Because of You

Chapter 17

After hours of practice I could do a battement. Not a very pretty one, but still it was something. I had fallen several times trying to do other things and I noticed Jayden's hand hovering by my arm as I limped over to my crutches. I knew that I could still be a dancer. I could. I just had to work for it. Jayden was right. I would come back everyday to practice and I would be back to normal again in no time.

I made it safely to my crutches and made my way to the door. "Thanks Nina!" I called.

"Sure thing Honey! See you tomorrow?" she yelled back.

"Mhm!"

Jayden was still standing next to me. Since his pep talk in the bathroom I had started to feel weirdly close to him. Like I could maybe talk to him. "So, I didn't know Nina was your sister," I mumbled.

"Niners? Yeah we're pretty close I guess."

"How come you never mentioned her?"

"Didn't know you knew her."

"Oh... Nina hasn't ever told me about Jinni." I frowned. I thought it was kind of weird I had known Nina for so long and I didn't know about Jinni, but I guess she did try to steer toward happy conversations.

"Um. Maybe you should ask her about it. I'm not really sure," he said shrugging.

"Hm. Ok."

He opened the door for me and I hopped out. I turned back to wave at him but he had followed me out the door. I gave him a funny look. He looked at the ground, seeming slightly uncomfortable. "Sorry just... there was something I wanted to talk about," he said sheepishly. I nodded for him to continue.

"So, you know you don't have to be my girlfriend. I shouldn't have pressured you like that right in front of Nina."

I was slightly taken aback by the topic and I wasn't sure how to respond. I mean, I wanted to be his girlfriend, but I was so shy and awkward and I didn't really know how to be a girlfriend. "No it's fine," I muttered.

His eyebrows knit together. "No seriously if you're not comfortable with it just tell me."

I didn't like confrontation. This was starting to make me nervous and I didn't know what to do. My eyes scanned around the parking lot and I looked behind me and then back at the door. I wasn't really sure why. It was just something to do. Finally I replied, still looking at the door. "No I wanna be your girlfriend. Really."

I saw him smile out of the corner of my eye. His fingers brushed mine briefly and then he walked back in the door to the studio waving back at me. I blushed and waved. I hobbled out to my car and carefully drove home. I was currently driving my moms car since mine had been completely destroyed in the crash. Well, one of her cars at least. She had two because she and dad were rich.

I was a lot more cautious driving since the crash. I was terrified of everything close to me. Great. Another thing to have anxiety about. I sighed as I pulled up in my driveway. I hopped in the door, leaning my crutches against the wall and picking up a purring Marley. I kissed her and squeezed her and then hopped into the middle of my dance room plopping down.

I just sat there for awhile contemplating life. Like you do when you're bored. Or is that just me? Anyways, after a while I think I dozed off because I don't remember most of the time I spent there. Hours later, though, I pulled myself off the ground and somehow made my way to my room. If I was going to be practicing daily I would need my energy more than anything.