Take The Risk
“What’s up with you today?” Lily asked with a cocky smirk, clearly enjoying the sight of Pandora squirming.
“Nothing,” Pandora shot back, her tone brisk.
Lily’s smirk deepened. “Your technique’s all wrong, and your mind’s somewhere else.”
Pandora narrowed her eyes, annoyed that Lily Evans—her competition for the lead role, of all people—was calling her out. “What do you know about technique?” she challenged with a slight scowl. “You dance with your heart, not with your feet.”
Lily raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?”
Pandora’s lips twitched, caught between irritation and a reluctant smile. “Take it how you want, Evans.”
“Hm,” Lily mumbled, letting a small smile play along her lips. “Seriously though, what´s up?”
Pandora sighed, fully aware that her mind was, indeed, elsewhere. Her technique was sloppy, her timing a beat behind, and she struggled to keep up with the routine. She was a second too late for every movement, and it showed.
“It’s my brother,” she admitted finally, glancing off to the side. “Some guy’s messing with his head. Has me frustrated.”
Lily’s expression softened, curiosity replacing her competitive edge. “Your brother, huh?” she said, a hint of sympathy creeping in.
“It’s just... about two weeks ago, his neighbor came onto him,” Pandora continued, sighing as she spoke. “And, well, Evan’s always had a taste for adventure, so of course, he went along with it. But adventures can get messy, you know? They’ve led him to some pretty bad places before.”
Lily tilted her head, listening intently, and Pandora felt compelled to keep going.
“Anyway, ever since Evan moved in, this neighbor has been blowing hot and cold, acting interested one moment and indifferent the next. Meanwhile, the guy’s been… screwing other people, almost flaunting it, not even bothering to keep it quiet. And Evan… he’s just confused.”
Lily’s brow furrowed. “Sounds like he’s been caught up in someone else’s game.”
“Exactly,” Pandora agreed, a bit of frustration seeping into her voice. “He won’t just let it go. Keeps trying to figure it out, hoping it’ll make sense somehow.”
“Maybe he doesn’t need it to make sense,” Lily said thoughtfully. “Maybe he just needs to see that he’s worth more than whatever scraps this neighbor’s throwing at him.”
Pandora nodded, her shoulders softening. “I’ve been trying to tell him that... but you know how it is. Some people have to learn it the hard way.”
“Look, your brother’s a big boy,” Lily pointed out. “I’m sure he can handle himself. And as for this neighbor of his? He’s an absolute fool if he doesn’t see what he’s got in front of him. If your brother is even half as captivating as you are, then his neighbor would be mad not to go all in.”
Pandora felt a slight smile creeping onto her lips despite her frustration. "Captivating, huh?"
Lily shrugged, flashing a grin. “What can I say? Talent recognizes talent.”
Pandora managed a small smile, appreciating Lily’s unexpected compliment.
“But you’re here now,” Lily pressed, crossing her arms with a playful smirk. “And I need you to focus. I can’t have my competition stumbling because of someone else’s problems. You’re making beating you way too easy—and frankly, a bit dull.”
Pandora narrowed her eyes, letting out a sharp breath as Lily’s smirk grew wider. “Now you’re just being cocky.”
“Then put me back in my place,” Lily challenged, her tone dripping with amusement.
Pandora raised a brow, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “Alright, Evans. You got yourself a deal.”
For the rest of ballet practice, Pandora pushed her worries aside, focusing every ounce of her energy on competing with Lily Evans. She hadn’t expected such blunt encouragement from her, but then again, it was Lily—the same Lily who had plunged into ballet seeking challenge, not out of a desire to follow every rule, but to feel the movement, raw and unfiltered. And that’s exactly what she did.
It was almost revolutionary, the way Lily danced. Her movements, though unorthodox, carried a kind of boldness that was captivating. The coach’s gaze lingered on her, drawn in by the intensity she brought to each step. But his focus was equally fixed on Pandora, who danced with flawless technique and elegance, embodying the classical precision of ballet. On one end was Pandora, the epitome of grace and skill, and on the other, Lily, with her unyielding heart and fearless abandon. They were contradictions, complete opposites—and that only made the rivalry between them sharper, the competition more electric.
They were both vying for the lead role of Juliet in the ballet adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.
"Rosier, more attitude!" the coach called out, his eyes on Pandora, urging her to bring an extra edge to her performance. Then he shifted to Lily with a sigh. "Evans, less attitude."
Pandora smirked, catching Lily's eye. It was a rare moment of mutual amusement between rivals, each caught at opposite ends of the coach’s relentless expectations. The contrast couldn’t have been clearer: Pandora needed to push her boundaries, while Lily needed to rein hers in.
Pandora tried to steady her racing thoughts, echoing the advice she had given Evan about losing himself in his comics. Reflexive thinking—that’s what she needed now. Ballet was its own paradox: a craft demanding razor-sharp focus while surrendering completely to the flow of movement. It was contradictory, yet only the true greats could master the balance—melding precision with pure emotion.
She had precision, a keen, unwavering focus that kept her steps flawless. But Lily—Lily danced with sentiment, her every movement a story, raw and filled with meaning. Pandora envied that. How could she bridge the gap? How could she find that elusive spark of emotion to make her movements more than perfect, to make them alive?
And then it hit her.
The answer had been right in front of her all of this time and she had completely missed it.
Pandora pushed through the rest of the class, her body aching with every movement. Her shoulders felt tight, her legs burned, and her feet throbbed from the endless repetitions. Yet, she danced on, taking in each critique from her coach and adjusting her movements with precision. She couldn’t afford to stop—not with Lily right beside her, still going strong, her energy seemingly endless.
Finally, the class ended. Relief washed over her as the coach clapped his hands, signaling it was time to cool down. The stretching routine was both a blessing and a reminder of how much her body had endured. Muscles protested as she eased into each stretch, but she powered through, keeping her focus.
Moments later, they were dismissed, and the dancers filed into the locker rooms, the air heavy with exhaustion and the faint hum of murmured conversations. Pandora exhaled deeply, grateful for the brief reprieve.
Pandora couldn’t shake the thought—it was crazy, maybe even outright delusional. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, a steady rhythm of nerves as she stepped into the shower. The hot water did little to calm her racing thoughts.
She wasn’t worried about Lily leaving; Lily always took her time, meticulously transitioning from ballerina to casual elegance. That gave Pandora enough time to execute her plan, though the uncertainty gnawed at her. What would Lily say? What if she laughed?
She wrapped herself in a towel, her mind churning with possibilities. Still, no matter how crazy the idea seemed, she had to try.
Once dressed in joggers and a sports bra, her damp hair clinging messily to her face, Pandora stepped into the locker room. She spotted Lily seated on one of the benches, next to the lockers. Her hair was swept into a loose bun, with a few rebellious strands framing her face. Her outfit, though simple, exuded an effortless charm—comfortable yet somehow captivating.
Pandora hesitated for a moment, taking in the scene. Lily looked so composed, so at ease, while Pandora felt like a bundle of nerves barely holding it together.
"Evans?" Pandora called out, her voice hesitant but firm enough to draw attention.
Lily looked up from her phone, startled. Her eyes flickered with confusion, scanning Pandora as if trying to piece together why she was being addressed. It wasn’t like them to talk much outside of class—an unspoken rule they’d both seemed to follow. As soon as the music stopped and the lesson ended, so did their connection, retreating to the realm of rivals rather than acquaintances.
Now, with the echo of Pandora’s voice hanging in the quiet locker room, Lily raised a brow, intrigued but guarded. "Yes?" she asked, her tone curious, laced with just a hint of skepticism.
Pandora swallowed hard, the lump in her throat refusing to budge as nerves prickled at her composure. Still, she braced herself, hoping this wouldn’t turn into a mistake she’d regret. “I want to propose an offer,” she blurted, the words spilling out quickly as if speed alone would stop them from catching in her throat.
Lily tilted her head, curious now, her expression shifting to something between intrigue and suspicion. Slowly, she placed her phone down on the bench beside her, her full attention now directed at Pandora. “What kind of offer?” she asked, her tone even but her sharp eyes narrowing slightly, as though trying to read Pandora’s intentions before they were spoken.
“I think we should work together,” Pandora said, her voice steady despite the wild leap of faith in her proposal.
For a moment, silence hung between them, heavy and uncertain, before Lily burst out laughing. The sound echoed through the empty locker room, rich with disbelief. “Work together?” she repeated, barely able to contain herself. She leaned back on the bench, crossing her arms with a smirk that bordered on mockery.
This had to be a joke. There was no way her fiercest rival had just approached her with such a ridiculous proposition. The audacity alone was enough to make Lily believe this was a ploy—a desperate, last-ditch attempt to throw her off balance and secure the role of Juliet. Surely, Pandora had some ulterior motive.
“You really expect me to believe that you want to work with me?” Lily asked, her tone dripping with skepticism as she shook her head, an amused grin playing on her lips. “Oh sure, let’s team up—and before I know it, you’ll be driving a dagger into my back,” she added, her words laced with biting sarcasm.
Her green eyes glinted with a mix of mockery and intrigue, as though she was daring Pandora to explain herself further.
Pandora’s mouth fell open, momentarily at a loss for words. This wasn’t how she’d envisioned the conversation going, but the proposition was already out there, so she pressed on.
“Listen,” she started, her tone firmer now. “You clearly need help with technique, and I clearly need help with expressionism.” She crossed her arms, standing her ground. “You have soul, I have precision. Let’s face it, we’re both lacking something the other has. Why not learn from each other?”
Lily exhaled slowly, rising from the bench with a deliberate air of authority. She closed the space between them, her eyes locking onto Pandora’s with an intensity that made the air between them crackle. “Why would you want that?” she asked, her voice low but pointed. “Or better yet, why would I? If we learn from each other, then I’ll only get better—and I will beat you.”
Pandora’s eyebrows knit together, her mind racing. Lily loved a challenge; she thrived on the thrill of competition. If Pandora could spin this the right way, she could reel her in.
“But I’d get better too,” Pandora countered smoothly, her voice firm with conviction. “You said it yourself—beating me is boring if I’m not giving it my all. Right now, neither of us is at our best. We’re both stuck at fifty percent of our full potential.” She stepped closer, matching Lily’s intensity. “Come on, Evans. Raise the stakes. Push me to my limits, and I’ll push you to yours.”
“And when you push me to my death?” Lily’s voice dripped with defiance as she tilted her chin upward, challenging Pandora to meet her with the same fierceness. “What then?”
Pandora’s gaze sharpened at Lily's words, her lips pressing into a thin line. Lily's skepticism wasn’t unexpected, but it stung nonetheless.
Pandora’s eyes never left hers, steady and calm. “I wouldn’t do that,” she replied, her voice unwavering. “I don’t believe in backstabbing.”
Lily scoffed, shaking her head. “Yeah, they all say that,” she muttered, her tone suddenly darker, almost weary. “Everyone says they don’t backstab, that trust is assured—that they wouldn’t do that. But they do. When you least expect it, they do. And you will too.” Her eyes bore into Pandora’s, as if seeing something in her that Pandora hadn’t fully acknowledged herself.
Pandora exhaled, the weight of the conversation pressing on her chest. “I don’t know what happened in the past, or who hurt you, but I’m offering the same risk as you’re taking,” she said, her voice steady but sincere. “There’s nothing stopping you from sabotaging me, just like there’s nothing stopping me from doing the same to you. But I’m a woman of my word. Cross my heart, I’m not that kind of person.”
Lily stood still for a moment, her eyes flicking to the ground, then back to Pandora. Her mind buzzed with a thousand ways this could all fall apart, each thought darker than the last. Doubt clouded her expression as she wrestled with the decision, the offer hanging between them like an unspoken challenge. Should she trust Pandora? Could she?
Pandora, sensing the hesitation, took a step closer, her voice more insistent now. “Take the risk, Evans,” she urged.
“One condition,” Lily said, her tone firm.
“Anything,” Pandora replied quickly, her voice steady but curious.
“My house,” Lily clarified. “We train at my place. I won’t be coming to yours. You’ll come to me.”
Pandora raised an eyebrow, considering the demand. She hadn’t expected Lily to make the terms so clear, but it didn’t faze her. If that was what it took to make this work, then she would agree.
“Fine,” Pandora said, her voice steady. “I’ll come to you. When do we start?”
“Mondays, Wednesday at night,” she pointed out. “Sounds good?”
“Deal.”