Aurelia Knight

She twirls over a pointe, majestic and irresistible, translating her pain into art. I watch her every day from the shadows, waiting for the time to strike. One move to the next, she's a star, my Marcella.

My back end spins out as I pull down an alley that's nearly too tight for the car to pass. My grip on the stick shift tightens as I drop gears. Trash cans hit the bumper and fly over the top of the vehicle, but I can't stop.

I think I hate my husband, but I’m trying very hard not to. He leaves me for hours, days on end. His friends don’t know I exist, and even after three years of marriage, we’ve still never been intimate… Does he keep me close just so he can hurt me? So he can show me he owns me like my father used to?

His eyes stick to me, burning my skin as I twirl across the stage. My legs ache with exhaustion, and my head spins, but his hunger pushes me to excellence. His voice echoes in my mind with each step, reminding me that my best isn't enough anymore.