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When the lights finally hit me, the cool sweat that’s pebbling at the top of my hairline comes down in fast, trickling down my face. My pulse rises, my breaths quickening with each inhale.

Hearing her in the distance, my body responds to her words, but my mind is still backstage.

In fact, for two weeks, the only person who’s been on this stage is a ghost in charge of moving my body. Every other part of me is still back in the hands of the man I left it with.

When the music finally starts, I’m able to weasel my way back into formation.

Giving the dance I created the best I’ve got, I make it only two lines into the first verse before my steps begin to stagger.

Behind me, Taylor yells over the loud music, but I don’t hear anything except for a ringing in my ears.

“Fia, are you okay?” someone shouts, and still, the music is so loud, it’s even hard to communicate with one another on stage. I think I nod, or maybe I respond. I know for a fact I acknowledge the voice that just shouted at me.

I try to keep dancing, but the room spins.

My head feels heady, my stomach churning and growling all at once. I don’t know if it’s hunger or the stress I feel, but I can’t fathom standing any longer.

The stage feels smaller and smaller.

Bright lights, then flickering white dots coat my vision, before all I see is black.

CHAPTER 64

JETT

I’ve been in Toronto for three days. I’ve come to every show, watched every dance she pours herself into, but waited until tonight to finally get my girl back.

Something about taking the time to really watch her has solidified things even more for me.

Inspirational people always say, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

As I stand in the pit with tickets I purchased last minute, I watch the love of my life pour her heart and soul into dance, all while dreaming of being somewhere else, carrying so many demons no one sees. It’s then I realize I don’t need to be the change. All I needed was for someone to mean enough to change the way I see the world.

And I’m looking right at her.

Fia moves effortlessly across the stage. She sticks out among the rest of the dancers. Her effortless beauty shines way past her technique. She’s got something people never search for and never find—heart.

She uses dance to release and moves as such.

By the time half of the show is over, I can’t look at anyone else but her. She hasn’t seen me, but I swear when she looks in this direction, her eyes are searching for mine.

Searching for a reason.

I’m here, Sofia baby. I’m your reason.

The lights dull as the show nears the halfway point. Haven has showcased her new single the same way each night. It’s the part I look forward to the most.

Haven may have written the song, but Fia made it what it is.

Her choreography has taken the internet by storm, people all over are streaming Haven’s single just to learn her dance.

The intro goes in slow motion, like always, but with a staggering step, Fia mirrors the slow beat. In an instant, my blood runs cold as I watch the shift in her demeanor.

I stand as tall as I can, hovering over who’s ahead of me to get a better glance. Fia shifts on her heels, her skin that was once glistening, turning different shades of grey.

No.

With a large stride forward, I push in front of the couple just ahead of me, hardly apologizing for blocking their vision.