The Allure of Her - Riff West Side Story -

f i v e

Riff skimmed his eyes toward the gym entry doors. He impatiently tapped his foot, expecting his lofty buddy and not so much expecting a fascinating girl. He silently groaned at himself, waiting around for a woman, how out of character.

Graziella gracefully swayed towards him, coyly staring at him with a grin on her face. She observed Riff's face, eagerly waiting an arrival, but dismissed it with a giggle, announcing herself to him.

"You have any time for a dance?" She questioned musically, allowing her dress to freely spin in the air as she swung her hips from side to side.

Riff snapped back into character with a bold, assertive smirk, smoothly replying,
"Baby, I always have a dance saved for you."

Hitting every beat to the music they casually glided around the dance floor, disinterested in any others around, Riff's eyes every so often glancing to the gym doors.

He felt his body crash into another muscular one and span around with a confident, uninterested look planted on his face.

"Bernardo! Never expected you as such a musical man!" He noted, in a mocking singsong tone.

The shuffling sound of Jets and Sharks progressing through the crowd of dancers to back their leaders echoed in the hall, the police unaware and still occupied on checking young teens drinks.

Bernardo grunted at Riff and curtly replied,
"Watch where you're going." Narrowing his eyes at him, both men prepared for a fight.

Fully committed on stirring trouble for tomorrow, Riff  cocked an eyebrow up and smiled. He whispered something in Bernardo's ear and watched as he saw resentment infest Bernardo's body.

A glint passed through Riff's eye, the glint for a fight, one untamed and fierce. Suppose instead of setting it up for tomorrow it would happen now, slightly off course but he runs with the current.

In a flash, the men jumped on each other, both gangs meshing in a flush of punches. Bernardo aimed for Riff's Jaw, Riff ducked mockingly and landed a hit on his chest. Both gangs trading hits as the police finally recognised the grunts of scuffling.

A sharp whistle was blown, echoing in the walls of the hall and the men in blue rushed to split up the opposers.

Cordelia watched and cringed uncomfortably at every hit, the police desperately trying to pry each man off each other. Tony caught glimpse of Riff and he offered a toothy grin to his friend. The police, clawing for authority, managed to split the two rival gangs and began yelling, in such a daze they didn't notice as Riff slipped out.

Riff headed a clear path to the gym doors, an insincere frown on his face as he approached the two.

"What a disturbance the Sharks create huh, can't have one peaceful moment." He grinned and looked at the both of them, attempting to subtly speculate why they came together.

Cordelia rolled her eyes, uninterested and let her eyes explore the gym looking for Johnny.

"Didn't realise there was a colour scheme.." Cordelia muttered, acknowledging the array of blue and red attire.

Tony awkwardly chuckled and gave her a look to try cure her embarrassment.

As the two boys began to talk, she attempted to tangle back into the crowd and disappear until a hand softly grabbed her wrist.

"Can't make a quiet escape with them shoes, Clicky." Riff asserted, the same playful grin plastered on his face.

"I'm going to," She paused, unaware of what the plan was, "get a drink." She uttered, and instantly made a beeline towards the punch.

Florence's insistence of her not having a drink was secreted in her head. She shoved it aside, this wasn't alcoholic, she'll be fine. She grinned and poured herself a cup.

Cordelia sipped her beverage, instinctively tapping the plastic cup with her fingernail, she felt refreshed, unrealising on how dehydrated she'd been today. Gulping the last of it she pulled herself together and headed to the dance floor.

Shifting through crowds, trying her best to not disturb any dancers, she looked for Johnny despite it being too difficult in the huddles of crowds.

Shit. She knocked into someone just as she planned not to do and crashed to the floor, nobody noticing as the music blasted. She raised her head and saw a young girl looking around, in a state of shock.

"Sorry, surprisingly that isn't the first time I've done that today." Cordelia remarked twiddling her thumbs.

"It takes two to bump into each other, sorry about that." The other girl replied offering a hand to help Cordelia up.

"I'm Maria."

"Cordelia." She replied with a friendly beam.

"I just uh- saw someone and seemed to get distracted," She jitterly mumbled, "I should get back to Anita." Maria whispered, smiling at Cordelia and waving as she weaved back into the crowd.

Cordelia shrugged and began leaning against a bleacher she lowered her head, already feeling physically exhausted.

"So how do y'know Tony?" A voice ringed, seemingly curious to the pair arriving together. Cordelia elevated her head and perceived the man.

His hair softly positioned upwards, granting a clear view to his defined face. His eyes felt piercing as they looked at her with curiosity, a rush of tranquility washing over her as she stared into the deep abyss of his ocean eyes.

"Valentina, the owner of Doc's, you stole from her yet?" Cordelia critiqued, eyeing up the ruggedly handsome gang leader.

"Well you got me there." He dawdled, holding his hands up in defeat.

"Is that blood on your collar?" Cordelia blurted, as she was scanning his outfit and noticed a red patch, her eyes began to widen.

"Well it's not mine Clicky, don't worry about it."

Cordelia gave him an apathetic look and rolled her eyes.

"Again with the nicknames," she jokingly scoffed, "You're relentless."

"This problem would easily be sorted if I knew your name." He cooed, raising his eyebrows challenging her.

"Cordelia." She softly uttered, pulling her eyes away from his face and scanning the room again.

"Well Cordelia," He soothed, repositioning himself next to her so he could lean against the bleachers, "What are you looking for?"

"John."

"Ahh, Baby John, We got him out of detainment this mornin' so he could have some fun here, don't think he'd want his sis to steal the moment."

Cordelia paused, analysing his words and eventually sighed,  recognising that Riff was correct.

"Well, Cordelia, you can't go to a dance and not dance." Riff chirped suggestively, presenting his hand in front of Cordelia with an impish grin.

Cordelia had an inner debate, she tried to recall all the grimy, illegal acts him and his gang commits but looking at him, you wouldn't infer a punk. Her brain purposefully neglected her instincts and she glanced towards him.

"I couldn't imagine you being a dancer." Cordelia beamed, looking at him with an uncertain look.

"I'm full of surprises."

She hesitated until she reglanced at his compelling smile. Intertwining her hands with his she grinned.

"Let's dance."