Before anything else, Bradley notices the amount of sticks in the room. As soon as he walks in, he's just blasted by the amount of petite twenty year old ballerinas who look like they're twelve.

They're all smiling and clutching flowers with dear life. People rub their arms and shoulders, caress them. The girls show little to no sign of discomfort, but anyone with a brain can sense it.

Cassandra leads Bradley over to a table with a card that says "Johnson". There are at least half a dozen seats at the table, but it's only them from the Johnson family tonight.

"What's up with all the seats?" Bradley asks, unsure about sitting down. Cassandra just laughs, and brushes his comment off with a wave.

A few minutes later, ballerinas are running to take a seat by them. Two by two the seats are filling up.

When the table is full, Cassandra smiles at them all and greets them. They almost clap their hands with excitement, but Cassandra catches it and holds her hand up before they do. They all cast their eyes downward and blush.

"I have to thank all of you tremendously talented people to join me here today." Cassandra looks around at them all, and they all stare back with awe, like she's the legend everyone whispers about and writes about. "As you've learned through my managements email, I'm opening a ballet studio in Santa Monica--and you've all been invited as instructors."

Everyone grins with exuberance, eyes gleaming with tears. Everyone but Bradley, who looks at his mother in complete and utter sickened by his mother's announcement. He was kept clueless, just like always.

Cassandra continues, ignoring Bradley's stare, "there are quite a few kinks that need to be worked out but I'm more than excited to have you guys on the Santa Monica team." Cassandra keeps her elegantly posed body still, zero movement. Not even a smile. She looks like an ice queen surrounded by her kin.

Nobody chatters, or dares to breath as she talks. All their focus is on her, like some kind of god they worship.

"I will be taking all questions during this dinner, and more through my management," Cassandra has no emotion in her voice. Bradley's not surprised by her lack of emotion. "I want you all to enjoy this time with your new coworkers and with me. The next few months will be overflowing with things to do."

Cassandra raises her wine glass that the waiter filled while she was talking. "Here's to Santa Monica," she toasts. Everyone picks up their glasses and clinked them with the others.

The chatter fills the table as people gloat. They gain stares from surrounding people who wonder what is so exciting about the night. Other than his mother's appalling announcement, this event is no different from the hundreds of others Bradley's attended.

"Why didn't you tell me about Santa Monica?" Bradley asks his mother while all the others are distracted by their own talk they don't notice him.

Cassandra touches her hair, pushing a piece away from her face. "I just got everything set in stone the other month. I didn't think you'd care, anyway."

Bradley refrains from rolling his eyes, "Santa Monica is basically across the country. Are we moving?" Bradley feels this panic set in his stomach. Moving to Santa Monica means leaving behind his life in Michigan, which he doesn't think he could do.

"You won't be moving," Cassandra looks at her food with disapproval. "I'll be going to Santa Monica for the next month to set up shop, then I'll return before I head off to France for a show. When I return I'll land in Santa Monica, and stay for the remaining of the year."

Bradley doesn't know what to feel exactly. With her out of his life, maybe he wouldn't be worrying about her affair constantly. Maybe, just maybe, he'd feel less guilty about keeping it from his father. And maybe he'd start eating again. But those are all maybes, which do no good for him.

"So, I'll be with Dad for the next six or so months while you're off traveling the world? Wonderful," Bradley snorts, even though nothing is funny.

"There is no time for me to explore, Bradley," Cassandra says to him condescendingly, with a slight frown. "I will be busy with rehearsals, and then with the studio when I return. I will not be exploring France, which you know I've seen just about all of it anyhow. Every day will be spent working with the studio." Cassandra's frown has disappeared.

"Yet, I'm trapped in Michigan. I've only been out of the United States three or four times."

"Which is more than most people can say," Cassandra points out. She pokes around her food before pushing it away from her.

Bradley does the same.

After some time has passed, Bradley's heard snippets of dozens of different conversations. All of the dancers were excited by the opportunity. All of their contracts were getting ready to close, and Cassandra has signed them all to her company--To Dance or Die. Her company is renowned for their ability to produce some of the best dancers in the entire world.

"Yeah, maybe six hundred calories a day, if that," one especially small ballerina whispers to another. She's picked around her food, cutting some foods into smaller pieces.

What she says catches Bradley's attention and he listens to her talk.

"It's really payed off. I know it's not good, but it's the necessary to stay this small. My boobs are too big, so I need to stay thin everywhere else." She looks pale, but still continues to talk. "I found these weight loss pills that help. They make you not as hungry. They've saved me."

The other ballerina nods her head and mentions other things she does to stay thin. Bradley feels like he should be taking notes.

"Sometimes I feel so guilty about what I'm doing, because I'm killing myself for ballet. But this is what I have to do. For myself, and for my family. This is what's necessary."

The words hit so close to home, Bradley can imagine himself saying the same thing to himself.

•••

"Where'd Dad even go? If he's never around while you're gone doing whatever, what's going to happen?" Bradley asks on the drive back to their hotel.

"He's out on business. Australia to be exact. He's there for a collaboration with other choreographers," Cassandra says as she looks at her nails. The limo is spacious, with lots of legroom.

Bradley can't help but wonder how much it cost for it all. He knows his parents are loaded, but how loaded they are is what Bradley wonders about. It doesn't matter either way.

"When will he be back?" Bradley asks after a few moments.

"Within the next week," Cassandra taps on her phone. "You probably should've gone with him. The next time it comes around, I'll be sure to mention it him."

Bradley smiles, feeling a little bit light-headed. "That would mean a lot."

"Have you been working Mark Wilde lately?" she asks him. "It was very generous of him to offer that for you."

"I'm going to see him two weeks from tomorrow. After that, we'll see if I like it enough to start working with him daily," he says without much thought.

"Of course you will," Cassandra says without hesitation. "That's amazing. He's one of the men your father respects the most."

Bradley ignores her comment, instead plugging his earbuds into his phone. He turns the music up to block his mother's rambling.

Sometime's she insufferable. Her cheating, her leaving, her commanding. It's all too much. All Bradley wants is peace from the war with his mother.

He reminisces on the past, before everything went down. He doesn't know if he'd redo it if he had the chance. This has all shaped him in some way, shape, or form.

Bit by bit, he can see the weight leaving him just skin and bones. When he looks in the mirror he can only see the skeleton of the person he used to be.

Sometimes it makes him smile, and sometimes he cries.

__________

☒ - unedited

Bradley's chapters are so boring? I feel like Corrie is just more interesting I don't know? But did you enjoy this? What do you think of the ballerina who is facing the same thing as Bradley?

Please tell me if you see any mistakes, I'm the queen of typos.

OKAY QUESTION TIME AGAIN (only 5 tho). Answer these and I'll try to find a response to your answer. I honestly love how people interpret this book:

1. Does Bradley love his mother? Would he do anything for her?
2. Is Cassandra fit for being a parent?
3. Do you suppose that Bradley wants to be this way? If he doesn't, why is he doing it?
4. Do you think Graham knows about Cassandra's affair? And vice versa?
5. What do you think about Cassandra's choices to leave for Santa Monica? Do you think she's being selfish?

Read, vote, comment, and please, please share! Tell me what you liked/disliked. Constructive criticism is very, very welcome!

Rant of the chapter: life is harddddddd

Dedicated to: to the people who are voting on this. I CAN'T BELIEVE WE HIT 1000 VOTES AHHHHH

Next update: soon hopefully? i'm aiming for weekly updates ? not sure how i'm doing so far...schools kicking my butt but i'm trying dudes

Teaser: Bradley will see Julianne and Leo.

Quick notes:
[ 1 ] what do ya think is gonna happen fam??
[ 2 ] YAY 1000 VOTES YALLLLLL ITS LIT
[ 3 ] pm me if you have any critiques, reviews, improvement & etc. just be kind, and don't murder my book, thanks. also PM me if you need to just talk to somebody.
[ 4 ] pleaseeee guys help me get this to twenty votes yoooo
[ 5 ] i love you and i'll see you soon. ❤️️