Rum and Coke

“I know where I’ve seen you before,” Ren said, interrupting the ballet piece that Ellie was dancing.

“Oh really?” she asked as she walked toward him. “And where might this be?”

“About two months ago, my mom took me to New York to visit my aunt. During our stay there, my aunt decided that we should check out what was going on at the theatre that’s a few blocks from her apartment.”

Ellie held her breath.

“There was a dance concert- a tribute to a choreographer that had recently passed. And you…you were dancing that ballet in it. I remember it because it was the last, and most powerful piece of the entire show, I thought.”

“Thank you, I guess.”

“No, thank you. It was beautiful. Did you choreograph it?”

“Yes.”

“For your mother?”

Ellie was experiencing a feeling that she’s only just recently started feeling. She was uncomfortable. “Yes.”

“Who died?”

Ellie closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing. Her heart was beating too fast for her liking. She hated having her body being this out of control. When her heart rate slowed to her liking, she opened her eyes. “Yes, but please don’t tell anyone else. I don’t want anyone else to know.”

“But, why? Wouldn’t they already know?”

“No, only my band members know. Avenged sevenfold and affiliates have no idea, and that’s how I want to keep it.”

“Ok, but why?”

“Because, it’s been a really hard, long road. And, I- I don’t want to lose him.”

“You mean Brian? I highly doubt you’ll lose him. From what I’ve heard, he loves you. He is trying to figure out how he can legally claim you.”

“I highly doubt that. He’s in love with my mother. I’m just a side dish,” she replied. “Anyways, what can I do for you?”

“We’re pulling out in an hour.”

Ellie nodded her head and looked back to her iHome. She smiled at the song. “Hey, Ren, do you know how to tango?”

“No, not at all.”

“Wanna learn?”

~*~

Ellie laughed at the finished product: Ren only getting a few steps correct before he completely messed up. The most comical thing about it, to Ellie, was his look of absolute frustration and confusion. It was apparent that he was frazzled by the movement, but it didn’t stop him from persevering.

“Don’t laugh at me!” he half-whined, his eyes trained on the tape that Ellie had put down. “I’ve never done anything like this before!”

“I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing at your face.”

Ren stopped and looked up at her. “And what’s so funny about my face.”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” she replied with a straight face.

“Lame,” Ren said, sticking out his tongue. He did a few awkward moves before groaning again in frustration.

Still laughing, Ellie moved towards him. “Here, how about we do this: you follow me and I’ll call out your moves. We’ll do a few simple steps before moving onto more advanced moves.”

“Lead away,” Ren complied, taking her head.

Ellie took a step closer to him, so that their bodies were closer. “Good, now step back on your left foot and jut your left hip forward.”

He did.

“Good. Now as I take my next step, I want you to slide your left foot back and spin me so that my back is resting on your front. Is that ok?”

“Yea.”

“Good, let’s dance,” she smiled before executing the moves flawlessly. Ren, however, was not so graceful, but he got the moves, and for that, Ellie was grateful.

Ellie pressed her body further into his, causing Ren’s eyes to widen in shock. “Um, are you-”

“Yes, I have to be close. Unless if you want to fall,” she said, sending a sideways glance to him. “Are you ready or what?”

“Um, sure.”

“Ok, I’m going to do a little bit of footwork. When I am finished, slid your left leg underneath me. Can you manage that?”

“I’ll try.”

Ren stepped too soon, causing their legs to tangle and sending them to the ground in a fit of laughter. “Ok, maybe I should have learned by now that you never start with the tango,” she said through bursts of laughter.

“Um, yea. You just realized this?” Ren, also laughing, asked as he tried to untangle his limbs from Ellie’s.

“No, I knew it for awhile. I just never like following it. Are you ok?” She asked, noticing his struggle.

“You know, you could be helpful.”

“And miss this? Nope.”

He grabbed one of her legs and maneuvered it so that he wouldn’t twist his ankle. Ellie shot her hand out and grabbed his arm. Quizzically, he looked at her. His breath hitched in his throat when their eyes locked and he quickly realized that he was captured in her spell- for some odd reason, he didn’t want it to end.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked, barely breathing.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked at the same volume as he.

“No,” he breathed.

Before he knew it, Ellie’s soft lips were on his. Ren quickly responded and the kiss quickly intensified.

“Ahem!” a loud voice said from behind them. The two teenagers broke apart to see Mark. “Ellie, it’s your shift to drive and we’re about to pull out.”

“Right!” Ellie said, jumping up. “Let’s go to….wherever the fuck we’re going!” she exclaimed, her fist raised high in the air as she ran towards the bus lot.

Ren gave Mark a sheepish smile. “Sorry, man, you had your chance. No hard feelings?”

“Yea, no hard feelings,” Mark swallowed bitterly as he followed Renn out of the arena.