It was a cold night and she was alone, sitting in a dark corner of the room. She could feel the cold sting of the metal chair on her legs; and she wondered if it was a good idea to wear such a short dress tonight. A shiver ran up her spine and she wrapped her arms around herself tighter in an attempt to warm up. It wasn't just the cold making her skin crawl. She was sitting in a dance hall, afraid to leave the dark corner. She wanted to dance, but it had been a long time and she wasn't used to going places like this alone. She also wasn't used to being a wall flower, she was the type of girl who showed confidence in every step even if she didn't always feel it. Watching the others dance around her filled her with passion, but so much of it had been taken away from her over the years that she didn't have the same confidence she once had. She felt so out of place.
Across the room, a particular couple on the dance floor caught her eye. You could tell by the way they moved that they weren't beginners, at least he wasn't. She found herself staring at them, seeing some moves she knew and a few she wanted to learn. But there was no way she was going to gather up the courage to ask him to show her. Parting her red lips, she suppressed a sigh and briefly looked down then back up again to see how the two dancers were going to end their dance now that the song was almost over. He spun her around and concluded their dance in a beautiful spin that ended with a dramatic dip, both dancers chests heaving as they were out of breath. She found herself smiling and imagining herself in the other girls place. When she raised her eyes to look up at the man she was surprised to see him looking back at her.
Her heart fluttered and she quickly looked away, embarrassed to be caught staring. She knew she was blushing by the sensation of her cheeks burning, but he was starting to walk across the dance floor toward her. Keeping her eyes down, she fought back the panic rising in her chest and thought maybe if she didn't look up he wouldn't say anything. She was right, he didn't say anything, but instead he extended his hand, palm up, in the classic polite gesture to invite someone to dance. Glancing up, she could see how handsome he was up close and she was thankful for the dim lighting so he couldn't see her blushing. Hesitating for a moment, she let her thoughts roam, wondering if she should just say no thank you or make up an excuse, but before she could say anything he simply took her by the hand and gently pulled her out of the chair.
She gasped and looked up to see him giving her a mischievous smile before he turned and led her across the dance floor. The sound of her heels echoed in her head as she realized she was going to be dancing again, it had been so long and all she could think about was messing up and looking like a fool in front of everyone. When he turned to face her, she was still looking down, lost in her thoughts and frozen in the spot as worry trickled over her. But her thoughts were broken by his touch as he placed his fingers under her chin and gently lifted her face to look at him. Giving him a nervous smile, she tried to keep eye contact as they began dancing together, hand in hand. The basic steps came back to her easily and she was surprised to find herself moving to the music as if she had never stopped dancing in the first place.
Confidence began to pour back into her as she started spinning, her red dress twirling out around her like a rose blooming. Passion and adrenaline filled her from head to toe as they danced harder with the beat of the music. He spun her out then back in and into a closed position. The tightness of his arms around her was also beginning to spark another kind of passion that she hadn't felt in a long time. He held her close for a moment, her back pressed against his chest, with her arms crisscrossed over her own chest, the two still hand in hand. Their hips rocked rhythmically from side to side, she could feel his breath on her neck and she was certain he could feel her heart pounding.
The moment only lasted a few seconds before she was spun back out again then into a dip as the song ended. Her blonde curls lightly brushed the floor from how low he dipped her and she tilted her head back, closed her eyes and gave in to the passion, then it was over. The next song was already starting and he pulled her up and walked with her back to the edge of the room. Though they hadn't spoken a single word aloud, they had shared a conversation in a different kind of language. The connection made in dancing had always been very important to her, and their connection was definitely strong. She looked up at him again as he squeezed her hand gently and said, "Thank you for the dance." Then, with a smile, he turned and walked away.
Her breathing was starting to slow down back to normal again, but she already felt worn out from one dance. Taking another deep breath and smiling to herself, she walked over to the bar and ordered a glass of water. Another song had come and gone by the time she was half way through her glass of water, when she noticed someone take the seat beside her at the bar. Glancing up over the rim of her glass, she noticed the same man she had just danced with. She was relieved to see that he wasn't looking back at her this time. Instead he was gesturing for the bartender and ordering a drink, giving no indication that he knew she was there. Until a drink was placed in front of her. Setting her glass of water down she looked at the drink then toward the man sitting next to her to be greeted with another mischievous smile.
"No... I can't accept this." She replied quietly, wondering if he was even able to hear her over the blaring music. He just kept smiling, finished his own drink and left, walking back into the crowd of dancers. She watched him for a moment before swiveling the bar stool back around. Sliding her fingers around the glass she picked up the drink and took a small sip. It tasted like strawberry but she could definitely feel the kick of the alcohol and knew she shouldn't drink much. She casually sipped on the drink until another man asked her to dance to which she politely accepted.
A few more songs went by and she danced with a couple of other men before returning to the bar, but she didn't sit down this time. It was getting late and she could feel the alcohol making her a little bit dizzy, she had always been a light weight. Deciding it was time to go, she walked out the back door and stepped into the alley where her car was parked just a block away. She had only taken a few steps before she felt hands slip around her waist. She gasped and spun around in the man's arms, finding herself face to face with the same man that bought her the drink. She felt a little relieved that it was him but at the same time a spark of fear had ignited.
Before she could say a word he pressed his lips against hers, but she pushed him away. "I'm sorry, I need to be getting home now." She turned to leave but he still had her in his grip. He pushed her against the brick wall behind her. She felt her heart begin to race with fear but she could also feel sexual tension building between them. A chill creeped through her and she couldn't decide whether she wanted something to happen or not, but he didn't make another move.