Arkady has dedicated his life to the world of ballet. He is known as the bad boy of the dance world, and is an ever rising star. Then he gets injured in what is at first thought to be a tragic accident but turns out to be so much worse. He's lost ballet, and his life feels unbalanced. A friendship with his no-nonsense physical therapist starts him on a new path. He has her friendship, a more honest relationship with his parents, his beloved dog Lou and, for the first time, maybe love in the form of an artist with a disability of his own. But the past isn't done with him yet.

Rise Again

“Yes, you’ll have a limp. Listen, I don’t like to be harsh, but I don’t want to give you false hope. An injury this severe, even if the damage heals well, there will always be weakness and some pain. I’ll refer you to people who can help you deal with that, find a pain management scheme that will help you.” Dr. Ali looks like she feels bad about what she’s saying, and Arkady gets the random thought of wondering if this is the worse news she’s given today. Permanent weakness: his career is over, but he has to be sure.


“You’re saying I won’t be able to dance anymore, aren’t you?” Arkady asks her.


“I’m so sorry, but yes. The height you hit your head from could have killed you. You could have been paralyzed. Your dancing career is, unfortunately, over.” Dr. Ali sounds like she’s trying to make him feel better, but her words make him feel worse. He feels like he’s suddenly been passed a weight, and he doesn’t know why, and he can’t put it down


Chapter 4