Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I nod. “I want you all to know that this will be my last performance. I will not be returning next season.”
As much as I anticipated the rush of questions the team would have, I still don’t know how to answer them. I definitely don’t have an answer to the one question that is inevitable.
Amanda, one of the junior cheerleaders is the one to ask it. “What will you be doing?”
I force a smile. “I’m looking into a few things. I haven’t made any decisions yet.”
Despite my marketing degree, dance is the only thing I’ve known. And it’s the only thing I no longer want to do.
Maybe I can run my own business or join the corporate workforce. I can wear shift dresses and pantsuits. Oh, and high heels. Not that I don’t own some gorgeous footwear, I just never have a chance to wear it.
Cassie finishes off the team chat and sends everyone off to warm up.
I’m a little sad, but I am also looking forward to the end of the week. Friday night I’m going to finally take advantage of Sin City. There will be alcohol, and carbs. And who knows, maybe even a one-night stand.
“Amelia Montgomery will be in Vegas, too.” Cassie sits next to me, mimicking me as I stretch. “Her husband is attending some convention and she’s taking the opportunity to join the team since she’s one of our named sponsors.”
“That is so cool.”
Amelia Montgomery sponsors the team’s cosmetic products. She started as a beauty and fashion vlogger. Her following had grown so much, leading to the industry sitting up and taking note. She was a successful influencer and had her own line of beauty products.
“She’ll be using a few of you for a video or two on show make-up.” Cassie rests back on the blue mat. “She may know someone looking for a temporary assistant. If you’d like, I can put in a good word for you. It may not be ideal, but she’s based in Seattle and it will give you time to figure out where you fit in.”
What do I have to lose? Amelia, or Lia as she prefers to be called, works in a world that is different enough from my own to give me a new perspective. And adjacent enough that I won’t drown completely.
“I would like that,” I say. “Are the two of you friends?”
Cassie waves her hand dismissively. “We went to the same high school. Overlapped for a few years. Still travel in similar circles.”
Lilly walks up to us holding a gift bag. She pulls out a box of condoms and hands it to Cassie. “Here you go. This week’s irresponsible behavior is sponsored by a condom manufacturer.”
“What the hell?” I take the gift bag from Lilly and peek inside. “How exactly are you supposed to advertise these?”
Lilly scrunches up her face. “Maybe if one of us hooked up with a hunky convention nerd, we should let our followers know we stayed safe with their product.”
Cassie takes another box out of the bag and passes it to me. “You’re single now. Get yourself a rebound guy.”
Lilly nods and smiles. “Now that you got rid of Mr. Stick-Up-His-Ass maybe you could find Mr. Hunky-Convention-Nerd this week.”
“What hunky convention nerd?”
Lilly rolls her eyes. “There’s a conference on sustainable development at the same hotel where the competition is being held. Bunch of science nerds trying to make the world a better place.”
I narrow my eyes and take the condoms. “You know, hooking up with a science nerd may be exactly what I need to close off this phase of my life.”
Justin
One of the perks of having a bit more money is being able to travel in comfort. I’m doing more than my bit to save my planet; I refuse to compromise on a little legroom. And at six-foot-three, I need plenty of legroom. And if that means having the hotel send a luxury car to shuttle me and my friends from the airport, so be it.
Of course, this wasn’t always the case. After my parents and aunt and uncle died, my grandfather took me and my brother, as well as my two cousins in. Five people squeezed into a tiny two bedroom apartment was not fun. And probably the reason I valued my own space now that I can afford it.
I switch off the podcast and pull my AirPods from my ears as we arrive outside the hotel. It isn’t one of the larger ones in Las Vegas, but it is hosting the conference I’m attending. And since I don’t plan on spending much time socializing, I don’t see any need to book into a different hotel just because it costs more. The one I’m staying in has everything I need.
“Justin, when’s your panel speaking?” My friend, Wyatt Crawford sits in the seat across from me, with his wife, Lia, sitting next to him. “I want to make sure I’m there.”
I’ll be a panelist for one of the sessions at the Sustainable Development Convention. Wyatt’s attending the conference for a different reason. He’s an architect and his clientele is becoming more aware of solar energy and living as much off-the-grid as they can. He mostly renovates homes that were built nearly five decades ago when saving the planet just wasn’t a priority.
“I have two sessions.” I open the door, allowing Lia and Wyatt to step out first. “One tomorrow morning, and one on Thursday afternoon.
My priority is creating affordable inner-city housing that’s off-the-grid. It wasn’t a new concept, but it did require a huge investment with a low and slow return. And after a lot of
