I Hope You Dance (Artemi Panarin)

One Wish Theory

Artemi

As October comes to a end the guys on the team decide to throw me a little party. Half of it is so I would stop moping around and the other half was a excuse to party. Any excuse to party.

We end up at a bar since most of the guys were of age and could be in there. The guys who weren't cane anyway. They had some balloons up and a cake and food set out. Andrew and Yuila was there along with some other friends I've made around the city. Plus the guys and their significant others filled the place up. It was cool to see what I was able to build here in Chicago but I was still missing a big piece of my life.

As I look around and see everyone with their lady friend it made me jealous. I wanted that and I could only have it with one person.

I stand by myself at the buffet just watching everyone. I pick at my sweater trying to pass time until I can get back to my dog.

"It's your birthday, you can't be sad" someone says and I laugh dryly.

"So I keep hearing" I mumble.

"Maybe I can fix it" they say.

"Not unless you're..." I trail off. That's when I notice that it was Gabby standing right beside me. And not someone that looked like her or my imagination playing mean tricks on me. It was actually her, and she looked amazing.

"Gabby" I ask and she nods. I quickly grab her face and pull her into a deep kiss. I hear a few of the guys start cheering but I didn't care. Nothing could stop the smile on my face from growing. "What the hell are you doing here" I whisper on her lips.

"I decided that for your birthday I would get you me" she giggles.

"That's all I asked for" I smile. "How long are you here for" I ask.

"Forever" she says and I smile.

"Seriously? You're here to say" I ask trying not to hop out of my skin.

"Yeah. I'm done dancing if I can't be with you... Are you mad at me" she asks.

"Baby, I'm feeling a lot of things right now and anger isn't one of them. I couldn't be more excited to have you back. I've been losing my shit without you and I'm so happy you're back" I ramble on.

"I'm happy to be back, and for good" she insists.

I pull her into another a kiss because we had a lot of making up to do. Or making out. Whatever.

We break apart and I open my eyes to see that she was right in front of me. Like seriously right in front of me. I softly touch her face and that smile that had been my muse for well over a year now is mine once again. I kiss her forehead before pulling her into a hug.

"Awww look at that. The happy couple" someone says and I see Kassie come around the corner. I met her in my short time in New York and I enjoyed her. She was different, but like Gabby she was a good different.

"Kassie, what are you doing here" I ask.

"I promised to help Gabby get out of the dance studio if she took me with here. Now I'm here" she shrugs.

"And you're in a bar and you're nineteen, so you better behave" Gabby warns her.

"I'm a dancer, I don't drink" she claims.

"You're not a dancer anymore" Gabby tells her and Kassie's eyes go big.

"One drink" she begs.

"Absolutely not" Gabby insists and she starts to pout. She goes off and gets a water and I shake my head. That kid was something else.

I turn back to Gabby who was smiling up at me. I go to kiss her until she gets taken from my arms. I open my eyes and she Lindsey practically hanging from Gabby as Gabby looks at me with that "I'm sorry" look.

"Oh my god! I can't believe you're here! I missed you so much" Lindsey yells.

"I missed you too Linds" Gabby laughs as Lindsey sets her friend back down.

"You look incredible" Lindsey gasps.

"Thanks" Gabby blushes. I've never never met someone so complimented in my life and she blushes every time, it's so cute.

"Hey Gabs" Jonny says coming over to us.

"Hey Jon" she replies and his eyes get big.

"Did you just call me Jon" he gasps.

"I did" she laughs.

"Wow, you're a changed woman" he claims.

"I feel like it" she admits.

They go off to drink some more and I grab my girlfriend back before there was any more distractions.

"You're a changed girl huh" I ask.

"Of course. There's no way I could leave for New York to become a dancer and come back two months later and not have changed" she insists.

"What's different" I wonder.

"I realize that chasing a dream is such a gift. Because it's not about the destination, it's the journey. I never wanted to be world famous and envied by millions. I wanted to make art with my body, and I could do that. I learned from the brightest minds in the world of dance and met some colorful personalities. I learned what I like and didn't like about myself and other people and figured out that what I was looking for was right here the whole time" she claims wrapping her arms around my neck.

"I don't think you understand how much I've missed you" I insist.

"I think I have a idea" she smirks.

We walk around and I say hi to everyone. I already started to feel like myself again and the guys could tell.

At one point Gabby goes to the bathroom and I get pulled to the side by Patrick.

"Dude, I think I'm seeing your girlfriend now too" he gasps and it becomes apparent he was slightly intoxicated.

"That's Gabby" I explain and his eyes go wide.

"How is she in two places at once" he asks and I shake my head.

"Patrick Gabby is here to stay. Like actually here" I laugh.

"Ohhhh" he gasps and I roll my eyes. This is why we don't drink in season. "Well I'm happy for you. Oh yeah, and happy anniversary" he says before walking away. I couldn't tell if he was serious or not. But I'm thinking he was.

Eventually Gabby joins me as they light the birthday cake. They put 24 candles in it and light it up. They all sing but the only voice that had my attention belonged to the voice I've been yearning for months as it sounds through my head.

I blow out my candles and they start to serve the cake. I hand a piece to Gabby and she kindly thanks me.

"So what did you wish for" she asks.

"What" I question.

"You know, when you blew out your candles, what did you wish for" she reiterated.

"I didn't ask for anything" I shrug.

"Okay, what would you wish for? Like if you could have anything right now what would it be" she questions.

I set my plate down and turn to her.

"I wouldn't wish for anything. Because everything I could ever want or need is right in front of me."