Status: Just tossing around some ideas.
Can't Do It by Myself
A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More "Touch Me"
The next week when I went into dance Aly looked nearly ready to pull her hair out. One of the younger girls, Jessie something-or-another walked out almost in tears. Aly’s one rule has to never be mean. Be harsh, be firm, but never mean. That’s when I knew something was wrong.
“I can’t do it. They paid me a lot of money, but I’ll just have to give it back,” She said as soon as I crossed the threshold. I didn’t even have to ask what she was talking about because Aly just kept right on ranting. “He’s hopeless. And you know me; I would never say that about someone. Anyone can learn to dance if they just try, but this poor boy is trying his damnedest and not progressing at all.”
“If you’re talking about who I think you’re talking about,” I slipped off my sneakers and sat down to stretch. “I thought we did quite well last week. In a few hours he’d already gotten the proper technique for a shuffle and flaps.”
“And that’s where he’s been ever since! I have to step down from this job. We have competition in a little over a month. I just can’t.”
My distraction showed in my dancing. Everything was sloppy. Aly’s frustration was probably worse off than when I had first entered. I was bent over, hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. I heard the front door close and saw Rupert in the mirror instantly. I ran to the studio door and closed it.
“Emerson, what in the hell are you doing?”
“Aly, give me one more try with him. Please, I think I can do it.”
She narrowed her eyes at me momentarily before smirking slowly. “This wouldn’t be some kind of ploy, would it? Get in a few more moments with the movie star before I boot him to the curb.”
I would have lied if I told her that wasn’t on my mind. Clearly, I wanted to keep Rupert Grint in the vicinity for as long as possible, so what if I helped him with his job along the way? She pulled her flamboyant fake red hair into a ponytail. Aly ran one hand down her face.
“Alright, you’ve got one more night. Do your worst.”
I watched her walk right down the hallway and out the front door without a word to Rupert.
He didn’t seem to notice her though. I heard his raised voice from the studio and decided to tip toe out to see what was up after I sent a quick text to my gramma making up some reason I wouldn’t be home until late again.
“Georgia, I can’t do this right now. Please, just stop and hang up. You agreed to this! Hell, it was your idea.” I thought I was being a good spy until Rupert spun around and looked me in the eye. “Look, I’ve got to go.”
I flushed an insane shade of pink and ran back towards the studio.
“You’re still wearing your tap shoes, you know?” he kicked his shoes near mine and started to put on this taps.
I clucked my tongue. “Stretch first, tap later.”
“So, why are you here?”
I was so busy spotting a star on the wall while I spun that I nearly forgot to answer his question.
“Turns out you suck. Congratulations on turning my dance teacher into a nut case. I’m here to help, so get stretching. I’ve only got a few hours to whip you into shape.”
I wiggle out of my sweat pants, which turned out to be an even more stupid decision for summer than I had thought, and adjusted my bike shorts. They fit a little too snug for my taste, but they were more comfortable than most of the underwear I owned. While Rupert stretched, I watched myself do a few spins in the mirror, trying to figure out when I was losing balance.
Our studio wasn’t very big, but the room had character. Two walls were purple, one with a sun and clouds, the other with a moon and stars. The little kids learned to spot using those as focus points. Two barres, one tall, one short. I felt right at home, but every time I caught a glimpse of Rupert in the mirror, he just looked so out of place. I’m sure he felt it too.
I found some fast paced pop song and turned the volume down just barely low enough for background noise. No more than half an hour in and he was shuffling at about an eight year old level. I have to get down a few times and physically move his foot to make sure he gets all the sounds in, but it’s not that awful.
“It’ll help if you bend your knees. You can’t tap with your knees locked.”
And he took every piece of advice I gave, no questions asked. The look of determination on his face was incomparable. Somewhere in the middle of our break, I tossed off my shoes and started doing some elementary level barre work.
“Why is it you can do all of this work with me, but when you get with Aly she’s ready to tear her head off?” He shrugged his shoulders and looked over at me sheepishly. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were purposefully being crap with her.”
I meant it as a joke, but his segway happened a little too quickly. “I’m hungry; are you hungry? Can we go get a bite to eat?”
“You do realize it’s almost 11 PM?”
He nodded, grabbed his sweater, and walked away without an answer. First Aly, then him, I was beginning to think it was something to do with me. I grabbed my purse and pants, and hurried after him.
“If we’re going anywhere, I’m driving!” He looked at his Bentley, my Ford Focus, and then at me with eyebrows raised. “What kind of girl would get a car with a stranger?”
I probably shouldn’t have been thinking about how adorable he looked in the cardigan and tee, or how even though his jeans were a bit baggy, they fit his butt perfectly. Yeah, I definitely shouldn’t have been thinking those things. Inside the car I nearly hurt myself trying to get my CD player to turn off. My mix was in the middle of a New Kids On The Block song. He didn’t bother trying to hold back his amusement. I told him to shut up.
Our conversation was non-existent on the way to the Huddle House. I had no idea where to take him that would be open, deserted, and not give us food poisoning. What do you talk about with someone who grew up in a foreign country as a child actor? We couldn’t be more different. I suppose that should have made for good conversation, but I didn’t want to be just another fan asking the same questions. The name Harry Potter had yet to leave my mouth.
“So, I watched Cherrybomb recently. I was really excited when I got it for Christmas. It was kind of weird though, yeah? I mean, I guess, like, do people really act like that in the UK? Drugs, sex, and alcohol all the time?”
I wished I hadn’t said it the second it left my mouth.
“Honest, don’t get that much. Eh, I mean, to an extent. We’re not so bloody prudish like America as a whole, but I wouldn’t say all the time. It’s more open for sure.”
“I really hope I didn’t offend you. It wasn’t my cup of tea, I suppose. I did love Driving Lessons. Although, I might like the soundtrack even more than movie. Half the album is in my top 25 most played.”
The car got quiet again. I wondered if the trip was actually 25 minutes or if time was slowing down just to make me suffer. I had just turned the radio up a couple of notches when he spoke again.
“Why don’t you just go ahead and ask about it so we can start having normal conversations?”
“I’m sure you talk about it more than enough.”
“Please, just say whatever you need to say. Then we can probably stop having these awkward silences.”
I hesitated, but couldn’t help the smile that broke out.
“I honestly love you. Like, I don’t think you can quite comprehend. Ron was my second favorite character reading; he lost to a tie between Neville and Luna, sorry. Emma Watson’s been on my GGF list forever. And I have had an argument over who is more, erm, bang-able you, Dan, and Tom. It ended in a stale mate, in case you were curious.”
I let out a big sigh of relief.
“GGF?”
“Go Gay For list. Hollywood actresses, if I call one of them hot, I have to put her on that list. Same with my friends. We’ve been doing stupid stuff like that since jr. high. We have a to-do list too. That one is embarrassingly long, and, actually, if you could forget I said anything, that’d be great. Also, if you could get me to stop talking now, I’d really appreciate it.”
“What’s your favorite color?” He asked as if it were my answer would cure cancer.
“Really?” I asked as we pulled into the parking lot of the Huddle House. “That’s your big conversation changer? My favorite color?” As I turned off the car, I caught sight of my own reflection. “Oh, dear God. Why didn’t you tell me I look so disgusting?”
I ran my hands through my hair hurriedly, looked at it, and repeated the action before
putting it up in another ponytail. I slipped the sweatpants back on, despite it being well above 70 degrees. Rupert leaned against the front of my car waiting for me. We walked to the front, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t shocked that he opened the door for me.
“You look perfect by the way.” I looked up at him with a raised eye brow. “Perfectly fine. Right, so, shall we order?”
Blush looked good on him.
“I can’t do it. They paid me a lot of money, but I’ll just have to give it back,” She said as soon as I crossed the threshold. I didn’t even have to ask what she was talking about because Aly just kept right on ranting. “He’s hopeless. And you know me; I would never say that about someone. Anyone can learn to dance if they just try, but this poor boy is trying his damnedest and not progressing at all.”
“If you’re talking about who I think you’re talking about,” I slipped off my sneakers and sat down to stretch. “I thought we did quite well last week. In a few hours he’d already gotten the proper technique for a shuffle and flaps.”
“And that’s where he’s been ever since! I have to step down from this job. We have competition in a little over a month. I just can’t.”
My distraction showed in my dancing. Everything was sloppy. Aly’s frustration was probably worse off than when I had first entered. I was bent over, hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. I heard the front door close and saw Rupert in the mirror instantly. I ran to the studio door and closed it.
“Emerson, what in the hell are you doing?”
“Aly, give me one more try with him. Please, I think I can do it.”
She narrowed her eyes at me momentarily before smirking slowly. “This wouldn’t be some kind of ploy, would it? Get in a few more moments with the movie star before I boot him to the curb.”
I would have lied if I told her that wasn’t on my mind. Clearly, I wanted to keep Rupert Grint in the vicinity for as long as possible, so what if I helped him with his job along the way? She pulled her flamboyant fake red hair into a ponytail. Aly ran one hand down her face.
“Alright, you’ve got one more night. Do your worst.”
I watched her walk right down the hallway and out the front door without a word to Rupert.
He didn’t seem to notice her though. I heard his raised voice from the studio and decided to tip toe out to see what was up after I sent a quick text to my gramma making up some reason I wouldn’t be home until late again.
“Georgia, I can’t do this right now. Please, just stop and hang up. You agreed to this! Hell, it was your idea.” I thought I was being a good spy until Rupert spun around and looked me in the eye. “Look, I’ve got to go.”
I flushed an insane shade of pink and ran back towards the studio.
“You’re still wearing your tap shoes, you know?” he kicked his shoes near mine and started to put on this taps.
I clucked my tongue. “Stretch first, tap later.”
“So, why are you here?”
I was so busy spotting a star on the wall while I spun that I nearly forgot to answer his question.
“Turns out you suck. Congratulations on turning my dance teacher into a nut case. I’m here to help, so get stretching. I’ve only got a few hours to whip you into shape.”
I wiggle out of my sweat pants, which turned out to be an even more stupid decision for summer than I had thought, and adjusted my bike shorts. They fit a little too snug for my taste, but they were more comfortable than most of the underwear I owned. While Rupert stretched, I watched myself do a few spins in the mirror, trying to figure out when I was losing balance.
Our studio wasn’t very big, but the room had character. Two walls were purple, one with a sun and clouds, the other with a moon and stars. The little kids learned to spot using those as focus points. Two barres, one tall, one short. I felt right at home, but every time I caught a glimpse of Rupert in the mirror, he just looked so out of place. I’m sure he felt it too.
I found some fast paced pop song and turned the volume down just barely low enough for background noise. No more than half an hour in and he was shuffling at about an eight year old level. I have to get down a few times and physically move his foot to make sure he gets all the sounds in, but it’s not that awful.
“It’ll help if you bend your knees. You can’t tap with your knees locked.”
And he took every piece of advice I gave, no questions asked. The look of determination on his face was incomparable. Somewhere in the middle of our break, I tossed off my shoes and started doing some elementary level barre work.
“Why is it you can do all of this work with me, but when you get with Aly she’s ready to tear her head off?” He shrugged his shoulders and looked over at me sheepishly. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were purposefully being crap with her.”
I meant it as a joke, but his segway happened a little too quickly. “I’m hungry; are you hungry? Can we go get a bite to eat?”
“You do realize it’s almost 11 PM?”
He nodded, grabbed his sweater, and walked away without an answer. First Aly, then him, I was beginning to think it was something to do with me. I grabbed my purse and pants, and hurried after him.
“If we’re going anywhere, I’m driving!” He looked at his Bentley, my Ford Focus, and then at me with eyebrows raised. “What kind of girl would get a car with a stranger?”
I probably shouldn’t have been thinking about how adorable he looked in the cardigan and tee, or how even though his jeans were a bit baggy, they fit his butt perfectly. Yeah, I definitely shouldn’t have been thinking those things. Inside the car I nearly hurt myself trying to get my CD player to turn off. My mix was in the middle of a New Kids On The Block song. He didn’t bother trying to hold back his amusement. I told him to shut up.
Our conversation was non-existent on the way to the Huddle House. I had no idea where to take him that would be open, deserted, and not give us food poisoning. What do you talk about with someone who grew up in a foreign country as a child actor? We couldn’t be more different. I suppose that should have made for good conversation, but I didn’t want to be just another fan asking the same questions. The name Harry Potter had yet to leave my mouth.
“So, I watched Cherrybomb recently. I was really excited when I got it for Christmas. It was kind of weird though, yeah? I mean, I guess, like, do people really act like that in the UK? Drugs, sex, and alcohol all the time?”
I wished I hadn’t said it the second it left my mouth.
“Honest, don’t get that much. Eh, I mean, to an extent. We’re not so bloody prudish like America as a whole, but I wouldn’t say all the time. It’s more open for sure.”
“I really hope I didn’t offend you. It wasn’t my cup of tea, I suppose. I did love Driving Lessons. Although, I might like the soundtrack even more than movie. Half the album is in my top 25 most played.”
The car got quiet again. I wondered if the trip was actually 25 minutes or if time was slowing down just to make me suffer. I had just turned the radio up a couple of notches when he spoke again.
“Why don’t you just go ahead and ask about it so we can start having normal conversations?”
“I’m sure you talk about it more than enough.”
“Please, just say whatever you need to say. Then we can probably stop having these awkward silences.”
I hesitated, but couldn’t help the smile that broke out.
“I honestly love you. Like, I don’t think you can quite comprehend. Ron was my second favorite character reading; he lost to a tie between Neville and Luna, sorry. Emma Watson’s been on my GGF list forever. And I have had an argument over who is more, erm, bang-able you, Dan, and Tom. It ended in a stale mate, in case you were curious.”
I let out a big sigh of relief.
“GGF?”
“Go Gay For list. Hollywood actresses, if I call one of them hot, I have to put her on that list. Same with my friends. We’ve been doing stupid stuff like that since jr. high. We have a to-do list too. That one is embarrassingly long, and, actually, if you could forget I said anything, that’d be great. Also, if you could get me to stop talking now, I’d really appreciate it.”
“What’s your favorite color?” He asked as if it were my answer would cure cancer.
“Really?” I asked as we pulled into the parking lot of the Huddle House. “That’s your big conversation changer? My favorite color?” As I turned off the car, I caught sight of my own reflection. “Oh, dear God. Why didn’t you tell me I look so disgusting?”
I ran my hands through my hair hurriedly, looked at it, and repeated the action before
putting it up in another ponytail. I slipped the sweatpants back on, despite it being well above 70 degrees. Rupert leaned against the front of my car waiting for me. We walked to the front, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t shocked that he opened the door for me.
“You look perfect by the way.” I looked up at him with a raised eye brow. “Perfectly fine. Right, so, shall we order?”
Blush looked good on him.
♠ ♠ ♠
Meh. Comments are nice. Please and thanks.