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

He’s petting behind Lou’s ears when he hears a text come through, and he picks up his phone. It’s from Prisha. She wants him to meet her friend Cade in two days, on a Friday, in a coffee shop called The Leafy Bean, and Arkady feels that slight swirl of nervousness again.


Walking into the crowded coffee shop, Arkady feels sick and ready to run away. He’s nervous, and this isn’t even a date. He thinks about turning tail and hobbling away as fast as he can and apologizing to Prisha for standing her friend up. But his parents didn’t raise a coward, and with their voices in his head, he looks for the corner table he was told to go to.


Chapter 17