Dear Diary, just when I think everything’s turned for the worse, something good happens. Or maybe I’m just an optimist, I don’t know.
After I confided in Mom about what happened with Ella, she told me that no matter what happened that day, she and Dad still love me. It made me feel so much better, getting my problems off my chest. I still needed counseling, though. My counselor, in particular, seemed interested in the fact that I keep a journal, even if I don’t write in it every day like I should.
His name is Cason – my counselor, I mean. When I first started seeing him, he wanted me to come twice a week. Now that we’ve gotten to know each other, I see him once a week. It’s been difficult to come to terms with not knowing the extent of what Ella may have done. On top of that, I was unconscious during the incident, but I feel like my own body betrayed me.
Cason told me that there are other men who’ve been through this and that I’m not alone. Apparently, like me, many of them don’t come forward or report it to the police. I can see why my incident would be dismissed and honestly, I never realized such a thing could happen to a guy. And that’s what I keep going back to over and over again in my mind. See, I was all doped up on painkillers but if she took advantage of me during that time, my body must have responded to her… betraying me. I do remember bits and pieces of a dream I had that night about Fletcher. I was so out of it, I don’t think I’ll ever know the truth.
The next thing I had to deal with was facing Ella at work. She was my dance partner yet I abhorred the idea of touching her. Myung noticed the change in me although I tried to hide it. After a lot of prodding, I finally told her. Everything. She seemed horrified and she said, “I’ll take care of this.” She also offered me some time off but there is no way I’m giving up a chance to play a lead role in “Star of the Gods.” I’ve worked too hard.
Not long after my discussion with Myung, Ella was fired and I was partnered with Stevie Thorne and…
… Zelda Reed. I danced with both of them so Myung could get an idea who my partner would be. Both girls were already principals but only one of them could play the lead.
I got on well with both of them. They were both ambitious but seemed nice enough.
After months of rehearsals, it was finally time for the performance! This is the Prince Richard Opera House where we perform all of the ballets in our repertoire. The symphony orchestra performs here as well and they will be joining us for “Star of the Gods.”
I was a mess before our first performance. The curtain was alive with blinking stars and it was a sold-out show. As I stood in the wings, the orchestra began playing the introduction. My heart was pounding against my chest even after taking a few steadying breaths.
What I realized, though, was it was not stagefright I was feeling, but a deep excitement that hit me like lightning, spreading from the butterflies in my stomach all the way through my tensed body. I was ready for this.
The crowd hushed as the curtain drew back for the opening piece. As I waited for my cue, Myung caught my eye and she smiled reassuringly at me.
My jumps were strong, quick, and tight as my character searched for that one true star he was missing.
As I danced, I poured everything I had into the part. The orchestra swelled and it was easy to forget this was just a ballet. For all three acts, it came together and it felt real.
One of my favorite moments was the curtain call at the end of the show. Zelda, my new partner, and I held hands as she curtsied and I bowed. The audience roared with applause and gave us a standing ovation.
Zelda squeezed my hand and rewarded me with a big smile, her breaths still coming in gasps from all our hard work.
The after party was a bit on the dull side. I looked everywhere for my family and finally found Rosetta.
“You were quite extraordinary,” she said with a grin.
“Where’s Mom and Dad?”
“They couldn’t get away from the case they’re working on. The poor darlings were very upset to have missed opening night. I’m certain they would have enjoyed it.”
I merely nodded at her, my heart sinking a little. Neither had come to my performance and really, I should be used to this sort of thing by now but I couldn’t help feeling disappointed and angry. Their work with The Inheritance had always kept them traveling to strange places. Yet, this was the most important thing I’d ever done.
“Don’t take it personally,” Rosetta said, touching my arm lightly.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine. You look as if you have just lost your best friend.”
“I’m fine, Rosie. I think I would know if I wasn’t.”
Still, that skeptical, all-knowing look was on her face.
“Chris is here,” she said.
“I’m glad you both came… Did you come here together?”
“Of course.”
She said of course, but nothing changed in her eyes or face. I’m no master of relationships but it was pretty evident she was still oblivious to Christopher’s feelings.
As if on cue, Chris joined us. He seemed very attentive to my sister, as frustrating as that must have been for him.
Before I forgot, I introduced Zelda to Rosetta.
My sister immediately seemed taken with the ballerina. “Oh my, but you’re beautiful! Your performance was celestial.”
Zelda smiled shyly. “Thank you. It’s very nice to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Rosetta smoothly said.
“Pardon me while I steal this angel away,” Aiden, the art director said.
Glancing around the room, I saw Myung stuck in a conversation she’d rather not be in. Approaching her, I touched her arm.
“Come meet my family,” I said as the person she was talking to left us.
“Thank goodness. That man never shuts up.”
I laughed a little, directing her over to my family.
As Myung spoke with Rosetta and Chris, my eye caught Stevie. I couldn’t help but feel amused that her hair matched the wallpaper. Stifling a laugh, I nodded slightly at her and was rewarded with a beaufiul smile.
“My brother, the danseur!” Rosetta exclaimed with a smile. “I am so proud of you. At the end, when you finally found Zelda, your true star, I was almost moved to tears.”
That was saying a lot since I can’t remember a time my sister actually ever cried. When most kids fell off the playground equipment, they cried and made a fuss. Not my sister. If that happened to her, she balled up her little fists and got angry.
“Rosetta agreed to accompany me to The Drunk Cat Bar for some drinks.”
Rosetta giggled and lightly hit Chris’ arm. “You act like it is a date or something.”
Chris briefly frowned but then did a pretty good job of hiding his disappointment. “We’re just going for some drinks.”
“Wish I could,” I said, “but, uh, I have a date.”
Yes, yours truly had a date. I’m not ready to tell you who that date was with but what I will say is that I could easily fall in love with her. We hit it off so well, it seemed a no-brainer that a relationship was the next step.
It felt like the only way to get Fletcher out of my mind once and for all, was to jump into something new. My girl didn’t want anything serious which suited me just fine. We mostly spent our time at her place.
I don’t think I was meant to sleep alone. When I was with her, I slept my best.
This night, when I woke up, I was still in her bed, but she wasn’t there.
“Hey, babe,” I called out, “where are you?”
Her muffled voice, coming from the bathroom, was especially nice. “I just got out of the shower.”
Glancing at the little alarm clock on her nightstand and rubbing my eyes, I saw it was five in the morning. It was surprising to see I’d slept all night for a change.
When she came out of the bathroom, she strode naked across the room to her closet. Her self-esteem was something I never tired of. And if she was comfortable walking around naked, I sure wasn’t going to complain.
“Do you want some breakfast? There’s a new diner on 28th and Temple called The Chili Sisters.”
It drove me insane the way she put her clothes on. Even that was a sensual experience.
“I don’t have time this morning. Besides, I’ve already had some toast. There’s coffee on if you want some.”
“Okay,” I said, my eyes still drinking her in. Without giving it much thought, I was across the room in three strides, pulling her into my arms and kissing her deeply.
After a time, she pulled away, a smile on her lips, her fingers playing in my hair. “I’m going to be late.”
“So?”
“So, you know I can’t be late.”
I traced her lips with my thumb before kissing her again. “Okay, I’ll see you later today.”
What is it about family that you can have the most amazing night out with a great girl, yet your family gives you grief?
I’d been hoping they’d be gone by the time I got home but no such luck today.
“Where were you all night?” Rosetta demanded as if she had the right to know.
“Out,” I said with a hidden grin. I knew that answer would drive her absolutely bonkers.
“Very funny,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I don’t have time for a long talk, Holden, but we seriously need to catch up with each other.”
What was there to catch up? I wondered. She was doing all of her political stuff and working with our parents in The Inheritance. I was dancing and … here, I grinned without meaning to… having lots of fun on the side.
“What is that smirk for?”
“I’m not smirking,” I said.
“Chris, is he smirking?”
“Well, now I am,” I laughed.
“Uh uh,” Chris said, “I know better than to take sides when you two are being ridiculous.”
“Good man,” I said.
“What is the problem, Rosie?”
Her eyes narrowed slightly and her nostrils flared. “You were obviously out with someone or you would have returned home earlier.”
All I did was shrug. Torturing her was a favorite pastime. I knew she wouldn’t be able to concentrate until she knew everything about this first.
“Fine,” I said, standing up so we were on a more level playing ground. “Female. Gorgeous.”
“Who is she? Do I know her?”
“You know of her but I’m pretty sure you’ve never spoken to her.”
“Why don’t you tell me her name?”
Grinning from ear to ear, I said, “Because it’s way more fun this way.”
She impatiently growled at me, which, of course, made me feel even more satisfied.
“Uh, I’ll see you guys later,” Chris stammered, making a hasty escape.
“Later, Chris,” I called. “I’ve got to run, too.”
“Holden wait!”
“I only want to know things because I love you so much.”
“You don’t have to protect me. I’ve never understood why you think you do.”
“That’s why you need me because you think you don’t.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
I could see her hesitating which piqued my interest a bit. She was being even more strange than usual.
“I know what happened with you and that girl Ella.”
I’m sure my eyes were as wide as they could go. As she stared at me, I felt red heat in my cheeks. “What did you say? How? How could you know?”
“A while back you were talking to Mother on the back patio. I came home to retrieve a file I had forgotten. When I saw Mother’s car parked out front, I thought I’d tell her hello.”
“And you eavesdropped.”
“Not deliberately.”
“How come you are just mentioning this now? That happened months ago.”
“How was I supposed to bring it up? You were clearly distressed. Anyway, I approved of the advice Mother gave you so I saw no need to bring it up and cause you further embarrassment.”
“You mean pain.”
She raised an eye, her expression baffled. “I know she hurt you – ”
” – I don’t know that.”
She paused for just a moment, her face downcast. “Do you remember when we were little? When we had, uh, special gifts?”
I barely gave her question a thought before shrugging.
“Do you remember the monster?”
Thinking back over our childhood, the mention of a monster rang a small bell, but I couldn’t seem to grasp at the memory like I wanted to.
“Vaguely, I guess, I remember some bad dreams I had about a monster.”
“A dream?” The corners of her mouth tugged downward into a frown.
“Is something wrong?”
“I can’t talk right now. I have to drop off some paperwork to the mayor’s office, then meet back up with Mother and Father. But we do need to talk as soon as possible.”
“You know where to find me.” Most of the time, anyway, I thought to myself as she left.
As I watched my sister get into her car and drive away, I began to wonder what she was talking about. A strange fragment of a memory rushed through my head so quickly, I couldn’t really decipher what it was. A monster? What could she possibly mean by that?
Author’s Note: Thank you, Bee, for the beautiful dance poses! You can find Bee’s story HERE and her pose pack site HERE.
Because my eyes are all goofed up still, I wasn’t able to get the ballet pics I wanted. I was planning a whole show, too. I just thought I should mention why there are only a couple pics of the ballet.
I had some requests to upload some of my sims, in particular, Elisabeth and Caroline Larochette, Marty’s sisters. You can find their links for downloading on my Downloads page. Thank you for your requests.
Thank you for reading and for your support,
Yay! So glad Ella got fired. Myung is a great dance mistress. Not only does she care about making the dancers look and perform well, but she actually cares about them as people.
Hmmm…I wonder who Holden was out with. Hoping to find out soon. The conversation between Holden and Rosetta had me cracking up. They are close but oh man, they love torturing each other. LOL.
Holden‘s new partner looks fabulous. And I love that opera house building. Where in the world did you find it?
Ella got fired! Woot woo! That’s a cause for celebration right there. 😀 I think Myung is on top of things.
I think you now know who Holden was out with. 😀 Shhhhh….. don’t tell. I just hope the answers were satisfying.
I love, too, when Holden and Rosetta torture each other. haha Holden rarely has the upper hand, so this was great for him.
That opera house can be found here: The Phantom’s Opera House. I loved playing this build!
Such a relief to see Ella fired! Beautiful opera set up. Everything seem to light up for Holden, he’s right about one thing – when you’re at your lowest, the only way is up! 🙂
Thank you. 🙂 Ella had to go! LOL Oh, I agree with you so much.
I am glad everything seems positive for Holden. A new partner Zelda who is in osmosis with, A ballet show which is a success. Ella fired and a new romantic interest.
Now there is the problem between Rosetta and Chris, haaa relashionships that beating around the bush are torture.
Thank you so much 🙂 You are so right about Rosetta and Chris’ relationship – or lack of one. LOL It is torture.
Everything seems to be very positive for Holden right now. 😀
I’m really curious about his mystery woman! In any case, whoever she is, she better treat him right. I’m glad that witch Ella got sacked. Wish she was persecuted too.
Rosetta, honey… your brother might have some problems, but he has a right not to share things with you. I wish she’d understand that, at some point.
Thank you so much, Violincat 🙂 I feel the same way about the mystery woman; she’d better treat him right. I agree with you about Ella.
Rosetta is clueless. Perhaps she will learn this in time. lol
I’m glad Holden is getting counseling for what happened! And Myung is awesome! I’m so happy she dealt with Ella, even though she really deserves more than getting fired, but Holden probably doesn’t want to pursue anything else.
Mystery woman! Could it be Stevie? Both her and Zelda are gorgeous, by the way.
Rosetta “accidentally” eavesdropped? I don’t buy it.
Thank you, Heather 🙂 I’m glad Holden is getting counseling, too. He seems like the type to me to do whatever it takes to feel better. Myung is pretty cool in game and I’m glad you like her. Ella does deserve more than being fired, I agree.
Could it be Stevie or Zelda? That’s a great guess! 😀 Holden is surrounded by single women. LOL
Yeah, don’t believe Rosetta. LOL You’re always better off keeping on your toes near her.
Oh, the first part was so sad 🙁 Where Holden mentioned that his incident would probably be dismissed — my friends and I were actually discussing this issue a few days ago, it’s maddening how these kind of incidents often don’t get taken seriously just because of gender. I’m glad, though, that Holden went to counselling, and that it helped him deal with this horrible situation.
Yes! Ella got fired! As Sempreviva said, she had an arrogant, ‘I do what I want’ mindset so I bet it was a shocker that for her that she actually got kicked out.
I also agree with Carys in that I’m super glad that Rosetta didn’t get chosen as heir. Her attitude is just insufferable, she’s way too nosy lol.
Ahhhhh I wonder who the new girl is! I’m very excited to find out 😀
Awesome chapter <3
Thank you so much. 🙂 What a coincidence that you and your friends were just talking about this subject. I think counseling was the best thing for Holden in the long run.
Ella is finished! lol That very much was her attitude. She had the diva trait and it showed.
Rosetta might have been difficult to bear if she was the heir instead of Holden. I definitely agree with you there.
You’ll find out who the mystery woman is very soon! 😀
This chapter make me so happy! New relationships can be so healing! Not just romantic ones, but friendships as well. I wouldn’t say it to Holden, but no matter who this nameless person is, I still believe in Fletcher. Maybe I should meet the girl before being so decisive. You just wrote Fletchers character so well! He was so interesting! Urgh, love this chapter. Screenshots are beautiful, by the way.
Thank you so much 🙂 You are very right about new relationships and friendships as well. And, I’m still a Fletcher fan, too. 😀 Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I’m so glad you love how Fletcher was portrayed. <3
Playing with Fire Non-Next
I’m so glad that Holden went to counseling and got the help he needed. Telling Marty was a good idea, although shame on Rosetta for eavesdropping! I understand that it happens and sometimes we can’t help it, but an apology would’ve been nice. The ballet scene was gorgeous!! His new dance partner is lovely. Ella deserved to be fired after what she did. I doubt this will be the last time we see her though, she’ll probably have unfinished business with Holden. Oooooh who is this mystery woman? Can’t wait to find out 😉
Thank you, Raymond 😀 I think Holden is doing everything he can not to fall into despair. It was a good thing he confided in Marty but I agree with the shame on you to Rosetta. She’s a little too nosy for her own good. lol
I’m glad you liked the ballet pics and also his new dance partner. Ella probably hasn’t taken being fired too well. lol She’s so self-absorbed, too, so she probably doesn’t even think she deserved it.
There is a mystery woman! 😀 I can’t wait until you find out who she is. 😀
I was sooo glad Ella was fired! She had the kind of attitude like yhe world belonged to her. Time to learn a lesson it seems. I hope Holden will be okay <3 It’s a very good step to go to counselling and not treat it lightly, as it’s with most cases.
A mystery girl… I wonder who she is! I can’t think of anyone right now since I think Rosetta has met everyone… oh, the suspense! I think I’m like Rosetta at this point, desperate to find out, lol!
Great chapter <3
Thank you so much 🙂 I think it was the only thing to do; fire Ella. You’re right about her attitude. Who needs that? lol I think Holden has taken some important steps in order to cope with this.
Yes, she is a mystery. But don’t put too much stock into it being someone Rosetta hasn’t met. We’re just seeing Holden’s perspective and he may not be accurate about that. 😀
OHH a mystery ?? lots of fun! I am super glad Holden is doing well in counseling … he seems to be making great progress!
!!
Thank you, Lisa. 🙂 He is doing very well. I’ve got a bonus post almost ready where he goes back to tell about his progress.
It’s a little mystery, but a fun one. 😀
I like Holden’s lovey dovey side. He’s such a goofball. I like it more than him being sad with all the drama falling on him! I wonder who this new lady is, though. Someone Rosetta has heard of but never met, huh? Couldn’t be another dancer. Seems like she knows most everyone in his line of work and it didn’t seem like she was a dancer. Hmm, maybe someone he met in counselling! We shall see, I suppose. Although, I’m still holding out hope for Fletcher. T_T Again, we shall see. Just like we shall see if this memory comes back to him. I was wondering when their mysterious powers would be mentioned again.
Thank you, Rosie. 🙂 I love Holden’s lovey-dovey side, too. He’s definitely a major goofball. haha If there is one thing about him (which I’ll elaborate in a future chapter), it’s that he can’t stay down for long. He’s a natural optimist so he is always going to put a spin on things so they don’t seem as bad as they really are.
Don’t put too much stock in the whole Rosetta hasn’t spoken to her before thing. Reason being, we’re only seeing Holden’s perspective and he may not even know if they spoke before or not. I know, I just keep throwing wrenches in everything. lol
I miss Fletcher, to tell you the truth. Never say never. 😀
Yes, these mysterious powers must be addressed. 😀
Oh, ‘don’t put too much stock in it’ you say! What an interesting clue. :O LOL
LOL I just mean, don’t discount anyone yet. LOL 😀
Gotta get my Scooby-Doo on and solve this mystery! 😛
LOL! You go, girl!
This was a great chapter. I think eventually Chris and Rosetta will get togehter. He just has to TELL her! She responds best to direct.
I can’t believe she fired Ella! Yay. And Zelda is gorgeous! So is Stevie for that matter. So the only clue we know of her identity is that she l owns of her but has never spoken to her. Hmmmm…. and I want to say it is Stevie, because she’s very comfortable with her body. And it seems like they are keeping it a secret so he didn’t talk to her after the performance. So that makes me wonder, if the two of the, connected, why it wouldn’t be her as his partner instead of Zelda. But didn’t they speak to Zelda? Hmmmm…I’m probably so far off….lol.
Thank you, Audrey 🙂 You are so right that Rosetta reacts the best when the person dealing with her is more straightforward. She doesn’t get into all that beating around the bush stuff.
Holden is going to have a flashback to catch everyone up on the details of what happened with Ella and how he’s able to let go of this and move on.
As far as the clue where Holden says Rosetta hasn’t spoken to her, I wouldn’t put too much stock in that as it is likely Holden really doesn’t know. lol We’re only hearing his side of the story and while he would not lie to the readers, he can only tell his perspective. I know, I just totally confused this all. haha
You’re not far off at all. It could be any of the women that have been introduced. There will definitely be more on that later. 😀
I am anxious to meet them. He seems to be falling hard and if she only wants FWB, that’s gonna be rough.
Holden loves to fall in love, that is what he’s like in game. Holden loooooves everyone. hahaha
I think you’re right that if this is just FWB on her part, he will be very disappointed because he invests so much into his relationships.
I can tell you… there is a reason this relationship is happening right now and why I can’t tell you who she is. 😀
Mystery!
Woot! 😀
Wow. So many little emotional packages piled on the table this time. Whew! What did (non-consensual; him wondering what his part in it really was; feelings of guilt and shame swirling around in their own “dance”) and didn’t happen (with him being “high” on painkillers there might not ever be 100% knowing of the situation which in itself leads to further guilt in itself; how much of it was real and how much was a mind-control game played on him ~ pretty sure something did happen but not sure how much since Ella seems to play fast with the facts) between him and Ella is going to be something Holden will work through for some time to come. GLAD he is going to a counselor.
Stevie and Zelda are both lovely ladies. Hope to see more of them in upcoming chapters … at least enough to get to know them a little bit better.
A mystery woman? Definitely did NOT expect that to happen. Good to know that he is able to move on and hopefully find a partner worthy of his time, effort and eventually love.
Rosetta is something else. I can’t believe she had the gall to eavesdrop instead of stepping away or making her presence known. Holden chose not to confide in her for a reason but she is too self-centered and self-absorbed to even consider that. She has to know everything about him/his life but does not keep the sharing on an equal footing. If she isn’t careful she could do irreparable damage to their relationship. Chris definitely falls into the love is blind category since he doesn’t seem to be concerned about her faults or is it she who is blind because she doesn’t see something good that is right in front of her.
Ah well. Time will reveal all. Thanks for another amazing chapter! To quote my daughter, “so many feels!!!”
Thank you so much, Addy. 🙂 Holden may never know the extent (or not) that Ella went to. She seems to relish the fact that she has something to lord over him.
Holden is healing really well from what he went through with Ella. In the near future, you’ll see how that happened for him.
Rosetta has all kinds of gall and doesn’t even realize on any level how extreme she is. You’re right that there is a reason Holden did not confide in her but she will never understand, I’m afraid. Perhaps she will but I don’t see it happening for a long while.
Chris is definitely in the love is blind category. I mean, the guy won’t give up when really, he probably would be better off with someone else.
Yes, my daughter says that, too. LOL 😀 I’m so glad you liked the chapter.
Ella did, didn’t she?
Looking forward to it. Holden is an interesting character and I don’t want him damaged beyond repair before he has a chance to fully tell his story.
I agree with you about Rosetta. And Chris. He needs to open his eyes and realize that you can’t make someone love you. They do or they don’t and by now it’s pretty obvious that she doesn’t.
I’m really enjoying writing Holden. And that is so true about Chris. Rosetta has made it pretty obvious she doesn’t think of him as someone to fall in love with. She has big plans and so, I think love is the last thing on her mind. Hopefully, Chris will stop wasting his time. lol
I am happy to see that Holden is in therapy. And that Ella was fired without question. I wonder if Holden wasn’t the first one she did that to.
Poor Chris. One day Rosetta will come to her senses, I hope. And I am dying to know who this mystery woman that Holden is with. I am just as annoyed as Roetta is. Female & Georgous doesn’t really narrow things down for us.
Thank you so much 🙂 I think Marty probably steered him toward therapy. That’s a good thought regarding whether Holden was the first guy to tangle with Ella. I’m leaning toward no because the company fired her. They’ve probably had at least some complaints before.
I hope Rosetta comes to her senses someday because Chris really has his heart set.
The mystery woman! haha I can’t wait till you see more of her and Holden.
I can’t wait either.
BTW- how are you feeling? Eyesight any better?
Unfortunately, it’s no better. Thank you for asking. 🙂 My new glasses are in, so hopefully, that will help. I’ve always had pretty good vision, so this has been a real drag. At least they ruled out major things that could have caused the drastic change, so that’s good.
A mystery woman!! I’m raking my brain trying to figure who it could be. And thank you, Jowita, for worrying about my grey hair with me!! lol! It’s so good to see Holden happy, again! Of course, as in life, there are more problems coming. I am curious about Rosetta bringing up the monster problem, and what concern they should have now.?! And good-riddance to Ella, she was such a witch(sp)! The ballet poses were great, and I like Holden’s new partner, too. Great chapter, lots left up in the air to ponder for a week! =D
Thank you, Marj. 🙂 Yes! A mystery woman! It could be anyone, the only hint is that you have seen her already. 😀
LOL at you and Jowita and those gray hairs! 😀
Holden is in a good place right now, thankfully. There will be more details in the near future as to how he got to where he is now.
Yes, that was strange that Rosetta brought that monster up. She is strange. LOL
Yeah, Ella is out of there!
I like Holden’s new partner, too. She is simply gorgeous.
Oh, I so feel for Holden in every phase. The vindication yet still feeling the guilt of what wasn’t his fault. It is a hard thing to work through. I’m wasn’t too surprised, yet slightly so, that he’s in a “relationship” with a girl this time Didn’t I remember him saying early on with Fletcher that it wasn’t his sex but him as a person he cared about? Was that here or did I get that from somewhere else?
Anyway, that Rosie. Why doesn’t Holden shut her up by pointing out that she’s so busy minding his business that she doesn’t see Chris is love with her? Ahhh family. Ya gotta love them.
Thank you, Jolie. 🙂 You hit the nail on the head with Holden feeling the vindication, yet guilty also even though it was out of his control. The relationship he has with this woman is due partly because of what happened to him. I can’t say more than that because I would be giving spoilers. LOL But there is a reason for this. And, yes, you did hear that here. In Holden’s first chapter, he talks about being attracted to the person regardless of their gender.
Oh yes, that Rosie, all right. If it had been me, I would have told her off about twenty times by now. Holden has learned to just brush her off. Maybe someday he will be fed up enough to let her have it. lol That’s so true about family. LOL
Honestly I think Rosetta was so wrong to have eavesdropped. She just doesn’t understand boundaries and such. I’m very glad now that Holden won because I don’t think I would have got on with Rosetta as heir. That sort of personality has always irked me, probably because I am so extremely opposite.
I’m so glad Holden doesn’t have to dance with Ella any more, and I wonder who this mystery girl is…
Thank you so much. 🙂 I think Rosetta was wrong to eavesdrop, too. And she just tells Holden like it’s no big deal. Rosetta would have been a challenge for sure if she’d won. lol
There will be more detail to how Holden has coped with the Ella issue in the near future. I’m glad he doesn’t have to dance with her anymore, too.
You did a great job capturing the excitement of opening night! I’m keeping my speculations about Holden ‘ s new amour to myself . When I mentioned in an earlier comment that I was grateful you were presenting this issue , it was Ella’s rape of Holden I was referring to . That’s an issue that deserves more attention . Non consensual sex is abuse, regardless of the sex of the agressor.
Thank you so much, CT! Oh, yes, I definitely will go back to deal with what happened to Holden. I know it feels as if I glossed over that at the beginning of the chapter. It was merely to stay on schedule with where I’m going. But I do want to delve more deeply into what happened to him and how difficult it’s been in the near future. Everything you said is right regarding this issue.
Actually , it seems to me like he (and you) are developing and dealing with the issue really well ! He is seeing a counselor , and he’s not shying away from relationships . He seems really healthy ! I get the impression that he’s always processing things deeply , even subconsciously , in true INFP fashion . It’s believable to me that much more is happening within him than we see in his journal ! Of course , if he does share these deeper processes through dance or writing , that will be amazing ! I trust the author !
Aww thank you so much. My idea was to do a bonus post of sorts where he is looking back at how far he’s come. Holden is really healthy at the moment and I think it’s a lot to do with having told his mother about what happened. I can imagine that Marty would have been by his side as soon as she found out; Xalen, too, really. I like that you called him an INFP because that really does seem to suit him. I’m an INFJ and so I really want to advocate for him. LOL Thank you again; this is an important conversation. 🙂
“I feel like my own body betrayed me.”
Wow. That’s really deep! But, it’s true. I’ve heard rape victims say things like that before.
“After a lot of prodding, I finally told her. Everything.”
Yay!! I’m proud of him.
gasp Ella was fired?? Weeeee! Somehow, however, I feel like we haven’t seen the last of her. I loooove Zelda! She’s so beautiful!
Oh yay! Zelda got the part! Woot!
The Drunk Cat Bar?? LOL
Those bed pics of Holden were great…and not because he has awesome pecs LOL. Artistically, they were amazing! Go you! I should spend more time making artistic decisions like that.
Oooh! We know Holden’s mystery woman?
Wow, he doesn’t remember the monster? And what does that have to do with Ella?
Seeing your new layout with fresh eyes was a treat. I love it! 😀
Thank you so much, Jes2G 🙂 I really thought that he’d feel that way about his body. I’m glad he told her, too and that Ella was fired. There will be more about this in the near future.
I really like Zelda, too. And yes, it’s called The Drunk Cat Bar because I could not think of a name. hahaha
Thank you so much for what you said about the bed pics. I worked on those for a while and I’m glad I didn’t waste my time. 😀
Yes, you know Holden’s mystery woman. There are a lot of single women in the picture right now. lol
No, he’s forgotten everything about the monster and just remembers he had bad dreams as a kid. There will be more on this in the future, too.
Thank you! I’m so glad you like the layout. <3
Yay for Ella being fired! Did she step on a Lego brick yet, though? Because I’m petty enough to still want that 😀 Yay for going to counselling as well because it really is true – that kind of thing happens to men yet, and in a vast majority of cases it’s not taken seriously. It’s horrible that it has to be that way.
Oh but it is SO MEAN not to tell us who that girl is! But Holden is really happy with her, so that’s really nice 🙂 And so funny how he’s finally knows something Rosetta doesn’t 😛
This was great as always, even if you’re being a little mean to us! 😀 <3
Thank you, Louise. 🙂 Ella had to go! I think she stepped on a whole set of lego bricks. 😛 You’re not the only petty one here haha
I think that’s horrible, too. I’d like to delve a bit more into what he’s going through regarding counseling, so look for that in the near future. 🙂
I don’t mean to be mean. LOL 😀 Well, I kind of knew it was mean not to reveal who this woman is. Holden really is happy with her, though, it’s true. I kind of want to get a feel for this relationship before I reveal who it’s with.
And yes! Holden finally gets the upper hand. He needs to enjoy this while he can because it probably won’t last for long. lol
It’s really nice that they took it seriously and kicked her out. She deserves everything she gets!
I’m looking forward to hearing more about his counselling then, and about the mystery woman of his! 🙂
Rosetta is a crafty one so yeah, he won’t be on top for long 😉
I’m thinking the company’s reaction might be based on the fact that there have been complaints about Ella before. Otherwise, I’m not sure she would have been fired, sadly.
I am working on Holden’s therapy thing and I think it will explain a lot about why he can put this in the past and move on.
LOL You’re right about Rosetta. That’s why he has to take advantage whenever he can. haha
No, I’m afraid you’re right 🙁 that kind of thing doesn’t necessarily lead to consequences, sadly.
There’s so much good stuff to come it sounds like. I can’t wait! 😀
I can’t wait, too. 🙂
I’m glad that Holden has counsellor now. This should help him feel better about what happened with Ella. Wow, they really praise him there that she was fired. Myung must trust him. I am glad that at least he won’t have to be near her now.
Zelda is truly gorgeous.
What is it with this mysterious girl? See, I was right when I said you were going to give Marj more gray hairs. You are keeping us on the edge of our sits with her identity. I wonder who this might be. Not Zelda since Rosetta talked to her. Hm… No idea about that for now, but she seems to make Holden happy, so that’s good.
I can’t believe Rosetta eavesdropped. This girl! I hope Ella is not this monster reborn or something 😮 I can’t wait to find out what she had to say to him.
Thank you, Jowita 🙂 I’d like to focus more on Holden and how he’s really doing with counseling, so look for that in an upcoming chapter. I decided not to get too deeply into it right now because I had to introduce the new mystery woman. lol
I was surprised and please when I made Zelda. She turned out way better than I first thought. lol I think she and Holden will make a good dancing pair. We’ll go back to Julie in the near future, too. I have lots of loose ends to tie up. haha
Rosetta kills me. I don’t know how she can stay out of trouble with everything she does. LOL It’s like she has eyes and ears everywhere.
Hurray Myung for firing her! I could imagine that in the real ballet world she wouldn’t, especially since he’s a guy. Suck it up kinda thing. But his new partner looks fabulous. Those ballet poses were awesome!
I am pleased you made Rosetta and Holden the kind of twins that are close but acidic to one another. That whole conversation after he came home from being out all night, had me laughing! Just dying to know who the new person is….hints would be appreciated!
Oh that opera house building was so grand too!
Thank you, Bee. 🙂 That is an interesting thought as to whether Ella would have been fired in a real ballet company or not. I’d like to think she would be. All of your ballet poses are incredibly good! 😀 I’m so pleased you made them for me.
Rosetta and Holden do have a strange kind of relationship. Finally, Holden was privy to information his nosy twin didn’t have. lol I’m glad you thought that part was funny. Holden rarely gets the upper hand with her so he had to milk it for all it was worth.
Hints on who he’s involved with? Hmmm…. I’ll think about it. 😀 😀
LOL, maybe if I bash my eyelids…oh no matter, I will find out soon enough when I edit the chapter..hahhahaha
LOL This is true! 😀