Aris

September 16.
I had completely lost my mind. And the worst part was that I didn’t regret it.
I already knew that on Saturdays, Iris would leave after class with a private driver. Still, I couldn’t help but search for him with my eyes across the reception area as soon as the other students left. Iris, as usual, was always the last to leave, having gone to the bathroom.
I went back to the classroom just before she came out of the bathroom.
"Your driver is here," I told her.
She nodded and came over to me, looking somewhat downcast.
"Today, I lost my balance again on the Arabesque..."
"It’s just a matter of time and practice before you get it, my dear. Have you been practicing at home?"
"I don’t have anyone to help me like you do here."
"I understand... Your mother is very busy, isn’t she?"
As soon as I said those words, I regretted them immediately, noticing the sadness in her eyes deepen.
"My mother is... complicated, Miss Aris."
"Well, you’ll get there. If you want, I can ask Mrs. Magalos to let you stay a little later after class next Tuesday so I can help you practice. How does that sound?"
A beautiful smile spread across her face, and she practically threw herself at me, hugging my waist. I hugged her back and couldn’t help but smile as well. Iris was the same age as my brother Ícaro, and hugging her like that helped ease the homesickness I felt for him.
"Miss Aris..." she said, still with her arms around my waist and her head resting on my chest. "You give such good hugs..."
"I feel the same about yours, dear."
I had grown close to all my students, but my relationship with Iris was special. And I knew it had nothing to do with her brother. From the very first time I saw her and she came to talk to me after class, I felt an inexplicable connection between us.
From the reception, Leon called her name, and she let go of me, waving goodbye as she ran out of the room. I packed up my things and went to the reception as well. I wouldn’t be working anymore that day, but I would wait there until the space was cleared so I could practice. There would still be another hour of classes given by other instructors, and after that, everyone would leave, and I would stay alone.
I was exhausted. The night before, I had stayed up until almost four in the morning repeating the choreography and making adjustments to improve it.
...And Dimitris had stayed with me until an hour before I left.

I honestly didn’t know what I was thinking when I went to the arena and then agreed to let Dimitris come with me to the dance school. Everyone said he was a delinquent. Lizzie had insisted more than once that I stay as far away from him as possible. And what had I done? Agreed to let him come with me in the middle of the night to a place where we would be completely alone.
I should have been even more afraid of Dimitris after seeing him at the arena and hearing him talk about how much he despised his own life and felt no fear. Someone like that could be capable of anything. But, despite that, I somehow believed there was something good inside him.
I was sitting in one of the chairs in the reception area when my phone vibrated in my bag. I took out the device and unlocked the screen, finding messages from my stepmother.
TATIANA:
Fairy, how are things there?
I told Ícaro that you won’t be able to come for your birthday.
He’s heartbroken.
Are you sure there’s no way?
We could have the party the following weekend.
I felt guilty about that. My little brother Ícaro and I celebrated our birthday every year with the same party, where we celebrated his birthday and my transplant. My ‘official’ birthday was more of a date for friends and acquaintances, because my family saw the day of my surgery as a rebirth. Which it had, in fact, been.
If it weren’t for this competition, maybe I could find a way to return to Athens to celebrate together, even if it was just for a quick visit.
But I didn’t want to tell my family about the competition yet. They would definitely freak out if they found out.
And there would be no reason for them to. I was just trying to win a spot as a representative for my university, and after that, I could even lose in the first round without any issue. I didn’t want to worry my family about something that would soon be resolved.
So, I typed out my replies, even though my heart ached with it.
ARIS:
Sorry, aunt. And tell Ícaro that I’m really sorry about this. I truly am.
But changing the date wouldn’t help. You know I’m now working and teaching on Saturdays as well.
Additionally, this month I’m starting to have exams.
I have a lot of work piled up and a lot of content to study.
TATIANA:
And that piled-up material has nothing to do with the fact that you’re now working, right?
ARIS:
No, aunt. The work isn’t affecting me. It’s just that college is much more demanding than I imagined.
My mom Alina always said it’s very different from high school.
I thought it was just because of the parties, not because the studying part is so much harder.