CHAPTER 6
The next few days were hard on both Sara and Derek, for Derek's arm seemed to be hurting more and more each day. After spending five days at the hospital the doctors released him on the condition that he not do anything exhilarating or exciting for at least a week, until his arm got better. Although she wanted to be with him 24/7, Derek made Sara promise she'd continue practicing dancing. "You need to keep workin' it," He'd say, as Sara got him some ice-cream and brought it to him on the couch.
"I know. . .but that can wait," She replied, sitting down next to him. She glanced outside his window and realized how beautiful it was. Although it was still pretty cold outside, the sun was shining on the trees which were just starting to turn green again. "Do you want to go for a walk?" She asked, suddenly having the urge to do something. "I mean, if you're up for it,"
"Yeah, sure," he replied, "Some exercise'll be good for me right?" He added, slowly getting up with the assistance of Sara. She grabbed his coat along with hers and headed outside.
Once they were out, Sara went to his left side, not wanting to bother his sore arm. Once she was on that side, Derek put his arm around her with a sly smile.
"What are you smiling about?" She asked with a chuckle
"Nothing. . ." he said, still grinning. Sara looked puzzled, but she had the feeling that was what he wanted. She shrugged it off and continued walking. They walked down toward an old park, filled with children, dogs, and couples like them going for scenic walks. They stopped by a small pond filled with tiny little fish and sat down on a bench nearby. Derek seemed a little nervous or twitchy, and Sara asked him if there was anything wrong. He just replied that his arm was bothering him and she accepted the answer. Suddenly Derek reached into his pocket and slowly brought something out.
"What's that?" Sara asked. When she saw what it was, Sara's eyes nearly fell out of the sockets. There, in Derek's hand was a 10-karat diamond ring. Derek smiled again, and even though it was hard for him to do, what with one arm and all, he got down on one knee. Sara had always envisioned this moment, but now that it was here she didn't quite believe it. She felt her eyes start to water, and her hand covered her mouth while she tried to fight the tears. Derek chuckled once again, and said those magical words.
"Sara. . ." He started, sweetly trying to sound cool and calm about it all, while Sara could tell he was scared to death, "Will you marry me?" There was no doubt in Sara's mind what the answer was, and she proudly answered the lingering question. Through the tears that were now spilling down her cheeks, she replied "yes". Derek jumped up and with a proud smile on his face; he placed the beautiful ring on Sara's finger. She slowly got up off of the bench and inched closer to her now fiancée. Derek started saying something, but Sara pressed her finger against his lips and replaced it with her own lips. They could feel people watching them, either in awe or disgust; whatever it was they really couldn't care less. Once they stopped and continued walking, Sara seemed to be glowing with happiness.
"Derek. . .I love you," She announced sweetly as Derek reached for her pale hand. He stopped suddenly and faced her; right there in the middle of the street. Derek put his hand on her face and gently caressed it.
"Sara I couldn't have made it without you," he replied, "The shooting, I mean. I remember being on that table. . .and your face was the first thing I saw. That gave me hope. . .desire," Sara looked at him in awe. How could someone make her feel this way? It was truly, truly amazing. She pondered on what to say in response to that. She decided on what was true.
"I couldn't have done it without you either. . .if you hadn't gotten me back into ballet I'd be missing out on the best opportunity of my life,"
"You did that yourself," He replied, smiling and adding another kiss.
The next few days were hard on both Sara and Derek, for Derek's arm seemed to be hurting more and more each day. After spending five days at the hospital the doctors released him on the condition that he not do anything exhilarating or exciting for at least a week, until his arm got better. Although she wanted to be with him 24/7, Derek made Sara promise she'd continue practicing dancing. "You need to keep workin' it," He'd say, as Sara got him some ice-cream and brought it to him on the couch.
"I know. . .but that can wait," She replied, sitting down next to him. She glanced outside his window and realized how beautiful it was. Although it was still pretty cold outside, the sun was shining on the trees which were just starting to turn green again. "Do you want to go for a walk?" She asked, suddenly having the urge to do something. "I mean, if you're up for it,"
"Yeah, sure," he replied, "Some exercise'll be good for me right?" He added, slowly getting up with the assistance of Sara. She grabbed his coat along with hers and headed outside.
Once they were out, Sara went to his left side, not wanting to bother his sore arm. Once she was on that side, Derek put his arm around her with a sly smile.
"What are you smiling about?" She asked with a chuckle
"Nothing. . ." he said, still grinning. Sara looked puzzled, but she had the feeling that was what he wanted. She shrugged it off and continued walking. They walked down toward an old park, filled with children, dogs, and couples like them going for scenic walks. They stopped by a small pond filled with tiny little fish and sat down on a bench nearby. Derek seemed a little nervous or twitchy, and Sara asked him if there was anything wrong. He just replied that his arm was bothering him and she accepted the answer. Suddenly Derek reached into his pocket and slowly brought something out.
"What's that?" Sara asked. When she saw what it was, Sara's eyes nearly fell out of the sockets. There, in Derek's hand was a 10-karat diamond ring. Derek smiled again, and even though it was hard for him to do, what with one arm and all, he got down on one knee. Sara had always envisioned this moment, but now that it was here she didn't quite believe it. She felt her eyes start to water, and her hand covered her mouth while she tried to fight the tears. Derek chuckled once again, and said those magical words.
"Sara. . ." He started, sweetly trying to sound cool and calm about it all, while Sara could tell he was scared to death, "Will you marry me?" There was no doubt in Sara's mind what the answer was, and she proudly answered the lingering question. Through the tears that were now spilling down her cheeks, she replied "yes". Derek jumped up and with a proud smile on his face; he placed the beautiful ring on Sara's finger. She slowly got up off of the bench and inched closer to her now fiancée. Derek started saying something, but Sara pressed her finger against his lips and replaced it with her own lips. They could feel people watching them, either in awe or disgust; whatever it was they really couldn't care less. Once they stopped and continued walking, Sara seemed to be glowing with happiness.
"Derek. . .I love you," She announced sweetly as Derek reached for her pale hand. He stopped suddenly and faced her; right there in the middle of the street. Derek put his hand on her face and gently caressed it.
"Sara I couldn't have made it without you," he replied, "The shooting, I mean. I remember being on that table. . .and your face was the first thing I saw. That gave me hope. . .desire," Sara looked at him in awe. How could someone make her feel this way? It was truly, truly amazing. She pondered on what to say in response to that. She decided on what was true.
"I couldn't have done it without you either. . .if you hadn't gotten me back into ballet I'd be missing out on the best opportunity of my life,"
"You did that yourself," He replied, smiling and adding another kiss.