Page 4 of Falling With a Spin
“I haven’t, but you know him. He’ll call when it’s convenient for him.”
“Everything will be okay. You’re strong and determined; don’t forget that, okay?” His smile almost gave me enough hope that I might make it through this.
Caleb was right about one thing–everything would be okay. It might not be now, and that's okay, but I’m strong enough to keep going forward.
“You’re right, Caleb; thank you for showing me that. I might not be able to dance anymore, and that fucking sucks,” my heart starts to break as I say it out loud for the first time. “But I'm going to work my ass off for good grades and still make something of myself. I'm smart, beautiful, and determined.”
A genuine smile crosses his face, and I smile just a bit. “I'm so incredibly proud of you,” he tells me, and I almost believe it myself.
Chapter 1
Two years later: Present time
“Bye, Liam, see you later!” I yell over my shoulder to my manager before leaving the coffee shop.
Another ten-hour day.
I stretch my arms and bend backward, cracking my back before making the three-mile walk back to my apartment.
I started working at the local coffee shop, LaLa’s Coffee & Sweets, a little over a year ago when I first arrived in Boston. I was seventeen years old in a new city and needed a job, and they needed more employees. The pay isn’t bad, and the hours align well with my class schedule at Crestview University. It pays the bills and gets me the classic broke college student food at the grocery store.
It’s the second week of August in Massachusetts, so the weather is becoming cooler. Well cooler than I’m used to in Arizona, so I walked to work this morning. I knew later that I would regret it and have to ice my knee.
After sustaining a dance injury during my Junior year of high school, I went through physical therapy three times a week and doctor checkups. The doctors explained when I tore my ACL and Meniscus that, there was a slim chance that I wouldn’t be able to dance again. There will be long-lasting pain, and damage could end up being permanent if I ever chose to go back. I didn’t understand at first. I had this dream, and the next thing I knew, it was completely shattered. My entire life was gone.
I tried my best not to let that affect my life and focus on the people around me and my schooling. Through all the physical therapy, the anger, and the days when I didn’t think it was going to get better, my support system made it bearable, and I couldn’t have been more thankful for them. Caleb, my best friend, came to all of my appointments, and right after, he would take me out for ice cream. It was our thing. Without him or my mom to be there when the dark days would creep in, I would have been holed up in my room until I woke up from the nightmare.
When I got my acceptance letter to Crestview, Caleb surprised me with his letter. I didn’t know he applied. Caleb got in on a full ride with their basketball team. I wasn’t surprised; he was the star player in high school, so it would be stupid of them not to take him. Seeing his acceptance sent a wave of pride through my chest. He worked so hard to get this. Now, I will yell his name and hold up an embarrassing sign, just like he always did for me.
A vibration from my pocket pulls me from my thoughts as I walk down the sidewalk. Pulling it out, I see Chad Baby with a pink fluttering heart next to it flash across the screen. My heart skips a beat, and I answer immediately.
“Hey, babe,” I answer with a smile, and I swear butterflies are floating inside me.
“Hey, baby, how are you?” Chad's deep voice sends chills down my spine.
“I’m good. I'm just heading home from work. How are you?” I stop to lean against a lighting pole and bend my leg to relieve some of the pain that has started to rise.
“Are you walking?” His tone is demanding, and I roll my eyes at his overprotectiveness, even though I slightly like it.
“Yes, I am.” I push off the pole and continue walking. “It’s nice out, and I thought it would be a good change.” I shrug, not seeing the problem.
“Okay, please let me know next time, and let me know when you get home.” Worry laces his tone, and I melt at how much he cares about my safety. “You’re mine, Emma, and I don’t want anything to happen to you.” If I didn’t think my heart was melting before, it’s now.
“Okay, I will let you know. I love you, and I can’t wait for tomorrow.” I smile at the ground as I continue my walk home.
“I love you too, babe. I have something special planned for us,” he says before the line goes dead.
Excitement runs through me for the rest of the walk home, thinking about how he could do something special for me. Chad and I have been dating for almost a year. I met him through Caleb when he joined the basketball team last year. Chad had been a part of the team since he was a freshman two years ago and became one of Caleb’s mentors, helping him out during any free time they had. During this time, I would watch them during practices while working on homework and sneak glances at Chad. After one of their home games, Chad approached me and asked me out on a date. He was extremely shy about it, and his face flushed red. It was adorable, and immediately I said yes. A few days later, he picked me up for our date. We grabbed some food, and he took us down by the lake with a blanket, and we laid underneath the stars. We talked about his life, what he wanted to do after college, etc. Once the night ended, he brought me back home and walked me to my apartment door. My hands shook the whole way there as my nerves ran around in me. I didn’t want it to be an awkward goodbye; I wanted him to kiss me, but it was the first date. Do you even do that? But before I could open the door, he touched my cheek and kissed me. There weren’t any sparks or fireworks that happened like they say it does in the books, but maybe that doesn’t happen in real life. The next day, after picking me up from English class, he asked me to be his girlfriend. Now we are here one year later. Before meeting Chad, I heard rumors that he’s been with a handful of women, and I don’t want to be another girl on his roster board. I confronted him about them, and he brushed it off as if it was nothing. He told me I shouldn’t listen to rumors like that, so I ignored them.
As I walk into the apartment, a guy with short black hair and green eyes with light skin barrels out from the front door, leaving his pants undone and his shirt halfway on. A chuckle leaves me and I shake my head. I close the door and look where Taylor, my best friend and roommate, stands in the kitchen.
We met on the first day of orientation when she came running in late because she overslept and snoozed all of her alarms. She grabbed the last seat next to mine, and I gave her a quick rundown while our leader talked about extracurricular activities. Taylor was new to the state like I was, and we didn’t have anyone, so we chose to get an apartment close to the school instead of living in the dorms where everything is shared and no privacy is offered to you.
Our apartment isn’t a lot, but it’s enough for both of us. Our bedrooms are across from each other, while the tiny kitchen is on the other side, making enough space in the living room for the few items we have added. It feels like home every time I walk through the doors.
My room is as simple as you could get. I have three bookshelves filled with almost every book I’ve read. My twin-sized bed is squished up against a wall with a black comforter and all my stuffed animals I managed to bring from home. My walls are covered in book quotes and pictures of dancers that I once dreamed of being. I thought hanging them up would create a darkness inside me, but a nostalgic feeling creeps in when I look at the pictures.
“Hey Em, how was work?” Taylor asks, sipping the tea that she holds with both hands. Her blonde hair is in a messy bun, and she is wearing a old and torn T-shirt that she refuses to get rid of. Her face is clear of makeup, and her black-rimmed glasses sit on her face. From the looks of it, she just got out of bed. I glance towards the clock to see it’s barely six p.m.