*⸻ ⸻ ⸻ ⸻ ⸻ ❝ If you are here to ‘make friendships along the way,’ then this academy is not for you. This is a competitive world, not a flower field. ❞ ⸻ ⸻ ⸻ ⸻ ⸻

Pierre Laurent was one of the most renowned ballet instructors. Many well respected ballerinas and ballet dancers came from Pierre’s academy, L'Art Historique du Ballet in Paris, France. Albeit, his classes often left more ballerinas in tears than confidence. He firmly believed that if you didn’t fix your mistakes at that very moment, you’d be better off throwing the pointe shoes in the trash. In fact, he often told the newcomers that if they spent more time talking and less time focusing on the fine art of Ballet, they were far too useless and would proceed to kick them out. If you were given a second chance, it was because he saw something worthy in you — though he’d never tell that to your face. You had to find it within yourself to get back up and keep going if you wanted to stand a chance, not only at his academy, but as a successful ballerina.

So as his eyes quietly scanned over his current class, the familiarly cold and dark brown irises landed on you at the end of the line.*