It's Only a Dance Step

I danced.

I danced my heart out as I had my eyes closed and moved to the beat of Black and Gold by Sam Sparro. I felt myself relax as I danced. I didn't worry about others watching; I didn't have the strength to.
As the beat slowed, I slowed my steps. I gently opened my eyes as my head lifted when the song was over. I took a deep and final breath as I saw my reflection in the mirror.

I was back.

I had skipped school for two weeks and thought it was time to return. I made my parents come to school and pick my homework up so I didn't get too behind. The only thing I did on my own was my dancing. I told Candice and Chace to pay close attention to what was going in class so that everyday after school, they could teach me the steps.

Why did I skip two weeks of school? Well the answer was simple.

Dance is my life.

Dance is what I breath in everyday. Dance is what is constantly on my mind. Dance is my way of expressing myself. Dance was my oasis.

And I wasn't going to let a Mr. Know-it-all-Damon, ruin it for me.
My parents tried to convince my three dance teachers to let me stay with Chace as my dance partner, but it was no use. And it wasn't like I had many options either to transfer to a new school. So, I had to stay put.

I gathered my things and made my way to Candice's locker.

"Hey." I heard a voice through my headphones and looked up from my sitting position by Candice's locker. I smiled a bit and extended my arms for a hug from Chace. He entered my arms in a hug and sat next to me.

"So, anything new that I missed?" I asked him.

"Nothing really...." He said casually. I nodded and went back to working on my lab reports.

"Oh my god! So many things you've missed!" Candice shouted out loud as she made her way over to me. I raised an eyebrow and looked at Chace who had just said the opposite. He sighed and shook his head as he got up. He offered me a hand and I took it.

"What do you mean?" I asked Candice as I put my stuff in my bag and watched her get her things out of her locker.

"I mean a ton of hook ups and break ups have happened! And..." She kept talking but I had tuned her out, knowing I could care less about what went on.

"And of course Damon had to be there and-"

"What!" I asked, cutting her off and tuning back in when I heard Damon's name.

"Yeah I know! Wait, aren't you listening at all?" She asked me closing her locker and we all made our way to warm up class.
I shook my head and heard her gasp.

"I mean, I did...sort of..." I said honestly. She just sighed and shook her head.

"What I was saying was that Chace and I were talking about when you were going to come out hiding and Chace here said if it hadn't been for Damon who took his spot, none of this would have happened. And, well, of course Damon had to be right behind Chace at that exact moment. So, yeah, Damon has been pushing us in warm up classes and all mysterious in our last hour period. But damn, I have to say, he's got some good moves!" She finally finished.

I wasn't sure what I believed anymore. I could say he didn't but then I would have to tell them about that night.

So yeah, they didn't know the truth about me skipping school either. I told them that I slapped Damon supposedly because he said something perverted in my ear and I didn't have time for that. But that wasn't close to the truth at all.

I sighed and followed them into the warm up dance room.

And apparently we were late.

All eyes turned to look at us Including Damon's. My jaw tightened and I placed my things on the floor before making my way over to the center of the room to take my spot.

I didn't look at Damon or the instructor for the rest of the class. All I did was follow the dance steps like everyone else.

I put my hair in a bun at the end of class and grabbed my things.

"Desera. May I speak with you?" The instructor called me over. I held in a sigh and nodded at Chace and Candice to just go without me.
I turned and walked toward the instructor.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Well first of all, how are you feeling?" She asked me.

I gave a small shrug. "Better." She nodded and then continued.

"That's good to hear. But my main concern is that your not communicating with Damon at all. You don't connect in your warm ups. You hardly even look at him." She furnished and seemed to he expecting me to say something, but when I didn't she continued. "Believe it or not, he's an excellent student and truly knows how to help each and every one of these dancers that we have here. Do you have anything to say about your behavior?"

"Is that all miss?" I asked and kept the answer to her question to myself.

She sighed and nodded. I turned around and made my way to my next class.

"Come on, do your homework later!" Candice tried to convince me as we sat outside for lunch. I shook my head and kept doing it.

"Seriously! Its a wonderful day to just talk and enjoy life." She pressed. I chuckled and raised an eyebrow at her. She sighed and went back to eating.

The kitchen suddenly became quiet and I frowned. I looked up and saw the reason for everyone's volume to go down.

Damon had entered the cafeteria. Apparently he definitely made it to the popularity list.
I rolled my eyes and went back to doing my homework.

Unfortunately that didn't last long.

Why? Well because Mr. Big Shot was now in front of our table demanding my attention.

"How are you." I heard him say.

It' just a dance step.Those were the words going through my head. So I kept doing my homework until I heard him give a slight sigh and walk away.

Right away I heard everyone talking again. I looked up only to find Candice glaring. I sighed and closed my book.

"What." I said and she opened her mouth to start her lecture but thankfully, was cut off by the bell. I smiled quietly to myself and got up.

"Take that damn smile off your face missy. We aren't done talking." She said in a playful tone.

I chuckled quietly and headed to my one hour study hall.

I was in the library still trying to find the book for English class when I heard my name being called on the intercom to go to room 1235, my last period dance class. I sighed as I placed my my book down and grabbed my things. I couldn't help but hear the whispers around me as I made my way out and toward the dance room.
I walked in and saw both husband and wife instructors waiting for me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked me when I stood infront of them.

"I'm well. Thanks." I said with a nod.

"Well then, lets start with the basic steps of this new dance." He said getting in position.

"Oh, Candice taught me them when I was out..." I said gently.
The other instructor shook her head and chuckled.

"Your part will be different dear. Yes, some steps will be the same, but the middle couples always have a solo part." She informed me.

"Oh. Um, okay then." I said and nodded again.

"Lets begin."

Candice and Chace were surprised to see me already in class when they walked in. I told them I would explain some other time and took my fifteen minute break since I had already warmed up in learning the new dance steps.

What caught me a bit off guard was that Damon walked in right after them. Damon? To be the third one here? Impossible.

I shook my head and just sat there drinking my water.
After everyone was warmed up I got up and walked to the front and positioned myself for the first step.

"Do you know what the steps are?" Damon next to me asked. But I said nothing, and in response to his question, when the music started I did every step perfectly.

I looked calm. I appeared to just be focused on dance. People looked at me and saw nothing new.

But that wasn't the case.

Inside I was boiling with anger. Anger that Damon was still my fucking dance partner. Anger that he acted like nothing happened. Anger that he was talking, looking, or doing anything to get my attention!

So you cant image what my boiling point was when both instructors told Damon and I to stay after class and practice our solo because we needed to connect.