Dancing with Artem Chigvintsev: Part 1

4

"Emma." Peta called after me. I was running. Running from everything and anything in my life.

"Emma!" Artem then called after me.

'Great.' I thought. Now I have them both there. Artem has always been much faster than me, and he also was sober compared to me who was buzzed out of my mind. I was now down the street ready to cross to get away from him.

Just as I stepped out onto the street a blinding light flashed in my eyes and I realized I was about to get hit. I decided not to run out of the way. In that one single moment I felt my life flash before my eyes and it felt exhilarating.

Without as much as 2 seconds going by, I was brought back to reality by a set of manly arms grabbing me and pulling me back onto the curb.

A zoom of a speeding car flashed past us and I realized that something really bad could have happened right there, but Artem was there to save me. He is always doing that.

I started to cry as everyone was now surrounding us. I was laying on top of Artem's chest just sobbing.

"Artem," Peta said "let's get her home, come on, I'm coming with."

Peta and Maks held eachother in a tight embrace and then Maks picked me up, and hugged me as well.

"Don't you ever do that again." He said "do you hear me, I don't know what you were thinking. Nothing in life is permanent. If you don't want to stay at Artem's you come say with us. And no more alcohol for you." He kissed the top of my head and then Val grabbed me and hugged me tight.

The last one to talk to was Artem.

He looked like he was in pain, trying to fight demons or some other supernatural being. We both realized that if he was a second too late, my momentary lapse in judgement could have cost me my life.

I jumped in his arms and sobbed.

"I'm so sorry!" I cried

"Emma." He said "what did I do to hurt you? Is it about Kara? I swear I pictured you being so happy for me."

I cried even more and just stared at the ground.

"She's obviously still in love with you." Maks said. "She was in love with you even when she was with me. I don't blame her, look what you just did there.  You saved all of us from pain, Artem. We all love her."

"Here." Artem said "Peta, take Emma home and get her in bed, I'm gonna go cancel our practice for tomorrow and then get a few other things moved around I will be home in a bit."

Maks carried me to his car and delicately sat me down.

"Love is a strange thing, it tears people apart and never makes sense, everything's going to work out Emma, if anything go back home. New York is waiting for you. Hopefully, one of us can bring home that Mirror Ball." He said to me.

"He's right, Emma, put all your emotions into your dancing. Artem and you could really make magic happen. Especially with all this that you two are going through."

I realized that they were right. In the moments after what was almost a tragedy, I sobered up. I vowed to not ever overreact and drink alcohol like that again. It was wrong of me to be upset with Artem for finding someone else, I did the exact same thing two year ago. I was the one that made him want to leave.

I owe it to him to be a friend, I owe it to him to take our dancing partnership seriously, and I need to stop being such a diva about everything that doesn't go my way. Our dance this Sunday is going to blow the competition out of the water. I just hope Artem forgives me.