Without A Chance

I stood in the middle of the large studio, gazing in the mirror as the song replayed itself once again. Sweat was pouring down my skin, making my body shine in the bright lights. I had long since abandoned my shirt, having tossed it haphazardly across the open floor as I tried not to miss a single beat of the new melody. As the mid-paced tempo swirled around the room for at least the 20th time, I sat down giving my tired muscles a break. I watched my reflection in the mirror, gazing at my honey blonde hair, and pink tinged cheeks. I let the song play through one more time, as I sat before getting up and heading to the far back corner on the room, taking my pose.

The first note of the song played and I began the rehearsed choreography. I moved with the beat, hitting each move with little flaw or incident. I completed each unspoken phrase with emotion and elegance, my eyes barely leaving the mirror. I watched the way my body moved in flowing grace, and how my muscles rippled as I transitioned from move to move, absorbed and lost in my own world.

As the song came to an end, I hit the pose breathing heavily. It was a couple seconds of the blood pounding in my ears and heaving breaths before I heard the soft claps coming from the doorway of the studio. I jumped, my head whipping around to see who had been watching me, my eyes wide as dinner plates.

“Amazing…” He let his voice trail off, as he gazed at me, his chocolate brown hair sweeping across his forehead.

I blushed lightly adding another shade of pink to my already dusted cheeks. “Thank you.” I smiled at him politely, running over to the stereo to stop the song from playing again. After hitting the pause button I turn to face the boy still standing in the corner. “You don’t have to stay there, you can come in.”

He chuckled softly, his icy blue-grey eyes, shining with delight. “I know, Kale.”

I bit my lip, watching him push away from the wall, and sit with his back up against the mirror. “Why are you here, Michael? “ I asked quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I told you, I’m not stopping until we get caught. Nothing you can say will change the way I feel about that.” He’s eye burrowed into mine, a serious yet loving look adorning his features.

“You’ve said that before, then you pushed me away.” I cried, hitting my hands against the floor. “I can’t deal with your constant mood swings Michael. You need to make up your mind.”

“I didn’t push you away, Kale. You pushed me away. You avoided me like I had the plague or something.” He bit back, his eyes laced with fire.

I cringed slightly at the venom his voice held. “I’m sorry Michael…” I pushed myself up from the shining floor, making a break for the door, my eyes never leaving the ground before me.

“Kale, wait, please?” Michael called out, his voice quiet, almost timid. I didn’t stop; I left my shirt and just kept running, or I tried to. “Kale, please, hear me out?” His voice was nothing more than a whimper, as his arms wrapped around my waist, holding me here.

“Why, Michael, why should I hear you out? Why do we even try anymore?” I cried, my voice cracking, my emotions getting the best of me as my eyes misted with tears. “Someone always ends up hurt, and I’m done being hurt Michael.” I took a breath, watching him, my tears falling down my cheeks slowly. “You’ve hurt me one to many times, and what’s worse is even though I know how it’s going to end, I always come back to you.” I choked on my words, my spine hitting the mirror as I stepped back, as if terrified by something. “I always come back, and I don’t want to get hurt anymore.”

“Kale, I promise, I won’t hurt you anymore.” He took slow hesitant steps towards my quivering frame, wrapping his skinny arms around my body, pulling me away from the cool mirror and against his warm chest. “I don’t want to hide you away anymore, keep you to myself.” He said softly, his face nuzzled in my neck. “I want to take you to the top of Mount Everest and scream to the world that you, Kale Grey Micah are mine, and mine only. I can’t promise I won’t make stupid mistakes, I can’t promise to be perfect, I can’t promise everything, but I can promise that I’ll try.”

He sighed and looked as if he wanted to add something, but he kept his mouth closed. “I don’t know if trying is going to be enough, Michael. We’ve tried before.”

“We tried to hide it, Kale. We were the only ones who knew, it’s not going to be that way anymore. Secrets don’t make friends.”

“Then why did you always try to keep it a secret?” I murmured softly.

“I’m sorry. Kale, I guess what I’m getting at is, would you like to be my boyfriend?”

“How do I know you’re not going to hurt me again?” I whispered softly, staring in his icy eyes, which were melting with every second.

“You don’t, Kale. What’s life, without a risk? What’s love, without a chance?”

“A life without a risk is a boring life. Love without a chance is nonexistent.” I smiled softly, rubbing Michael’s shoulder softly. “I’m trusting you with my heart Michael Tyler, don’t you dare drop it.”

His gorgeous face pulled into a bright smile, his eyes brightening two shades of blue, a light twinkle shining in sky-like irises. “I wouldn’t even dream of it.” He mumbled softly, his soft pink lips capturing mine in a sweet warm kiss. There was no tongue, or battle for dominance, just a sweet, soft brush of warm pink lips.