This Is a Dream

Hours later I hear a light tap on the bedroom door, "Come in," I mumble loud enough for who ever is on the other side to hear.

Hazel pokes her head in and smiles sheepishly, "Hey, are you better?"

I shake my head no and bury it back under the warm blankets.

"What happened with Ty?" She asks quietly, sitting down gently on the edge of the bed.

I lift my head just enough for her to understand me, "He doesn't want me to dance with him."

"That's not what I heard," She murmurs picking at the fraying blanket edges.

I ignore her and ask, "What happened to his mom?"

She shakes her head, "That's not my story to tell."

I sigh and sit up, resting against the ancient headboard, "Should I have gone after him?" I ask frustrated because I already know the answer.

She shrugs but gives me a small encouraging smile and I wince, "I was dumb wasn't I?" I ask slowly, not wanting to know the words I'm positive she's going to say.

She laughs, "Yeah, kind of; but he's not the best at pep talks." I laugh with her and then drag my fingers through my tangled hair.

"Guess I should shower," I mumble more to myself than to her.

"I could have told you that," She says grinning.

I lightly toss a pillow at her head and she shoos me off to the bathroom.

I quickly run through my shower routine and throw on clothes as fast as I can, hoping I can catch up with him at his apartment.

When I get to his house, Nate answers the door and pulls me into a bone crushing hug, then without warning he pulls back and shakes his head at me.

"What did you say to him?" He asks yanking me over to the couch.

"He didn't tell you?" I say astonished that Ty hadn't filled in his best friend.

"It seemed personal." He says shaking out his shaggy hair.

"Do you know where he is?" I ask eager to find him but positively shaking at the thought of the jerk I had been to him.

"Studio," He says simply, taking a sip out of the soda can he has beside him. He offers it over but I shake my head.

I smile stupidly, of course he would be at the studio. I quickly say bye to Nate and he makes me promise that I'll visit him soon. Within in minutes I'm on my way to the dance studio, my knees shaking in my jeans.

I reach the studio door and am once more hesitant to open it, scared to face Ty.

Taking a deep breath I gently push open the door and look around. The lights are down low and the shadows are dark but the music is pulsing and I find Ty immediately.

He's in the middle of the floor staring down at his feet as he runs through a routine he had been working on for an upcoming competition. It's fast and thrilling, amazing to watch and to dance.

Ty doesn't see me come in so I gently close the door behind me and then scoot to a wall, sliding down until my butt touches the floor. I sit there in the shadows with my knees drawn to my chest for fifteen minutes until he changes direction and spots me in the corner. It startles him and throws him off beat, frustrating him. He catches up quickly and finishes the dance before coming over to sit next to me.

"Hey," He mumbles, his chest still heaving from the dance.

"Hi." I murmur back suddenly shy, "You were great."

He chuckles and shakes out his hair, slick from sweat. "How'd you find me?"

"You only go two places," I remind him with a small smile, sliding my hand back and forth across the wooden floor. Awkward conversations make me nervous and I tend to show it by obnoxiously moving my hands or feet.

He nods, "True."

"Look I'm so-" I start but he interrupts with his own apology.

We glance at each other and laugh lightly.

"I shouldn't have put words in your mouth," I say, holding up a hand so he won't talk. "I'm so sorry,"

He lays his hand on the top of mine and turns so he's facing me, he's so close that I can feel the air when he breathes out. Normally I would move away, afraid to get close. With Ty it's different, it's comfortable and so I stay, not moving an inch.

"I'm sorry." He insists. "I shouldn't have told you what to do, that was wrong." He seems almost mad at himself when he speaks.

"Oh no!" I say with a laugh. "Don't take the blame, I was a spoiled brat."

He flashes me a grin and just then I can hear the music again, I smile at the song- Scars by Allison Iraheta. I almost tease him about the song choice but before I can open my mouth he is already on his feet, extending his hand to me with a slight bow, his eyes twinkling in the low lights of the studio.

"Can I have this dance?" He asks, "I promise I won't step on your feet." He winks and I can feel myself giving in.

I laugh and let him pull me up until his hand is resting on the small dip in my back and our other hands are wrapped around each others.

I decide to ask about his mother another day and for once choose to live in the moment instead of the past or future like I usually am prone to do. With a content sigh I lay my head down on his shoulder and let the music lull me into a peaceful state of mind.