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

“Come on, let’s get you inside, get your head looked at and call the cops,” Prisha says firmly, but there’s a slight shake in her voice. Arkady gets what she must have seen: a man knock him to the ground and stand over him, about to do God knows what.


“Did you see what he hit me with?” Arkady asks as Prisha puts an arm around him and they start walking.


“I saw metal on his knuckles, like brass knuckles. You never should have run after him, Arkady,” Prisha says as they reach the door and some concerned looking people smoking, and just for a moment, Arkady misses smoking, wishes he could have one to calm his nerves.


Cade sees them coming in and rushes over with his mother.


“What happened? Did you fall?” Cade asks, instantly in Arkady’s space, good hand checking for injuries, fingers pressing over the lump already forming on Arkady’s forehead.


“He was attacked again. The man drove away, but I saw him. We need to call the police,” Prisha says firmly.


Chapter 35