I Hope You Dance

Prologue

When a marriage ends, it's heartbreaking in a lot of ways. Either you're crying over a lost love, crying for the time you wasted, or even crying for the change that comes with a divorce. It's an adjustment, one that people either handle well, or not at all. You could spend years thinking of a way to get that person back, or immediately try to move onto bigger and better things.

I met the man I was going to marry when I was seventeen, at our small town Georgia high school. Buckhead to be exact, the place that my parents settled when my mom stopped touring as much and my father was able to spend more time at home since he moved up in the Navy. It was a normal school day towards the end of our junior year when a boy stopped by my locker. "Hey beautiful." My eyes widened at his voice. Boys never really took an interest in me, at first I thought it was because of who my father was, seeing as the six foot two man who was built like a mack truck was intimidating. Until the fateful day when I had asked out the guy I had been crushing on, and he made it clear I was 'too big' and 'not pretty enough' to even talk to him. 

Yeah, that'll kill a girls confidence. So when this boy leaned up by my locker, looking at me with his blue eyes, brown hair and dazzling smile, I was a little confused. "H-hi?" I asked and he chuckled at me. "Why say it like a question? I was talking to you." My face turned red at his comment. "Sorry, um, guys don't usually call me beautiful. It caught me off guard." He chuckled as I closed my locker. "So you're Caila Motley, right?" I nodded and leaned my shoulder onto my locker. "I am, but I don't believe I know you just yet." I said and he flashed me another bright smile. "Aaron. Aaron Wilder. Just moved here after Christmas, and might I say you captured my attention right away." I couldn't help but smile at his words. "Say, are you busy on Friday?" I shook my head quickly, desperately. 

"Would you wanna go out with me? To that diner out by Brookhaven?" I nodded. "I live in Brookhaven, so that'll work out great." He nodded and scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to me. "Six, okay?" I nodded as he walked away. "See you tomorrow, beautiful. Call me tonight?" My heart swelled and I nodded at his words. This boy flirted with me, called me beautiful, and gave me his number? He's actually interested in me!

I rushed home in my little 2007 BMW 7 Series, rushing in through the garage. I went through the kitchen and rushed upstairs to my room, throwing my bag in the floor and yanking up the landline before stopping myself. Don't seem desperate, give it a few hours. Suddenly my door flew open. "What's the hurry? It sounded like a stampede rushing up those stairs." My mom said picking my backpack up and hanging it up on the back of my bedroom door. "Sorry mama, I just got excited." She raised her eyebrows, "Oh, what for?" I held up the paper. "This boy at school gave me his number." I squealed and she smiled before sitting next to me on my bed. "Is he cute?" I chuckled. "Uh duh! He has the softest looking brown hair and his eyes are this gorgeous light shade of blue." She smiled at me. 

"Seems like he's got you all smitten." I smiled. "Honestly, I didn't know who he was until he approached me today. Mama he called me beautiful and everything." She ran her hands through my hair. "Just don't get in too deep too quick sweetie, it's not always a fairy tail ending." Boy, I wouldn't know till years later how right she would be. 

Our date went well, especially since I told him who my parents were. You'd think telling a date your father is Admiral David 'Bobcat' Motley would scare him away, or that telling him your mother is famous country singer Regina Motley would be intimidating but no. He accepted it with a smile on his face and that's when I truly thought I found a good one, if my parents or large older brother Jameson didn't scare him off, then surely he'd be perfect. 

~~~

We had two weeks until graduation when I got the call, I knew it would be coming today and I've been crawling out of my skin since then. "Yes sir, thank you for your time sir." I hung up and turned to everybody. "So?" My father asked. "I GOT ACCEPTED INTO THE NAVAL ACADEMY!" Screams erupted everywhere as my father squeezed me into a tight hug. "I have never been more proud of you!" I squeezed his neck at his words. "Oh darlin', I am so proud of you!" My grandmother said, yanking me from my dad into a bone crushing hug. "Thank you Mamaw." I said before noticing Aaron outside on the deck. I hugged everyone else before walking outside.