“Leaving?” She let out a laugh. “You think running away will make people forget you’re a plagiarist?”
I stopped packing and looked at her.
“I’m not running. I’m letting go. Letting go of these years of obsession, letting go of feelings I shouldn’t have had, and letting go of the pain you caused.”
Her smile froze. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You’ve always been paranoid about me and Ulysses, haven’t you?” I let out a bitter laugh. “Well, don’t worry. You’ll never see me in your life again.”
As soon as I said it, I felt this weight lift off my chest.
Right. If staying here only brought me more pain, why not just let it all go?
I went back to packing, carefully organizing every scrap of evidence that might prove my innocence someday.
Even if it was useless now, the truth would come out eventually.
Ginger opened her mouth to say something else, but before she could, I heard Ulysses’s voice downstairs.
She immediately snapped into her sweet, doting act and ran off to greet him.
I heard her voice drifting up from the stairs.
“Darling, you’re finally back!”
Then he gently asked, “Hmm, are you tired today?”
They’re such a perfect couple. They’re really meant to be, and I, from the very beginning, have always been the outsider.
I opened my laptop and started booking my flight. My aunt had already taken care of everything, and in three days, I’d be on my way.
Once everything was packed up, I stood in the center of the rehearsal room, and for the last time, I performed that dance they all thought I plagiarized.
No music, just me and my reflection in the mirror.
I moved slowly through each step like I was pouring all the sweet, sour, and bitter moments of these years into every movement.
After finishing the final step, I took a deep bow. That bow wasn’t just for the past—it was a goodbye and a hope for what’s next.
With less than a week before I left, I started sorting through the things I needed to sell.
To make some extra cash, I applied for a part-time teaching gig at a nearby ballet dance academy three months ago.
“Your fundamentals are awesome,” the instructor said after watching me demonstrate. “When can you start teaching?”
“Anytime,” I told her.
So, just like that, I started my nine-to-five teaching schedule. Mostly basic classes, with kids and teens as my students.
Watching them practice so earnestly, I saw a glimpse of my younger self.