POV Akhyra

Shocking Secret of Disgraced Ballet Prodigy Akhyra Morel Stuns The Dance World

"Explosive Revelations: Ballet Star Akhyra's Dark Secret Exposed! An anonymous insider from the production of 'Enchanted Shadows' drops a bombshell, unveiling Akhyra's hidden struggle with an intense fear of human contact. Not only is she battling this phobia in silence, but allegations suggest a disdain for teamwork and a manipulative attitude towards co-producers. With her reputation on the line, whispers echo that this shocking expose could spell the end of Akhyra's illustrious career. Is this the final act for the enigmatic prima ballerina?"  

Read our exclusive interview below.

***

"You already know why you're here," Madame Laroche says. "I'll ask only one thing. Is it true?"

The silence hangs in the hair like a cold mist hovering between us. There's nothing on her face that betrays what her opinion is on the matter.

When I arrived at the Lincoln Center, a member of the stage crew informed me that Madame Laroche was waiting for me in one of the meeting rooms. 

There was already a meeting going on between several staff members of the production when I got to the glass doors so I had to twiddle my thumbs for almost half an hour outside in the waiting area while I grew more impatient with each passing second.

When it was finally over and they all exited the room, Ambrose threw me a disgusting smirk while he followed the others. His gloating expression confirmed what I'd already suspected. This rotting scavenger must have been the one who dug up in my private life and then went yapping to the media. He attacked me before I could attack him.

Valentino was the first who shared the article this morning on our group chat. It only took a few minutes to go viral. I've spent the entire day dreading coming early for stage rehearsals because I knew Madame Laroche would ask for an explanation. 

"It is true," I confirm. "I have a strong phobia of getting touched by other people and being too close to those I'm not familiar with."

She surveys me for a moment as if giving me time to elaborate, but there's nothing more that I want to say. 

"Are you receiving treatment for that?"

"I'm in therapy if that's what you're asking. But I've been like this for the majority of my life, so it's not like there's a magical cure. However there's been some improvements."

"What are those improvements?"

"Being inside small spaces isn't as difficult as it used to be anymore." I gesture briefly at our surroundings. "Before I'd never been able to be in a room that had no windows. I'm also getting better at being around people."

"But you can't touch others?"

"At the moment, there's only one person that I'm comfortable being in contact with. It happened a few months ago, so my therapist and I are working to see if I might... expand my horizon."

She nods, then exhales deeply as she shifts in her chair. Whatever she's about to say won't be pleasant for me to hear. I can tell.

"I'm going to be honest with you Akhyra, even though I admire your craft as a ballet dancer but I can't recruit you for my retirement show if it might be a danger to your medical condition..."

"I'm fine, honestly," I quickly reply in a desperate voice that I hate. Madame Laroche raises an eyebrow at my interruption. "I'm sorry, please continue."

"My final production mainly consists of pas de deux. Even if I'd consider casting you for a role other than the main lead, you'd still have to partner with a male dancer for many of the scenes. Can you look me in the eyes and tell me that you're going to be able to do that?" 

There's no use lying about that.

"I'm afraid I can't."

"Then I'm afraid that Enchanted Shadows will be our last collaboration."

"I understand."

"For what it's worth, I don't agree with the critics that have claimed your role in this show paled in comparison to others. You brought light to your character in a way that no other ballerina could've."

After walking out of there, I'm still unable to process that after coming this far, I've gone back to square one. I was so close, and yet all of that crumbled to dust. 

I notice a change in the atmosphere as soon as I walk in the changing rooms. There are only a few dancers; the others must be already backstage waiting for rehearsals to begin. 

The tension that I sense isn't exactly passive-aggressive silence like I'm used to. It's more like a morbid curiosity. It's clear that they want to know, their burning desire to ask about it is etched on their features. 

They must be going through the few weeks we've spent together, about how I've never interacted with none of them except for Simone. We still haven't had a proper conversation about why she's ghosting me, but with the recent revelations of Lucian, I've been preoccupied with other arrangements. 

Finally, after tying my pointe shoes, I can't take their silent observation anymore. 

"If anyone has a question, this is the only opportunity you'll be given to ask. So I'm listening."

I sit up ready to meet their gaze but am surprised to find only the Evil Queen standing there. Her name is Carmen Castillo. After she called me out for not caring about the other dancers, I went through the casting list to learn their names and did some research about each of them.

Carmen is from a first-generation Puerto Rican immigrant family. She actually had an upbringing in salsa but shifted to ballet throughout middle school.

"I want to learn more about your plan to take down Ambrose," she declares. 

Judging from her determined expression she's serious. I get a sudden wave of apprehension churning my stomach. If she's eager to expose Ambrose now, something bad must have happened. I can only hope that he didn't prey on another dancer. 

"What made you change your mind?" I ask, and a flash of remorse crosses her eyes for a fleeting moment. 

"The dancer I told you about last time, Laurel, she contacted me yesterday. I had given her my phone number when we met and... well, to make it short, she's in a very bad place right now because she discovered that she's pregnant."

Her revelation hangs in the air like a ticking bomb. We both know what a pregnant ballerina means. Assuming that she wants to raise this child and be a present mother, she can say goodbye to a professional career. 

"I suddenly realized that while I was trying to protect my career by keeping quiet, hers was literally destroyed when she did nothing wrong, so if you have a plan to expose this jerk, I will help you."

I didn't have one before, but this new information has sparked an idea.

"Will Laurel agree for a meeting to share her story on camera?"

"I don't think that's gonna be an issue for her. She already wants to go after him but she's scared that nobody will believe her."

"In that case, I'll send you my address, and you bring her there after tonight's show."

As we exchange our phone numbers, Carmen asks, "What about that other dancer you talked about? Will you also tell her about the plan? It would really help to gather more confessions about Ambrose."

"Trust me, she doesn't want anything to do with me."

"Not even if it will take down that bastard?"

"I think she refuses to see herself as a victim because apparently they were in a consensual relationship."

"Are you talking about Brittany?"

I raise my head to look at her in pure shock.

"You knew about that already?"

"No but I saw something off on the night of the gala while I was going to the bathroom. Ambrose looked super cozy with some woman, and Brittany was glaring at the scene as if she wanted to set them on fire. I found this weird."

"Well, a few minutes later, she confronted him about that."

I briefly recount that I followed them in the garden and recorded their argument, including the part where Ambrose slapped Brittany. I decide to leave out the fact that they were conspiring to push her name up the wait-list of Madame Laroche's show.

"It's too bad that she doesn't want to expose him," Carmen says. "This footage would've shown people his true nature."

It would've been a great addition, but I'm not about to go beg Brittany. She made her position very clear during our confrontation. She doesn't want my nose in her business.

"Whatever," I reply. "We don't need her for our plan to have an impact."

***

During the third act of Enchanted Shadows, my mind fails to remain concentrated on the choreography. There are too many things fighting for my attention, Lucian's murder confession, the plan to take down Ambrose, and the fact that the world now knows about my secret. 

I'm so caught up in my worries that I miss momentum and lose my balance during an arabesque. There are two other dancers in front of me, and if I fall, there's a risk I might trip them as well. 

I have to use every last muscle memory that I have to lock my body in place, but when your entire body weight is sustained on one foot, shaking is your worst enemy. I won't be able to remain en pointe for long. 

I'm trying to decide if it would be better for me to return to neutral since my posture has been compromised when a strong hand grips my extended forearm. 

In my peripheral vision, I see Brittany looking straight ahead, but she doesn't let go of my forearm, and this new support succeeds at stabilizing my posture. We remain that way until the music subdued announcing the end of the act and all the dancers break formation to exit the stage.

Once we're backstage, all the dancers are changing costumes for the final act. I walk up to Brittany while she rehydrates in a corner. I don't know what I'm gonna say to her, but my feet carry me there before I overthink it. Her demeanor becomes instantly guarded when she sees me approaching. 

"What do you want?"

"Thank you for helping me back there."

She shrugs. "It was either that or letting you ruin the show by knocking over the others."

For a moment, neither of us says anything, and I notice that she becomes more fidgety under my stare, nervously wringing her plastic water bottle.

"If you change your mind about what happened in the garden. Talk to Carmen after the show. We have a plan to expose this monster."

Without waiting for her answer, I turn around and join one of the costume assistants.

When I return home after the show, Hannah and Valentino are already waiting for me. When I asked them to come in despite the late hour, they hadn't voiced any objection. 

After I tell them about my plan, they immediately start strategizing, and I leave them to it. Ever since the unexpected dinner date that Lucian and I had prepared for these two, they've been inseparable, always gravitating in each other's space. I guess it worked then.

Carmen and Laurel arrive around 10 pm. After initial greetings and proper introduction, Valentino goes over her story, and he helps her tailor it in a more concise and poignant manner. Meanwhile, Hannah is setting up the recording equipment that she brought into the living room. 

Carmen approaches me with a sheepish smile. "I just wanted to apologize for being so rude the first time you came to talk to me about Ambrose."

"It's okay. You made some valid points that I hadn't considered back then."

"To be honest, I doubt that this will take him out of the industry for good, but it's still better than doing nothing.'

"I have the same doubts, but I'm hoping that once this video gets released, other people he's taken advantage of might come forward because of that."

Carmen nods and then remains silent for a while. 

"Is it true that you can't touch people?" she finally asks.

"Mostly. But I'm getting better with human proximity. A couple of months ago, you wouldn't have been able to stand so close to me."

"I'm glad that you're getting better."

"You know what they say, one day at a time."

"I think you should tell the world your own version of the story."

"What do you mean?"

"This article only made you seem like a weird case study instead of a real human who might have gone through something terrible to develop such a complex phobia. I'm saying that you shouldn't let them control the narrative. Tell your truth, the same way that you're encouraging Laurel to do it."

I can't deny that her advice is quite tempting, but before I find an answer, there's a knock on the door. I go open it to see who it is and remain speechless to face Brittany Anderson.

"Carmen gave me your address," she says with visible discomfort. 

"I assume that you know what we're doing inside?"

"Yes but if I'm getting on camera, I'm not going to say that I slept with Ambrose."

"Brittany..."

"It will make me look pathetic, okay? I can't say to the world that I was seeking his favor by using sex to get what I wanted."

"Okay fine. What do you want to say then?"

"You have a video of him hitting me, so that's what I'll talk about."

She looks at me with a determination that I know hides something else. Shame. I'm not really in a position to ask more of her than she's willing to give, so I step aside and gesture for her to come in.

"Thank you," she says as she walks past me.

There's a vulnerability in her voice that I've never heard before and as I close the door I can't help thinking about the fact that when she touched me earlier on the stage I didn't feel the slightest bit of panic because somehow I knew that she wasn't going to push me like she did many years ago.