The Definition of Fate

Chapter 37 - Part 2

 "Hina, you do realize I can't dance, right?" I say as Josh, Andrew, Ellie, Chloe, and I follow her down the sidewalk.

"There's an instructor; we'll be fine!"

In a moment of bad judgment, I agreed to join the latest Hinadventure and convinced all of our other friends to come as well. For some reason, Hina thought that free ballroom dancing lessons were a great opportunity and I agreed. Now, as we approach a corner of the street where music blasts and couples in flouncy skirts and button-ups dance complex routines that involve a lot of twirling and fancy footsteps, I feel like I've grossly overestimated my abilities.

"Have any of us ever ballroom danced before?" I ask, turning to Chloe, Andrew, Ellie, and Josh.

Chloe nods, which doesn't surprise me. Even though she grew up with practically nothing, she's still managed to travel and experience far more life than most people dream of.

"I have!" Andrew says, raising his large hand.

I stifle a laugh. Of all people, he's the last person I would expect to be able to ballroom dance. His towering, burly frame and the soft turns and twirls of ballroom dancing seem contradictory, but apparently not.

"Seriously?" Josh says, with admiration rather than scorn in his voice. "You know how to dance?"

Andrew grins. "I didn't say I was good, but I took a few lessons with my mom before my sister got married. She wanted to be able to dance at the wedding and not look like an idiot."

"That's so cute!" Hina exclaims, a smile on her angelic countenance. "Maybe you can show me how. I always loved watching dancing on TV and I did ballet as a kid but I gave it up because I thought soccer was a good idea." Hina turns up her nose. "It wasn't. Anyways, I'm just so excited these lessons are free."

"I can teach you what I know," Andrew says with a shrug, "but it's not much."

Hina smiles. "I'll take what I can get.

"I think ballroom dancing is far superior to the bump-and-grind crap they have at Homecoming," Ellie grumbles from behind Josh and me. "There's nothing artistic or romantic about shoving your genitals up against somebody."

Josh whips his head around to look at her, his hand tightening in mine. "Did you say bump and grind? Genitals? What kind of Homecoming dance did you have? Do I need to chaperone the next one?"

I can't help but laugh at him; he sounds like my dad when I went to my first dance. My date was the leader of our debate team, an undersized kid from India who wore braces all through middle and high school. We didn't even dance; I listened to him explain his theory about the history of the Star Trek universe all night.

Ellie rolls her eyes at Josh. "Trust me, I was not involved with that. Plus, it was really hard to find a dress."

Her voice drops a little as she stares down at her body. I remember Josh telling me how she was made fun of as a little girl for her curvy build; I doubt the bullies have gone away. They've just learned how to be more subtle.

"Oh, look! They're starting!" Hina says, motioning us forward.

We approach the edge of the square where onlookers gather around the dance floor. A tux-wearing instructor with a microphone calls for the beginners to enter the floor for a free lesson, and I feel that tingle of anticipation that comes from trying something new.

Josh leans closer to me so his breath tickles my ear. "Are we sure this is a good idea? I don't really dance."

"You can't be worse than me," I say with a teasing grin. "C'mon, it'll be fun. We'll both suck together."