The Love that Dance Brings

Pink Cheeks

After submitting my assignment, I began to try and pick out an outfit. As comfortable as I was in my sweatpants, it definitely was not suitable for wearing out. I stared at my stuffed closet overwhelmed by the options. Sofia lightly pushed me out of the way and grabbed something from my closet.

"Wear this," she said with a smirk forcing one of my dresses into my arms.

"I can pick out my own outfit thank you very much." I did not put it down though. I looked at it for a moment and then at Sofia. Defeated, I gave Sofia a weak but appreciative smile. 

Once Sofia turned around to head back to her computer, I changed into the dress. The dress stopped a couple of inches above my knees. The long puffy sleeves made me smile. Pairing the dress with a pair of white sneakers, I grabbed my purse and almost made it out the door before Sofia made a comment.

"Kissy kissy," Sofia teased.

"You are so immature," I rolled my eyes and shut the door as quickly as I could. 

Looking at the direction Mia sent, my worry regarding my lack of direction almost disappeared when I realized it was almost a straight walk. I made sure to text Mia to let her know I was on my way. I'd want to know if I was her. The regular student hangout spots were packed with club activities and people playing whatever sport a person could think of. I successfully swerved around the people crossing my path and was able to find the restaurant. I opened the door and walked in letting the door close behind me. The almost whimsical sounding bell that alerted the workers someone entered put a small grin on my face. 

"Hey," exclaimed a sweet voice from behind me. I turned around to see Mia coming through the door. "I was trying to catch up with you! Dang, you walk fast for a short person."

"I'm not short," I defended, "You're only a few inches taller than me! And maybe you just walk slow." 

"Trust me, I don't walk slow." She had a stern tone when she said this and I could feel my face getting hot. 

"Well, I'm still not short."

"Mm-hm," she grinned noticing my pinkish cheeks, "Okay."

I turned my face away and gestured towards the line, "We should probably get in this if we want to get out food anytime soon." 

While waiting for our turn, I stared at the menu hanging on the way indecisively. I've never had so many options in my life. Mia expressed to me what she normally orders. It was the restaurant's 'make-your-own-bowl' option that just opened an entirely new range of options for me. 

Even after the wait was practically over, I looked at Mia desperately, "Pick for me? Please? I have no idea what I'm getting." She laughed and rolled her eyes asking if there was anything I did not like. "Just no olives. I hate olives." 

She nodded her head and when it was our time to order she ordered two of the same thing. When she noticed me trying to pull out my wallet from my bag she grabbed my hand, "I owe you remember?" She winked.

"I was only kidding," I slightly raised my voice.

"Too bad. I'm paying." She gave my hand a squeeze and then let it go in order to take out her own wallet. 

After paying we each grabbed one of the two bowls and the cups that came with it. We filled up the cups with the drinks we wanted and searched for a table. Almost every table was full and I swear Mia swore under her breath in frustration. I couldn't blame her. It had been almost two hours since we decided to hang out and I was already starving then. Finally, I spotted a group leaving one of the tables and I got Mia's attention before I ran off to claim it as our own. Once Mia put her food down, she went to grab some napkins to clean off the mess the last group had made. I thanked her and we started eating.

After a few bites had begun to satisfy my stomach, I looked up at her wide-eyed with excitement, "This is really good!" Mia, with her mouth stuffed, could not speak but she smiled happily at me. Her cheeks were puffed assumably filled with food which made me giggle, but I tried to hide it as well as I could. 

Once she swallowed she squinted her eyes at me in a playful but defensive way, "Don't you laugh at me Ms. 'I'm Not Short.'" She used air quotations to emphasize the name she called me.

My jaw dropped slightly at her comment, "I'm average height!"

"Oooh okay. Then what should I call you?"

I stared at her blankly. What did I want her to call me? If not my name. 

"Hm. No answer? Well, let's see...Ha! I've got it. Princess." She mocked moving her arms to mimic a curtsy. "You sure look like one with the puffy sleeves."

As much as I cringed at the nickname, I could feel my cheeks getting warm again and a smile creeping onto my face. "It's better than the other one," I replied trying to sound nonchalant. 

"Okay, Princess," she emphasized once again with a little curtsy. 

We sat for a while eating knowing soon there would be someone looking at our table to steal. Once we had both almost finished I asked, "What are you doing after this?"

"Depends on what you're doing."

The eye contact I had with her broke out of embarrassment, "I-I'm not- My assignments are done for the day. I like to get it all done early f-for the weekend." 

"So you're free," she wondered?

"Yes," I tried to hide my embarrassment, "Yes. Yes, I am."

"Then I am too," she winked.

Was Sofia right or am I thinking way too much into this? There was no chance that she actually liked me. We've only talked a couple of times. We're just dance partners...who do not switch partners when we are told to...Maybe we-

"Hello," Mia sang interrupting my thoughts, "Ellie?"

Shit. "Sorry, I-I got caught up in my own little world," I tried to laugh off the moment. "If we are both free, maybe we can find something to do after we eat? I-if you're up for it of course." Get it together Ellie. You're overthinking. There is nothing going on. There can't be. 

"Have any ideas?"

"I think I passed some clubs hosting activities for everyone. Should we check that out?"

"If there are any games, I'm so going to beat you," she expressed

"You're on."