"Come on!" Carmine groaned.
"Are you okay?" asked a new voice. A female voice.
"I'd be better if I could see." Carmine said, feeling someone grabbing his hand and helping him up.
"Then I guess these belong to you." said the voice.
And the owner of the voice placed Carmine's glasses back on his face. But before he could properly say thanks, Carmine froze when his vision became clear, as the first thing he saw was the owner of the voice. A girl. But not just any girl.
The most beautiful girl Carmine had ever seen. She looked about his age. This girl had very dark, almost black hair tied in a low bun with bangs that perfectly framed her beautiful face. Rosey lips, eyes as blue as a crystal ocean, and a pearly smile. She wore pink leotards like most of the other girls, but to Carmine, she wore them best.
"Are you okay?" asked the girl again.
Carmine felt his face flush and said, "Y-yeah. I'm... I'm Carmine...Jinn."
The girl chuckled and said, "Well, my name is Mitchell. Caroline Mitchell. Dance specialist. What's your specialty?"
"Uhh... I'm not sure yet."
Carmine's face turned even more red as he admired Caroline's great beauty.
Carmine tried to focus as he began to warm up for ballet, but then he saw Caroline as she was warming up at the barre.
As she pliéd and ran her leg across the barre, she did it so smoothly, and in Carmine's eyes, made it look so beautiful.
Ms. Susy soon called everyone to take their places, and class began with a few warmups doing the five ballet positions, some pliès and relevés at the barre, and then a few sautés.
Carmine watched as Caroline performed every single movement with ease. Such grace. Such beauty. But he got so distracted by her that he ended up tripping and falling on his face.
"Ow!" Carmine groaned.
"Are you okay?" said Caroline, helping Carmine up.
Carmine ended up looking into Caroline's eyes again. He got so lost in them.
"Never better." He sighed.
Carmine felt his heart beating really fast, and his palms were getting sweaty too. At first, he couldn't explain it, but when he watched Caroline as the dancers took turns dancing across the floor, he knew exactly what was happening. He was in love with Caroline. But he didn't know nearly anything about her other than she was a fantastic dancer. He had to find a way to get to know her better. But... what was he going to say?
All throughout the rest of ballet class, Carmine gave his best movements, hoping Caroline would notice him more. But, she seemed more focused on dancing at the moment.
After class, Carmine carefully followed Caroline to her locker and made a note of where it was as he decided he was going to write her a note.
Carmine sat in his dorm that night and started to write in a notepad a bunch of possible love letters he could give her. But, he struggled with knowing what to say.
Dear Caroline,
You are so beautiful...
Carmine immediately crumpled that one up.
"That's so cliche." Carmine said.
Carmine kept trying to write a love letter for Caroline, but every time he did, he hated everything. He felt so many emotions running through him at once.
Sighing, Carmine tried one more note. A sinple poem.
Roses are red, Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet, music is true
All those things are beautiful and so are you
Your smile so bright and eyes so blue.
This is me saying I'd love to get to know you.
Signed... your secret admirer
And he drew a little heart
"Not quite what I was going for," said Carmine. "But it'll do."
So, while Sanjay and everyone else was asleep, Carmine cast a spell he found in his grandmother's spell book to send things to a particular destination. And he used it to send the note to Caroline's locker.
The next day, in Prof. Nite's class, Carmine was ordered to perform a song in front of the class.
Carmine felt so nervous.
"Just sing how you feel," Sanjay had told him before class. "Sing about someone you love. Like how you sang that song from your family."
So, Carmine took a deep breath and began to strum on his guitar and he imagined that Qui-Gon and Miranda were sitting there, listening to him sing.
"This is a special song to me." said Carmine. "It's an old song my father and grandmother used to sing to me."
And he began to sing "All is Found" on his guitar. But just as he was halfway through.
"Stop! Stop!" said Nite.
"What's wrong?"
"Don't sing a lullaby! You'll put the whole class to sleep."
"O-oh. Okay." Carmine tried to think of another song. And then he started to think of how he felt during his first day, and how he felt whenever he was mistreated as a small child.
Carmine strummed his guitar again.
Carmine:
Guess we all are born with parts to play
Some of us are stars, and some are just in the way
I know I was meant for glory
But that's never what my story brings
And yet I keep on waiting
When you have the passion and the drive
You expect your moment center stage to arrive
I show up with heart a blazing
Ready to achieve amazing things
But I'm left waiting in the wings
I hear my cue
And yet I'm kept there, waiting
Know what to do
And still I stand there, waiting
It's always someone else who sings
While I'm left waiting in the wings
Carmine's passion grew, and he sang louder and more powerfully.
And so I keep on keeping on
My chances come and then I blink and they're gone
Always overlooked unfairly
While pretending that it barely stings
A few tears filled Carmine's eyes as he continued.
But it stings, yes it stings
And I'll shed no tears
I'll only keep on waiting
If no one cheers
Well, I can keep on waiting
Who cares how loud
The silence rings
You'll find me waiting in the wings
Professor Nite was so impressed. He was clapping and so were the other students as Carmine finished his song.
"You may have a place at this school after all." said Nite.
Later that same day, Caroline went into her locker and found a letter.
Caroline unfolded the paper and read the little poem that was written on it.
"Oh, how sweet." Caroline smiled. "I have a secret admirer."
"Who do you think it is?" asked the girl beside her.
"I'm not sure." said Caroline. "But I hope I can meet him."
Carmine overheard Caroline from around the corner and was screaming inside when he heard Caroline liked what he'd written.
And when he got back to ballet class, Carmine danced even more gracefully than he did before. Every chance he got to dance in front of Caroline, he took. And every time she looked at him, he smiled.
Occasionally, Caroline waved to him, and Carmine felt his heart skip a beat. During that time, Caroline began to find more love notes in her locker.
Two days later, Caroline returned to her locker, and found another note.
Graceful as a swan
Lovely as dawn shines
Angelic, perfect, lovely is she
A girl I wish would be mine
The ever-lovely Caroline
Signed, your secret admirer
Another day, Caroline found another note. This time, it had a white daisy taped to it.
The petals of a daisy are delicate and white
It is simple yet a gorgeous sight
The moment that you meet my eyes
The darkest moment meets the light
Signed, your secret admirer
And one day, Caroline was in her dorm room working on an assignment, when she heard someone knocking on the door.
Caroline opened the door and saw no one there, but then she looked down and saw a little bouquet of snapdragons sitting there. And when she picked them up, she found another note attached to it.
Sweet Caroline, the most precious flower pales in comparison to your beauty.
I hope these snapdragons find you well.
Signed, your secret admirer
Caroline felt her own heart skip a beat when she read this note. She'd wanted to find out who here secret admirer was, but none of the letters she got so far had any contact information, nor did her secret admirer seem to leave any clues as to how they could meet.
She did know for sure though, that the guys who did approach her so far were not her type. Especially this one guy named Derek Hall. He came from a very rich family and was there on a dance scholarship like Caroline. And he found her to be the one girl as beautiful as him, so he was always trying to woo her.
"I may not know who's writing these letters, but I know it can't be Derek." Caroline said to her roommate, a rodian named Lulu. "That guy can't write a song to save his life."
"Who else could it be then?" said Lulu as she was tuning her violin.
"Well... judging by how he's staying anonymous." said Caroline. "I'm gonna guess it's someone who's shy."
Caroline thought and thought, and then she had an idea of who was leaving her the letters.
She even thought about it when her class took a field trip to an amusement park in the middle of the semester. She hardly even noticed Carmine winning a panda bear at the ring toss game. And when she found that panda bear sitting outside her dorm room with a flower and another note tied around its neck, it all came together.
A couple of months later...
"Alright, children." said Ms. Susy. "We're going to practice dancing with partners today. Carmine, you will be dancing with Caroline today."
Carmine froze when he heard he would be dancing with his crush today.
Caroline looked at Carmine and smiled sweetly at him as she walked up to him.
"Hello, Carmine." Caroline smiled.
"H-hi... Caroline." Carmine blushed.
Some of the other girls started whispering and giggling as they noticed Carmine turning red.
"He's got a crush on Caroline!" one girl whispered.
"That girl's out of his league," whispered one of the male dancers.
"Now, class." said Susy. She assigned the rest of the partners and began the lessons. "Today, we will practice the Swan Lake excerpts we've gone over for the last couple weeks."
There were a lot of great performances that went on in the class. Carmine felt so nervous as one pair went after another. It felt like a million butterflies were flying around in his stomach.
Carmine froze when he felt someone touch his hand. And he looked to his side to see it was Caroline, who gave a reassuring smile and said, "Don't worry. We're in this together."
That was when Susy called the two of them to dance. And the piece they were doing was White Swan Pas De Deux.
Carmine and Caroline each did the solo part of the dance before coming together and dancing ever so gracefully together. When Carmine had his hands around Caroline, he felt his heart skip a million beats as they touched, and when their eyes met once more, both of them felt odd inside. And they finished off with a graceful pose with Carmine holding Caroline in his arms.
The others clapped as they finished. But Carmine was practically hugging Caroline still.
"Um... you can let go of me now, Carmine." Caroline said.
"Huh? Oh! Sorry." Carmine was red as a tomato at the moment. He messed with his glasses a little and got so nervous. "I guess I got caught up in the moment... uh."
That was when the bell rang for class to end.
"Uh, great dance, Caroline." Carmine said quickly before rushing out of the room.
Caroline watched as he left. And she started to wonder... could he be her secret admirer?
"It makes sense, doesn't it?" said Caroline as she and Lulu sat at dinner that night. "He's been losing his mind every time I see him, he blushes a lot, and he's the only guy who hasn't hit on me since I got here."
"Or maybe he's into another girl and is loyal to her." said Lulu.
"Maybe. But he seems like a really sweet boy. And not to mention, he was carrying a panda when we went on that field trip a few weeks ago, and then I found a panda bear outside my dorm. Coincidence?"
"Hmm. I guess he is kinda cute too." Lulu said. "Think you might ask him out?"
"Maybe."
Caroline looked at another table where Carmine and Sanjay sat and talked and were laughing as another boy they sat with was joking around, pretending to be a vampire with a couple of carrots.
"Boys." Caroline and Lulu both rolled their eyes at how immature the guys could be sometimes.
"Hey, beautiful." said another voice, approaching the girls.
Beside them came a muscular looking boy with slicked back hair and dressed in leather. Derek Hall.
"Hello, Derek." Caroline said, not sounding happy to see him.
"Just came to see how my girl is doin'" said Derek.
"I'm not your girl, Derek." said Caroline.
And Caroline had her reasons for not wanting to date this guy. Their fathers were old friends from music school, but Derek was very self-centered and to put it simply, he was also a player.
"Come on, Caroline." Derek said, putting a hand around her shoulder. "You know you want me."
"Stop it!" Caroline said.
Carmine looked over and saw the guy with Caroline.
"Who's that guy with Caroline?" Carmine asked the Tholothian boy sitting next to him
"Him? Oh. That's Derek Hall." said the boy, whose name was Runo. "He's one of the richest kids here. And he's kinda got a thing for the ladies. Especially the really pretty ones."
Carmine looked at Derek as he was flirting with Caroline. He saw Caroline trying to push him away, but Derek didn't seem to be letting up.
But no one else seemed to care about what was happening.
"Why isn't anyone doing anything?" Carmine said. "He's harassing Caroline."
And none of the teachers seemed to be noticing either.
"No one ever stands up to him." said Runo.
"We went to elementary school together." said Sanjay. "Around him, it was usually best to keep your head down."
But, Carmine couldn't stand seeing Derek harass Caroline this way, especially when he tried spinning her out from her chair and tried to kiss her.
"Stop it!" Caroline said, slapping the guy.
"Ow! What was that for?!" cried Derek.
"How dare you try to kiss me?!" Caroline said angrily.
"Most girls tend to like it."
"Well, I told you I'm not interested in you."
"You just made a big mistake."
"Leave her alone!" said a new voice, stepping up at the scene.
Derek froze and looked behind him.
"What did you say?" glared Derek. He strode towards Carmine and towered over him easily.
"I said, 'leave her alone'!" Carmine said. "That is no way to treat a lady. Or anyone really."
Derek smirked and said, "You think I'm intimidated by a four eyed freak?"
Derek pushed the boy down and took his glasses away.
"Hey!" Carmine cried, trying to take back his glasses. "Give me back my glasses."
"Stay away from my girl, or I'll break them!"
"Caroline isn't your girl!" Carmine said.
"You think she'd ever be yours?" Derek laughed, crushing Carmine's glasses on the floor. "You'd best watch your back, kid."
Carmine groaned as he picked up his now broken glasses from the floor. Luckily, he had a spare pair in his dorm room. He just needed to find his way.
"Are you okay?" Caroline asked, helping Carmine as he bumped into a table.
"I-I think so." Carmine said.
"That was really brave of you to stand up to Derek like that." said Caroline.
Carmine shrugged and said, "I couldn't just stand there and let him hurt you."
"I wouldn't count on him getting expelled this time, though." said Caroline. "His dad's got money and is one of the school's most successful alumni."
"Well, my grandma used to say our actions always have a way of coming back to us." Carmine said, squinting. "Now I just gotta get new glasses. I can barely even see you now."
"Part of dancing is learning to rely on more than just your eyes." Caroline said, taking Carmine's hand. "For now, how about I be your eyes? I've already got the blue color like yours. Although, your glasses made them stand out."
Carmine didn't need his glasses to be able to tell Caroline was smiling at him, and he was blushing again.
Months went by since that incident in the cafeteria. Sure enough, Derek did try to mess with Carmine again, but Caroline was usually there to stop him. And occasionally, Carmine used what he learned about the Force from his father to mess with the bully without him seeing.
Carmine did get around to talking to Caroline a little more as they joined other classes together and sometimes helped each other with homework.
Caroline really liked talking to her new friend. And they had so much in common when it came to music. Caroline came from a well-off family, she was an only child
One night, Carmine snuck out from his dorm and out of the school. Even though things were better now that he was in his new school, he had friends, and was doing well in all his classes, he still sometimes had to get away. Especially knowing that Life Day would be coming up soon, and it would be his second without his grandmother, but his first with his adoptive mother.
Carmine wore a purple hoodie tonight. Purple was Caroline's favorite color, and tonight, she was on Carmine's mind like there was no tomorrow. In social dance class, they'd been partners to a beautiful song called "A Thousand Years," and Carmine felt very tempted to kiss her at the time. But, they were just friends, so he stopped himself. But, he wanted to ask her out so badly.
For tonight, Carmine just strummed on his guitar and broke out into a little song.
Carmine:
I don't know
But I think I may be fallin' for you
Dropping so quickly
Maybe I should keep this to myself
Waiting 'til I know you better
I am trying, not to tell you
But I want to,
I'm scared of what you'll say
And so I'm hiding what I'm feeling
But I'm tired of holding this inside my head
Carmine began to sing more passionately as he continued his song.
I've been spending all my time
Just thinking about ya
I don't know what to do
I think I'm fallin' for you
I've been waiting all my life
And now I found ya
I don't know what to do
I think I'm fallin' for you
I'm fallin' for you
As I'm standing here
And you hold my hand
Pull me towards you
And we start to dance
All around us
I see nobody
Here in silence
It's just you and me
I am trying not to tell you
But I want to
I'm scared of what you'll say
And so I'm hiding what I'm feeling
But I'm tired of holding this inside my head
I've been spending all my time
Just thinking about ya
I don't know what to do
I think I'm fallin' for you
I've been waiting all my life
And now I found ya
I don't know what to do
I think I'm fallin' for you
I'm fallin' for you
Oh, I just can't take it
My heart is racing
The emotions keep spilling out
I've been spending all my time
Just thinking about ya
I don't know what to do
I think I'm fallin' for you
However, Carmine didn't know he was being watched as he sang his song, and they were eyeing his guitar. It was made of the wood of a gold mahogany tree, a tree that was hard to find anywhere. The wood was strong enough to withstand any weather conditions and any item made from its wood was considered worth a fortune.
I've been waiting all my life
And now I found ya
I don't know what to do
I think I'm fallin' for you
I'm fallin' for you
I think I'm fallin' for you
I can't stop thinking about it
I want you all around me
And now I just can't hide it
I think I'm fallin' for you
I can't stop thinking about it
I want you all around me
And now I just can't hide it
I think I'm fallin' for you
I'm fallin' for you
Oh
Oh no no
Oh
Oh, I'm fallin' for ya
Carmine continued to strum on his guitar a little longer before deciding to head back to the school.
"I'd better hurry before someone notices I'm gone." Carmine said.
Carmine started to walk back the way he came, when two thugs suddenly approached him.
"Stop right there, kid." said one of them. "You have something we want."
Carmine immediately started to back away. But the two thugs just kept coming.
"Just be a good boy and give us the guitar." said one thug.
"No!" Carmine said, holding his guitar possessively. "You can't have my guitar!"
"Give it!" The thugs began to grab Carmine and tried to take it from him.
Carmine held onto the guitar. It was the last thing he had of his father and his grandmother. He didn't care how much money it was worth; its sentimental value was much greater than that of any amount of money. And now someone was trying to steal it from him.
Remember, Carmine. We must never use our powers unless it is an emergency. Miranda's voice echoed in Carmine's mind.
The Force is with you, always. echoed Qui-Gon's voice.
In this case, Carmine was definitely facing an emergency. So, without another thought, he stomped on the foot of the thug holding him, then Force pushed him away, and managed to get the other to let go of his guitar. And he took a big breath and... AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Carmine vocalized a Sonar Wave that matched the volume of a rock n' roll concert. The two thugs covered their ears and fell over from the loud soundwaves. That gave Carmine enough time to start running. But the two thugs started giving chase.
Meanwhile, not too far from the scene, there was a fourteen-year-old boy who'd snuck away from the Jedi Temple. His name was Anakin.
"What the-?" Anakin gasped when he saw two thugs chasing after someone with a guitar.
Anakin remembered his mother saying the biggest problem in the galaxy was that no one helped each other. He was going to fix that, starting with helping that kid. So, he sprung into action and Force-jumped in the thugs path before igniting his lightsaber.
"Not on my watch." said Anakin.
Anakin started to threaten the thugs with his laser sword and Force pushed them any time they tried to attack him.
Carmine saw that this boy had to be a Jedi. He didn't even know him, and yet this boy was helping him.
Carmine immediately took his chance and tried to run faster than he'd ever run before.
Anakin soon got the thugs running away, but when he turned around to ask Carmine if he was okay, he was gone.
"Where'd he go?" said Anakin, scratching his head. He didn't know that boy, but something felt very familiar about him.
Carmine panted as he snuck back in the window of his dorm room.
"Where have you been?" said a voice, startling Carmine.
"Oh! Mom!" Carmine said.
"I came by to check on you," said Susy, sounding disappointed. "And I found that you snuck out tonight."
Sanjay looked very guilty and said, "Sorry. It slipped out."
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in, young man?" Susy scolded.
"I almost got robbed." Carmine said.
"What? Are you hurt?"
"No. Shaken up, but not hurt. I was saved by a Jedi."
Susy hugged Carmine, glad that he was safe and back home, but she also told him they weren't done talking about him sneaking out at night and he would be facing consequences later.
But, Carmine didn't worry about that because he figured, if he could survive a bully like Derek Hall, stage fright, as well as those thugs he faced tonight, maybe he could find a way to confess his feelings to Caroline.
Featured song:
1. "Waiting in the Wings" by Eden Espinosa
2. "Falling For Ya" by Colbie Caillat