The Player

Brielle

10:54 PM

6 Years Later

"Where are we going!" I squealed as Christopher rounded yet another unknown corner. "This is definitely not the way to the restaurant."

Christopher and I were on our way to meet Nicole and Sam for our celebratory dinner. Christopher had just landed his first role as a stunt double in a major movie and both Sam and Christopher had just graduated.

Sam received a degree in Therapy and Counseling from NYU, which I advised her to get. After Christopher and I's debacle in high school, I figured that she had a real knack for giving advice.

I anxiously checked my watch. We had already left our apartment late, and if we kept up with this pace we wouldn't reach there until I was sixty.

He shushed me. "Don't worry about it, it's a surprise."

I gave him a knowing look. "You and I both know that I hate surprises."

He answered me with silence.

I let out a huff, choosing to just wait and see. If there's one thing that I learned about Christopher, it's that he never cracks.

We made our way through the wet New York streets, the usual crowded sidewalks now deserted in comparison.

After Christopher and I graduated from high school, we both moved to New York. I moved to go to the Joffrey School of Ballet, and him and Sam attended school at New York University. Ever since the ballet showcase, Christopher and I had been happily together. We even moved in together last year.

My ballet school was amazing, and I was already offered so many amazing opportunities. While Christopher was at school, he was also attending different auditions to pursue his life-long dream of being a stunt double. He had just landed a major role in a superhero movie, and I was so proud of him.

I never expected us together to be this easy. When we first started dating, it seemed like there would never be a time when someone or something wasn't in-between us. But somehow, things grew simpler, and now I had no doubt that we would be together forever.

"We're almost here," he said after we walked for a few more minutes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a blindfold, placing it over my eyes and securing it behind my head.

"Why are you doing!" I cried, taken aback by surprise.

He laughed at my jitteriness. "Don't worry, I just don't want you to know where we are going yet." I rolled my eyes, my curiosity growing.

"I know that your rolling your eyes," he laughed. I crossed my arms.

How did he know!

After we walked for another block, he paused.

"We're here," he said. "Are you ready?"

I nodded my head viciously. The curiosity was killing me.

He reached behind my head and untied the knot, causing the blindfold to loosen and fall off my eyes. My eyebrows bunched in confusion.

We stood in front of the David H. Koch Theater, one of the most premier ballet theatres in the world. All the great ballerinas had performed here, and it has been one of my long-time dreams to do the same.

My confusion, however, stemmed from the fact that it was closed. All the lights in the building were turned off, and it looked deserted.

"Why are we here?" I asked, turning towards Christopher. "It's closed."

too well crept onto his face. Before he even spoke I already knew what he was going to

"We're sneaking in."

my head. "No way." I

pulling me close again. "Don't worry, we'll be fine," he whispered

how much fun you will have dancing on the big stage

lip, thinking it over. It would be cool to dance in the theatre. After deliberating for a few

"But you should figure out why I always seem to be breaking into things when I'm with

remembering when we broke into our football field to have a field goal contest. I still remember the look on the security guards face as Christopher slung me over his shoulder, carrying

to scrape from underneath the bleachers

iron poles and hoisted myself up, swinging one leg, then the other over the

blouse and jeans, turning towards

"Your turn."

my foot, waiting

think I'll use

into his back pocket, pulling out a pair of jingling

dropped. "You had those the whole time?" He nodded his head, inserting the key into the padlock on the

"Then why did you make

told you to. You did it all on

He

gate, causally strolling towards me. I rolled my eyes. I could

did you even get those anyway?" I asked as we made our way towards the front

the night shifts as

inside. We waited patiently as he typed on to a key pad. Finally,

by the building around me. I

down a hallway, before opening a door to our left. I walked through the doorway, making

me as I took

seats stretched for as far as I could see, each facing towards me.

stage, spinning and leaping across the stage. All my biggest dreams of me, performing here, flashed before

his arms behind me, nuzzling his nose into my ear. "Do you

giveaway. "I love it," I said turning around so that we

lips, leaning down to kiss me. I couldn't help but remember

you still remember it?" I asked pulling away from our kiss. His eyebrows scrunched

"Our dance," I explained.

"Are you kidding me? With how many times you made me practice

said swatting his arm. "All of the hard work was worth

"Whatever you say."

of the stage and playing the song. When I returned I grabbed at his arm, tugging him

faded away, until it was just me, him, and the music. We danced beautifully, as if we had never stopped practicing.

It was love.

moved together, our bodies flowing, I remembered all that we had went through. Forced arrangements, crazy brothers, breaking into places and getting caught. All the memories of our dates to his lake house and the drive-in movies, all the times that he tried to woo me with candy and balloons, and the image of Christopher

our graduation day, and

all the ups and downs, came rushing back to me. Our journey together, which turned

myself from the time we've spent together. I learned how to open myself up, how to believe in myself. If it wasn't for Christopher, the love of my

who

on, I let my thoughts fade, enjoying us in the moment, enthralled in our movements. As the

my leg up towards my ear, before slowly releasing it back towards the floor, my back turned

much it had changed us. Before I was hesitant to do it, afraid of what would happen if I did. But as I turned around

he