TANGLED PLANS

29

There is laughter as Vanessa and I are being twirled way too fast for our liking. The song had picked up, and out of nowhere, the chorography has the girls spinning around like this is a solo lyrical dance. Vanessa laughs harder when my leg accidentally hits hers.

"Sorry!" I shout as I cringe at the fact that she almost fell. There's a tug on my hand then, and a second later, I'm close to Max again. He places a hand on my waist, so I don't move, and then turns to the television. "Where was the warning? I'm disliking the video."

"I've never disliked a video," I say out loud with a laugh. "I only ever just like it or leave it blank."

"Yes, but I hate this video, so it's getting a thumbs down," Max says, and I watch in horror as he exits out off the full screen and moves the remote to the dislike button. "You're so harsh, Max. Why would you do that?"

Max looks over his shoulder at me and says, "So the owners don't put out a dumb video like this again?" His grin makes me forget about the fact that I was opposed to his claim. His wide smile draws me in and convinces me that disliking a video is okay.

There's a sound from beside me, and I turn to find Brayden with a hand around Vanessa, head ducked down to kiss her. I shake my head at the public display of affection and turn to Max with a helpless expression. Max pinches the bridge of his nose in exasperation and walks back toward me.

He moves toward my brother and crosses his hands across his broad chest. Clearing his throat, he gathers the attention of the couple and points a hand up the stairs. "If you guys want to make out this bad, go upstairs."

"Great!" Brayden shouts in response, but Vanessa shakes her head. "Wait, babe, we should learn."

"In my room," Brayden says with a wide grin sent at her, and I can pick up the suggestion behind it.

Shaking my head, I let Vanessa embrace me for a hug. "I'll probably come down to say goodbye to you," she says to me in the hug. I return it with my own wrapped around her back. Vanessa flips her hair off her shoulder and saunters up to my brother after pulling away.

As the both of them walk up the stairs, giggling at each other, Max walks back in front of the television. He starts to type new dance choreographies for the both of us to try. I fan my face with both of my hands before deciding to pull my hair up once it doesn't get any cooler. After looping the last bit of elastic over my bun, I found the video now playing.

Max points at the TV with a proud smile and says, "Now, this is how you dance." For the length of the video, both of us watched it intently. I needed to know what to expect in order to follow through with this, and as I do, I realize that it didn't seem too hard.

"Let's try it," I say to him once the video ends and starts up due to the loop button. Max squints at me and says, "Think you got this?"

"I know I do," I say to him with a smile, and he walks over to me with a shake of his head.

"I don't know, Daisy-paisy. This one seems hard to keep up with."

I shake my head and say, "Easy dance moves, though. It'll be a piece of cake."

🌼

It wasn't a piece of cake, pie, or any of the other baked goods. It was rather hard, and by the end of the dance, I had felt my legs wanting to give out already.

Max lets out a loud laugh again as I place my hands on my knees and bow my head. I'm breathing out of my mouth quickly as I try to regain my breath. I feel a hand on the back of my neck and jump away from the touch. One because it sent electricity through my body, and two because my neck was sweaty and gross.