The Life of Anna, Part 2: Entwined (36 page)

Anna smiled shyly up at him.

He cupped her cheeks in his hands. “I love you.”

Anna’s eyes widened in surprise. “You...what?” Did he really just say what she thought he’d said?

“I said, I love you.” The tenderness in his eyes warmed her heart. He kissed her lips. “I can't wait to show you off as my girlfriend today.”

Anna's heart soared as she gazed into his eyes. “I love you, too. I was just thinking about how happy I am.”

Aaron beamed. “I'm glad you're happy. I want nothing else for you.”

They gathered their things and headed down to Aaron's X-terra. He held her hand and kissed it frequently during the short drive to the studio.

Aaron parked and they walked, hand in hand, to the studio. When they walked in, they received several surprised looks, but Aaron just put his arm around Anna and greeted his fellow dancers, many of whom she'd met at the party.

Aaron led her over to Travis and a couple of other people that she remembered from the party, but couldn't remember their names. Aaron stood behind her and clasped his hands under her ribs.

“Anna,” a slightly accented voice called from behind her.

Isaak.

She turned and smiled brightly at him.

“I heard you'd arrived,” he said with a smile. He glanced briefly at her and Aaron together and his smile faltered a little, but he regained his composure immediately. “Come. I'll introduce you to your instructor.”

Aaron released her, but not before a lingering kiss. “Break a leg. I'll see you at lunch.”

Anna beamed at him and then walked to where Isaak stood near the stairs. She saw Isaak give Aaron a look before turning and walking up the stairs with Anna.

“How are you doing, Anna? Excited?” Isaak asked.

“Yes, very much so,” she responded enthusiastically.

“Good, I’m glad.” Isaak looked at her uncertainly. “What is going on with you and Aaron?”

Anna blushed. “Oh. We...I mean....” She flushed deeper. “He's my boyfriend.”

Isaak gave her a sad smile, then opened a door to a studio. “Here we are.”

Several girls, ages 11 to 14, were milling around, stretching and chatting. They all wore the same light blue leotard that Anna wore, tights and ballet slippers. They looked up when she and Isaak entered, greeting him eagerly.

“Hello, girls. Excited for the first day?”

They all nodded enthusiastically.

“Good, good.” He looked to the corner of the room. “Patty,” he said with a smile.

A tall, thin woman with strawberry blond hair looked up and smiled at Isaak. Anna stepped back slightly behind Isaak.

Isaak put his arm on her back and brought her forward. “Patty, this is Anna Perkins. Anna, this is Patty Cottrell. She will be your instructor and will let me know when you are ready to move up to your own age group.”

Anna smiled shyly at Patty, who gave her a very big smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Anna. I’m very excited about having you in my class.” Her face softened a little. “I danced with your parents,” she said softly. “You look just like your mother.”

Anna swallowed back tears and tried to smile. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Patty looked back at Isaak. “I’ll take good care of her,” she said with a smile.

“I know you will.” Isaak turned to Anna. “Anna, dear, dance beautifully.” He paused, looking troubled. “Come see me before you go to lunch.”

“Yes, Isaak,” she answered, confused and a little worried at his facial expression.

Isaak left and Patty walked her to the center of the room. “Girls,” she said loudly.

The girls in the room turned to look at her and Anna. Anna instinctively took a step back.

“We have a new student with us today.” She looked at Anna with a smile. “Well, not really a new student.” She looked back at the girls. “This is Anna Perkins. She....” There were whispers throughout the room. Patty laughed gently. “Okay. You are smart girls. Yes, this is
that
Anna Perkins. The daughter of Trevor and Anya.” She looked back at Anna. “You're already famous,” she said gently.

Anna blushed.

“She was unable to dance for a while and is joining us for a week or two to build up her strength to join the older groups. I hope I can count on you to welcome her warmly into our family.”

The girls all gave her warm smiles.

Patty pointed to a spot on the
barre
. “Nicole, Jackie raise your hands.” Two girls in the center did so. “Go stand between them. We'll begin in a few minutes.” She then walked back to the corner where the pianist sat.

Anna hesitantly walked over to the spot Patty had indicated. Nicole and Jackie smiled brightly at her and made her feel at ease. They chatted easily for the few minutes before class started.

They’d both grown up dancing together in San Francisco. Nicole had brown hair that Anna was fairly sure was very curly, looking at the waves that led back to a thick bun. Her brown eyes glittered with delight at everything, and a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks complimented her fair complexion.

Jackie had many tiny black braids pulled back into a bun and beautiful ebony skin that glowed in the light from the window. Her eyes were black and cheerful and glinted with mischief.

A few minutes later, class began. The next two hours were like heaven to Anna. Dancing in a class full of potential professional dancers rather than adults that sometimes cared and sometimes didn't was wonderful. Every dancer in the room was there because they wanted to be there and was striving for her very best. It was thrilling and exhilarating.

“Aaron, may I see you in my office?” Isaak said as Aaron picked up his bag after morning class was over.

“Sure,” Aaron said, pulling off his slippers. He'd been wracking his brain as to where he could sneak off with Anna for some “private time” and had come up with one of the small rooms up on the third floor that were rarely used. Especially in the summer.

He hoped he'd see Anna on the way to Isaak’s office so she wouldn't worry that he’d run off. “Isaak,” he said, jogging up to the Ballet Master. “I just need to find Anna so that—”

“That's not necessary. She should be there already.”

Aaron stopped in his tracks, dread filling his stomach. “Why?” he asked in a low voice.

Isaak turned and sighed. “It's not something to discuss out in the open, Aaron. Please,” he motioned to the stairs.

With every step Aaron's stomach churned more. Something was up. Isaak looked troubled and if Anna was there already.... Had something happened to her? Aaron hurried to Isaak’s side and followed him into the bank of offices.

Anna sat on a chair in front of his office. She looked up when Aaron approached, greeting him with bright eyes and smile.

“Hey, hon,” Aaron said relieved. She was fine. “How was class?” He kissed her soundly.

Her eyes sparkled with life. It was a beautiful sight. She was truly in her element. “Heavenly.”

Isaak stood in his doorway and looked pointedly at Aaron.

“Sorry, Anna. Isaak wanted to see me, then we can go to lunch.” He winked at her, making her blush.

“Actually, I need to see both of you,” Isaak said, motioning for them to follow him into his office.

Aaron frowned and he and Anna went in and sat in the chairs opposite Isaak’s contemporary wood and metal desk.

Isaak gave both of them a sad look. “I understand the two of you are dating right now?”

Aaron nodded and took Anna's hand. “Yes.”

Isaak looked at Anna with the saddest expression Aaron had ever seen on his face. “Anna, I....” He sighed. “God forgive me for doing this. You look so happy.”

Aaron's stomach churned again. Was he going to kick Anna out of the program? Had Devin worked his evil magic against Isaak and told him to not let her dance?

Isaak’s sad eyes turned to him. “Aaron,” he said softly. “You are a professional dancer. A member of the Company.”

Aaron nodded. Everyone in this building knew that.

Isaak sighed. “Do you remember the rules we have about Company dancers dating students of the School?”

Aaron frowned. He had some vague recollection about it, but it had never been an issue. Most of the students were under eighteen and he had no desire to go to jail.

“Aaron, you and Anna can't continue to see each other if you both want to remain in the positions you currently have.”

Aaron's heart dropped like a rock. “What?” He looked at Anna, who stared at her hands, face as white as a sheet.

Isaak looked as miserable as they felt. “I'm sorry, Aaron. I truly am. The last thing in the world I want to do is hurt either of you.”

“Isaak, you can't be serious! You can't do that to us.” The pain in Aaron's heart was unbearable. Both for his own grief and fear for Anna's heart.

Isaak sighed. “I called up Melinda to see if the rule could be waived in this circumstance.” Melinda was the President of the Board of Trustees. “She said no. It would set a bad precedent.” He looked at Anna, who still stared at her hands. “I'm so sorry.”

The Board of Trustees.
Alex.
Alex must have something to do with this. That son of a bitch set him and Anna up knowing this was the rule. Oh, they were going to have words.

He took a shuddering breath to calm his temper. He would deal with Alex soon. First, he needed to tend to Anna. He reached for her hand, but she snatched it away.

She looked up at Isaak with red eyes, but no tears. “I understand, Isaak.” She turned to Aaron. “You're done before I am this afternoon. I'll call the front desk and have them let you into my apartment to get your things. I can walk home.”

“No, Anna. We can work something out.”

Anna shook her head. “We can't. You can't quit. Neither can I.” She stood. “I loved every moment of being with you Aaron.” She turned and walked out of the office.

Aaron glared at Isaak. “I can't believe you just did that to her,” he said through clenched teeth. He stood violently. “I might be late to rehearsals. I have someone to go deal with.” He walked out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

*****

Anna sat on the floor near Isaak’s office, staring at the opposite wall, inconsolable. She pressed her shaking hands against her mouth to keep from sobbing. She could hardly breathe, her chest felt so tight with pain.

It had been too good to be true. She wasn't meant for happiness. She was a slave. She had no right to expect anything other than to be used for men's pleasure. Her brief time of happiness was over, and she was back to the reality of life.

She heard a door slam and jumped. Aaron walked out of the office alcove, face red and fists clenched. He glanced towards Anna and his face softened.

He stepped toward her. “Anna,” he said softly, reaching for her.

No, it hurt too much to look at him. To be near him. To hear his voice. She stood quickly and ran past him, down the stairs and out the front door.

Nicole and Jackie had said they were going to lunch nearby and she briefly considered joining them. But no, she wanted to be alone.

Why couldn't Alex have left her to her fate? To lose herself in Devin's will sounded so much better than feeling the pain of a broken heart.

Oh, the pain! It felt like her heart was being squeezed by Ian's big hands. Maybe if he squeezed hard enough, it would burst and she'd die and the misery would be over.

Thoughts of Aaron came unbidden to her mind and she shoved them away. She didn't want to feel right now. What she wouldn’t give to have a drink of wine right now. She wondered if there was enough wine in the world to make her feel better.

*****

Aaron pulled up to Alex's house, chest heaving. His rage and hurt had only built as he drove.

Anna!
How could this have happened? The only thing he could imagine was some sadistic “Master” thing of Alex's. Alex was on the Board. He had to have known about the rule. Hell, even Aaron remembered hearing about it. But Alex had encouraged him to go after Anna. And he had. And he had fallen for her. Hard.

He got out of the SUV, slammed the door behind him and stormed up the long walkway. He pounded on the glass until Frau Gersten opened the door. He hadn't been paying attention and almost hit her. Poor woman.

Her eyes were wide as he walked past her into the house.

“Alex!” he yelled, his voice echoing off the wooden walls. He spun around to the housekeeper. “Is he here?”

She nodded.

“Alex!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “Where the fuck are you, you fucking bastard?”

He walked into the living room, but Alex wasn't there.

He was about to go up the stairs when Alex appeared from downstairs.

“Aaron.” Alex's face registered extreme shock. “Is something wrong with Anna?” he asked anxiously.

Aaron glowered at him and walked to him. “You should know,” he growled, then brought his arm back and punched Alex in the face.