Not A Small Town Girl (dance moms and magcon)

Chapter 7

"How was your date with Hayes?" Kalani asks, shutting her gym locker. She's been teasing me about Hayes since the party. 

"It wasn't a date. Plus Kendall was there anyway," I reply, tying the laces of my gym sneakers. I've been insisting that I don't like Hayes since the party.

"Well, you guys are all set for today. Since, you know, you two make quite the dance couple," she snorts, giggling like an idiot.

"Shut up! I was drunk and unaware of what I was doing," I say, trying to explain myself without laughing at the whole thing too.

Kalani shakes her head still laughing at me, "See ya Mad." She walks backwards towards the doors out of the gym, "Wish me luck," she mouths before leaving. I do.

My eyes dart around the gym, looking for my wonderful dance partner. I don't see him anywhere. Not surprised, I walk over to the pulled out bleacher and take a seat. Ten minutes pass and there is still no sign of Hayes. Fed up with waiting, I get up and make my way to Ms. Petrolla's office. I'd heard before that Hayes was used to getting his way. That everyone liked him so, that meant he could do whatever he wanted and there'd be no consequences. But I wasn't gonna let him get away with fleeing from this dance. I don't care what he wants, he is going to learn this dance and we are gonna perform it.

"Madison!" someone shouts from behind me. "Hey, hey wait up," they speak to my still turned back.

Slowly, and with patience, I turn around. I wonder if my face shows my annoyance.

"Hey I'm sorry. I got caught up," he says, adjusting his half put on shirt.

"We have thirty minutes, let's go," I reply shortly, breezing past him towards the auxiliary gym.

The pitter patter of his light jog tells me he's following right behind me like a good boy. This might not be so difficult after all.

"So, what are we doing like a little cha cha slide or...what," he suggests, shutting the door behind him.

"No we're not doing the cha cha slide," I laugh, realizing that Hayes can't be to blame for his awful dance skills. I understand now that he's nervous, and maybe even a little scared.

"Are you sure because--" he starts cha cha sliding like a doofus.

"Please stop," I beg, laughing at him.

He does stop and walks over to the rolled up wrestling mat. Lazily, he sits on it with his one leg lounged over it and the other dangling on the side. He leans his head on the wall. Slowly, I step toward him.

"You know we have to do this, right?" I ask, stretching my arms out against the mat, a few inches from where he sits.

"Yeah, I know," he responds in a mock melancholy voice.

"Come on. It's not that bad, I promise," I say, trying my best to assure him.

"No, no, trust me it is that bad," he chuckles, not moving an inch.

"No, it's not. Stop being such a pussy," I laugh jokingly, grabbing his sweaty nervous hand and dragging him from the mat.

He laughs to himself, "Pussy, really? Did she just call me a pussy?" I hear him whispering.

We stand side by side facing the vibrantly blue wall of the aux gym. Of course there are no mirrors, which doesn't make things any easier. But at least I'm the only person that will witness Hayes' dancing.

"Okay, so how about we just do something easy. Like, a little jazz or some simple tap?" I suggest.

"A little jazz? Simple tap, does that even exist?" Hayes questions, fiddling with the bottom trim of his shorts.