[Ballet Studio – After School]
Ava stood at the barre, staring at her reflection in the mirror. The other girls stretched gracefully beside her, but Ava’s arms felt stiff, awkward. Her hair, hastily pulled into a bun, already had strands falling loose around her face.
Ms. Avery paced the studio, heels clicking against the hardwood floor as she eyed each girl. When she reached Ava, she stopped. Ava’s heart sank immediately.
Ms. Avery: (arms crossed) Ava.
Ava straightened, forcing her shoulders back.
Ms. Avery: You’ve gotten skinnier… but your face is still fat.
The words hit like a slap. Ava felt her entire body freeze, heat rushing to her cheeks. She could hear the soft giggles from the girls behind her.
Ava: (muttering) Sorry.
Ms. Avery: Don’t apologize to me. Just fix it.
Ava nodded quickly, biting the inside of her cheek.
[Ava’s House – Later That Night]
Ava sat at the dinner table, pushing peas around her plate while her mom talked on the phone. Her dad sat across from her, reading something on his tablet. The usual silence hung between them.
Mom: (hanging up, glancing at Ava) How was ballet today?
Ava kept her eyes down.
Ava: Fine.
Her mom raised an eyebrow.
Mom: (leaning forward) Ava.
Ava hesitated. She thought about letting it go, brushing it off like she always did. But the words stuck to the back of her throat, and before she could stop herself, she blurted it out.
Ava: Ms. Avery said my face is fat.
Her mom’s fork clinked against the plate.
Mom: (slowly) Excuse me?
Ava: (shrugging) She said I’ve gotten skinnier, but my face—
Mom: I heard you.
Her dad finally looked up from his tablet, frowning.
Dad: I thought you liked ballet.
Ava laughed, but it wasn’t funny.
Ava: Yeah, well… not really.
Her mom exchanged a look with her dad, then set her glass down with a soft thud.
Mom: (firmly) Ava, you’re staying in ballet.
Ava’s head snapped up.
Ava: (in disbelief) What?
Mom: I’m not letting you quit just because some teacher made a comment.
Ava’s stomach twisted.
Ava: (raising her voice) She called me fat!
Her mom’s expression hardened.
Mom: Ava. This could be good for you. You’re not quitting.
Ava’s dad stayed quiet, eyes flicking between them like he wanted to disappear.
Ava: (gritting her teeth) You’re kidding.
Mom: (sharply) I’m not. You’re finishing the season.
Ava shoved her chair back, the legs scraping against the floor.
Ava: (under her breath) Of course I am.
She stormed upstairs before either of them could stop her.
[Ava’s Room – Later That Night]
Ava sat on the floor, knees pulled to her chest. Her phone buzzed beside her.
Lana [text]: You okay?
Ava stared at the screen for a long time, fingers hovering over the keyboard.
She thought about telling Lana. About how her mom didn’t care, about how she didn’t want to look at her reflection anymore.
But then she remembered Lana hadn’t been at ballet today. She hadn’t even asked.
Ava locked her phone and tossed it aside.
She didn’t need anyone.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3IuRIUlzu
