She nodded at the girl and then dragged Ian inside Slipper before he could protest. His eyes were as big as saucers as he took in the giant room that looked like a real court amid a fairy tale. It was brilliant, and she always marveled at it every time she was inside. But she knew for a fact that Ian had never seen anything like it.
“Come on. We’re going backstage.” She took his arm and pulled him through the room and to a side curtain.
Someone recognized her and pointed in the direction of where they had last seen Cassidy.
They stopped in front of the women’s changing room, and she left Ian at the door. “This won’t take long.”
He nervously eyed his surroundings. “Please don’t.”
She laughed and then went in through the door. It was easy to find Cassidy. She stood out even in a crowded room. Besides her bright red pixie cut, there was just something about her.
As if feeling eyes on her, Cassidy whipped around. She was in a studded red outfit to match her hair and spiked black boots. She normally performed barefoot, but Trihn had seen her in the boots, too, and it was insane.
“Trihn!” Cassidy barreled through the other performers to get to Trihn’s side. “Come to dance tonight?”
“Not tonight,” Trihn said. She took a deep breath. She could do this. “For good. I’m in. I accept the offer.”
Cassidy’s face fell. “Oh, Trihn…”
“What?”
Trihn hadn’t really thought this through when she realized they were near the city. She had just decided that she wasn’t going to be afraid to show the real her anymore. She enjoyed dancing and performing. She loved the thrill of it, and maybe her family would hate it, but they would get over it.
“I’m so glad that you decided to accept the position, but I was actually offered an opportunity that I just couldn’t refuse.”
“What kind of opportunity?” Trihn asked.
A smile spread across Cassidy’s beautiful face. “Dancing in Las Vegas! As a main event at a new Cirque show they’re opening up next year. I never thought I’d be selected for something like that. I got the call just this morning, and I was going to call you this weekend after I told the Slipper crew.”
Trihn’s mouthed dropped open. “Oh my God, that’s amazing, Cass! It’s a dream come true. I know you’ve been auditioning for that kind of thing but haven’t heard back.”
“I never thought it would happen in a million years!”
“You should have. You’re brilliant,” Trihn said, seeing her plan disintegrate.
“Look, this is going to sound crazy, but hear me out.” Cassidy said. She grabbed Trihn’s hands. “Come with me!”
Trihn laughed. “What?”
“Come with me to Vegas! I’ll have my own place. You can get a job dancing or teaching even! Didn’t you say they have a fashion school out there, too? You could go to school while we dance! Think about how awesome it would be!” Cassidy said enthusiastically.
“I don’t know,” Trihn said reluctantly. “I’m supposed to attend NYU in a few weeks.”
“NYU will always be there! How often will you be young and wild and free to do whatever you want in your life? Just this once!” Cassidy said. “I know it’s crazy to just up and leave your life. I can’t believe I’m doing it, but at the same time…I can’t wait.”
“Cass, it was a stretch for me to take this dancing job in the city. I can’t imagine moving across the country to do it. Everyone that I know is here in New York.”
“Well, that won’t be true in a couple of days.” Cassidy reminded her, “I’ll be gone.”
Trihn shook her head. “I don’t know. I mean…wow! Thank you for inviting me. I just…I have never, ever thought about leaving here.”
“That’s why it’s the time to do it. Everyone dreams their whole lives about living in New York City for just a short while, but we grew up here. Let’s go somewhere else, and if we’re meant to come back to the city, we will.” Cassidy winked at her. “NYC Dance House created beautiful dancers out of us. It would be a shame to waste that talent so young!”
“Renée is still dancing,” Trihn admitted.
“See?” Cassidy grabbed Trihn’s hand and twirled her in a circle. “Sin City awaits the dancing duo!”
“I…I’ll have to think about it. I have a lot going on right now.”
“That creep you were with?” Cassidy asked, arching an eyebrow.
“You thought he was a creep?” Trihn asked in surprise.
“Uh…yeah. He had slimeball written all over him. I would have warned you, but you were in way over your head.”
“Yeah, I guess I was,” she said softly.
“Cassidy!” the stage manager called. “You’re up on deck, honey.”
“That’s my cue, love. Think about it. Either way, I’ll be in Vegas by Saturday, and if you don’t come with, I’m going to miss you.”
Cassidy pulled her into a fierce hug, and then they walked out together. Cassidy rushed over to stand by the stage entrance, and Trihn found Ian standing amid a cloud of women. She laughed, but her head was elsewhere.
What would it be like to take Cassidy’s advice? Could I leave everything I’d ever known behind to go to Las Vegas on a whim?
Sure, she had applied to Las Vegas State’s Teena Hart School of Design as a backup. Her mother had discovered Teena Hart out of the LV State fashion school before it had been anything. Her designs now were on runways around the world, and she had spent a small fortune building the school into something that competed with the top-tier fashion programs. It still wasn’t NYU or Parsons, but it wasn’t looked down upon either.
What the hell am I thinking? I couldn’t leave my entire life behind to run away to Vegas.
Could I?
TRIHN COULDN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT.
Ever since Cassidy had asked her to go to Las Vegas, it was like a virus infecting her brain. She silently weighed the pros and cons of what that could mean for her life and also wondered if it would even be possible for her to start at LV State on such short notice. The fact that she was thinking about it at all worried her.
Her father had sent her back home, so she could cool off about what was going on with Lydia. But the longer Trihn was here, the more she saw Preston on every corner. It didn’t matter how many times she had been in the city before him. Somehow, the summer had reshaped her worldview on her own hometown. He was everywhere. And worse yet, he would be everywhere with Lydia in the fall.
Trihn’s stomach couldn’t handle it. Maybe if Lydia and Preston were separated, then she could stay in New York and begin to fix her relationship with Lydia. She could change the way she saw every corner and diner and coffee shop that she associated with Preston. They could be sisters having fun at the same college. It could be fine.
But Lydia had chosen to stay with Preston, and they weren’t fine.
And it was worse than that. She had always looked up to Lydia. Trihn had wanted to be her so badly when she was younger. They had gone to the same private school. They had danced at the same dance studio. It only made sense for them to move in together and go to college together. They shared everything—even a boyfriend.
If I move in with Lydia and go to NYU, would I grow to be the better person I want to be?
“Are you okay?” Ian asked.
Trihn had almost forgotten that he was driving as they went to the NYC Dance House to pick up Renée and fill her in on what had happened.
“Maybe. Cassidy just gave me a lot to think about.”
“Well, I’m trying not to think about all the offers I got while in that place.” His blush reached his ears. “And you wanted to dance there?”