Dirty Dancing

5

Somehow I find myself in the dance studio the next morning.
"No!"

I stepped on his foot. Again.
"Oh, sorry. Sorry." I stress.

"You don't step on the one. You gotta start on the two. Find the two. Understand?" He instructs. He sounds frustrated.

"I never did any of these dances before." I pout.

He grabs me again, fixing my elbow who tends to slouch. He looks me in the eyes.

"It's one, two, three, four. When the music starts, you don't dance until the two. Got it?"

I nod my head. We try again. It's hard to remember to start on the two.
"Relax, relax." He says and shakes my arms.

We do the basic steps over and over again while he makes comments. Now I'm the frustrated one.
"Breathe. Frame. Nope. Again."

I manage to step on his foot again.
"Ow."

He decides that I should dance by myself for a while. I do the steps while he watches, fixing my flaws.
"Two, three, four. Two, three, four.
Don't lean back. Lifting up. Two, three, four. Shoulders down. Again. Concentrate."

I take every opportunity I have to train. Whenever I'm going somewhere I dance there, trying to remember everything Louis has said about shoulders and arms and chest and to start on the two. My head is spinning. I get angry and frustrated when I miss and kick something nearby but I don't stop. I try again.

I'm absolutely exhausted in the evenings. At least I get to wear cute little outfits like crock tops and yoga pants. We take every opportunity we can to dance.

He's watching me dance again the next day. I have to be on my toes the whole time. My feet are killing me.
"Don't put your heel down." Louis says.

I try again.
"Don't put your heel down." He sounds frustrated.

"I didn't!" I protest.

One more time.
"Stay on the toe."

I give him a look that could kill. He smirks briefly but then he's at it again.
"Just listen to me. The steps aren't enough. Feel the music."

I'm starting to let loose when I'm by myself, moving my body as sexy as I can even if I still haven't the two down. I want to start on the one.

Another day, another private dance class with Louis. I'm starting to look forward to seeing him now when he's less grumpy.
"It's not on the one. It's not the mambo. It's a feeling, a heartbeat." He tries to explain.

He puts his hand over his chest and pats it, trying to copy the sound of heartbeats.
"Co con, co con."

I put my hand over my heart and stare at his intensely so I will pat my chest at the same time.
"Don't try so hard." He says.

He takes my hand and puts it over his heart with his hand on top of mine.
"Close your eyes."

I obey. He mimics his heartbeat quietly and then we start to dance.
"Two, three, four. Two, three, four."

I open my eyes and look into his. Smile a little. I got it now.
"Breathe." He reminds me with a smile.

I hurry to dinner with my family. They wonder where I have been the whole day and I give a vague answer. I'm distant, going over the dance steps in my mind.

I run to the dance studio the next day. He greets me with a smile.
"Take off your shirt." He says as he pulls his over his head.

"Why?" I question nervously.

"Dancing is about connection, feeling comfortable around each other." He explains.

I remove my shirt as well. His eyes flicker, taking in my naked torso for a second before he turns around to put on some music. When the music starts he walks up to me and takes me in his arms and we start to dance.
"Head up."

I look him in the eyes.
"Lock your frame. Lock it."

We dance some more.
"Look, spaghetti arm. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don't go into yours. You don't go into mine. You gotta hold the frame. Again." He reprimands but softly.

We try again.
"Frame." He reminds me. Smiles.

We have to practice the beginning of the dance for what feels like the millionth time. I'm supposed to raise my arm and wrap it around his neck while he caresses my side before he takes my hand and spins me around. I'm ticklish! He gets frustrated with me.

We're progressing. I know the steps, most of the time. The next day we try the whole routine.
"Back. Easy. And turn, turn. Down. And lift. You'll learn that later. And come on. Down. Twist. And the bow."

I lean back a little too enthusiastically and bring him with me. He grimaces in pain.
"Sorry. Sorry."

He gets up. He's irritated.
"You trying to kill me? You gotta concentrate! Is that your idea of fun?" He snaps.

That makes me angry. I snap back.
"As a matter of fact, it is. We do the show in two days, you won't show me lifts, I'm not sure of turns. I'm doing all this to save your ass, but I'd rather drop you on it!"

He stares at me for a moment and then he puts his t-shirt back on and grabs his leather jacket.
"Let's leave."

It's raining outside. I put my hoodie over my head to try to save my hair. He takes me to the parking lot. He's searching for the car keys in his pockets just to realize that he locked them in the car.
"Shit!"

He looks around and finds a big stone and smashes the window in the backseat. I gasp. We get in the car and he drives off. I let out a liberating laugh.
"You're wild."

He turns his head to look at me.
"What?"

"You're wild!" I yell and shake my head.

He drives us to a nearby lake. It has almost stopped raining. He finds a tree that lies across the stream leading to the lake. He takes off his shoes and socks and walks out on it.
"Now, the most important thing
to remember in lifts is balance."

He jumps and almost loses his balance as he lands.
"Whoa! Whoa! I got it now."

I laugh. He sits down.
"So where'd you learn to be a dancer?" I ask.

"Well, this guy came into
this luncheonette one day and we were all sitting around doing nothing. And he said that Arthur Murray was giving a test for instructors. So, if you passed they teach you different dances, show
you how to break them down, teach them." He tells me before he jumps up and gestures at me.

"What?"

He points at the tree log. I hesitate but walk out in it.
"Good." He smiles.

He takes me in his arms and we start to dance. I let out a nervous giggle.
"Don't look down. Look here. Good." He says pointing at his eyes.

I almost lose my balance and break out in a nervous cackle. We get off the log and find a meadow. We try the lift in different steps. First I just have to run to him and jump.
"Now, bend your knees and go up. Go, go." Louis instructs.

We try again.
"Good try. Now, you'll hurt me if you don't trust me, all right?" Louis smiles.

I nod my head and run to him. He grabs my hips and tries to lift me. I scream and fall on top of him. We both burst out in a fit of giggles.
"You know, the best place to practice lifts is in the water." He says.

We head to the lake. The water is cold but we get in.
"Just bend your knees. And... go."

He lifts me over his head and I try to hold the position.
"Good. Good. Good. Now hold the position. Hold it. Good. Don't break! Don't break!"

I fall into the water with a splash. We both laugh and I swim closer to him. When I stand up my t-shirt has glided, leaving my shoulder exposed. I try to fix it and he reaches out a hand to help me but stops mid-air.
"Let's do it again." He smiles.