Page 17 of The Breaking Pointe
“You aren’t very good at this!” she sings over the music, giggling.
Smiling shyly, I look around briefly, feeling almost em- barrassed. I wasn’t expecting to be put on the spot so fast. But looking around wasn’t changing the circumstances for me any time soon.
Slowly but surely, my body began to move with hers. The difference was that she felt the music.
Whateverpowershepossessedwasmakingmenolonger
embarrassed about my own skills. She isn’t even watching me, but I’m watching her, and she’s lost in it.All I need to do is follow her lead.So I do, which is all I need to start to feel like we are the only people in this place.
Then the song is over.And another one passes, and another. Soon enough, I lose count.
If you asked me, I would say we danced for hours. I mean hours upon hours—to a point where my sweatshirt had to come off.I didn’t want it to be over, watching her laughand twirl around like a pretty little fairy.Like they always say, good things must come to an end, and this end felt like a punch to the face.All of a sudden she was stopping me, just when I was feeling it. Pretty disappointing considering ‘feeling it’ was half my battle this entire time.
I’m telling you, I swallowed my pride by dancing.
A woman, close in height to her, approaches us with eager intentions.She then starts grabbing her arm, urgently yelling over the music.
“Elle, we have to go!”she protests.
Noelle turns to look at her, then back at me, her hands tangled in mine as she yells, “I have to go!”
“Wait. Could I like, get your phone number or something?” I yell back, holding out for a good answer.
She doesn’t ask any questions as she reaches into her friend’s purse and finds a felt pen.Taking only a few seconds, she then uses it to write her number on my arm, followed by her name.
“I’ll see you around!”Noelle looks up into my eyes, gripping my arm.
I part my lips, unable to find words in time.
Her friend yanks her so fast that we only share a lingering
glance before she’s out of my sight.I am left alone in the middle of the crowd, dumbfounded by the idea of her.
In a matter of seconds, she disappeared, leaving me lost in Noelle-land, but only for a moment.
Trey rushes into me from the side, grabbing my shoulder. “Let’s bounce, it’s getting late!” he asserts over the blaring bass.
Inodinagreement,shoutingback,“Let’sdoit.”
I’m possibly being impractical, but tonight is different to all the other times.I’m leaving a fight with one more tally on my roster, but I don’t care about that. Instead, I’m more wrapped around a woman I know I’ll never probably see again. It would have to be a sign if I did.
A very large, obnoxious sign.
6
sudden fate
COLTON
Ever since I was a young kid, I enjoyed nothing more than spending my time exploring my city.I’m bound to my hometown, in every way possible. Just like my father. Staten Island was always where my heart felt the safest. From the smells, down to the sights, it’s simply unique in its own way. Not a single place in New York can change my mind. Living in Brooklyn is about as homey as it gets now.
I can recall one specific time I went out with my dad to see something great. My first core memory of doing something significantly scary as a child.
He took me and my mom to a city fair.It was the best damn fair out at that time. It was especially hot that evening, too. Humid, if you will.The kind of humid we probably won’t ever feel again, with scents that only feel like nostalgia today.It’s all very bittersweet to think about now, but I can remember itlikethebackofmyhand.Theskywaskindofpink,andmy
mom wore her favorite orange hoops that always reminded me of the seventies.
They had a Ferris wheel that looked like it could touch the clouds.So of course, I told my dad that I wanted to ride it. And just like that, we did. He always did whatever I wanted. No questions asked. I thought then that it was just an act of bravery, but looking at it now, I think he just wanted to show me he was trying.Although at such a young age, I don’t think I cared. I was too young to identify anything for what it really was.
