Dancing In His Arms

Chapter 48

"UUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Screams Aria as they mess up their routine, again.

"Alright clearly this approach isn't going to work. Let's just take a break from this dance and work on another." State's Luke as he tries to calm down a frustrated Aria.

"And then what? Mess up another competition dance? We only have so long and they all need to be perfect. Plus the anniversary party is in a week." Plopping down on a bench, Aria continues to sulk.

Coming over to sit next to her, Luke gentle bumps their shoulders together, not speaking till she looks up at him. "What if...what if we dance just to dance. No rules. No time limit, just follow where the music takes us. Use it as a calming method."

Biting her lip in uncertainty she asks "No rules?"

"No rules" Shaking his head, he grabs her hand and guides her to the music collection in the corner.

"Just dance?" Skimming her fingertips over all the possibilities, Aria looks up to Luke for final confirmation. Receiving a reassuring nod and squeeze of their still joined hands, she picks a song for them to let loose to.

...

After a 2 hour drive, Aria and Luke pull up to a large banquet hall with 'Happy 40th Anniversary Frank and Annie Summers' splayed across a banner over the double doors.

"You ready?" asks Luke with a mixture of giddiness of seeing the people he spent so much time growing up with, and anxiety for having to perform in front of all his relatives in attendance. Especially when no one has a clue on what he plans to do.

"Me, I'm perfectly fine dancing for anybody. You on the other hand look like you might pass out." Jokes Aria.

Turning to look at her he raises an eyebrow and says "You do realize I am about to introduce you to the majority of my family right?"

Feeling the color drain from her face slightly at the realization, Aria knows how big this is. Meeting his grandparents is the equivalent of him meeting her parents. These people have a big meaning in his life, if they don't like her...

"Hey, I can practically hear the gears turning in your head. They will love you, I'm sure of it. Besides you already got a leg up on the winning side." Winking at her, Luke exists the car leaving a confused Aria to stumble out of the car after him.

"What do you mean I already have a leg up?" Seeing him eye up her gown Cece made that shows a lot of chest skin except for the two straps over her breasts for modesty, she smacks him in the stomach. "Not like that you perv."

Chuckling, he brings his mind out of the gutter long enough to answer her. "You dance."

...

After a brief ceremony where the elderly couple in their 60's recited their vows, everyone converged to the hall where food tables and a dance floor was set up.

"Dude!" Whipping his head around Luke sees his friends Ace, Tim and Jack approaching him.

Slightly surprised by their presence he can't help but say "Guys, what are you doing here?" while giving each of them a 'man hug'.

"I invited them dear, they are practically my grandchildren too." Upon hearing Annie's voice a grin spreads across his face as he turns to hug his grandparents.

"Happy Anniversary grams." Pulling back from the hug, Luke places his arm around Aria in hopes they would notice he brought a date.

"Thank you sonny, now who is this beautiful young lady you have with you this evening?" Asks Frank taking the initiative to strike up the conversation.