Criminally Insane

"Peter Pan?"

"Look at me," Rowan's voice filled my ears.

I looked up at him reluctantly, and his face softened. He placed one of my hands on his shoulders and he placed one of his hands on my waist and grabbed my free hand, holding it.

"Don't be so tense," he scolded. A look of frustration set on his face.

Apparently, I didn't un-tense my body because he took a few steps away from me and ran his hands through his hair.

He left one hand in his head and shoved the other one in his pocket before taking a deep breath and exhaling sharply. "Okay," he started softly, taking a few steps back towards me. "I need you to be calm."

I'm dancing with a psychopath. How am I supposed to be calm?!

Nevertheless, I nodded my head.

We got back into our respective positions and I took a deep breath before releasing quietly.

The music started after we were positioned in our respective places.

"Remember what Gertrude said," Rowan asked as the intro started. I nodded. "One step forward, one step back," I recalled, mimicking her voice.

Rowan looked at me in amusement and I looked down. He used his fingers to lift my chin so that I was staring into his eyes. "You have to practice eye contact." His voice was soft like he was talking to a child.

One step forward. One step back.

Say something, I'm giving up on you.

"I have great eye contact," I said defensively.

"Well look at me and follow my lead."

I looked him in the eye and he took one step forward making me take one back.

I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you.

"Good," he mumbled as I followed his lead. "You're doing good."

I offered him a small smile and looked down.

"And there goes the eye contact," he said with a small chuckle.

I looked back up at him and narrowed my eyes. "I have great eye contact," I said again. This time not so defensive because he was right. I don't have great eye contact. But he didn't have to know that I agreed with him.

He took one step back making me step forward.

And I will swallow my pride. You're the one that I love when I'm saying goodbye.

"Say something I'm giving up on you," Rowan sang in a low voice. If I was standing a few feet back I wouldn't have heard it.

My eyes widened. I was taken back by the sound of his alto voice.

But of course he could sing. He was Rowan Hanse. He took two steps back, I, two steps forward.

Soon I was compelled to sing.

"And I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you."

Rowan smiled, but I saw the surprise behind his eyes. He wasn't the only one surprised.

I was staring into his eyes.

"And anywhere I would've followed you," he sang back, confusion and surprise in his eyes. Because I was still staring.

His eyes were beautiful. They were the color of an ocean during a storm.

He looked normal.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh," we both sang.