The Nine Dancing Ballerinas

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. I stare at the 8 music boxes on my table which mom has given me every Christmas and birthday of mine for the past four years. Every time she would hand me a small square-shaped gift wrapped with the same kind of silver ribbon, she would always say, “Here’s your special delivery!” The thing is, the gift isn’t from her, but she also wouldn’t tell me who it’s actually from.

I never really understood why this person kept giving me a music box with a dancing ballerina in it since I never danced ballet up until I was 16, which was 2 years after the first music box was given. I smile at the music boxes in front of me once again while thinking about how they inspired me to put myself out there and live the kind of life I want to live - a life in ballet. I take a last look at myself in the mirror before leaving for my very first ballet performance - The Nutcracker.

When the show ended, I finally went down the stage to be greeted by the warmest hugs of mom and dad. Dad gave me a bouquet of flowers as a congratulatory gift and of course, we had to have our family picture taken! I look around the theater for someone to take our picture and I saw how full the room was. I think because today is a Sunday, the 2nd of January, and the ninth day of Christmas, more people had the time to watch the show.

Right when we were about to leave the room, mom grabbed my arm and said, “Wait. Actually, we weren’t the only ones who watched you tonight.” I looked at her with confusion written all over my face. “Turn around,” my dad told me.

I did as I was told and came face-to-face with my two best friends in the entire world, Chris and Eve. The three of us have known each other our whole lives and were always inseparable. I actually have had a crush on Chris ever since 7th grade, but I decided that’s something I should never speak and it’s better to pretend that those feelings never existed.

Eve immediately squealed and went in for a hug, “Girl, you did so good! I swear, one day you’ll be a world-renowned ballerina and I’m placing my bet on it,” she said while pointing her nose up in the air, making us all laugh a little.

I asked them why they were here when both of them had to study for a big test tomorrow. Eve looked at Chris who was right behind her and was surprisingly more quiet than usual, and then right back at me. Noticing the silence, Chris cleared his throat and stepped a little closer to us, “Um, it’s because I… actually have something that I want to give you personally.” He pulls out his hand from behind his back which held a square-shaped gift with a silver ribbon that looked awfully too familiar to me. With slightly shaky hands, I got the gift from him and ripped it open. There it was, another music box. “Open it,” he said and I followed. Inside it, I found my ninth ballerina and a small piece of folded paper wherein a message was written:

I just wanted to tell you that you’ve had my heart for the past 4 years already and I figured that it’s finally the right time for you to know this.

I could feel my heart beating so hard against my chest. After what felt like forever of staring at the paper, I slowly look up at him, still trying to absorb everything that’s happening.

He smiles at me and softly says, “Happy birthday”.

I didn’t waste any more seconds and hugged him with every strength left in me.

Now, I guess I could really say: “On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: nine ladies dancing.”