A Beauteous Flower

Chapter 17 - The Naked Truth

The next day Madison had to work a game, but she barely noticed. She floated effortlessly through every routine. In her mind she fantasized that Daniel watched her on television, which caused her to dance with a verve she hadn't experienced since she had first discovered dance. Madison wanted Daniel to see her and notice her talent and how hot and sexy she could be. She did every dance bigger and better than ever before and the fans near her got caught up in her enthusiasm and cheered her on. Before she knew it the game was over, and the team was back in the locker room.

"Well," observed Adalina. "Someone danced her little ass off today."

Madison smiled and nodded absently. All she wanted was to get cleaned up and get back to Daniel. Ivy joined Adalina with a sly smile on her face.

"Look at our little Madison, Adalina," she chimed. "All smiles and giggles and dancy-dancy. She got laid this weekend. Look at her face."

A titter of glee rippled through the locker room at Madison's expense, but she didn't care. All she cared about was Daniel. She couldn't wait to take off her uniform and put on her street clothes. She and Daniel had planned to meet at her apartment after the game and Madison wanted to shower and primp before he showed up. She tried to hurry and get back to the apartment to get ready, but she was so distracted that she couldn't seem to take her uniform off.

"You were gone all weekend without so much as a phone call," reproved Deva mildly. "We thought we'd have to send out a search party."

Madison nodded dumbly as she struggled to free herself from her uniform. She tugged and pulled and hauled with ten thumbs because of her hurry and her frustration boiled over as she clutched futilely at the zipper on her back. As Madison twisted and snarled and hopped on one foot as she fought to unzip herself and kick off one of her sneakers at the same time, Ivy "tsked" and twirled her finger for Madison to spin around. Madison complied and Ivy helped Madison unzip her uniform.

"Jesus! Calm down a little, Madison! You're like a fox in a trap!"

"Like a mink, you mean," corrected Deva and Madison blushed but didn't deny it.

Ivy smile spread wider like the hood of a cobra and turned to Adalina.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say our little Madison has got a man."

"Or maybe she's in love," cooed Deva.

Adalina eyeballed Madison curiously.

"Well?" Adalina prodded like a detective who wanted a confession. "How about it, Madison."

Madison snapped back into the moment as she contemplated that word. "Love". It both exhilarated and terrified her and until that moment, Madison had not thought to attempt to name the enormous mixture of emotions that had churned in her heart, head, and stomach all weekend. It couldn't be love. Could it? It was all so sudden, like a bolt of lightning. It was too soon. Wasn't it?

Madison's mind tilted and whirled. She thought she knew what love felt like. She'd even said it out loud a couple of times, but now she knew those feelings were barely a ripple when compared to the tidal wave of joy and terror that washed through Madison whenever she thought of Daniel. In hopeful moments, she thought Daniel felt the same way and her breath would stop and heart would flutter in her chest like a caged bird. But scarcely three breaths later she would be racked with doubt, and she felt stifled by terror and her heart would throb like it would rip in two. She couldn't sit still, and she couldn't stand up. The only time her emotions weren't in turmoil was when she had danced for the crowd, and then she had just shared with them the joy and terror that threatened to burst out of her chest. Madison could hardly contain herself and it was all so strange, formless and, until this moment, nameless.  Yet when Deva said the word "love" it seemed like every fiber of her being cried out in agreement. The idea filled Madison with a giddy tingle that bubbled out of her mouth in a gleeful giggle.