Chapter 27
Her heart pounded fiercely as she came to an end and was startled as she heard soft clapping coming from behind her. She whirled around to find Nick standing in the doorway clapping. Shaking her head, Nyla walked over and turned the CD off, grabbing the towel she'd set on the bed and started wiping at her face before turning back to Nick. "Nick, what are you doing out of bed? You should be resting." She announced, struggling to bring her breathing down to normal, it seemed her heart wouldn't stop racing even though she wasn't dancing anymore.
"That was beautiful."
"You look a little pale, how do you feel?" She asked, walking up to him placing a hand over his forehead, he didn't feel warm. "Nauseous?"
"It's been so long since I've seen you dance."
"Go back to bed Nick, you need to get your strength back, it's been a long night for you."
"I've really missed your dancing you know."
"Come on, into bed with you. I don't want you to..." She started, urging him back out the door.
Nick stopped, turning to look at her. "Why'd you stop?" He whispered.
She stilled, looking away. "Go on Nick."
"No, answer me Nyla, why'd you stop? Why when dancing was everything to you? When you were so good at it, I saw the look in your eyes when you were dancing, how happy it made you. Why'd you give it up?"
"Nick please..."
"I've never seen you as happy as when you danced. Why Nyla? Why'd you stop?" He insisted.
He had to know, had to know why she'd stopped, why it seemed like she'd given up on something as special as that.
"I never gave it up Nick!" She announced.
"Then what?"
Nyla stared at him a moment before responding. "I was no longer inspired."
He blinked, whatever he was expecting, it wasn't that.
"You weren't inspired?"
"That's right."
"I don't get it."
She raised an eyebrow. "You do know what inspiration is right Nick?"
He stared at her blandly. "Of course I know what..." He took a breath. "What I meant was, what inspired you so much that doesn't anymore?"
"Things Nick, things change, circumstances change. People loose their inspiration everyday, that drive that makes them do the things they do and then there's just nothing."
"But what was it? Can you get it back?"
Nyla laughed harshly. "I don't think so Nick."
Nick frowned. "Do you even want it back?"
She shrugged. "Doesn't matter now. I don't dance anymore, I'm out of practice and I'm happy with what I'm doing now."
"Are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Happy? Are you truly happy with your life and what you're doing right now?"
Nyla looked at him; he really had no idea.
"Well? Are you?"
"Let me by Nick."
"What inspired you Nyla?" He whispered.
Nyla hesitated, shaking her head. "I don't wanna talk about this anymore. Come on." She brushed past him into his room. "Come on Nick, back into bed."
Nick turned, looking at her as she made up his bed, getting it ready for him to get back into. Why hadn't she answered? What didn't she want to tell him? Was it some secret what inspired her that she couldn't tell him?
He frowned; she looked almost pained about it, like it hurt to think about it. What could it be?
