Dancing Queen

“Rehearsal is dismissed,” Ms. Vaughn announces. The class slowly separates then they make their way out of the dance school.

“You need a ride?” Becky calls to me, knowing how my car recently broke down.

Becky has been going here almost as long as I have. I started taking dance classes here when I was four years old. Two years later Becky joined. I like her well enough. She’s a pretty blonde, friendly and nice. “No thanks, my brother’s coming to pick me up later. I’m staying to practice for a while.”

“Okay,” she jogs out the door, ponytail bouncing.

I leave the stage and go to the practice room. There are mirrors all along the wall and I take a look at myself. I smooth the wrinkles out of my dance outfit. I have on a blue tank top, a baggy white tee shirt that hangs off of one shoulder, and a pair of sweatpants that I cut to fall just below my knees. I tie my hair back with a ribbon quickly. My dad still wishes I would cut it but I’m not ready to. I like how it hangs a little past my shoulders now.

My dad used to wish a lot of things about me were different. He thought I’d grow out of wanting to dance and he wished I would grow out of liking boys after I came out to him at age fourteen. Now he just accepts me for who I am and so do my brother and mother. They know I’m different but being different isn’t always a bad thing.

I turn on the music and listen to the rhythm and beat. I close my eyes then I begin to move my body. Dancing is my life and passion. It’s been twelve years since I started dance classes and I love every minute of it. I’m graduating high school soon and I already got accepted to a dance school in New York.

Dance takes up most of my time but it’s good. I have friends even though they are all girls from dance class. I’ve even had two boyfriends and only one of them was from dance class. The other wasn’t serious and moved away soon after we began dating. The one from dance class dated me for three months then he cheated on me. He left dance class and disappeared after that. I do other things sometimes but dance is my life and it always will be.

I spin and leap and move my hips. I put all of my energy and passion and focus into the dance I am working on. I don’t even notice when someone else walks into the room until I stop to take a breath and open my eyes. I half gasp in surprise.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Jake says. He is the only other boy currently in the class. He’d been going to a different place for dance until recently. It was an arts school that focused on not only dance but music and theater too which Jake likes. He only transferred here temporarily for our upcoming show. We needed someone who could sing and dance and lift other dancers.

“It’s fine,” I shake my head.

“Do you mind if I practice with you?” he asks.

“Sure,” I shrug.

We start from the top of the show and go over every move together. I watch him closely the whole time. He is very attractive. The girls pretty much drool over him. I’ve had a crush on him since I met him but I know that he is obviously straight. He is masculine and confident. He has muscled, and awesome tan, dark hair, and chocolate brown eyes. He is gorgeous and talented. It’s no wonder why everyone likes him.

He’s singing now in that incredible deep voice. We’re doing a version of Phantom of the Opera. “Do you mind if I lift you?” he questions.

“I don’t know…” I reply, unsure about the idea.

“Don’t be nervous. I won’t drop you,” he grins reassuringly, showing off perfect white teeth.

“Okay.”

He starts to sing the song called All I ask. “No more talk of darkness. Forget those wide eyed fears. I’m here, nothing can harm you. My words will warm and calm you. Let me be your freedom. Let daylight dry your tears. I’m here with you beside you to guard you and to guide you.”

We dance together and I almost blush every time he touches me. I try my best to focus on the moves and music.

“Then say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime. Let me lead you from your solitude, say you’ll need me here with you beside you. Anywhere you go let me go too. That’s all I ask of you. Share each day with me, each night, each morning. Love me…that’s all I ask of you.”

He grabs me firmly and lifts me into the air, spinning with me then placing me on the ground. We gaze at each other for a moment then his lips are on mine. “Jake, what the hell was that?” I am shocked.

“A kiss,” he answers.

“Why?”

“I like you Gabe.”

“You do?” I am so confused. He’s straight, isn’t he? How could he like me? I’m too short, too skinny, too fragile looking. I’m too pale and my features are so soft and too feminine. My eyes are dark green which isn’t very exciting and my auburn hair is too curly.

“Yeah,” he smiles. “Gabe, you’re the most incredible dance I know and you’re beautiful. I’ve liked you for a while.”

“You’re not straight?”

He laughs. “Bi-sexual actually.”

“Why are you telling me this now?” I inquire.

“I wanted you to know my feelings before the show this weekend. I’m leaving this class after that,” he informs me.

“I won’t ever see you again,” I frown.

“Our colleges are two blocks away from each other in New York. You can see me all you want Gabe.”

I can barely believe this. “You really like me…”

“Don’t you like me too?”

I nod. “Of course I do.”

“Go on a date with me this weekend after the show,” he offers.

I think about it for a while. “Okay.”

He pulls me into his strong arms and kisses me again. This time I kiss him back.