How I Saved Harley Matthews

Chapter Ten: So You Have Tricks

We stood quietly in single file lines facing the opposite sex. Each male stood with their hands fastened behind their backs while each female stood with their right foot over their left, resting their hands on one another in front of them. No one dare spoke for fear that Coach would be in a punishing mood.

Over the past few weeks Coach had broken the boys of everything they had known before she had got them. They were all now obedient, lean, and muscular with the same hair cut falling limp on their foreheads.

In the beginning it looked like the boys would give Coach a run for her money, but I wish you could have seen the way she whipped those playboys into shape.

You know how they say, Oh your a player, well I'm the Coach. Well she wasn't kidding when she brought her A game.

Coach walked out of her office with a little pep in her step, allowing her inner ballerina to show. She paused cautiously at the end of our lines as if it was a red carpet runway, and she was the new go lucky star.

"It's been a long three weeks boys," she paused and looked over to our line. "...and girls."

Slowly, she pranced forward down the center of the lines. "But the Winter Show is fast approaching, and though you all have preformed the dances well alone, we now must add in our partners."

The room fell to utter silence as she let the news soak in. "Partners are a gift. They are made to mold with your body. That is why when it comes to choosing your partner, it is very important. You must move with sleekness like a deer. You must be presented with pure and utter sheerness of poise like the finest silk. And finally you must make the audience believe that you two, are one and the same like the rarest gem."

"This is why," she continued. "We will spend the entire dance lesson finding your partner. I trust that you all know how each other move, and you will choose carefully." She said as she drifted to the front of the studio and turned on our dance track CD. "Boys, you may pick your partner."

A few moments passed before the first male stepped forward. It was the cowboy from the first day. His eyes drifted over every girl before pausing on me.

With pride he walked forward until he was standing directly in front of me. "Excellent choice Mr. McCormick." Coach said. "Miss Bellarose."

With the single command I uncrossed my legs, and he offered one of his hands to me. "Miss-" He began

"Call me Audin." I quickly whispered as I took his hand.

"Miss Audin." He responded in a hushed tone as he led me away from the crowd of dancers that were now pairing up with one another.

"And what should I call you cowboy?" I questioned as we came to a halt.

A chuckle left his lips, and he turned to face me. My left hand felt onto his shoulder and his right found my waist.

"I think Cowboy suits me nicely, don't you?"

"I do." I mumbled as we began a soft movement to follow the song. "Cowboy McCormick."

A few minutes of music ticked by, and the bridge of the song filtered in the air as Cowboy lifted me up and then placed me back down, following his choreography.

"So what brings a casanova like yourself into formal dancing?" I asked as he twirled me.

"Looks nice on a collage resume, chicks dig it." He shrugged. "I got grounded for partying too much."

"And there it is..." I said as my right hand was pressed against his left, and we turned in a circle.

"Don't worry, I don't do that anymore." He assured as we switched hands and turned the opposite way.