I let my eyes fall closed as I feel the music wash over me. I haven’t enjoyed dancing like this in forever. To be able to move how I want. Exhaustion or hunger were always eating at me, distracting me from what I was supposed to do. Now I’m not worried that my mom could walk in at any time and yell at me for doing something wrong. Even more, I love that Noah is watching. I can feel his eyes on me. I wonder what he’s thinking. Does he like what he’s seeing?

I stop moving as the song comes to an end but let my eyes stay closed as my head falls back. I don’t think I have ever felt so free before. Even though I know I’m on an island, I’m already sad another day is almost over. Another day closer to when I will have to leave this paradise.

“That was the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen,” I hear Noah say in his deep voice. I open my eyes to see he’s standing right in front of me, with a look I can’t read on his face.

“You really like it? It’s not my normal stuff like my Mom—”

“It was the best I’ve ever seen,” he says, cutting me off. “I can’t imagine what it will be like when you start to blossom even more while you’re here.”

I smile up at him. It’s been forever since I’ve had a teacher actually tell me they like a dance I’ve made on my own. Not one that was designed for me. The praise makes every part of my body come alive even more.

“It’s that what I’m doing here? You’re supposed to teach me that?” I ask. Noah doesn’t look like any instructor or teacher I’ve ever had. He doesn’t even look like a man who would go to the ballet. “You are my teacher, right?” None of this is really making much sense.

Maybe we just haven’t begun our training yet. I have only been here for thirty-six hours.

He reaches out and grabs the bow that’s tied in my hair, pulling it free. My long dark hair falls loose down my back, and he watches it settle in glossy waves.

“I like your hair down when you dance,” he says, avoiding my question, something that seems to be common around here.

“Me too. My mom makes me keep it up.”

“I’m not sure I like the things I’ve been hearing about your mother.”

I want to say that makes two of us, but for all I know he reports stuff back to her, so I bite my lip.

He steps in a little closer, his hand still playing with the ribbon that was in my hair. His other hand comes to my cheek. His thumb brushes across my lips, and a faint memory of him placing his lips to mine last night when he put me to bed flutters through my mind. I can’t tell if it was real or a dream.

“I will teach you many things, little star.” He has that look on his face that I can’t read. His eyes seem even darker than I remember. They’re a contrast to the softness of his touch on my cheek and lips. “Now go freshen up, then I’ll feed you.”

Instead of doing as he asks, I stand there. My feet feel like they are rooted to the ground. I don’t want to go. I like the closeness of his touch. I’m not used to anyone touching me. I try to lean into him more, tilting my head back a little. He takes a deep breath and steps back. The movement makes a loneliness that I’d forgotten for a moment come rolling back. I had thought for a second that it wouldn’t have followed me here, but I guess I was wrong.

“Go, or I’ll never get you fed,” he tells me as his hand drops away from me. I feel myself start to blush at what I was doing. Embarrassment creeps in a little. Why would a man like him want to kiss me? He probably sees me as a silly little girl. Like my mom always says I am.

I turn and half run from the room, heading back to my own quarters. I hear him call my name, and I start to run faster. When I get to my room I go to lock the door but see the door doesn’t have one. I escape to the bathroom when I hear him call my name again, but this time he’s closer.

The bathroom door doesn’t have a lock either. What the heck? I mumble a curse to myself and decide to flip on the shower, thinking maybe that will stop him from coming in.

But he doesn’t.

The bathroom door flies open, and he’s standing there with a look of anger on his face.

“You don’t run from me,” he snaps out, making me take a step back. The retreat only seems to further darken his expression.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, dropping my eyes to the floor. My embarrassment only grows. My mother is totally right. I do need to grow up. I can’t even face confrontation.

When I feel his hand once again cup my cheek, I close my eyes. He tilts my head back so that I have no choice but to look at him. Even still, I try not to.

“Look at me, little star.” His words are soft and don’t match the anger I saw in his face moments ago. I do as he commands, my eyes opening to see his face holds none of that anger any longer.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I just don’t like you running from me,” he tells me. He leans down, and I freeze, not sure what he’s going to do. But just as I’m about to tilt my lips to his, he brushes a soft kiss on my forehead. “Take your shower, then come join me for dinner. Maybe we can watch a movie afterwards, if you like.”

“That sounds nice,” I tell him. It actually sounds more than nice.

“I’ll even let you pick the movie,” he adds, making me smile.

“Can we eat and watch the movie? I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“We can do anything you want.”

I want to tell him I want him to kiss me, to ask if the kiss I dreamed about really happened, but instead I just nod. He places another kiss on my forehead before turning to leave. And somehow, with his reassurance, I’m more confused than I was before.