Slow Dancing

legends and myths

Dante

I was sitting in front of the bonfire, moving every few seconds because the wood was hurting my ass. 

Nina was sitting across from me, talking to one of her best friends. She was from a different circle than I was. All I knew was that her name was Layla but she refused to talk to me. I tried to become friends with her, unfortunately she'd always have an excuse to leave. I'm not sure why she'd do that. 

So now I'm just looking at them like a total doofus. Richard was hanging out with some random girls from a different high school. 

"You sit there you're gonn--" Christopher starts coughing like crazy. I look at him and he's surrounded in black smoke. He starts swishing his arms around. "Smoooke!" he tries finishing his sentence, I start laughing.

"Breathe dude." I laugh. I get up to talk to him. 

"Look, Dan, I don't know if you're around smoke usually but that's very unhealthy. So do me a favor and stay away from that side." he put his hand on my shoulder.

I didn't mention to him that it didn't bother, as if I was breathing in air. I was able to do that since I was a kid. Only Richard knows.

"Okay dad. How's your night?"

He looked behind me, "It's alright. Talking with some girls and buddies. Well, just one. Freaking Richard, always trying to drown in his girlfriends pus-"

"Dude." I stop him there. "That word is really weird, stop saying that. Just because your girlfriend doesn't care."

He shrugs, "So you talked to Nina's friend yet?"

"No." I sigh. "I can't get to talk to her, I'm not sure why. She keeps avoiding me. Like I have the black plague dude."

"She's into you." is all he says. It took all of me to not roll my eyes. 

"Oh no, she's coming, she's coming Chris just lead me away. Don't even say anything just pull me away." I see Samantha coming at me, the girl that wants to ask me out. She's with her group of friends, who seem to be encouraging her. I don't want to look at her in the eyes, because I know when I do she'll call out my name and then I can't run from that.

Chris laughed, "Don't even worry, just say no and she'll get over it."

"That's easy for you to say, you've have't said no to any girl that asked you out. They all have a chance with you, sleazy prick."

He leaned into my ear real close, "You're lucky that I'm saving your ass after what you said to me, punk." He stepped back and then pushed me, "Go to hell!"

Everyone looked at us, quiet. I was just in shock. Out of all the things he could do, it's this? I felt my neck burning as I could feel them eyeballing us.

I didn't say anything, I looked around and decided that this isn't the worst that could happen. I just didnt know what to say.

He grabbed me by my jacket and with his long legs, stalked me to Nina and Layla. When we got there he let go of my jacket and I stumbled to them.

"What the hell was that?" Nina was looking at us with wide eyes.

The silent bonfire started to go back to its usual conversations, and it was lively again.

I didn't know what to say so I just started mumbling, "Um, well, I --"

"He just delayed something, not prevented it. So it's gonna happen anyway." Chris

"Samantha was about to ask you out?" Nina asked.

"Yeah.." I said.

"Why can't you just say no when she asks?" she told me like it was the easiest thing in the world. "Oh wait, you're Dante. What am I talking about?" she fake laughed.

I blushed and we all started laughing.

"Shut up." I rubbed my neck to cool off my hot neck.

"Listen, I know how you are. I know it's hard." Nina took a few steps closer to me and put her hands on my shoulders.

Sparks. My breath almost forgot how to inhale. What.

Looking into her eyes, seeing her moving lips, I was slightly moved. It felt intimate, it probably looked intimate. She was telling me things, but I partially paid attention to that. Like how I'd pay attention to a review for math. She'd told me things like this before. At first it was a great way to get encouraged, but now it was a great way to just look at her.

So did that mean I could say no to Samantha? Fuck yeah.

But I'd rather enjoy her close presence now before it ended.

"There's nothing you can't do, Dante." she gave me a soft smile. "If she gets you off guard, just say no. If she doesnt stop..well you got us to tell her to get her gear and take a hike." She rubbed my shoulders.

I took the bold move and placed my hand on hers and smiled back. My heart was beating fast, and my hands were sweating.

"Hate to break this up, but we gotta go." I heard Chris say.

We both looked at him, and took a few steps back from each other. I wanted to glare at Chris, but then my nerves were past me so I just nodded.

I looked around, people were staying after for drinks and all that. We weren't one for things like that. Especially in public. So we gathered up and headed to the parking lot.

"Well, bye." I waved goodbye to Lydia. She just gave me a smirk. I turned around to look at Richard and gave him a face. He just smiled back, and I noticed a subtle shrug he gave me.

"Damn, that was fucking crazy though! I thought you guys were going to beef it out together!" I heard Nina exclaim.

"I know!" Richard yelled too, he jumped on Chris. "I was like, damn Dante is going to get his ass kicked!"

"Dude, really?" I laughed. "You ass!"

We all laughed, and Lydia was the only quiet one.

"Well what else was I supposed to do? Violence is the only answer!" Chris boasted, bumping his chest and yelling out. We winced.

Nina instantly went in front of him, with her hands placed together in prayer. "No, no it's not! Violence is never the answer!"

I smiled. I lov--.

Chris stopped and ruffled her short hair, "You're right. It's not."

"Dante!" I heard Samantha call my name.

I looked at Nina, and everyone looked towards where she was.

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Eyyy this looks too long so I'll stop here. Although it's a whatever story, it's still a careful whatever. Y'know?