Telltale Tango | Complete

Nine - Giselle

Feliciano pulls me closer till I forget my own name. His hands press against my back and our bodies dance against each other, moving in sync with the music, hands exploring a new found home.

I can't remember the last time I was kissed like this. Probably because I've never been kissed like this. Even when I have to pull away to catch my breath, the space between us shrinks to near zero. His deep brown eyes pull me to him and our lips lock again.

"Damn you are good at that," I sigh the next time I have to catch my breath. How did you get so good at that?

The music ends and I lean in for another kiss, but no one is there. I open my eyes to see Feliciano bolting away from me like I've burned him.

"Are you okay?"

Feliciano's eyes dart around the club and I remember what he said about this place.

"We could go somewhere else. Let's get out of here."

He uses his palm to brush his hair forward, a nervous habit I'd already picked up on. "No, I uhh--"

He doesn't even finish his sentence before bolting out the doors of the club.

What just happened? Am I that bad at kissing that he feels like he needs to run away without finishing the date?

Another song comes through the speakers and the couples come together on the dance floor. I'm left alone. The center of attention that everyone is pretending to ignore. But they can all see me. And they all saw him leave.

I have to find him and make sure he's okay.

My battle to get to the door is made more difficult by all the couples swirling around the floor like they're competing at the world championships in bachata. Finally, I make it all the way to the door before a bouncer steps in front of me.

"I need to go," I tell him, trying to keep the urgency out of my voice. "I really need to make sure my... friend is okay."

"You need to pay your tab," he says, pointing to the bar.

"Here, hold my wallet," I say, slamming my clutch into his chest and slipping around him and out the door. I don't know if he tries to follow me or if my money is enough assurance for him that I won't leave.

"Feliciano!" I call as soon as I break into the frigid outdoors. The entire line of patrons waiting to get into the bar turns to face me. If it isn't the whole line, it feels like it.

The girls at the front of the line look at me with pity. Great, they saw something. I'm going to have to put on my big girl pants and ask them.

"Your friend went that way," the girl in the green dress says before I ask. "I don't think you'll catch up to him."

"Yeah, thanks," I reply, the red surely creeping into my face as I sink back into the bar, collect my wallet from the bouncer, and stand at the bar.

"What can I get for you?" the bartender asks, waving his hand in front of my face. "I asked what I could get for you."

"I'm just here to pay my tab," I explain, handing my card over to him.

I'm on autopilot the whole time I'm paying. My head is swirling with so many thoughts I don't know which one to act on first. All I know is I have to get out of here.

And I should probably check on Feliciano. I think.

Oh, I need to talk to Priya first.

* * *

The cab drops me off at home and, since I have my credit card this time, I quickly pay and rush into the house. Slamming through the front door, I stumble into the living room and trip over my own shoes I'd left there this evening while preparing for the date.

"Priya!" I call, holding my knee as though that would stop us from hurting. "Priya, I need you!"

The only thing I can hear is a knocking through the wall. "Hey girl," I say to the house. "I need you to not haunt me today, okay? I've had enough terrible times for the day."

"Priya are you here?" I call again, slipping my shoes off and throwing my coat over the back of what used to be a couch.

She doesn't reply and the clinking in the wall isn't from the shower, so she must be out. I flip my phone out of my purse and press her avatar.

"Pick up, pick up," I say, digging through the fridge to try to find something edible from the leftovers. There is nothing. I don't know why I care, because I'm not at all hungry.

"Yeah?" Priya answers.

"Where are you?" I ask, slamming the fridge and losing a few of the magnets in the process.

"I'm down the street getting some things for sandwiches so I can eat?" She says it like a question. "Not all of us have fancy dates to— hey! I thought you were out on a date what's up? Did you forget your wallet again?"

"No it's... that's what I need to talk to you about where are you?"

"Be right there," she says, ending the call before she even finishes the last word.

I'm showered and in my pyjamas before she slams open the front door. "Wow, that's sticking more than usual," she says to herself. "Oh, there you are. Dear, what is wrong?" She doesn't even take her coat off, rushing over to sit down beside me.

"I don't know! I'm just so confused, Priya. The date was going so well. We were dancing and kissing and then he just show back like I stung him and ran off. He ran off!"

"What? How are you okay right now? Where's his house? Let's egg it."

"Calm down. Don't." I take a big breath. "I think something's going on. He told me before this all started that he hadn't been there in a while, you know? Because the last time he was there was a rough time. So I think something happened that threw him back there, you know? And I need to figure out what to do about it."

She sits there, chewing on her fingernails and staring into my eyes.

"Priya. What do I do about it?"

"Oh! You wanted my help?"

"Obviously. What do I do? Do I just text him and make sure he's okay?"

She pulls her knees up to her chest and bites at her nails again. "Hmm," she says finally. "I think we're going to need to be subtle. How about you just write it and I'll help you word it."

That's smart, actually, so I pull my phone out of my pocket and we fiddle around with the wording until I settle on the text I eventually send.

Hey Feliciano. I hope you are alright after what happened at the bar. I'm safely home and will talk to you tomorrow.

A small part of me isn't sure he's going to answer. But I told him what I want, now all I can do is hope he follows through. If he doesn't, well, I've been there before and I survived.

The tiny voice in the back of my head reminds me, but it hurt like hell.