think it's amazing. It must take years to learn. What made  you want to start dancing ballet?"
"Yeah, most professions have to study it most of their life just to get where they are. And honestly, some of them dedicate their whole lives to it just to not be chosen."
Cayden seems impressed, 'It's an art."
I smile naturally, "It definitely is."
Will puts his hand on Cayden shoulder. "Thank you for having us, Juliet." I nod to Will and him and Cayden as they walk out leaving Dalton and me. Alone.
"You were something up there."
I look at my feet
"Thank you."
"You look beautiful."
"Thank you."
"I liked this dance a lot better than the other one with that Ethan guy."
I smile. "Yeah?"
He nods. "I gotta go but I wanted to give you a hug goodbye." I nod. Oh Gosh.
I look up and meet his eyes and he smiles the me. I smile back as he takes a step towards me and I wrap my arms around his neck as he wraps his around my waist. His touch sends electric shocks up my body, can we stay like this forever? I like this, him, here with me. I turn my head so that I fit into the spot in between his neck and shoulder. I inhale and he smells really good. I'm tempted to reach my lips out and kiss his neck. I wonder what he would do.
"I am hugging you and you are sweaty." Dalton rips me out of lala land. My arms go limp and I pull away.
"What?"
"You wouldn't hug me yesterday because I was sweaty, yet here I am, hugging you and you're sweaty."
I just stare at him. I'm confused. "What?" I say again. He kisses me on the cheek.
"I think I like you more than you like me." And then he walks away leaving me with my family is right there! Oh, shoot. My family. I look at Aaron first because he's the safest one right now. 
"I don't know whether to be angry he kissed your cheek or sing about you and him kissing in a tree." Dalton kissed my cheek, and it still felt warm where his lips just were. I didn't even care, let Aaron make fun. Dalton freaking Becket just kissed me on the cheek. AND I was sweaty. That means he likes me, right?
"I'm going to go change." I turn and touch my cheek right where Dalton's lips were just seconds ago.
"Juliet and Dalton sitting in a tree." I walk faster. "K-i-s-s-i-n-" I slam the door to the dressing room shut.