Saving Garnet

The music played on as Garnet rose en pointe and began the toughest part of her whole routine. She whipped her head around, her eyes on the spot she'd chosen at the back of the theater. She still got slightly dizzy as approached the end of the fourteen turns. She came out of the last one in perfect form, staying en pointe for an aerial and going flat-footed for the next portion of the ballet.

The once polite audience gasped and applauded wildly, and Garnet fought to keep her smile from growing. She tuned them out and finished her dance.

The curtains started closing and Garnet held her pose, just like in practice.

Just before they closed, a lound bang rang throughout the theater and a bullet whizzed by Garnet's ear, missing her by less than a centimeter.

The curtains closed just as the audience began to scream.

***

"State-famous ballet dancer Garnet Thomas was nearly shot last night in her last performance with the Washington Ballet Company. Thomas, only eighteen years old, confessed to receiving death threats from forty-two year old Patrick Mayne. Mayne was arrested two years ago on stalking charges from Thomas, and was released last month. Several witnesses told police they saw him shoot at Thomas. He escaped in the confusion and evaded the police. The Seattle Police Department has notified police across the state, and the search for Mayne continues. Thomas's mother, Mercedes Thomas, told us they were looking into a bodyguard for Garnet starting today."

Garnet turned the tv off and refilled her coffee cup.

"Honey, too much caffeine will make you break out."

"Mom, I was almost shot last night. Give me a break."

Her mom put a hand over her mouth and ran from the room.

Garnet's dad sighed. "Honey, she's worried."

"She just..."

"I know."

The doorbell rang and her mother came back through the kitchen, composed. Garnet heard her welcome the guest into the house. 

So the first applicant was here.

She wanted no part of the process of selecting a bodyguard. She didn't need one. Mayne was gone for now, and soon she'd be in New York for her Juliard audition, anyway. 

She tiptoed out of the kitchen, grabbing a brownie on the way. When her mom noticed she'd get hell for it, but right now she just needed chocolate.

Garnet locked herself in her room just as her mother came up the stairs. She hopped on the bed and bit into the brownie, moaning in pleasure. This was her first brownie in a year, and it was good.

"Garnet, honey, come downstairs and meet Natasha!"

"No."

Her mom's voice was strained as she tried again. "Come on, she's waiting downstairs!"

"She can leave for all I care."

Her mom's footsteps were heavy on the stairs and Garnet knew she was pissed, but she didn't care. She'd pay for it later at dance practice, but right now she just wanted to eat her brownie in peace, bodyguards be damned.

The doorbell rang two more times; her parents must have been having trouble picking a bodyguard. She didn't hear the doorbell for a while, so she figured she was safe to tiptoe to the living room and catch the Gilmore Girls marathon.

She'd just flipped to the right channel when she was interrupted.

"Sweetie, we'd like you to meet someone," her dad declared, a hint of warning in his voice.

Damn.

If her mother had asked, Garnet would have replied with a smartass comment, but it was her dad so she sucked it up and turned around, taking in an extremely tall young guy.

He was tall and lean, but looked like he could easily lift Garnet, her mother, and her father all at once and throw them across the room. He wore dark, hip hugging jeans and a charcoal gray t-shirt. His hair was golden and slightly shaggy. His chiseled face had slight dark blonde stubble. His eyes were seafoam green. Garnet had never seen such an attractive man in her life.

"This is Sean," her dad introduced him. "He'll be your bodyguard."

Well, shit. There went her high regard for him.

Garnet gave a tight smile and a little wave, then turned back around. Her mom sighed and Garnet turned up the tv a notch in response. Her dad scolded her and she turned it back down, annoyed. She heard him follow her exasperated mom out of the room.

Sean sat at the other end of the couch. Garnet ignored him, watching Jess and Rori fight.

"I love this show," he admitted.

Garnet, unable to help it, smiled. "It's my favorite."

"I always wanted her to marry Logan."

"Me, too! Or even Dean. But not Jess."

"No, definitely not Jess."

They grew silent and a commercial for tampons came on. Garnet felt herself blush. She turned to him, wanting to both make herself clear and distract them from the awkwardness of the commercial.

"I don't need a bodyguard," she told him. "This is a fair warning. I have nothing against you, but I will most likely give you hell. So you can leave now if you want."

His mouth dropped open. "I...I'm...You were almost shot!"

"Almost." She forced herself to say his name. "Mayne is gone for now. And by the time he tries to come back, I'll be in New York for my Juliard audition. He won't be able to touch me there."

"He could get to you in a theater. What makes you think he can't get to you on a college campus?"

"He's not that bold."

"He was bold enough to shoot at you in a theater. He'll do anything."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I feel like a child having you here."

He frowned. "I'll give you as much independence as I can."

"That won't be enough."

"Look, you're lucky to be alive right now. I'm going to keep you safe, okay? If that means I have to be with you 24/7, I will. I'm not going to let you go get yourself killed. But I won't be that kind of overbearing bodyguard that won't let you pee on your own. Deal?"

She eyed him, deciding on what to do. Finally, she held her hand out. "Deal."

They shook on it as the show came back on and both turned to watch.