Goals Off Court | SatoSere

Chapter 15 - Conflicted Feelings

He didn't like the sight compared to how he was. They looked so perfect and clean. Meanwhile, nothing about they way he danced with Serena was close to that, and she probably thought he was a fool with how bad he was at it. He would show them that he could do it just as well as them.

Drew led May across the floor, keeping his hand on her lower back as she twisted out, poised and gentle. He pulled her back in and twirled her slowly, dipping her down. It was so elegant looking and yet they moved far faster than Ash and Serena ever had. The song ended and Drew leaned her down, posing her perfectly as per usual.

"That was lovely!" Serena's hair whips across her face as she looked at them, her eyes sparkling. It did look nice, but Ash had seen Serena dance alone before and she looked just as beautiful, if not more. She turned her head to him. "What did you think-"

He cut her off, gently grabbing her hand as he pulled her out onto the dance floor. "Yeah, it was nice, sure, but c'mon, lets show them."

After watching three dances in a row, he couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't let that Drew guy get the best of him three times too many.

Serena let out a confused sound. "Show them what? Our waltz?"

"What else?" He wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her close, his fingers clasping hers. "We can be just as good as them."

"What?" She gasped, slowly getting into position. "Listen, we- they've been dancing for years and been dancing together for years as well. They've had a lot of time to-"

"It doesn't matter," he said simply and it was oddly reassuring. "Start the music," his voice raised to Drew who raised an eyebrow at him. Still, he leaned over and pushed the button, the same song starting over.

Ash squeezed her hand and took a deep breath, letting up on his grip. He wasn't one to copy people, but instead, find his own ways. Though, seeing how Drew held May did help a little. He raised his arm and curved his back more, trying to stand up straighter. In front of him, Serena had a delicate rush of pink staining her throat and cheekbones, and the air between them is abruptly charged with a rather different kind of tension.

He began to lead her, following along with the music, and he almost immediately stumbled. He held his grip on her hand and tried to catch up with their tempo. He pulled air into his lungs and moved her along, flowing with the beat. It was the best he ever felt dancing with her, and glancing down at her face, she was smiling only at him. His own cheeks had a faint shade of red and he looked away, keeping his gaze towards the wall.

They moved together, and even if he fell behind the music, he tried to keep it as elegant as possible, like Drew had with May. Ash spun Serena out and pulled her back in. It was less intense than the first time he tried it, and she gasped. He didn't know as many moves as Drew, but he was still able to finish the song and stand in front of her, his hand splayed out on her lower back. He took in a few heavy breaths, his breathing tight.

"See," he panted. "We can do it too."

Drew scoffed and stepped forward, fixing that already perfectly put together hair style of his.

"You held your shoulders way too high. Your whole body is tense, except for your feet which somehow look like jelly. Everything about your movement is weighted when you should make Serena look like she's floating. Finally, you have this incessant need to be in the spotlight. Instead of highlighting her, you're highlighting yourself and looking like a fool at the same time."

Serena's mouth dropped open at that—all of it.

"You've gotta be kidding me?" Ash stormed forward and yanked Drew's shirt up in his face, a snarl crawling up to his features as sweat slid down from his messy hair to the side of his face. "What the hell is your deal, man?"