Free Siempre by Tessa Cárdenas

both getting up by eight tomorrow and your asses will be in class.” Travis shook his head and left them, but he kept his word and woke them up early the next day. Of course, he also made breakfast and came to the studio with them when he didn’t need to be there for two hours.
     
     
    “Y OU OKAY ?” Alana slipped her hand into his as they peeked at the audience from behind the curtain at the first dress rehearsal two days later.
    “I’m okay.” Sean caught Aleksandra’s eye for a second, and she gave him a small smile before he backed out of sight.
    “Right. Let’s do this, then.”
    If anything could take Sean’s mind off Jaime, it was a stage. Extra rehearsals just made it easier. When he danced, everything he felt came out in his body and his movements. When he danced, it almost felt like the pain was worth something, but afterward the exhaustion just seemed heavier. By the last dress rehearsal on Thursday, he was grateful Alana and Travis each had a piece without him so he could get some time to himself.
    “Who broke your heart?”
    Sean started from his seat on the catwalk above the stage, where he was watching Travis direct a group of dancers from the safety of the shadows. Steph was getting older, but she still moved with a grace that let her sneak up on anyone.
    “Travis told you?” He’d have been mad, but if Travis had adopted Alana, it was because Steph had adopted him first.
    “No. Travis can block me out when he wants to, but you haven’t made me tear up since you danced my Concerto Four with Travis and ended up on his couch a week later. I’d point out that mess of a relationship also made you so amazing at the audition that you got my attention, but I don’t think you thought it was worth it at the time,” Steph said as she sat next to him.
    “Now that I know that’s what got me in, it was worth it.” Sean turned his head to look at her. “Is that what I’m supposed to learn right now? My heart gets broken, and my art is amazing, so it’s worth it?”
    “No.” Steph shook her head and sighed. “I was just worried. I don’t think there’s actually an artist out there who has suffered real heartbreak and thought it was worth it. I don’t think art comes from pain because pain is beautiful. Art that comes from pain is beautiful because it’s what makes us capable of surviving it.”
    “This shouldn’t even be that bad.” Sean shook his head and leaned against the railing in front of him.
    “Why? Feel whatever you want. Who cares if you should or shouldn’t? People spend too much time telling each other how to feel.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Sleep tonight. Get rid of some of the dark circles.” Steph stood and disappeared into the darkness.

Chapter 8

     
    I T WAS early when Sean woke the next day to his phone vibrating next to him. Ten o’clock. The show wasn’t until seven thirty. That meant he didn’t have to be at the theater until five. Someone was dying for waking him up on a day Travis would let him sleep late.
    It was Jaime. Five days of nothing, and now Jaime was waking him up when he should really know better. Sean stared at the glow of the new text alert without picking up the phone so he could read it.
    It was probably nothing. It was probably a simple message to say good luck. It was possibly even a total mistake. Jaime had hit the wrong name, and he was going to get a sext meant for some other guy.
    Sean slid his finger across the phone before his thoughts could get worse.
    Can I come to the show tonight?
    How was he supposed to answer that? After agreeing to disappear for a week, Jaime picked the day of the show to text him.
    Why? Because Lupe wants you to?
    Because I want to.
    Sean stared at the screen. Maybe he could get Aleksandra’s number and ask her to tell Jaime he was being confusing as hell. She seemed to like him enough.
    I have no idea what you want me to think about that. I’m not awake enough to react well to this.
    And now he wasn’t going to