Chapter 1
A New Opportunity
I thought today was going to be awful. I just announced 2 hours ago that I would be retiring and not competing in London for the 2012 Olympics. I have had a hectic day and fixing to go take a long hot shower. As I was about to cut my phone off I get a call.
" Hello?"
" Yes, Miss Johnson this is the producer of Dancing with the Stars. How are you?"
" I'm doing fine how are you?"
" Good. You may have heard already, but we are having an All Stars competition in a couple of months and would love to know if you would like to join our cast."
Did I really just get asked this? Oh my goodness what am I going to say?
" I would definitely have to think about it. What would this season be about?" I asked
" Well this year we want to have 13 contestants from the past 14 seasons, and have past winners and fan favorites. You were top on our list to come back. I can give you one week to come up with you answer. We have about 3 other people left to ask then we will have to partner everybody up. If you come up with your decision sooner than that then you can contact me at anytime." He explained
" I would love to, but of course I still have to think about it. I will keep this wonderful opportunity in mind and will get back to you." I said
" Thank you for your time Miss Johnson, I really hope you decide to be on the show again. Always a pleasure to watch you dance, bye"
" Bye."
I am so excited I definitely want to do it, but what about my knee? Will it be able to hold up through all those weeks of practice? I need to talk to some one. I pull out my phone and call the two people who have always been there for me. My parents.
" Hello" my mom answered
" Mom are you and dad home?"
" Yes, Shawn do you need him?"
" Will you get him and put your phone on speaker phone?"
" Yes, hold on."
I wish I could tell them in person. This is a huge decision. As I was consumed in my thoughts I hear my dads voice.
" Shawn is everything all right?" he asked sounded concerned
" Well, I just got a call from the Dancing with the Stars producer." I said
" Well what did he want?" Mom asked
" They are having an all stars season and asked me to be apart of the cast." I said in a whisper kind of scared of what there going to say. All though I'm 20 there opinion still means the world to me.
" Well that is great!" My mom said
" I agree, I think it will be a wonderful opportunity for you. You will have something to keep you busy and your mind off all this publicity about your retirement." he said
" I would love to do it, the only thing I'm worried about is my knee. I have had so many problems with it and I guess I'm just worried it will keep me from showing my full ability." I explained
" That is just something you will have to put faith and hope into God. Everything happens for a reason and maybe you didn't get your Olympics redemption, because God had another plan for you." mom said
" Your mother is right. It will be great for you to get back to dancing. You love to dance and are very good at it. This competition will maybe give you something to look forward too and something to strive for." dad said
" I think you are both right. I think I am going to do it." I said
" That is great." they both said
" I am going to get of here and call him back and let him know my answer and maybe get some more information." I explained
" All right sweetie, Love you." they both exclaimed
" Love you too, bye" I said
As the phone is ringing calling the producer I start to get a little bit nervous. I wonder who my partner will be and if I will have Mark again or get to have a new partner? I wonder who the rest of the cast will be? My thoughts get interrupted when I hear " Well Miss Johnson I see you have made a decision." he said
" Yes I have, I… would love to do it!" I practically yelled into the phone.
" That is great! I am so happy you said yes! Do you have any questions?" he asked
" I only have a couple. Will I have the same partner, and when do we begin practice?" I asked
" I'm not sure, we still haven't got answers from some of the cast so I don't really know everybody yet. As soon as we have heard from everybody we will do the partnering, then we will start practices as soon as possible. I gave the reaming people one week to make up their mind so by the end of this week or earlier you will know your partner. We already have some kind of idea, but I cant say anything." he explained
" I understand, and thank you so much for giving me this opportunity once again. I will let you go. Bye." I said
" No Miss Johnson, thank you. Bye." he said
I hung up the phone and I still have to go to the Today Show and do an interview about my book and my just announced retirement. I am really nervous about the interview. I hope I don't cry, and I have to keep this big secret about Dancing with the Stars.
4 hours later and am on my way to get something to eat. I just finished my interview and thankfully I didn't cry. I came close. Talking about this is so hard I've known I was going to have to retire for a couple of weeks and dreaded when I was going to have to talk about it with strangers. I didn't notice till know, but my stomach is growling I think I'm going to stop somewhere and get something to eat. I guess I was so nervous I forgot to eat.
I walk in and place my order. I take a seat waiting on my order. I am playing on my phone when I hear a familiar voice say my name. I look up and none other then Mark Ballas is standing in front of me.
" Oh my goodness, Mark!" I yell
" Shawn! What are you doing here?"
" I am in New York doing an interview for the Today Show and go a little hungry so I stopped by here. What are you doing here?" I asked
" I stopped by to get something to eat also. We should sit down and catch up. If you have time of course." he asked
" Of course. " I say
" Order 200" I hear
" That's mine I will be right back." I say
I leave to go get my food. When I get back I see Mark has a blonde head guy sitting beside him. They both turn around when they hear me walk up. The guy beside him is none other than Derek Hough.
" Well hello there." he says
" Hi" I say kind of nervous I always found him so attractive
" So, how is your life going?" Mark asked
" Well, I've had better days but I got an interesting phone call this afternoon. Other then that my day has been awful." I explain
" Why has it been awful?" Mark asks looking concerned
" I had to sit at the show for 4 hours getting my make up and hair done. Not that I'm complaining, but I was there that long to do a 10 minute interview about my book and my gymnastics retirement." I explained
" I bet it sucks to have to talk about that. I'm sorry." he said
" It's okay. Thank you, what are you guys doing in New York." I asked looking at Derek
" Well Dancing with the Stars is coming up in a couple months so we will be tied up and Mark and I just decided to go on a road trip. Well of course we flew and didn't drive." Derek explained
" Speaking of that I got a call today to be on the All Stars cast. I probably wasn't suppose to say anything, but I know you guys won't tell anyone. Frankly he didn't say not to say anything." I said chuckling a bit
" Really, Shawn that is great! Maybe we can be partners again." Mark said
" Yes, that would be great. I am really excited you know just kind of nervous about my knee. But I think it will hold up." I said
" I wondered if you were going to say anything about it. I talked to the producer a couple days ago and he said he was going to ask you to come back. I told him he would be making a great choice asking you." Derek said
" Thank you, and of course I said yes. I just had to have a little bit to think about it." I said blushing a little bit.
" Anytime." Derek said smiling
" Did he mention anyone else?" I asked
" No." he said
" Dang I wondered who all they asked? He said he had to have the answer buy the end of the week. Then they would partner us up." I said
" I've been wondering too." Mark said
2 hours passed and we were the only 3 customers left in the little café. Time flies by when your having fun. It was 11:00 and I was exhausted.
" I think I'm going to head out. It is getting late and I have a early flight back home in the morning. I will see you guys in a couple of weeks." I said
" Bye." they both said
I hugged them both and got in my car and headed back to my suit. 6:00 was going to some early.