CHRIS STURNIOLO IMAGINES

The Spark in the Baby Blue Dress

I don't remember exactly when I first noticed her, but I remember that day—the first time I saw Y/N. I was just a kid, no older than ten or eleven, and I had no idea what would happen. The community center was buzzing with the usual Saturday chaos—kids racing around, laughing, playing tag, and the sweet scent of popcorn wafting from the snack bar. My younger brother was off at his little league event, and Matt, Nick, and I had tagged along to support him. It was supposed to be a typical Saturday until I entered that auditorium.

I had gone in there to escape the noise, to find a moment of quiet, and what I saw was something completely unexpected.

A dance recital.

I didn't know who these kids were or why they were performing, but one of them immediately caught my attention. A girl, a little older than the others, moved across the stage so gracefully that it felt like the room was holding its breath.

She wore a baby blue dress. The soft, pastel fabric swirled around her as she spun, her ponytail bouncing with every turn, but there was something about her—how she felt the music, how it seemed to flow through her—that stopped me in my tracks.

She was alive in a way that made everything else fade into the background.

Her smile lit up the entire room as she danced, and in that moment, I couldn't look away. I had no idea who she was—I didn't even know her name—but something about her captivated me, a magnetism that I didn't understand but couldn't ignore.

The recital ended, and the crowd's applause filled the air, but I didn't move. I watched her disappear off the stage, feeling something I couldn't explain.

And then, just like that, life moved on.

I didn't think about the girl in the baby blue dress again—not until years later when our paths crossed in high school, and I realized that the girl I had unknowingly admired from the sidelines was now my best friend.

We'd all grown up in the same neighborhood, but our paths had only really crossed when Matt and Nick became friends with her. Y/N. That was her name. The quiet girl with a sharp wit, the kind of person who could make anyone laugh without even trying. She was a little mysterious, always calm, with an almost ethereal quality that made her stand out from the crowd. I'd gotten to know her over time, and we all became inseparable. But there was one thing I never told anyone—not even Matt or Nick—the memory of the girl in the baby blue dress stayed with me.

One summer afternoon, we were all hanging out at Y/N's house. It was one of those easy days when the hours passed in a blur of laughter and stories. We were sitting in her living room, discussing everything and nothing at all, when Y/N casually mentioned her childhood dance recitals.

"I don't know if you guys have ever seen me dance," she said, almost off hand, "but I used to do a lot of recitals when I was younger. Maybe I'll show you guys some of my old routines sometime."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I froze, my mind going blank, as a flood of memories rushed back: the recital, the baby blue dress, and her.

"You used to dance?" I asked, my voice suddenly thick with surprise. I couldn't even believe the words coming out of my mouth.

Y/N, clearly puzzled by my reaction, nodded. "Yeah, I was in ballet for years when I was younger, and I did some jazz and contemporary, too. Why?"

I shook my head, trying to shake off the overwhelming nostalgia. "No reason. I just... didn't know that."

"Well, it's been a while," she said, smiling, brushing off my weird reaction. "But I still remember a lot of the moves. I can show you guys one of my old routines if you want."

Matt, Nick, and I exchanged looks, unsure what to expect. We weren't exactly known for our dancing skills, but we were always game for something new, especially regarding Y/N.

"Let's see it!" Matt said, clearly excited at the prospect.

Y/N stood up, pushing the coffee table aside, and smiled as she prepared to dance. "Okay, well, I'm not going to do the whole thing," she said with a laugh. "But I'll show you the one I always loved performing."

The music started, and a soft melody played from her playlist. And then she moved.

I was frozen and completely captivated.

There was something so... fluid about her movements. Like the music wasn't just something she was dancing to—it was something she was living that poured out of her without effort. I watched her twirl and spin, and in that moment, I saw her—really saw her—for the first time.

The girl in the baby blue dress.

She wasn't wearing that dress now, of course. She was in jeans and a T-shirt, casual and beautiful as ever. But in my mind, she was the girl I had seen perform years ago. That grace, that rhythm—it all came rushing back, and I realized something I hadn't fully acknowledged until that moment: I was falling for Y/N.

When the dance ended, Y/N stood, a little breathless but smiling, as Matt, Nick, and I applauded.

"That was amazing, Y/N!" Matt exclaimed.

"Yeah, you're seriously talented," Nick added.

Y/N laughed, a little embarrassed. "Thanks, guys. It's been a while, so I'm a bit rusty."

But I couldn't stop staring at her. My heart was racing, and my mind was still stuck in that moment. How she moved—so effortlessly and flawlessly—had me in awe. I had never realized just how much she had always captivated me.

"Chris?" Y/N's voice broke through my thoughts. I blinked, suddenly aware of how much I had been staring. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I said quickly, clearing my throat. "Sorry, I just... didn't know you were that good. I mean... wow."

Y/N smiled, clearly amused by my reaction. "Thanks. I didn't know you were such a fan of dance."

I chuckled nervously, feeling flustered. "I guess I didn't realize how amazing you were back then. I should've known, huh?"

She raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile on her lips. "Back then?"

My heart skipped a beat. "Yeah. I remember seeing you dance when we were kids at that recital. You were wearing a baby blue dress."

Y/N's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, you were there? You saw that?"

I nodded, my gaze fixed on hers. "Yeah. And I guess I never realized until now that I've been in awe of you for much longer than I thought."

Her face softened, a quiet realization dawning on her. "Chris, I had no idea you were there. That's... crazy."

I took a step closer to her, my heart racing. "Yeah. And now I'm realizing it wasn't just that moment that made me feel this way. It's always been there. I've always had this... spark for you."

Y/N looked at me, her chest tightening with something she couldn't quite explain. She had known me for years, but now everything felt different. The way I was looking at her—looking at her—made her heart race.

"I... I might have felt it too," she whispered, almost unsure of herself.

I reached out, brushing a lock of hair from her face, my fingers grazing her skin. "I don't want to rush anything, Y/N. But I just wanted you to know."

The music from her dance routine still echoed in the background, and at that moment, I realized that the spark I'd felt all those years ago—watching a girl in a baby blue dress—had never gone away. It had only grown stronger with time.

Y/N smiled softly, her heart racing as she realized I wasn't just her best friend anymore. I was the guy who had always been there, even before either of us knew it.

And in that moment, everything changed.