Once Upon An Us

chapter-10 : The Dance

The balloon balancing got started , I could see people enjoying and I too wanted to be a part of it not because it was fun but because I was confident enough of me to balance it.
I didn't spoke neither did number 37 ,my partner . After his drink got finished he was about to leave when he was stopped by the female host, zola . He didn't seem rude with her. She talked to him for a while after which he came back to stand beside me to the place where he was standing earlier. I was watching him but pretended to be watching the game and turned my eyes in another direction where a couple was balancing the balloon which was lying near the girls breast and the man's stomach. He was slowly moving down to balance it with his face and after a while his face and her breast were just few cm away seperated by a balloon, they were the center of attention, everyone was laughing including the girl and her partner. I couldn't control my laugh too.
I saw the male host, Klein, moving tip toed towards them with a pin in his hand and in a blink of eye he pricked the balloon. The balloon burst and so did everyone's laughter. The guy was an inch closer to the girls breast when she moved a step behind.
Klein's plan wasn't successful could be seen from his face and that made me laugh even more.

The next game was guessing your partners favorite things. Zola, asked me to participate in this.
I looked towards my partner who looked away as soon as he saw me looking towards him, well I caught him staring but I preferred ignoring him and simply diclined her request, excusing that my legs were aching from today's long journey.
After trying to convince me for a few minutes more she left, I felt bad and gazed back towards him to see his reaction but all I could see was a deadpan demeanor.

I turned around to see everyone enjoying and felt a bit bad to spoil my enjoyment but deep down I was still happy for the presentation work .

After a series of games, everyone was exhausted, 'closer' was being played for the couples to perform if they want ,and not to my surprise I saw a lot of them dancing ,the game of destiny did work and made beautiful pairs ,I was looking around searching for my friends but all of a sudden I was pulled with a jerk from my seat and before I could respond I was held by my waist ,my vision became blur for a minute on seeing the person,  he was none other than my partner who didn't perform a single task with me.

With his right hand on my waist he pulled me closer and then pushed me with his left hand still holding mine, he pulled me again with a jerk that made me spin and come back to him. I could feel a couple of stare on us. All I did was smile and smile and smile.
He dropped me down few feets above the floor having a firm hold on my waist.
By now I was shocked more than anything but I forced a smile on zola who was admiring our performance, I could feel the spot light on us and didn't know how to react, his dance moves were clean and sharp and for a bathroom dancer like me matching his level was beyond the level of imagination.
He pulled me up and started performing again, this time the moves were simple, we were doing a basic waltz move. I ain't trained but I've seen this alot many times in movies, catching up his steps was a bit easy for me.

He slowly removed my mask and dropped it on the floor.
The music soon changed into ' quarban hua ' and he stopped making me think that all this beautiful experience of dancing of this night is over , I moved past him but he held my left hand from behind and slowly came near me.
I was shocked, everyone was , the whole stage was empty every couple were by now watching us.
He was standing behind me, I could feel his breathe on my neck that was heavy and warm, I closed my eyes.
I could feel his hands coming from behind holding me from my belly , I instantly opened my eyes and he held and raised my right hand and made a quarter circle with it. I tried looking into his eyes , but with only spot lights on I couldn't see him properly.
I recalled him drinking scotch and thought maybe he's drunk and the best thing to do right now would be to get out of the way instead of creating a scene, I didn't want to spoil everyone's night.
As soon as he left loose my hand I started my way away from him when he held my hands again and pulled me even closer than before , I took a light slow spin to move smoothly away from him , I was behind him with my back facing his back, the next moment, he put forth his arms across my back that made me half fall on his shoulder. I could see his eyes, his tears, his frown , I was too bemused to respond. He bent foward to make me bend from back to his level.
He turned towards me and held my right hand into his, he had his left hand around my waist and I had mine on his shoulder . We took 3 spins in the same position. He pushed and pulled me making me spin and fall back in arms. He came closer, I closed my eyes in terror, hundreds of thought were running in my mind, one amongst them was making me think that he's about to kiss me.
It took a minute and a few to get back to senses, I opened my eyes to see his gaze still on me. My heart was racing and jumping with a pressure enough for it tear off my skin  and drop on the floor and perform a dance itself .
He brought me back on my foot and after a beat he uplifted me, took a few rounds and dropped me slowly back on the his arms inches above the floor when I attempted to get rid off him . He again for the third time pulled me closer, this time the closeness was stopping even the air to pass .
He was staring directly into my eyes, I didn't move my eyes either, I wanted to read them. My eyes started aching yet my full concentration was still in reading his eyes . After a minute I saw tears filled in his eyes and I dropped my eyes down. The only thing I could feel from his eyes was pain -pain of fear, pain of anger, pain of love, pain of life.
I realised both my palms were still lying on his chest, that was hard yet comfortable, slowly I pulled my hands away and removed his hands that were still holding my waist.
I was about to turn when he held me again and removed his mask.