The Boy and the Ballerina

Chapter 1

Mallory

Have you ever heard of the red string of fate? A single red string that ties you to the one you're supposed to be with. It's a story I have always loved and admired. I hope one day that the string will lead me to the one I'm supposed to be with. However, that day might come sooner than I think.

Walking out of the studio late after my classes are done and over with, I carry my ballet bag in my right hand. I pull out my phone to call my dad,

"Hey dad I'm done can you come pick me up"

papa hesitates "I can't sweetie I picked up extra shifts at the office to cover our ballet fee for this month I have to go, I love you sweetie"

"I love you dad."

I then hear the phone disconnect and know I have to take the bus home. It is not a long walk to the bus station but from the lengthy and exhausting hours spent in the ballet studio it makes the walk feel like miles when in reality it is probably about half a mile. As I wait for the bus to come to my stop I sit down on the bench and click onto pinterest and look up ballerina aesthetics because I have been intrigued in this art of the body for as long as I can remember. My mom got me into classes before she left, for a new family she started in another country while telling dad and my 6 year old self she was on business trips teaching kids around the world ballet. I only come out of the memory when the bus is pulling in front of me.

I stand up pulling out my card to swipe and I climb onto the bus and pay before looking around the bus seeing one open row I walk over and sit there. Just as the bus starts to roll forward we slam on the break, someone has run in front of the bus. As the bus doors open a boy with curly dirty blonde hair climbs the steps making his way toward the only open seat; right next to me.

As he adjust himself in the seat I take notice in his stormy gray eyes and small spots of freckles that liter his face as he is muttering "damn it, damn it, damn it I have to get home" I feel I shouldn't intrude but he sounds like he is in distress and I should say something so I speak up

"Are you okay?"

"Just fine thank you" he starts to put headphones on before pausing part way through "would you like to listen with me?"

As I look back at him I wonder why he would ask me

"sure I will as long as it's not a distraction for you to kidnap me" I say laughing, as I take the wired earbud and put it in he laughs. Mystery boy starts a song and I don't recognize it but it's pretty the melody flows together very well and I could see a solo or duet or any dance go to this song though it would probably be a lyrical number. As the song is ending I realize I get off at the next stop and I don't know this mystery boys name

"what's your name"

"why should I tell you, you might try to find me again" I laugh

"And why would I try to find a boy who almost got hit by a bus"

Just then bus then pulls up to my stop and he stands as well and starts to walk off the bus and I follow him of course because it's my stop and as I step of the bus into the chilly night air of Utah I shiver realizing I left my jacket back at the studio and that I would have to set a reminder to grab that tomorrow. The mystery boy turns around and see me

"You really are following me aren't you"

"no I'm not I live down this road" pointing behind me "and I really should be getting home" I turn and start to walk towards my house before turning and yelling over my shoulder

"Good night mystery boy I hope we meet again" as I turn my head back not expecting a response I hear "Good night mystery girl and I think if we meet again you would have been stalking me" I laugh to myself.

Before turning to tell him that's not true but when I look where he was he's gone and I look around for a second but realize I'm not going to find him this late and should get home before I freeze to death and I turn around and resume my journey home.

I walk in my door about eight minutes later and don't feel like cooking so I pull out a aćai bowls and pull off the plastic covering before popping it in the microwave for two minutes and as that is microwaving I pull out a spoon and the granola we have in the house,

"Beep...beep...beep..."

I walk over to the microwave and pull out my dinner before carrying it to the table and sitting down I stir the bowl and pour some granola into it while reading that it is granola that is birthday cake flavored. As I'm starting to scoop onto my spoon and putting it in my mouth my phone rings and I reach over a chair to grab my phone which I had of course left on the other side of the table as I pick it up I look to see who's calling me..dad... I swipe to the right with my thumb switching the phone to my left hand,

"Hey dad, how was work"

"Hey sweetie, work was just fine; I just got off my shift and am heading home. I will be there in about 25 minutes" he responds to my previous question.

"Okay dad just know I will probably be in my room" and I hear a small "Mhm" in acknowledgement and then he says "bye sweets"

"Bye dad"

I finish my aćai bowl soon after the phone hangs up and I throw away the bowl and start heading to my room. When I open my door and enter my room I see my dark green walls covered in pictures: from all my years of ballet, of me and my dad, with my friends from ballet and school before I became homeschooled, and I see some pictures I have of me and my mom.

I then grab a pair of sweatpants and a crop top to wear to sleep and head into the bathroom to shower. I turn the water on hot but not extremely hot and then squat down to grab a towel from under my sink and I fold my clothes and set them on the counter before undressing and stepping into the shower to let the water run over my sore muscles and wash off all the sweat and grime.

I reach over and pump some shampoo into my hand, rub it into my scalp and reach out my phone and skip the song that was playing and after a few minutes I wash it out and put conditioner on the ends of my hair in the ponytail part of my long hair. I grab my favorite body wash its birthday cake scented and I squeeze it onto my luffa and then lather it all over my body messaging it into my sore muscles and feet and then I wash off my body and wash out my medium length hair and turn off the water as I grab my towel and dry my hair a little before drying off my body to put on my loose fitting sweatpants and my crop top that shows off my stomach. Just as I step back into my room I hear the downstairs door open and my dad call out "Honey I'm home" and I put my hair in a towel and head back downstairs to say hi to my dad

"Hey dad I'm glad your home" as I reach the downstairs and pull my dad into a hug

"Hey, I'm glad to see you to" hugging me back tightly and as I pull away to look at my dad in his work uniform consisting of a meijers shirt and khakis.

"I'm going back upstairs to stretch and do some homework before I head to sleep for the night, "alright squirt don't let the bedbugs bite"

"Alright dad" I call over my shoulder already heading back upstairs, when I get back to my room and shut the door and grab my phone putting on some music before grabbing my foam roller and golf ball; and I start rolling out my back and my legs and I the I stop with my foam roller and do the splits on both sides and the center also doing scorpion and king cobra along with a little bit of yoga before standing up and grabbing my golf ball band rolling it beneath my feet for a solid 5 minutes before I sit down at my desk and pull out my chemistry homework that I had gotten today, it was the only class I had homework in for my junior classes.

I spend a hour doing chemistry and then I put it away and plug in my computer for tomorrow before picking out my outfit for tomorrow for dance before sitting on my bed and plugging my phone and headphones in before laying back under the covers while letting my mind wander back to the mystery boy I met on the bus earlier this morning.

This is my first chapter to my first book please do not judge and if you have any suggestions please leave a comment! Thanks for reading!