Paris was beautiful in photographs.

In real life, it was also stairs, uneven pavement, crowded trains, unfamiliar signs, and a leg that began aching long before Audrey wanted it to.

Her first week taught her that independence was not the same thing as ease.

O

Audrey's first session with the movement specialist lasted less than forty minutes.

It exhausted her more than some full days at school.

They did not begin with dance. They began with weight shifts.

How much pressure she could place through the injured leg without

The morning was colder than Audrey expected.

Wind moved across the open plaza and caught the red skirt before the camera was even ready.

The wardrobe assistant laughed. "At least the dress is doing half the choreography for you."

Audrey smiled, but her hands were c