Dance Only With Me

The next morning, Maya set out for the frozen lake with fresh energy and a determination stronger than ever. Her grandmother's ruby bracelet embraced her wrist, glinting under the soft morning light. The cold wind bit at her cheeks, but the fire within her burned even brighter. Day after day, she pushed herself harder, gliding across the ice with unwavering focus. Yet, with every spin and every leap, she could feel it—something was missing. A hollow gap that no amount of effort seemed able to fill.

Time and again, she whispered to herself, "I won't give up… I have to keep going."

That day, as she braved a challenging spin in the center of the lake, she suddenly felt it—a presence. Someone was watching her. She steadied herself and glanced toward the distance. A man stood still, cloaked in a thick black coat, a moss green cap pulled low, and a dark scarf concealing his mouth and nose. A heavy shadow settled over Maya's heart.

For a moment, fear crept up her spine. But then, clenching her fists, she inhaled deeply. No—she wasn't going to run anymore. With steady, determined strides, she skated straight toward the figure.

As she drew closer, the man's silhouette sharpened… until her gaze fell upon the knitted scarf. Her breath caught in her throat—it was the same scarf she'd seen countless times at home.

Her lips trembled. "Father…?"

Silence.

The man turned around without a word. Maya's heart ached as she approached, but her father didn't even glance at her. He simply walked away… farther and farther… until the trees swallowed him whole.

Frozen in place, Maya stood there, breathless, her gaze fixed on the emptiness he left behind. Then, suddenly, her composure crumbled. She slumped onto a wooden bench by the lakeside, tore off her skates, and slammed them hard against the ground.

"Damn it… not now… why now…?"

Her tear-filled eyes turned skyward, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Grandma… help me… what do I do?"

With heavy steps, she made her way home, her mind swirling with dread. What could she say? How could she explain?

Halfway home, she passed by the little village library. A flash of gold caught her eye—the cover of a book she had often seen in her grandmother's hands. Its title shimmered in sunlight: "Hope Walks Hand in Hand with Courage."

She paused. For a moment, she hesitated… and then, with a newfound resolve, continued home.

Stepping into the house, tension thickened the air. Her father sat with a hardened expression, arms crossed, while her mother carried a cup of coffee, her eyes sad and distant.

Maya placed her skates quietly by the door, took a deep breath, and stood before her father.

"Dad… please, before you say anything… hear me out."

Her father didn't lift his head. "There's nothing left to say. You've already chosen to defy me."

"No… I… I just… because I love—"

His booming voice cut her off as he shot to his feet, fury spilling over.

"Love? What love? That damned skating? You knew I hated it, and you still went back to it!"

Her mother's voice trembled, "Honey… calm down… the neighbors will hear."

Maya swallowed hard, but stayed rooted. "Grandma always dreamed I'd reach the Olympics… with my success, we could finally change our lives…"

Her father waved his hands angrily. "That same skating destroyed my family! My childhood was nothing but hardship because my mother chased that same foolish dream. Now you want to follow in her footsteps?"

"The world is different now… you can reach the world with just a phone…"

"Enough! You sound just like her—always dreaming, always chasing illusions. From now on, no more practice, no more skating, no more dreams. Focus on life… get married."

Maya blinked in shock. "What? Marriage?"

"Girls your age are already married… some even have children. You're over thirty… I thought you were smart enough to know right from wrong. But now… I have no hope left for you."

"No… I'm not getting married. Not until I reach my dream… not ever."

Her father stormed away, grabbing her skates and locking them inside a cabinet. The metallic click of the key echoed through the living room.

"It's over. No more skating. No more practice. No more nonsense."

Turning to her mother, Maya's voice quivered. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Her mother only sighed. "Your father has made his decision… I can't change it."

Defeated, Maya dragged herself to her room, slamming the door behind her. She collapsed onto her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her grandmother's words haunted her: "Your father must never find out…"

Her eyes landed on the dusty purple book resting by her bedside—"Hope Walks Hand in Hand with Courage."

She reached for it, her hands trembling. Flipping to the first page, her heart warmed at the sight of her grandmother's handwriting:

"You were my first and last act of courage… Yang."

Her grandfather's name. Her throat tightened.

She spent hours lost in the pages—stories of people who dared to defy convention, people who listened to their hearts and forged their own paths despite everyone's doubts.

Night fell. Her mother's soft knock broke the silence.

"Maya… you haven't eaten all day… come have dinner."

"I'm not hungry, Mom… I'm busy."

"Please… don't do this to yourself… your father's serious this time."

But Maya simply turned another page, silent and determined.

By dawn, she had finished the book, her fingers tracing over the dedication again, her tears quietly falling.

"Thank you, Grandma… you're still guiding me."

The house was quiet when she tiptoed into the living room. She opened her father's computer and searched for the Silver House Academy. Her gaze stopped at a single sentence: "Courage is the price of entry."

She whispered to herself, "Then it's time to be brave."

The admission process was daunting—no video auditions, no guarantees, just a costly in-person interview with no promise of success.

She muttered, "Grandma… what did you see in this Leon Victor anyway…"

But then, her eyes fell on her grandmother's bracelet, and a fierce determination returned.

"No… I won't let regret follow me."

She submitted her application and received an interview appointment for the following week.

Taking a deep breath, she clenched her fists. "Now… I need to get my skates back… and make a plan… the library will be my excuse to reach the capital."

For the first time in her life, her eyes burned with rebellion.

As the first rays of sunlight poured through the curtains, Maya heard her parents waking. She calmly set the breakfast table, laid out bread, cheese, and steaming tea. Her father blinked in surprise as she greeted him with a soft smile.

"Good morning… have some breakfast. I'll be heading to the library after."

Her father's voice was skeptical. "The same library routine again?"

She smiled, her voice steady. "No… today, I'm really going to the library."

For two days, everything seemed normal. She left early, stayed out all day. But on the third morning, after her parents left the house, Maya doubled back. She stood in her father's study, took out a small wrench, and whispered, "Time to reclaim my freedom."

She worked on the locked drawer, but when it finally popped open, her skates were gone.

"No… they were supposed to be here…"

She searched every corner, growing more desperate with each passing second. Finally, she returned to her room, defeated.

That evening, her mother walked into her room, quietly placed the skates on the chair, and said softly, "Your father said we can't force you. Life is yours to decide."

Without waiting for a response, she left, leaving Maya staring between the door and her skates, a bittersweet smile tugging at her lips.

Her first step towards freedom… had finally begun.