Melissa's confidence grew and grew. By Spring semester she was still bright, intelligent, quirky but now had confidence as well. Not arrogance or even conceit she just was no longer the little girl being put down by a jealous, insecure mother. In fact I would say she was doing better at college than me. Her sweet, happy disposition and nature remained, but she was no longer self conscious or anxious. Ballet had refined her body and also given her a gracefulness and confidence she never had. Some girls who train in ballet are actually very awkward outside class- they have that 'duck walk' or strange appearance. That's usually the ones who over train, who are too focused and stressed about it and probably starving themselves. But a healthy dose of ballet -- with all of its emphasis on balance, gracefulness and strength, usually has a very positive effect in and out of class. It certainly did with Melissa.
We both became so busy we didn't see as much of each other. I was at the dance studio for hours on end. I was the most advanced student -- even of those a two or three years my junior and had practically become a teacher's assistant. I was assistant choreographing a piece we were going to perform at the end of the year. The arts center was on a different part of campus. So I rarely saw Melissa except on 'date nights' and she was wrapped up in academics as well having become a lab assistant and was applying for summer internships. She still danced -- she'd go crazy without it she said. But the classes she took were not part of the professional program I was in.
One warm spring day, from across the quad, I caught sight of her. A light blue, stretch velvet top and bright white leggings. You have to be confident to dress like that and you have to have the body, and the confidence and grace to pull it off. I cut across the quad to catch up with her, and approached from behind. The white made her ass look so good. Only close, in the right light, could I see the faint trace of her black thong panties underneath. She walked with grace and each gentle sway of her hips and moving of her ass made me want to dive in.
I was going to catch up to her but stopped. I started to realize two things. One Melissa was growing and thriving in this environment but I was faltering. It was perfect for her -- an academic college -but for me it was stifling. I was the best dancer in the school by far. Better than some of the instructors. That's not because I was great -but because I was in a less competitive program. I wanted to be a professional I had to go where the professionals were and get used to not being the best, but the worst in the class again. I had to get out of a safety zone I created for myself.
Later, after thinking about a few days, I knocked on Melissa's dorm room. She was studying and I can tell she was busy, and for the first time, I detected she didn't want me there. Not out of being selfish but because she was so enthralled in her work. She gave me the time though and as always was sweet about it.
I decided to leave our school at the end of the year to pursue a professional dance career. Melissa was sad when I announced it but also she realized it was true too -- we had grown and were continuing to grow as young women and it wasn't in the same direction.
I told her about seeing her on the quad and how hot she looked but that I realized we were different people now. She was surprised that I didn't' talk to her, but I think she understood; I knew she had grown out of our love. Not because she was selfish or anything else -- on the contrary it would be a lie for both of us to continue. We were in each others lives for an important time but that time had past.
I asked if she was going to be taking dance classes in our home town over the summer but she said no she was staying on here to intern. We both started to cry because we both knew it was time to move on for both of us. We hugged for awhile and said nothing. Then after a few minutes I looked at her stroking her cheek.
