Dancing through life

Chapter 10: My first lesson with Sean

I turn on the lights of the studio. I take off my hoodie and put on my ballet shoes. I warm up my toes and start practising.
I twirl around and around. I stop halfway. I sighed. Why is it so hard?
"You need to lift your heel higher." says an amused voice. I snap my neck towards the window and there he is.

I realised that I was holding my breath all this time and I exhale. I lean against the bars in relief.
Sean walks over, he holds out his hand.
"Come on. I'll show you how it's done." he says, I step away from the bars and take a seat on the window seat.
"Don't run over me." I warn him. He grins widely at my threat.

He starts to twirl around the studio and it's breathtaking. He gives a smirk as he passes me.
He stops in front of me and says, "Your turn. I promise I won't laugh."
I huff in frustration and shake my head. I sense his grin, no I feel him grin.

I twirl around and twirl. Halfway, I am everywhere. I am suddenly in a pair of strong arms.
"Woah! Where were you trying to go?" he asks, amused.
"Everywhere!" I snapped, annoyed.
"Then I must say, you are succeeding." He states, amused.

I walk away from him, scowling. "Hey, come on, it's better when you do it together." He holds out his hand. I slap it away.
He takes my hand and I try to take it away, but his grip is gentle, yet firm.
"Hey! Let me go-" I protested.
"Sorry about this, but it's the best way to learn!" he says.

"What are you going to do?" I said, my voice cracks at the word "do".
"Trust me." he says, with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Don't break my trust." I warn him. The ends of his mouth twitch as he holds back a grin.
He begins to twirl around the studio. I give a yelp. "I thought we were starting slow!" I cried.
"Slow is boring." he replies.
He gives me, no other option, but to twirl after him. We are twirling around the studio, endlessly.

"That's it. Steady." he coaches, as we twirl. I trip over my own foot and fall over. I am suddenly lying right on top of his chest.
His green eyes are shining with amusement.
I cover my face with my hands. I blush furiously.
I get up, quickly. He chuckles. "You are alright?" he asks.

"Yes." is my blunt reply.
"Let's go slower." he advises.
He wraps his arms around me waist. I whack his arms off, immediately.
He laughs. "Trust me!" he says. I reluctantly let him wrap his arms around my waist.

I twirl and his arms support me. I stop.
"That wasn't so bad, wasn't it?" Sean asks, smiling.
"It was terrible." I replied. I sit down. He sits down beside me.

"Ever the optimist." he says, rolling his eyes. "Let's try, again. Look I'm not gonna let you fall." he says, softly.
I hold out my pinkie and say, "Pinkie promise?"
He groans. "I am a dude! We do not pinkie promises."
"Fine, what would you do??" I scoffed.

"The thumb promise." he reveals, sticking his thumb up and waving it around. I can't help, but snort at his immaturity.
"That does not exist." I state. He grins.
"Now, it does." He informs me. I cover my face with my hands. I can't help, but smile. He is so consistent!
He holds out his thumb. I lift my hands off my face and I link my thumb with his. My thumb slips off.
"Try again." he says, laughing. I link my thumb with his again.

"Your thumb is huge." I pointed out.
"Well, I heard some people are attracted to people with big thumbs." he says, unfazed by my weird comment.
"You have a good comeback for everything. don't you?" I retorted.
"What can I say? I'm talented." he says. I shake my head, but I smile.

He stands up and offers me a hand. I take it and he pulls me up with ease.
He wraps his arms around my waist and I twirl. I lift my heel higher and focus on one spot in the studio.
I am spinning and I feel the ground supporting me.

This is the feeling of twirling! I love it. I love the way my hair feels, the way the room spins. I close my eyes and feel the wind around me.
I open my eyes to see Sean looking at me.
His arms are strong and they support me. I stop and look up at him. I beam at him. "I did it!" I said.

He beams back at me. "You did it!" he repeats. I do something, unexpected. I hug him.
"You are one tough person to teach. I pity Madame Lamborne." he mutters under his breath. I swat him.
He give me an innocent expression.

We do this, again and again. Finally he lets go of my waist and I am twirling on my own.
Strangely, I feel the absence of his arms on my waist. I stop twirling and stop in front of me.
I suddenly feel unbearably shy in front of him. Is it the way he is looking at me, making me feel so vulnerable?

"Thanks." I said, quietly. He grins.
"Pardon? I am afraid that I did not hear what you just mumbled." he teases me. I elbow him. He cradles his arm, pouting.
"I said, Thank you. Doofus." I said, rolling my eyes at him. He gives me a look of mock sadness.

He wraps his arm around my waist and we dance. Now I know why I felt the absence of his arms before.
It felt right, somehow. It felt as if it belonged there.
We dance like idiots round the studio. All I see is his green eyes shining in the studio light.
I promised myself that I'll stay away from him. Something about him, I don't know what, has me drawn to him.