The Ballerina

“Ace – Ace wake up.” The alarm clock rang. That wasn’t right though; alarm clocks weren’t supposed to talk. “Ace, it’s time to go.” A shake, a nudge.

Acelynn squirmed under the touch and woke up from unconsciousness. She had passed out on her bed once she got to her room. The ballerina hadn’t realized how truly exhausted she was. “Wha’ time is it?” She asked numbly.

“Ten at night, sleepy head.” Luke laughed next to her ear. Oh, the butterflies. They fluttered around in her stomach at the sound of his voice. Was this what Luke felt every time she spoke?

“For real? I’ve been sleeping for twelve hours?” Acelynn questioned, rubbing her eyes.

“Plus the few that you got last night.” He replied in a stonier voice. Had something happened? Two minutes awake and all Acelynn knew was that Luke was being moody. Luke was never moody.

“Is somethin’ wrong, Luke?” The ballerina asked, rubbing her eyes.

Luke took a deep breath and ran his hand through his dark hair. “Uh, no. Not really. Anyway, do you want to go to the fireworks show? We have two hours before it’s twelve, but maybe we could get a bite to eat.”

Acelynn nodded and stood up in front of the boy and cocked her head to the side as she looked at him. Luke was wearing his usual attire: a t-shirt with a button up over it, jeans, and his leather jacket. He looked normal – slightly tired, but mostly normal. “Yeah sure. Sounds fun. Let me just brush my teeth.” She replied and swiped her tongue across her teeth. Plaque was beginning to build on them.

“Alright.” He said simply and followed her to the door frame of the bathroom. Luke watched as Acelynn scrubbed her teeth with the pink toothbrush. After she rinsed she viewed herself in the mirror. The ballerina was wearing jeans and a white hoodie like she was earlier that morning. Her hair just needed to be tousled slightly and she was ready to go. “Ready?” Luke asked after she fluffed and pampered her hair.

His tone was a forced calm. He didn’t sound annoyed or angry; but there was something in the way he spoke that made it seem like he was in a hurry. But Acelynn couldn’t think of anything that required rushing. The only thing the two had planned was the fireworks – but that wasn’t for another two hours.

“Is everything okay, Luke?” Acelynn asked quietly, looking directly into his blue eyes.

“Of course.” He smiled weakly.

Why was Luke lying to her? They never lied to each other – especially about their feelings. There were some things, like the rest of Tuck’s letter that Acelynn had left out; but she had every intention of telling him eventually. However she had never been blatantly lied to by Luke. And she had never lied to Luke to his face.

What had changed?

“Well if you’re sure…” Acelynn replied in a small voice. “Let’s jet.”

The two walked down the staircase, through the entry way, through the garage door, and into Luke’s red truck. Acelynn was careful not to hit the Ferrari next to the truck when she yanked the door open.

“So we’re going to the usual place?” The girl asked as she strapped herself in. Luke did the same, after months of pestering from Acelynn.

“Yeah. If that’s cool with you.”

“Always.” Acelynn had soon become friends with Lily, the older waitress. They often swapped storied about Luke to make his face red.

Once again the two were engaged into a deep silence. It was only hindered a few times when Acelynn’s yawns got too loud or the truck’s engine sputtered. The ballerina didn’t know why Luke was being stiff and distant. Maybe he was still worried about her breakdown the day before. But somewhere in the pit of her stomach, Acelynn knew that this wasn’t the case. When Luke was worried he was squirrelly and over protective. This wasn’t that Luke. This one was cold and way too calm.

“We could… We could go to the park instead.” Luke finally spoke but didn’t take his blue eyes off the road. “I haven’t been in a while.”

Acelynn considered this. They could go to a warm, indoor diner where they could eat or go to a freezing, sandy park and talk. The choice seemed so obvious. “Of course. We’ll go to the park. I won’t accept anything less.”

Luke’s mouth twitched upward slightly as he made a U-turn and drove away from the diner towards their park. “As you wish.”

“Is something wrong, Luke?” Acelynn asked impulsively. “Because you’re acting…”

Luke didn’t answer immediately – just as Acelynn had expected. There was something bothering her friend. He obviously wasn’t trying too hard to hide it or else he would have responded with a firm ‘no’ the second after she asked the question. There was something clearly wrong in Luke’s world and he needed to take her to the park to tell her.

“We can hear the fireworks from the park. And from behind the trees the lights should look beautiful.” The blue eyed boy deflected and continued to drive.



Luke was chattering away about how amazing the fireworks would be – his personality obviously altered from his stony one before. His disposition seemed relaxed and liberated now that they were at the park. Acelynn huddled close to her friend, leaning on him for warmth and comfort. Luke was always warm blooded so the cold didn’t bother him but Acelynn was more sensitive to the icy winds.

“I know, Luke.” Acelynn sighed suddenly. She became self aware that every time she spoke to her friend, she always said his name. “I know that your dad… that he wants you to move to Japan with him. And that’s why Tuck left for North Carolina.”

The boy looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “Wha—“

“That’s why you brought me here, right? You wanted to talk where we were both comfortable and we would be alone.”

“How did you know?” Luke breathed.

“It was in Tuck’s letter he left me. Tuck said that your father planned on taking you to Japan with him so he could run his business there. And I would be out of the picture.” Acelynn looked away from Luke.

“What else was in the letter?” Luke asked softly.

The ballerina took a deep breath and braced herself. No more lying. She had fibbed about the letter long enough. It was time for the whole truth. “Tuck said that he moved to North Carolina to find a woman named Rosemary Collins. And that he wanted to take you with him but he knew you would want to leave your dad. Tuck also said that… that he was going to take me with him to wherever he’s living now. But he knew that we couldn’t survive without each other.

“Do you remember that first time – well, actually the second time we spent at the park? I ran six miles from my dance studio to find you. And when I found you a few weeks ago in your truck, you told me that it was then that you fell in love with me. That since then you were in love with me.” Luke visibly turned red at that and pulled out a cigarette to smoke. “When you did tell me, I couldn’t believe my ears. I couldn’t understand how someone could truly feel love like that for someone else. I don’t think – no, I know I didn’t believe in love. I didn’t even feel it for your brother. They were just words…

“You told me that when I cried in your arms and you took care of me… that it was then you knew you were in love with me. October 17th. You knew the exact moment that you fell in love with me. Well, I have to tell you Luke Spencer, you have made me believe in love. And I can’t tell you the exact moment I fell for you,” Acelynn took another deep breath, “but I can tell you the exact moment I realized I fell in love with you.”

Luke dropped his cigarette on his pant leg but didn’t even notice. Acelynn had to pat it down for him before it caught on fire. “You – wait, what?”

The ballerina took one of Luke’s calloused hands in her own petite ones. She rubbed it for the friction. “Today, actually. Early this morning. You amazed me with your ability to care for me even though I’ve done some pretty fucked up things. You wanted me to be happy no matter what. You were even sad for me when Tuck left.

“I think… I think I’ve been in love with you for a long time, Luke Spencer. I really think that. But I’ve been so scared of ruining our relationship. I didn’t want… to change the way we acted around each other if things weren’t right. I was so afraid; but now I’m not because I know that that would never happen. But now I want this. This feeling I get in my stomach when you talk – it’s magical. I want you – I love you. I’m in this. I’m all in.” Acelynn finished, clutching her chest where her heart was. There were tears in the corners of her eyes.

Acelynn didn’t know what she expected when she told Luke her feelings, but it wasn’t his reaction. He simply held a gentle smile on his face and stared at her. It made her feel self conscious. The thought of rejection was on the tip of her mind. But Luke was staring at her with such an amazed look on his face; he couldn’t possibly reject her, could he?

“You asked me a long time ago… I’m not even sure if you remember this yourself, but you did. You asked me how far I’ve ever gone with a girl. I told you that I had a lot of experience with girls but, well, not in that same context… actually, we were talking about Cheyenne and ‘getting some’ or whatever.” Luke’s eyes were lost in a memory Acelynn didn’t quite remember herself, but it seemed familiar. “To be perfectly honest, I haven’t done anything with girls. I’m not like, a eunuch or a prude or anything… I just haven’t – I wanted to… God, this is going to sound so corny.” He rolled his eyes in embarrassment.

“Luke?” Acelynn asked quietly after he hadn’t said anything in awhile.

“I wanted to save myself. I wanted to make sure that when I finally kissed someone, she was totally worth it. I didn’t want to have any regrets.” He replied after he took a breath.

The ballerina couldn’t help but blush and smile at his words. “Well you were always the romantic.” She bit her lip and Luke blushed, matching his face with hers.

“There were two reasons I didn’t kiss Cheyenne when we went on that date… One, I wasn’t into her. She wasn’t the one I wanted to kiss. Two, I… I wanted it to be you.” Luke whispered into the night.

He closed his eyes for a moment and then got up to his knees in front of Acelynn. He held her hands in his and looked her directly in the eyes. He took a look at the watch on his wrist and smiled. “I know that this isn’t your first kiss ever, but this will be the first kiss of the New Year.”

And then Luke Spencer finally kissed Acelynn Adams.

Well, he tried anyway. When he dipped his head closer to hers, and their lips touched, their teeth also collided. They both jerked back and rubbed their mouths.

“That was just… awkward.” Luke shook his head sheepishly.

But Acelynn just smiled and pulled Luke closer. She gently brought his head closer to hers and closed her eyes. Their lips came together in a kiss. A real kiss. A real kiss between Luke Spencer and Acelynn Adams. It was magical.

And to add to the magic, at the very moment their lips touched, the fireworks went off for the New Year. Acelynn smiled against Luke’s mouth but continued to kiss him. Even with her eyes closed, the ballerina could tell they were beautiful and bright. The fireworks. Going off and lighting the world; the sight totally described every emotion she was feeling. It made their kiss so much more passionate and real.

Their kiss ended and they held each other in a tight embrace, staring happily in each other’s eyes. Acelynn could see the bright flashes of colorful lights in Luke’s eyes. They smiled at each other and the girl took a deep breath.

“It may not have been my first kiss but… it’s the only kiss that will ever matter to me.” Acelynn spoke to Luke it such a confident voice; he could do nothing but nod in conformation.

Luke looked so happy at that moment. But so suddenly it changed. He seemed more like the boy from a few hours earlier than the boy she just kissed. “Ace… I have to tell you something.”

“Anything.” She smiled back.

“Ace, I’m running away.” He dropped the bomb, exploding the ballerina’s world.
“You’re doing what?”

“You said you know about my father wanting me to move to Japan with him, right? Its why Tuck left and why my family is falling apart. I’ve known for awhile too, but I didn’t know it was going to be so soon. And I can’t… I can’t go with him. I won’t go with him. And so I have to run from him.” Luke replied softly.

“But… But where will we go? I mean, where will we live?” Acelynn’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion and she looked at the boy strangely. This was such a shock. Luke always liked things to be stable and together. Running away was so out of character.

“I will live where I need to live. I have to keep a low profile and I’ll do that wherever. But you… You’re going to live with your parents. Your dad is picking up your stuff from my house right now.” Luke hesitantly said.

“Wha—no! I’m coming with you. I am! Wherever you go, I’m going to be there alongside you.” Acelynn shook her head. Tears were falling down her face.

“You can’t, I’m so sorry Ace. If Brian found me he’d charge you for kidnapping or something. He’s powerful and could destroy you. I really am sorry but you can’t come. I need you to be safe. And I can’t tell you where I’m going because when he does ask you where I’ve gone – and he will – I want you to be able to honestly say you don’t know just in case he decides to take it to court or whatever he’ll do. You have to be safe, Ace. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t.” The boy’s voice broke and tears also fell down his own face. “I didn’t know that… I thought I was going to be the only one hurt with the situation.”

“But Luke I don’t think I can survive without you. I might really die. I can’t take being apart from you. I really think my heart is going to break right now. I love you – please take me with you!” The ballerina cried.

“I’m so sorry, Acelynn.” Luke held her tightly in an embrace. “But you need to stay here and be safe. For me. Just please be safe. It’ll only be for a few months. I turn eighteen in March so we can see each other again. I promise you. This won’t be the end, I guarantee it.” Luke held Acelynn’s face in his hands and kissed her lips again. “I love you too.” He whispered in her ear and continued to hold her.

Acelynn knew that Luke wasn’t going to change his mind. He had to leave his father and be free. She didn’t know how she would survive without him, but she knew she had to. She had no other choice.

So the two held each other as they lay, weeping on the slide. They stared at the midnight sky full of stars. They seemed to burn a little brighter just for Acelynn and Luke in their last moments together.

They huddled together for warmth and love as it began to snow but the lovers would not budge from their spot. Luke lit a cigarette to smoke as he held Acelynn close. He even gave the ballerina one after she demanded it. Just this once, he said. The sight of the broken girl with tearstains on her face smoking a cigarette was heartbreaking for Luke, but he knew it was all worth it in the long shot. The sight of a broken boy with tearstains on his face smoking a cigarette was heartbreaking for Acelynn – knowing that he was leaving – but she knew it was for the best in the end.

And for a bittersweet little while, they were finally together.