Dance Colors Our Life and Makes It Bright Again

The weeks after Chase and I..... You know, went smoothly. We didn't fight, not even the slightest argument and he'd actually taken me out for dinner.

The beginning of competition season is when the issues started.

With my first competition of the season approaching in a matter of days, I'm back to my old rituals: getting to the studio as soon as I can and leaving an hour after classes end. Plus the occasional morning group practice before school starts for the day. Chase has been acting in a similar way. He has a BMX competition coming up and has made sure to sign himself up, along with his little minion, Jordan.

Since I'd moved back in with my sister last week, the time Chase and I got to spend together has been slim. Between school and our respectful work and practice schedules, there just isn't enough time in the world for us to possibly be together. Which has put a slight strain in our fresh relationship.

Speaking of which, Chase and I still have yet to discuss whether or not we're official, even though for us and a lot of the people around us, it's as clear as day.

I turn on the same Artist vs. Poet song I'd danced to for a solo at the recital and had it on repeat for the last hour and a half. I loved the dance and loved the song even more but after listening to in on repeat for so long, at this point all I want to do is throw up if it comes on again. But I don't think Gabby would appreciate it to much if I puked on her almost spotless clean floors.

I sit myself down against the wall and pull my water up to my lips. I hadn't seen Chase outside of school for almost two weeks now, yet all I could think about was the night of the recital and what we'd done together. I shiver as the memory vaguely replays itself in the back of my mind. I melt at the thought of his rough hands against my skin and his lips pressed to mine. I'm so enveloped in the memory that when the alarm on my phone goes off telling me my practice time is over goes off, I jump a foot into the air and squeal.

I groan and push myself up from the ground. I give myself an hour to practice and I use it up sitting out thinking about Chase. I roll my eyes at myself. Sure, he's pretty important to me at the moment, but I have other thing to worry about. If I keep this up, I would stand a chance against the other girls.

I grab my bag and head out into the snow clad parking lot. The winter storm is all everyone's been talking about. Power's out in some places, below zero temperatures in others, it's a mess to say the least but we're all doing what we can. Luckily, the worst hasn't started yet. And for now, I'm grateful of that.

I drive on back to my sister place and immediately head for the shower. I know Taylor is dying to talk to me. She's had a feeling something drastic went on while rhe was gone and I'm just not ready to talk about it yet. I have a trillion things on my mind and for now the past is the most irrelevant.

I scrub away all my thoughts and worries of the coming weekend away and the steaming water runs over my sore and aching muscles. If it was possible to just sleep like this all night, naked, with a stream of steaming hot water flowing on me, I'd be the first one to do it. But frankly, I'm not interested in dying for quite a while.

I shut the water off, towel dry my hair, slip on an old t-shirt Chase had given me before I left and tuck myself under my blankets. Chase's pool house was nice but nothing feels quite as nice as my bed.

I'm starting to doze off when my phone goes off. I sleepily grab my thin object from beside and put it up to my ear without checking to see who'd decided to call me mid snooze.

"Hmm?" I hum into the phone. I scratch my scalp as I roll over, pulling my blankets with me.

"Hey baby." Chase coos. My eyes flutter open and I feel the small smile starting to form on my lips as I take in the sound of his velvet voice.

"It's midnight." I whisper.

"I know, I didn't think you'd be asleep, I'll let you go-"

"No it's fine, it's fine, I have off periods tomorrow. I can talk."

"Your voice is telling me otherwise."

"Chase." I warn and I hear him chuckle lightly on the other end of the phone.

"Okay, fine. But I won't keep you long."

"Deal."

"How's dance? Competition this weekend right?"

"Yea first competition. It's going okay."

"Taylor still mad at you for not telling her about your dad?"

"Yea she said something about how she thinks I'm keeping to many secrets from her. It's making her feel bad because it usually tell her everything."

"Then why don't you tell her?"

"I dunno.."

"You should talk to her."

"Maybe."

"Really though.."

I groan. If an argument is what he's selling, I'm not buying. It's not a big deal that I'm not telling my sister things right now and it's really none of his business anyway.

"I'll talk to her later okay. How's your competition run going?"

"It's a lot of work. Jordan's doing really good, he finally hit the Ollie I've been trying to help him with, his half pipe is clean so I'm happy. I'm doing alright too I guess. BMX freestyle needs work, Moto is kinda sloppy but I blame that on you."

"You better have something insanely romantic to add to that." I warn.

"I haven't seen you in two days, you've been on my mind every time I'm out there. I miss you."

"Go on."

"Oh geez, that wasn't good enough?"

"Nope."

His sheets rustle beneath him as he shifts his weight and my center clenches at the memory of is together in his bed.

"I haven't been able to get you out of my mind. When I skate or start up my bike whatever I do I hear your voice, or feel your touch, or smell your scent and it distracts me, but at the same time I love it. Because even when we aren't together it feels like you're with me and... I dunno, I guess it kinda keep me relaxed...

"That was-"

"Although I am slacking."

"-almost romantic, but you ruined it at the end." I smile as his boyish laugh rings through my ears and let my flutter eyes close.

"That was real effort."

"Mhmm. Whatever."

"Okay fine.. I'd like to make a proposal."

"What kind of proposal?"

"For a date. How does Friday sound? You're studio's closed, my place'll be closed, we could just hang out and watch a movie or something. Be together so that we don't end up distracting each other for having so much time apart. What do you say?"

"Hmmm... Can I think about it?"

"I'm gonna go with no."

"Then I guess that's a yes. Friday it is." I smile widely before a yawn takes over and Chase finally lets me head back to sleep. Though now I can't help but feel overcome with excitement for our upcoming date and it takes a couple moments before I finally drift back off to sleep.