The Matchmaker of Decaydance

“Teach me how to salsa,” Gabe said over the music. Even though he was sitting next to me, he almost had to yell so I could hear him.

“Okay, come here then.” I took his hand and led him onto the floor. “This hand goes here,” I said, putting his right hand on my hip. “And this one goes here.” I intertwined my fingers with his. “Your right foot goes first. We basically mirror each other. Guys put their left foot back first, then back to this.”

“Then right foot forward?”

“Exactly. Try to move your hips more than your torso, and you’ve got the basic salsa.”

“Sweet.”

“Let’s try it.” I found the beat to the song that way playing and counted us in.

He moved really well for someone who had just learned how to salsa. I caught myself with my eyes wandering to his hips and stomach. I tried to pull them back to his face, but it didn’t work out so well. I could feel him moving closer as we danced, and I felt as if I had butterflies in my stomach.

Suddenly his hand, the one that held mine, went up and out, and I felt myself react in a spin just like the simpler ones I used to use in competitions. When I got back in position, Gabe picked up right where we had left off, just like we were supposed to.

“How did you do that? I mean, I know how you did it, but how did you know how?”

“I was guessing, actually. That’s just how I’ve seen it done, so I tried it.”

“Well, it was good.”

“I thought so.” He moved still closer. “So where’s that dancing dress?”

“At home. I didn’t know I would be doing this tonight.”

“This outfit is fine. I like the jeans.”

“I thought you would.”

He looked confused for a moment. “You did?”

“Hayles told me to get them. She said purple was your signature color, and I happen to like it a bit myself.”

“She’s right.” Now he was close enough for me to feel him breathing. “They’re trying to get us together, aren’t they?”

“Of course they are, just like in high school.” I took a deep breath. “I just don’t want things to go too -”

“Fast.”

“Right.”

“Neither do I,” he said.

I let out the breath. “You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that.”

“Can I take you to dinner tomorrow night? Just you and me, none of those goons.”

“I do have a competition tomorrow.”

“Then I’ll take you out afterward.”

“I’d like that.”

He kissed me then, and it immediately deepened due to the movement of our salsa. After a moment, we pulled apart, and Gabe was grinning like a little kid.

“Let me get you a drink.”

“Okay.”

We made our way back to the table full of our slightly tipsy friends.

“My God,” Alex exclaimed. “I could jerk off to you guys.”

Pete almost choked on his drink. “Gross, dude.”

“No way, Pete. When they make a tape, I’m getting one and a backup copy.”

“Thanks, Suarez,” Gabe said as he sat down next to me, his arm around my waist.

I heard kissing sounds, and immediately turned my back on my brother and best friend. “GROSS, PETER!” I shouted. Then I realized I was hiding in Gabe’s chest. I had turned my legs so I was practically sitting in his lap.

“Comfy?” he whispered in my ear.

“Of course,” I whispered back. I couldn’t help myself.

A louder song came on, and Gabe bit his lip. “I know you said you didn’t want this to go faster than it should, but I can‘t help but wonder if-”

Before he even finished his sentence, I was out of the booth and taking him out to the dance floor. The shock in his eyes turned into lust, and we started to grind. I had a short flashback to before I moved in with Pete - clubbing every night, finding any hot guy I could, like the female version of Brian Kinney. (That was a Queer as Folk reference, if you didn’t catch that)

No. I was not going back to that.

But Gabe was so goddamn perfect.

Shit.

I breathed Gabe’s scent in deeply through my nose, and felt like I was high. The familiar feeling of desire was inside me, and I kissed Gabe hungrily. The desire grew, and I was almost thrown off balance by it.

“Jesus, Gabe.”

“Too fast?” he asked, backing off a tiny bit.

“Fuck no,” I said, latching my fingers in his belt loops and pulling him as close as possible. “Right now, nothing is too fast.”

Then a pair of hands grabbed my shoulders roughly and pulled me away from Gabe. I was immediately pissed. I put my worst ‘I’m going to kill you’ face on and turned to face my attacker.

“Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz,” I growled at my brother, pronouncing each name deliberately. It had been perfect, and then Pete came and absolutely ruined it.

“Alana Dale Wentz.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I screamed over the music.

“I’m not letting you go back to what you used to do!”

“Pete, what makes you think that I was going to do that? It’s just Gabe!” I turned around to find Gabe again, but he was gone.

“I had Alex drag him away. And yeah, it’s just Gabe. But did you know that he was like that? That he’s still like that? Drinking all the time and fooling around with everyone possible? You have no idea how easy it would be to fall back into that lifestyle. It’s dangerous, Alana, and I won’t -”

“Fuck off, Pete! I can take care of myself!” I threw his arm off of my shoulder and walked determinedly away, making my strides long and purposeful. I left the club with everyone else yelling after me, calling my name and asking where I was going, but I didn’t answer. I didn’t need Pete watching over my shoulder, or him reminding me of my used-to-be lifestyle. He didn’t need to protect me anymore.

Did he?

I stopped walking down the busy street. I was suddenly self-conscious of myself; the way I looked (probably haggard and exhausted), the way I smelled (like a mixture of sweat, the one drink I had, and Gabe). I felt like everyone walking past me without a passing glance could see everything that I had ever done.

“Alana!”

I didn’t need to look back to see who it was. I felt William’s thin, comforting arms encircle me from behind. I turned in them to face him, my hands and face on his chest. My hands curled into fists and I beat them on William’s sternum once, hard. I heard his breath release in a huff, but he didn’t complain.

“Why does he have to do that?” I shouted.

“Because he’s your older brother, Alana, and he’s trying to keep you from getting hurt.”

“Who ever said I was going to get hurt? It’s not like he’s some guy I picked up. Pete trusts Gabe, or he should. He’s one of your best friends, yeah?” At this, Will had to nod. “And I know he has a rep, but unless he’s been lying to me, he’s as nervous as I am about this whole thing.”

“What?”

“Yeah, that’s what I said. And Pete should just go away.”

“Alana, settle.” He brought me in closer. “I know you may not think he’s right, but he’s your brother. And whether you agree or not, you have to take it slow with Gabe. I could see you out there, and no offense, but you looked exactly like you did a few years ago when…” he said, trailing off.

I pushed away from him. “I’m still going to dinner with him tomorrow night. And whatever happens, will happen,” I said roughly. I turned my back on William, but I couldn’t make myself go anywhere.

“I’m taking you home. I know you won’t be able to ride with Pete, and you have that competition tomorrow.”

“Oh yeah. I’d forgotten.”

“Not surprising.” He put his arm around my shoulder. “Let’s go, love.”