Page 66 of Falling With a Spin

“W-what is this?” She asks softly, her hand coming to cover her mouth.

“I know you told me that you weren’t sure if you’d be able to dance again, but I want you to know there’s an option out there. I was able to get you a spot here-” She takes a quick step back from me.

“You did what?” She whips around, facing me, her hair flying across her face. Her voice is shaking, her face red, and her brows furrowed in confusion.

“I want to help you get back to dancing.” My voice is filled with confusion. “It’s your dream.”

“Hunter, no, no. I specifically told you that I’m not sure if I could. The doctor said there will probably always be pain.” She starts walking away from me, fists clenched. “Why would you go and do this?” She looks around the room in utter heartbreak.

“I know, but we can try. I will-” I reach out to Emma, but she flinches away.

“No” She turns towards me, flashing daggers at me. “You won’t do anything. You’ve done enough.” The sound of her voice is always soothing and soft-spoken. But now it’s laced with hurt and sadness as she wraps her arms around herself, not looking at me.

I don’t understand what I did wrong. Didn’t she want to get back to her dream? Anger starts building inside me no matter how much I try to push it down.

Crossing my arms, “I don’t understand what you want.” I say, and her head snaps towards me. “I thought this is what you wanted.” I point towards her.

My anger needs to be put out but she isn’t seeing what I see. I know she can do this again and put in the hard work. I told her it won’t be easy but that she won’t be alone through it.

“What I want?” She points towards herself, throwing her head back laughing, a dry humorless one. “What I want is for my boyfriend to know that when I’ve finally come to terms with not being able to do the one thing that brings me the most joy in life, he will support me,” her arms stretch out, “not go out and sign me up for classes for a dance studio that I won’t be able to afford.” Her voice keeps rising, mirroring my anger.

“No, it isn’t coming to terms. It’s called giving up because that's exactly what you are doing. I’m not going to apologize for doing something nice for a person that I love.” I shake my head, running my hand through my hair. It hurts to see her like this, but I can’t bring myself to do anything as my own hurt takes over.

I look up to see tears falling down her cheeks, with her mouth slightly open.“You love me?” that's all she can manage to say.

She wasn’t supposed to find out like this. I wanted it to be at a romantic dinner or be spontaneous. Not in the middle of a fight. But do things really ever go the way we want them to?

“Yes, I do. I wanted to do this for you because of your love for dancing. But, I guess it was too much.” My heart continues to break as she stands there and stares at me, the silent tears streaming down her face.

“I didn’t ask for you to do this.” She whispers.

Time goes by slowly as we stand there in silence. It’s a loud kind that's filled with our hurt.

She sighs, and when I think she’s going to walk towards me, she takes out her phone.“I’m going to call Taylor to pick me up.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, let me take you home.” I reach for my keys as she shakes her head.

“No, I just need some time to myself right now.” She is already making her way out the door before giving me the chance to say anything.

It felt as if my heart was yanked from me. Emma just walked out, leaving me standing there with my heart on the floor where her dreams once used to be.

Chapter 24

Emma

“Emma?”

“Hello, Earth to Emma?”

“Oh my, for the love of God, Emma!”

A bang from the kitchen catches my attention, and I look over to see Taylor standing in the kitchen, looking at me with frustration across her face.

“Sorry, what were you saying?” I run my hands down my face, trying to wipe away the exhaustion.

I haven’t gotten much sleep since Hunter brought me to the dance studio last week. I have been tossing and turning most nights or I will lay in bed staring at the ceiling. When I do get some sleep, they are filled with nightmares.

Taylor clears her throat, pulling me from my thoughts once again. “I asked if you wanted to go to the coffee shop and get something to eat?”

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