She Will Be Loved- Ben Tyler Cook

Chapter 23

Kasey's POV

September 3rd, 2017

I was laying on our blanket spread across the grass, nearly asleep.I'd always enjoyed how the breeze turned crisp and cool at the end of summer, it meant that fall was on it's way. My favorite season. The temperature wasn't too hot or too cool, just the way I liked it. Everything was peaceful- until a football hit me and I was jolted from my half awake state. Annoyed, I sat up and groaned.

"Damnit, I'm so sorry Kasey," Mike apologized, and ran over to get the football. "Did I hurt anything?"

"Well, my pride," I joked, and he gave me a hug "to heal the wound", and ran off to keep throwing the football. I took a sip of my coffee, and looked around. Meredith was watching Wren, who was picking grass. Mike, Ian, and Dan were throwing a football around. Ben and DeMarius were currently messing around, dancing to "Closer" by the Chainsmokers which was currently playing on the speaker we brought. I laughed at them, shaking my head.

"Man this is some white trash song but I'm jamming," DeMarius said as they sat back down on our blanket, and Ben and I both laughed. It was a beautiful day in Central Park, and it would probably be my last day to enjoy it for awhile. I took in the moment, enjoying the last memory with my favorite people before one of the biggest periods of change came. I had spent most of my summer with Ben and all my friends in New York, having fun hanging out with them everyday and exploring the city. I was still dancing everyday, preparing to finally dance professionally. Ben had spent a month in Europe with Emma, and a good part of his summer filming Paterno, the HBO movie he'd been cast in. Ben, Dan, Mike, Josh, and I taught some dance workshops out in Santa Cruz, twice this summer. Josh had been cast in the Cats revival, and would be starting rehearsals next week. Ballet season officially started in September, and I'd be leaving in a couple of days to officially start at the company. Ben had been cast in Mean Girls as one of the mathletes, he would leave next week along with DeMarius and Ian to go to DC for their world premiere. Next year, they'd hit broadway. Ben was really excited and was already bonding with his cast. Big changes for both of us, and it meant even more distance. It was exciting and nerve-racking to begin these new projects, and also sad to have to be away from each other. But, we had both promised to put our careers first. Opportunities come first, we have a whole lifetime to be together. We supported each other's endeavors always. We both had big dreams, and unfortunately we can't physically be together to achieve these all the time. Physical distance always seems to cause distance in our relationship, but we've always been able to get through it. It was scary this time, as neither of us knew how long we'd have to be long distance. Ben kissed my cheek and put his arm around me. I smiled and brought myself closer to him, leaning on his shoulder.

"I'm gonna miss moments like these," I murmured. Ben gently stroked my chin, and gently kissed me.

"Hey, we're not dying," Ben chuckled. "I promise we'll have more moments like this. Right now, you have to go be a badass ballerina. The youngest badass ballerina there, we can't forget." I smiled and shook my head.

"I'm gonna miss all of this, everyone. It's been such a good summer."

"They're not dying either," Ben joked again. "We'll all be here when you get back, it's time for you to go do your thing. No one's gonna let you miss this giant opportunity." He was right, this was a giant opportunity. It was going to change my life, but I was scared. But I need to get out of my comfort zone. This has been my dream forever. After meeting so many amazing friends, I was scared to leave them and have to meet all new people. But hey, I thought the same thing before that first day of Newsies rehearsal, and look where I am now. Ben and I's conversation was cut short as once again, the football hit me.