Ballet Slippers

2

About a week later, I get a letter in the mail from the entertainment company, and I hurry upstairs to read it. I shut the door to our room and open the letter slowly. My eyes search frantically and I scream “AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH JACK!” I scream running out to him in the living room.

He jumps a little “ what where’s the fire?”

“JACK I GOT IN I CANT BELIEVE IT I-“ he cuts me off

“got in where?”

I stop for a second remembering that I never told him about it, I explain everything quickly before examining the weird look on his face.

“So… you’ll be travelling for 9 months?”

I nod, realizing I probably should have talked to him about this sooner, “you should have told me sooner” he says basically reading my mind.

“I’m sorry Jack.. ,this is just… this is something I REALLY want and I honestly didn’t think I would get in”.

he sighs in frustration and begins to pace the living room “I don’t know why you didn’t tell me this sooner Ella, this isn’t going to be easy on our marriage.”

“What’s wrong with our marriage?” I ask genuinely curious about what he will say.

“Nothing. I Just. I don’t know why you didn’t tell me”. He sighs continuing to pace.

I feel my heart sink, and I swallow a lump in my throat “so…you don’t want me to go.” I say softly.

He notices my tone and leans down to my level where I am sitting on the couch “No No Ella, I want you to go. I knew you had big dreams when I married you… that’s one of the reasons I love you so much” he says in that sweet tone of his. I look up and meet his gaze and see that he means it. “Can I see the letter?” he asks. I nod and hand it to him. After a few minutes he smiles a bit,

“if I have to fly across the world to see you, I will. But I want you to follow this dream Ella, its all you ever talk about – dance. Its what you need in your life and what I want for you. Just no more secrets okay?”

I smile as big as I think I ever have and jump into his arms hugging him “THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU” I go off for about two minutes before he kisses my head. “Go pack! You leave for London tomorrow!” he smiles enthusiastically.  I jump up and run to our bedroom like a little kid on Christmas morning I couldn’t believe how excited I was.

The next morning we were at the airport at 6am, ready for the ten and some hours of flight ahead. “Do you have your passport?” Jack asks.

“Yes” I nod to him.

“Wallet?”

“Yes”

“Lip balm?”

I laugh and turn to Jack “Yes! I have everything don’t worry!!” he smiles at me

“I just worry about you okay”

I smile and kiss his cheek lightly.

“I will miss you,” he says.

“Ill miss you too” I say and hug him. We kiss and say our goodbyes before I head through security. Once through security, I go to find my gate. When I arrive there is a group with a sign for our dance company sitting at the gate. I smile and walk over to them “Hello” I greet shyly.

A girl probably about my age comes over and hugs me “ you must be Ella!” she smiles. I smile back a little shocked

“Yes I am, how did you know?”

“From your video silly! Everyone on the recruitment team saw it!” she exclaims.

“Oh okay well cool” I say smiling that everyone knows my name already.

“I’m Danielle” she smiles “nice to meet you!”.

“Nice to meet you too!” I say excited. She takes me over and I meet everyone else before we board the plane. We spent about an hour just talking about our lives and dances and everything before we board the plane. I was tired so I slept most of the way, and when I woke up we were just about to land. Danielle looked a little nervous “You okay?” I ask beside her.

She looks at me from the window and smiles a little, “yeah im just a nervous flyer” she says.

“Aw its okay, do you need anything? Want to hold my hand?” I smile sympathetically.

“Would that be weird?” she laughs.

I shrug “ I don’t mind”.

“Thank you so much!” She says as she grabs my hand. I laugh and we start to descend.

Finally we arrive at the airport and there is a man with a sign ready to meet us by the baggage claim. We all walk with him and meet up with another group from Chicago that had travelled as part of the company too. “Hey you’re Ella right?” a man in the group asks me. I’m confused again but I reply “Yes Hi” and shake his hand.

“Sorry,” he laughs “I know you from the video” he smiles at me.

“wow lots of people just have seen the video huh?” I ask kind of shocked.

“Well yeah I mean management loved it, and put it up on our YouTube sights; its incredibly popular” he shrugs.

“Website?!” I ask in pure surprise.

He laughs, “Its okay don’t worry, it was a fantastic dance! And the song you picked! That song has been so popular lately you really did a good job!” he exclaims.

I relax a little knowing that at least it was good. We all stand around waiting for our bags. After a few minutes I realize mine was probably coming soon is coming and I move closer to go get it. As I’m walking I bump into a tall man accidentally “Oh! I’m so sorry-“ I say going to make eye contact with the man. Suddenly when I look up I hear “Oh that’s okay love don’t worry about it” in a deep British accent. My jaw dropped  “I uh. Um-“ I say deciding what to say “you’re, Harry Styles” I say very obviously.

He chuckles lightly “that I am… and you are?” he smiles

I just continue to look at him in awe “Ella..” I say going to shake his hand. He smiles and then gives me a look “have we met before?” he says arching a brow. I laugh a little “Um no I think I would have known if I met you”.

He looks at me puzzled for a minute “I seriously feel like Ive seen you before”. I shrug lightly and look at the suitcases. “Is yours coming?” he asks.

I nod “it’s the burgundy one” I say as I move to get it, but he stops my lightly

“here let me” he smiles and goes to grab my bag. He stands it up and hands it to me “its heavy, are you staying for a while?” he asks.

“Um I’m not sure, I’m here with a dance group so we are going to be traveling” I tell him trying not to stare at him too long.

“Oh okay” he says and then he laughs a little “is it totally weird if I ask for your phone number? I seriously feel like I know you and I am determined to figure it out”.

I smile before I bring myself to reality “uhm yeah sure that would be fine”. I pull out my phone and he gives me his and we exchange numbers. We hand our phones back and I say “Well, I better go before I lose my group, and I’m so sorry I bumped into you”.

He nods and smiles at me “ well it was nice to meet you Ella, and don’t even worry about it- ill be in contact with you once I figure out how I know you” he laughs.

“Okay, bye Harry” I say with a smile as I walk back to my group.

I look back at him one last time as I’m leaving and smile seeing he’s looking too, I turn around and Danielle links arms with me “I’m sorry, did HARRY STYLES just talk to you?!” she squeals.

I laugh and poke her lightly “sshhh I don’t want him to get in trouble…. But yes!” we laugh together as we continue to fan girl out of the airport and onto the bus that was arranged for us.