You're Dead To Me || ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴜᴛꜱɪᴅᴇʀꜱ

Cut Loose

[AUTHORs NOTE: songs mentioned in this chapter are 'Footloose' by Kenny Loggins and 'Never Tear Us Apart' by INXS :)]
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Two-Bit Matthews...

I drag Ren along as we enter, we mosey our way through the crowd. The acoustic range making its way across the room, music to our ears as the electric melody blasts. I turn back to look at Ren, he's glowing as the atmosphere illuminates his features. The dim lights of the room fiercely radiate warmth off his face. He looks like he's entered heaven.

Still rockin, still rockin'
Going strong, still got the heat
I'm keeping the beat, 'cause it feels so good
Oh I swear that it beats walkin', I'm still rockin'

"Holy . . . Who'd have known Oklahoma has so much culture just a few miles out?" His cyan eyes sparkle as they leisurely trail around. "And fun," I add. People, friends and couples are dancing everywhere, freely moving to the rhythm of their comfort. "This is the perfect place, you don't even know. This is home. Now come on!" Ren grabs my wrist, 'bout to drag me into the crowd to dance but I stop reluctantly.

"Ah, lemme grab a drink first, loosen up, you know." I chuckle light-heartedly. "Oh, all right. I'll come with!" Ren follows me, we grab drinks and I take a swig, hoping it'll make the nervousness fade away. I tap my foot, impatient for the anxiety to exit my system. I look back at the crowd and that's when I realize. Man, I'm sure better at drinking than I am at dancing.

Ren slams his beer down eagerly, "whoo! Now let's go!" A new tune starts to play in the background, a song I haven't heard before but it's catchy and has my attention in a haze.

Been working so hard
I'm punching my card
Eight hours, for what?
Oh, tell me what I got

I feel the immense pressure to go up with Ren and cut loose. But I can't. My eyes dart around nervously, I bite down on my lip. I pray Ren doesn't notice but he does. "You all right?" He asks. "You seem jumpy."

"Yeah, that's why I'm drinkin'! Mama says I can have one beer, one cigarette, but if I take both or more than one then I ain't comin' home again." I told him. "OK, and? Look at where you are, man! This is the place to be, just listen to the music and take a look at everyone dancing, everyone loves to dance! Besides, you brought me out here. Almost like it's a date."

"And you do look handsome tonight."

"Thank you. Now do me a favor and gimme a dance?" He holds his hand out for me to take. I chuckle awkwardly and shake my head. I look around, then I take a step closer and talk quietly. "Look, between you and I, Ren . . . I can't dance." I confess. He seems dumbfounded.

"You can't what?!" He shouts, the music is blasting but his voice raises and I'm afraid people heard him since his voice raised. I try my best not to raise my voice, my face flushes red. I hope it's not noticeable in this lighting. "I can't dance! At all." I slightly raise my voice in a whisper-yell. He stares at me for a second and then nods. "Oh, OK." He says and simply walks off. My eyes stay fixed on him as he blends in with the crowd.

So now I gotta cut loose
Footloose
Kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise
Pull me off of my knees

My eyes watch him as the upbeat rhythm takes him some place I've never seen. It has me in a trance as I watch him. This visual is better than anything I've ever seen off of a magazine. I can't take my eyes off!

Jack, get back
Come on before we crack
Lose your blues
Everybody cut footloose

It goes into the second verse and I lose myself as I feel the upbeat high rush through my veins. His dancing is fast and rapid, his arms swish and his feet shuffle n' sway. He moved how he felt, not thinking about it or calculating anything--just moving with the flow. My heart starts beating faster.