Chapter Text
Annabeth Chase pressed her phone tighter against her ear as she paced across her dorm room. Outside the window, Manhattan buzzed in the afternoon sun, car horns echoing through the streets. Somewhere down the hallway, students were chatting loudly, still sharing stories from the past summer. But none of it drowned out her mother’s voice.
“You are running out of time, Annabeth.”
“I know.”
“No, clearly you do not.”
Athena Chase always sounded composed. Like everything was nothing more than a mere inconvenience to her. Her voice stern and sharp, leaving no room for arguments.
Annabeth stared at the wall across from her bed. Her dorm room at the American School of Ballet was small, but she and Rachel had made it feel lived in since they’d been assigned as roommates in their first year. Rachel’s side was cluttered with sketches, paint tubes, half-finished canvases leaning against the wall. Annabeth’s side looked fresh out of an IKEA catalog in comparison.
Books stacked neatly. Pointe shoes lined in her closet. Nothing ever out of place, unlike her mind.
“You still haven’t submitted your Cambridge application. The deadline is next month.” Athena continued.
“I’ve been busy.”
Her mother marked a pause.
“Nothing is more preoccupying than your applications, Annabeth.” Athena said. “What’s taking you so much time? You only dance a few hours a week.”
Annabeth crossed her arms tightly. “It’s not a few hours.” She said quietly.
“That is not the point, Annabeth.”
There it was. In the past months, Annabeth felt like it was the hundredth time that they had this discussion. Her mother had never cared about her future in ballet, only tolerating her daughter’s passion as long as her grades could get her into a good university. She pinched the bridge of her nose.
“I’ll make sure to get it done.”
“Good. I will check back with you soon. I will be in New York soon. I have to discuss your grades with the headmaster.”
“You’re coming here ?”
“Yes. I have to make sure you don’t waste more time than you’re allowed. After all, I’ve been clear about this ballet situation. It’s not stable. So you will have to leave the school early to come back to England with me to sort out your application process.”
The words hit harder than they should have.Maybe because part of Annabeth had spent years trying to prove her mother wrong.
“I’m in my final year,” she replied carefully. “I’m close to joining the company.”
“You are close to auditioning for the company.”
Annabeth looked away. Fourteen years. Fourteen years of training until her feet bled through satin shoes during rehearsals. Fourteen years of injuries, ruthless competitions, and endless corrections shouted across studios. And somehow it still wasn’t enough. Athena exhaled.
“You need a future beyond ballet.”
“I have one.”
Silence.
“I understand the winter showcase is important. But you are running out of time, and perhaps it is time to reconsider your priorities.”
Annabeth laughed bitterly under her breath.
“You are more than another silhouette on a stage, Annabeth. You are too brilliant to waste your youth on a pointless career path”
Annabeth stared at the ceiling. Maybe that was the problem. Her mother only cared about what she could achieve. She never asked what she wanted.
“Submit the application,” Athena said finally. The line went dead. Annabeth slowly lowered the phone. She threw herself onto her bed, pressing her hands over her face.
This was it. The winter ballet. She had to make company, she had to prove to her mother that she had made the right choice. She could not fail now. She had built her entire life around this place.
Annabeth inhaled sharply before forcing herself to move again. Auditions for the winter ballet were about to begin. She grabbed her dance bag and her warm-up boots. She tightened her bun while staring at herself in the mirror, and exited the room, letting the door slam shut after her.
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The American School of Ballet sat five streets away from Lincoln Center in its own massive building of mirrored studios and endless hallways. Most people outside the ballet world assumed ASB students spent all their time at Lincoln Center itself. In reality, they spent most of their lives here. Inside this building that smelled permanently like rosin, sweat, hairspray, and old wood floors.
Annabeth entered Studio Four already focused on auditions. Dancers stretched across the room in small groups. Some stood at the barre chatting and warming up while others sat on the floor sewing their pointe shoes at the last minute. Everyone looked tense.
Casting always did this to the students.This year’s production would be The Nutcracker. For most people in the room, it would be a last chance to prove themselves worthy of a spot in company.
Annabeth spotted Jason Grace near the back and immediately headed toward him. Thank gods. Jason noticed her approaching and gave her a tired smile.
“You look stressed.”
“I’m always stressed.” She quickly pulled out her pointes from her bag. “How long till she gets here ?”
“I’d say ten.”
“Enough time to warm up.”
Jason moved over slightly to make room for her near the barre. Around them, the studio buzzed with nervous energy. Someone in the corner was running turns full force already, nearly colliding with another dancer. A group of younger students whispered loudly about who might get Clara this year.
Annabeth stretched one leg onto the barre with a sigh.
“I hate auditions.”
Jason snorted softly. “No you don’t.”
“I do, actually.”
“You hate waiting for results. That’s different.”
Annabeth ignored him.
Across the room, Piper waved once she spotted them, Rachel in tow, looking half asleep.
“Look alive,” Piper announced as they approached. “Some of us had to wake up at six in the morning for this.”
“Are you even auditioning for a solo ?” Jason mocked
Piper looked offended.
“Excuse you. I’m trying to get Tea this year.”
Rachel handed Annabeth one of the cups of tea she was holding. “I noticed you didn’t take your thermos.”
“You’re my favorite person.”
“I know.”
Jason crossed his arms. “What are you guys hoping for?”
Rachel immediately answered, “Anything that doesn’t involve small children running into me.”
Annabeth took a sip of her tea. “Mrs. Dodds is adding the Snow Queen, or so I heard. I think Silena might try out for that.”
“Obviously,” Piper agreed. “She fits the role.”
“I wonder who’s getting the Snow King. Maybe I should try that.” Jason added.
Rachel nodded thoughtfully. “I’d like Dewdrop.”
“Drew Tanaka is definitely auditioning for that. We’ve been here for like what ? Two weeks ? I swear if I hear that Waltz one more time after curfew.”
Jason stretched his shoulders before glancing at Annabeth. “You’re definitely auditioning for Sugarplum.”
Annabeth made a face immediately. “Yeah.”
“You’ll get it,” Rachel said simply.
Annabeth looked over at her. “You say that very casually.”
Rachel shrugged. “If anyone here can get Sugarplum, it’s you.”
“Many people here can get it.”
Piper rolled her eyes. “Oh my god, if you don’t get Sugarplum, the academy should actually shut down.”
Jason nodded in agreement. “You are pretty much guaranteed.”
The studio doors swung open again and Silena Beauregard entered in a swirl of pink warmups. She looked around once before spotting them.
“There you are.”
Piper grinned. “Our Snow Queen.”
Silena blinked. “What?”
“We were predicting casting.”
Silena sighed and dropped her dance bag near the barre. “Please don’t. Auditions are so stressful, I feel like Mrs Dodds wants to cut off my legs sometimes.”
“You say that like it’s not the case year round,” Jason muttered.
Silena smiled. “True.“
Rachel tilted her head. “What are you hoping for?”
Silena stretched one leg. “Honestly? Snow Queen would be nice.”
“Called it,” Piper whispered loudly.
“But,” Silena continued, “Mrs. Dodds might split things weirdly this year because of company auditions.”
“That’s true,” Jason admitted. “They’ll want versatility.”
Annabeth leaned away from the barre thoughtfully. “You think they’ll double cast Sugarplum ?”
“Maybe ?” Silena answered. “Probably if they want different dancers showcased.”
Rachel looked between them curiously. “Wait, so who’s even auditioning for what?”
“Everybody’s auditioning for everything,” Jason said tiredly. “That’s the problem.”
Silena laughed softly before glancing around the studio again. “Well, we’re gonna be fine, right ?”
Before Annabeth could answer, the studio doors opened.
Mrs Dodds entered. The room immediately fell silent, everyone joining their spot at the barre. Rachel slipped between Annabeth and Silena, holding her breath. Alecto Dodds had once been one of the most feared principal dancers at the American Ballet Company.
Retirement had somehow made her scarier.
She walked into the studio carrying a clipboard beneath one arm, sharp eyes scanning the dancers instantly, Medusa and Chiron following closely. Everybody straightened automatically at the barre.
“Good,” Mrs. Dodds said sharply. “At least some of you remember posture still exists.”
A few nervous laughs echoed weakly through the room. She was not amused.
“We are not here to waste time today. I am here to see technique, but more importantly personality. Casting in the Nutcracker is tricky, each character brings their own flavor and for that reason we have to take care of assigning each of you the perfect part.” Her gaze swept across the room. “For example, the young Clara needs to evoke the naivety that comes with youth and the magic of a warm Christmas.”
She continued to list off a few more characters and their important qualities, while Chiron nodded with a small smile. Mrs. Dodds dropped the clipboard onto the piano with a loud clap.
“Okay let’s start the barre exercises.”
The pianist immediately began playing. Tendus started slowly. Annabeth’s body slipped automatically into routine. Beside her, Rachel was trying her best not to catch Medusa’s eyes while Silena moved with irritating ease.
The combinations sped up gradually. The studio filled with the sound of pointe shoes brushing the floor and the pianist’s relentless tempo. Mrs. Dodds walked between the rows of dancers like a predator.
“McLean, your shoulders are climbing toward your ears again.”
“Valdez, if you slam your foot one more time, I will remove you from this studio.”
Annabeth moved carefully through the exercises, trying to ignore the knot of tension in her stomach. Auditions always made her feel like she was balancing on the edge of something tall. No matter how many years she danced, it never got easier being watched.
Mrs. Dodds stopped directly beside her. Annabeth immediately felt herself straighten another inch.
“Hm.”
Mrs. Dodds watched her extension carefully.
“Better.”
Annabeth blinked once. That was practically a standing ovation coming from Mrs Dodds. Silena smirked knowingly beside her and Annabeth ignored her. Mrs Dodds continued her rounds mercilessly. By the end, dancers were sweating already despite barely having moved from their spots.
The rest of the auditions passed in a blur and Annabeth was sure she had completely failed to impress the jury of professors. She couldn’t focus on her variation, her mind wandering to her mom’s whereabouts.
“Principal casting results tonight.”
The second Mrs Dodds moved on, the studio exploded back into conversation. Annabeth quickly gathered her belongings before turning to Jason and Rachel.
“I’m going home.”
“Oh, give me a second, I have to get my bag upstairs.”
“Take your time, I’ll head first.”
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Thalia Grace sat on the steps outside Lincoln Center with a cigarette between her lips.
The city was loud tonight. People rushed past the fountain, tourists stopping every five seconds to take blurry pictures of the buildings lit gold against the dark sky. Usually, Thalia liked the noise. Tonight it was just giving her a headache.
She pulled the cigarette from her mouth and searched through her bag again with growing irritation.
“Seriously?”
She could’ve sworn she grabbed her lighter before leaving the apartment. Then again, the morning had started with Zoë pounding on her door, so maybe her memory was a little compromised.
Thalia leaned back against the stone steps with an annoyed sigh. Her neighbor was unbelievable. The walls of their building were paper thin and it wasn’t her fault if everything she did could be heard in the next apartment. But Zoë wouldn't hear any of it. Thalia rolled her eyes just thinking about it.
She shoved a hand through her dark hair and glanced toward the entrance of Lincoln Center. The rest of dancers from the American Ballet Company were probably already warming up upstairs.
Thalia dropped her head back dramatically against the concrete. The day was already terrible. The news of her aunt back in New York somehow made everything worse.
Thalia had known Annabeth since she was eleven years old. Back then she’d been all huge brown eyes and impossible walls, clutching onto her ballet shoes like they were her lifeline.
Annabeth spent her entire life trying to earn approval that never lasted longer than five minutes. And now Athena was back in the country, which meant Annabeth was probably one bad rehearsal away from a complete breakdown.
Thalia sighed. She should probably check on her later. The cigarette still rested uselessly between her fingers. No lighter. Perfect.
She heard laughter nearby and looked up automatically. Three familiar figures were climbing the steps toward the building.
Brontë, Phoebe, and unfortunately, Zoë.
“Unbelievable,” Thalia muttered under her breath.
Brontë noticed her first and smiled politely. Phoebe lifted a hand in greeting. Zoë looked up a second later. Her eyes immediately landed on the cigarette, then on Thalia. Zoë wrinkled her nose slightly before brushing past her toward the entrance.
“You know smoking is bad for dancers, right?”
Thalia barked out a laugh.
“I think I’ll be okay. Thanks for the concern.”
Zoë stopped walking and turned slowly toward her“You are sitting directly in front of the entrance.”
“And yet you still made it inside. Congratulations.”
Zoë stared at her for one long second, then she turned back around sharply and walked into the building without another word. Phoebe mouthed a silent good luck at Thalia before following her inside with Brontë. Thalia sighed dramatically and leaned her head back again. She grabbed her bag from the ground and finally stood up, heading inside after them, already preparing herself mentally for several more hours of pretending she did not want to strangle Zoë Nightshade.