Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

rigid. Slowly, she raised her hand.
    “Ah, there you are,” Josef said. “I’d like to see you in my office after classes are over.”
    All heads turned in her direction, and she heard a few girls muttering in the corner. Not saying a word, she nodded. While everyone else stood and made their way to the barre,Vanessa sat for a moment, watching Josef disappear through the door.
    “Why does he want to see you?” Blaine asked as they lined up.
    Before Vanessa could reply, TJ cut in. “If she knew what he wanted to tell her, he wouldn’t have called her in the first place, dummy.”
    “Maybe it’s because of last night in the theater,” Steffie said. “Maybe he saw us sneaking around, and you—you’re the most noticeable.”
    Instinctively, Vanessa glanced in the mirror at her bright-red hair, now wound into a tight bun. Steffie had to be right. Why else would Josef want to talk to her? As Hilda began to call out exercises, the heads in front of Vanessa dipped and bobbed in rhythm, the same as every morning, except this time Elly wasn’t with them.
    The rest of the day slipped away. Vanessa kept scanning the passing students for Zep’s metallic eyes, but with no luck. Even on Saturday, the halls were bustling with students. After their afternoon class, Vanessa, Steffie, and TJ caught up with Blaine, who was talking to a tall, athletic boy named Garrett. Blaine giggled as he introduced them, even though nothing was funny, then giggled again when Garrett told him in a deep, confused voice that he’d see him tomorrow.
    “Is that your mating call?” TJ teased.
    “Hey, at least I’m not padding up for the winter,” he said, poking TJ’s barely visible love handle.
    “Back off,” TJ said, a little more irritable than normal. “Don’t you know not to tease a girl about her weight?”
    “Hey,” Steffie interrupted. “Have you guys heard from Elly?”
    Blaine and TJ went silent.
    “I think we should talk to Kate,” Steffie said. “Maybe she has more information.”
    “I hope so,” Blaine said. “Because what Josef said made zero sense.”
    As they made their way to the dormitory, Vanessa slowed her pace. “Guys, I can’t go,” she said.
    Steffie put a hand on her hip. “Why?”
    “Josef, remember?” Vanessa replied. Before she could say anything more, Vanessa’s cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out, hoping it was Elly, only to see her mother’s name blinking on the screen. Her friends looked at her expectantly, but Vanessa only shook her head.
    She shrugged and backed away, when in the distance, she caught a flash of lustrous eyes. Vanessa froze, and her heart began to race. Zep. He was a few yards away, his head just visible through the crowd of students.
    She lowered her hand, letting her cell phone go to voice mail as she walked toward him.
Hi Zep!
she said to herself, practicing, and then shook her head.
I got your note
, she whispered in a sexy tone, but that just sounded silly.
    She took a breath and reminded herself to act natural. But just as she stepped toward him, Anna materialized, her hand reaching for Zep’s. She could see Zep talking to Anna, his face almost guilty. Anna’s pink lips were pursed in anger. She slid her hand from Zep’s and gesticulated wildly, and to Vanessa’s dismay, Zep grabbed her hand and held it.
I’m sorry
, his lips said.
    Unable to watch anymore, Vanessa spun around and wove through the crowd, taking the long route to Josef’s office so she wouldn’t have to see them. What was Zep playing at, leaving her a note and telling her she looked beautiful when he was clearly still seeing Anna?
    Her phone began vibrating again, and this time, she picked up.
    “Vanessa?” At her mother’s shrill voice, Vanessa pulled the phone away from her ear. “Is that you? Why did it take you so long to answer?” Not sure what to say, Vanessa just stood there.
    “Vanessa, are you there?” her mother’s tinny voice echoed through the cell phone. “Why