A Step to Love
Last Show
I told Brit everything I ever did in my life. I had promised I would do so the day she found out I liked Alex. Friends did not keep secrets from each other, at least that’s what I’ve heard and it was what Brit told me. So, it was obvious to say I was looking out for advice as to what had just happened with Alex and me.
“Well, you kind of led him on,” she whispered, leaning against the wall that was next to the door that led to the girls’ changing room.
“How so?” I scoffed.
“You let him kiss you like that.”
I shrugged. “Well, I wanted him to. I just didn’t know it would mean more to him that it did for me.”
Brit didn’t seem convinced. She took her hand and ran it across her golden ponytail. “What’s your real worry, Lilly?”
I avoided her gaze for a second, fearing her eyes would make me say something other than what I really wanted to. We were waiting for a number to finish up, so we could finally close The Show. I felt a sigh escape my lips before anything else. “I told you, Alex has experience.”
“So?”
I looked at her and groaned as I only received her raised eyebrow.
“I don’t know,” I muttered.
She laughed. “Alex doesn’t care that you’re a virgin, trust me.” I bet he didn’t, I thought as she told me. “Or even of all of those stupid things you’re worrying about. Alex likes you, for you.”
That last part made me smile; though I wasn’t completely sure as to why he liked me. He only said he did and that bothering me was part of what proved that—he was using it as an excuse.
Just then, the music coming from the stage stopped, and Jay came rushing in, asking why we weren’t getting ready to enter. Brit and I looked at each other. We didn’t know, but we still ran toward the end of the stage, still holding each other’s eyes to make sure our costume was in place. From our left, the previous group came in, giggling in their tutus as they ran to the changing rooms.
There was a pause until the crowd calmed down, and when they did, the speakers boomed out Yeah! The first thing that happened came out to be a red light that hit the center of the stage and we moved with the rhythm. My heart beat faster than ever when my eyes went from my stretched hands to the audience.
It was packed; probably around four hundred seats in just one look.
Jay came beside me and assured me with a look that everything was okay. He turned.
Everything seemed to go away fast when the middle came up and Alex shot me a wink before taking Jenny in his hands. I shifted as I looked at them, feeling Jay’s hands on mine.
Usher’s voice ringed once more, and before I knew it, I was facing a cheering audience resting in Jay’s arms with my leg up, and everything was done. It was over. My last dance in here. I sighed in relief taking Brit’s hand in my left hand and Jay’s in my right. With a bow, we left and giggled our way out, hearing Vannesa’s voice closing The Recital.
Alex came then and planted a kiss on my cheek. I smiled at him, and took his jaw to my lips, returning it in a tender way. Just then, we saw Benny’s head appear and nudge Brit with his elbow. I gave him a weird look before he winked at me.
As if on cue, my aunt came rushing toward me.
“Did you even watch The Show?” I laughed, receiving a “congratulations” from her.
“Yes, but as soon as you finished, I came rushing in, pushing old ladies out of the way.” Her head turned to the others. “Oh, hello, you two are Pat’s children, right?” she asked, referring to Alex and Brit who only gave her a nod with a smile. “Oh, goodie!” She clapped before reaching to her extra-large purse and getting out a camera. “Picture?”
I scrunched my nose. “Eh—”
Alex pulled me by the waist to his side roughly before I could finish the sentence. I wanted to tell her it was all right, but there was no need. Did I really need a picture? “Sure,” Alex answered for me.
Brit jumped next to me while my aunt tried to turn her camera on. “Aunt Delilah.” I pointed to an amused Benny in the shadows. “That’s Benny, my modeling teacher. I told you about him, right?”
“Say cheese!” She clicked the button that made the camera send a flash toward us. “No, I don’t think we’ve met.” She pulled down the camera and stretched her hand toward Benny. He gladly took it and shook it, smiling.
“Well, you kind of led him on,” she whispered, leaning against the wall that was next to the door that led to the girls’ changing room.
“How so?” I scoffed.
“You let him kiss you like that.”
I shrugged. “Well, I wanted him to. I just didn’t know it would mean more to him that it did for me.”
Brit didn’t seem convinced. She took her hand and ran it across her golden ponytail. “What’s your real worry, Lilly?”
I avoided her gaze for a second, fearing her eyes would make me say something other than what I really wanted to. We were waiting for a number to finish up, so we could finally close The Show. I felt a sigh escape my lips before anything else. “I told you, Alex has experience.”
“So?”
I looked at her and groaned as I only received her raised eyebrow.
“I don’t know,” I muttered.
She laughed. “Alex doesn’t care that you’re a virgin, trust me.” I bet he didn’t, I thought as she told me. “Or even of all of those stupid things you’re worrying about. Alex likes you, for you.”
That last part made me smile; though I wasn’t completely sure as to why he liked me. He only said he did and that bothering me was part of what proved that—he was using it as an excuse.
Just then, the music coming from the stage stopped, and Jay came rushing in, asking why we weren’t getting ready to enter. Brit and I looked at each other. We didn’t know, but we still ran toward the end of the stage, still holding each other’s eyes to make sure our costume was in place. From our left, the previous group came in, giggling in their tutus as they ran to the changing rooms.
There was a pause until the crowd calmed down, and when they did, the speakers boomed out Yeah! The first thing that happened came out to be a red light that hit the center of the stage and we moved with the rhythm. My heart beat faster than ever when my eyes went from my stretched hands to the audience.
It was packed; probably around four hundred seats in just one look.
Jay came beside me and assured me with a look that everything was okay. He turned.
Everything seemed to go away fast when the middle came up and Alex shot me a wink before taking Jenny in his hands. I shifted as I looked at them, feeling Jay’s hands on mine.
Usher’s voice ringed once more, and before I knew it, I was facing a cheering audience resting in Jay’s arms with my leg up, and everything was done. It was over. My last dance in here. I sighed in relief taking Brit’s hand in my left hand and Jay’s in my right. With a bow, we left and giggled our way out, hearing Vannesa’s voice closing The Recital.
Alex came then and planted a kiss on my cheek. I smiled at him, and took his jaw to my lips, returning it in a tender way. Just then, we saw Benny’s head appear and nudge Brit with his elbow. I gave him a weird look before he winked at me.
As if on cue, my aunt came rushing toward me.
“Did you even watch The Show?” I laughed, receiving a “congratulations” from her.
“Yes, but as soon as you finished, I came rushing in, pushing old ladies out of the way.” Her head turned to the others. “Oh, hello, you two are Pat’s children, right?” she asked, referring to Alex and Brit who only gave her a nod with a smile. “Oh, goodie!” She clapped before reaching to her extra-large purse and getting out a camera. “Picture?”
I scrunched my nose. “Eh—”
Alex pulled me by the waist to his side roughly before I could finish the sentence. I wanted to tell her it was all right, but there was no need. Did I really need a picture? “Sure,” Alex answered for me.
Brit jumped next to me while my aunt tried to turn her camera on. “Aunt Delilah.” I pointed to an amused Benny in the shadows. “That’s Benny, my modeling teacher. I told you about him, right?”
“Say cheese!” She clicked the button that made the camera send a flash toward us. “No, I don’t think we’ve met.” She pulled down the camera and stretched her hand toward Benny. He gladly took it and shook it, smiling.