Have Faith In Us ✅

6

On March 20th, as Grayson and I watch Nightmare on Elm Street on this rainy Saturday, my mom walks in with a letter. She puts her umbrella away and I pause the movie as she hands me the envelope.

"What's this?" I ask.

She smiles. "Read it."

I tear open the envelope and immediately recognize the elite dance company's logo from the stunning city of Durham, North Carolina.

"Why... why would the Durham Dance Company contact me?"

"Just read it!!"

My jaw drops as I read it. Apparently, there was a scout from DDC at my Nutcracker there. They have chosen me and Marcus to go there and study ballet this summer and half of the school year.

"Wait... the whole summer?" Grayson asks.

I ignore his question and squeal and jump up and down with my mom.

"I can't believe it!" I yell.

"I'm so proud of you!!" She yells back.

Me and my mom hug for the next few minutes then let go. I walk over to Grayson and frown.

"Why aren't you excited? Are you not happy for me? Come on, Gray. Don't be that boyfriend."

"I'm so happy for you, really. This is an amazing opportunity for you. I'm just gonna miss you so much. I had our summer planned out, actually. We were gonna go to a lot of universities and see which one we want to go to together."

"Together? Grayson, you do realize that we probably won't get into the same college, right?"

"I just hope that we will."

I sigh and sit next to him. "Let me explain this dance company to you. This summer/half of senior year program is showing teachers what you can do. If I succeed in this, I'm not going to college. I'll be joining the company and traveling around the USA with them, preforming all the time. This has been my dream since I was a little girl. If this doesn't work out, I want to go to Duke for physical therapy. But now that this door has opened, I can't let it close."

Grayson looks away from me and stares at the television. "I just... I just thought me and you would spend the rest of our lives side by side, you know?"

I let out a small laugh. "You have to understand that that can't happen. I've dance. You've basketball."

"Right... I'm sorry. I just let my dreams carry me away sometimes." Grayson turns his head back at me, and I see small tears in his eyes.

"Aw, Gray, don't cry." I wipe his tears with my thumb, then he kisses my knuckles.

"Will you call me every night?"

"Yes I will."

"Good. You're gonna be the best dancer they've ever seen."

"I 100% doubt that, but thank you baby." I kiss his cheek then rest my head on his chest as we finish our movie. Throughout, I feel Grayson's hand stroking through my hair, and hear him sniffle every once in a while.

My emotional little boy.

«🦋»

"Guess what?" Emily says as she runs up to me as I close my locker.

"What?"

"James asked me to the spring dance next Friday!!"

My jaw drops and I smile. "That's amazing! If he doesn't bring you flowers and chocolate, I'm killing him."

She laughs and rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Also, Grayson told me to tell you to meet him after school at your locker. He has a surprise, and I'm 99.99% sure he's gonna ask you to the dance!"