"W–why? Why would you raise your hand on me, Teacher?" Zara finally spoke as the sting and disbelief wore off.
Melissa drew a shaky breath, her voice cracking under frustration. "I gave you the grace of a night, Zara—and you dared not show up for three whole nights! Do you even understand how much time we've lost?" she snapped.
Zara paced back and forth on the pavement, her fists clenched at her sides, trying to suppress the heat rising in her chest.
"I told you I quit. I was clear about it. I wasn't joking then, and I'm not joking now," she said, keeping her voice as even as she could, though every syllable trembled with restraint.
No matter how much she loved ballet, something had to give. Right now, it was this.
A flicker of fear flashed across Melissa's face. Her voice trembled as she stepped closer. "You can't quit. That wasn't what we discussed."
