The Great Sacrifice

Chapter Two

Waking up to the constant bleep made me admittedly aware the sound of the hospital bed. "Laklynn" Dad said, grabbing my hand, tighter than he's ever held me. Turning my head, that felt rather dizzy, "Where am I?" "The hospital" I shouldn't of asked, I could tell by the off white walls and overwhelming smell of bleach, "Why am I here?" "You choked" he said. "Why?" "You haven't asked this many questions sense you were young" My dad fluffed the front of my hair. "Just rest, I'll go find a doctor", even though I closed my eyes I didn't rest I shook my brain for answers and by time a doctor came, the betrayal was more than I could take.
"Please discharge me" I said sitting up to, quickly but I tightened my teeth and didn't waver.
"Resilient young lady, well let me take a look" he said, coming closer. "I'm refusing treatment, I am my own legal guardian, and I want to be dismissed immediately. You can't keep me here legally, or treat me" tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let then fall. The doctor looked at my father, "Laklynn, please". "Doctor" I reinforce. "I'll get your nurse" he said, nodding respectfully toward my father, he stepped out. "Sweetheart" he started. "Come any closer and I'll rip then out and leave" he didn't move. I waited without meeting his eyes or dropping a tear, after I was dismissed. I walked passed my dad, "Let me take you home?" "Is that what you told that lady? Did you plan to let her sleep in my mother's bed too?" Calming myself, I try to remember all my up bringing, I was a lady. "Let's talk later" I said walking. He called after me, but I kept walking. Quickly, I realized I had no where to, then I realized I only had one place to go, as I walked to a cold deserted cemetery, I came to two conclusions. One my mother was not there only a empty body laid there, and two I would never make it to Jersey on foot.
Looking at myself in the mirror, I spread my arms out wide, raising up on my tippy toes, spinning slowly, I leaned one way and swayed the other. Lowering down, I lift my legs, before jumping in the air, feeling like I'm sorrowing, my mind stopped but my body didn't.
"Oh, look at you, Grace like a wild flower, My Swan Lake" my mothers voice was like honey. I wobbled over following in her foot steps, trying to land every move she clapped more and leaned down picking me up holding me close. "Mom, do you think I'll ever play the Swan Lake?" I asked. My mothers face hardened and she set me down, "Come on, Lake, lets go get ice cream". I skipped out following in my black tutu and pink leatard.
I stopped, breathing hard standing straight with my legs wobbled, I didn't dance hard anymore. Not like this with so much visible emotion, it hurt to watch. "I was worried, you'd die, but now I see the malnourishment was on purpose" I jumped at the deeply accented voice, stern, empty voice. Looking in the mirror, I tilted my head trying to make out the silhouette, "Who are you?" I whispered it carrying in the darkness to his ears as he stepped further into the room make me, cautiously step forward. "I'm Damian Avella" his name gave me chills up my neck. "You think I'm malnourished?" I say breathlessly now reaching for the bar to hold me up on. "You are" he said matter of factly. "I am very healthy" I said. "Maybe for a Ballerina" he said leaning calmly on the wall. "Your obviously not a fan" I asked almost certain. "Do you think so highly of yourself someone would stalk you" I turned quickly, towards the faceless man. "I am not that shallow!" I shouted making a loud echo. He only chuckled dryly, "So you admit to being shallow?". I was speechless, "I've saved many shallow people, vain people, ignorant people, all who beat death with an arrogance, but none as stubborn as you about it". I blinked touching my sweat slicked hair, trying to recall a Dr. Avella coming up short, "I think you have me Mistaken, Mr. Avella, I have never been treated by you. So why don't you go bother someone else, or better yet go home". "You, however, don't have anywhere to go" he commented. "So you have been stalking me?" I asked, on the defense again. He was quiet for a second, taking a step closer to me, and I backed up to the mirror starring at him not even able to breath. I was very afraid, now and my breathing became labored to prove it. He didn't say anything as he continued to approach me only the moonlight shinning through the window, making his path clear. When he was only a foot away he stopped hands in his obvious tailored slacks, well fitted gray button name brand, by the looks of the thread count, cut my eyes I tried to make out his jacket, but it was to expensive to guess, maybe something a little more private. His jaw was tight and stern, his lips pressed hard to together formed a completely thin line, his nose was crooked as if he had been put in place or done to many times. His eyes where big though, the only thing about him that seemed....human. They had curiosity, child like kind even, they were stern, terrifying even, but extremely big.
My lips parted now, "At the restaurant...". He only nodded. For a second neither of us speak, "Thank you for saving my life, Dr. Avella" I say, soft meeting his eyes. Nodding his head, he looks put the window and then to me, "What is your name?". "Laklynn Carrel" I tell him. "Laklynn?" He repeated. "Like Swan Lake" I say, folding my hands. "My mother was a Ballerina, she was one of the greatest Prima Ballerina's to ever star in the play" It was if I was quoting the article. He takes a his hands out his pocket flipping over his wrist, he checks the time on his gold watch. "Let me get you a hotel room" he said, "I have a big surgery in the morning and as much as stalking you has livened up my night and enhanced my culture I do need to sleep". "I can sleep here" I inform him. "You could, but for such a upscale studio the security is horrible. I won't be able to sleep thinking your actual stalker showed up after I left. We both get peace of mind this way" he said. I couldn't say much, bit he was so much bigger then me. He stood at 6'1, maybe more, broad big shoulders, lookin at his hands hands they were more lean, well kept, even manicure.
"I'm not shallow enough to think I have a stalker" I remind him. "Your beautiful enough that, I followed you" my heart double beat, and something in stomach flipped and flutter and twisted. I had been called beautiful all my life, but yet it was his words, his tone. It was different.
My eyes looked up meeting his eyes, that didn't change, but something in me changed.