"Pick Your Poison"

Part 4: Crescendo

The ballroom dance was one of the most memorable performances I had ever done. However, as much as I loved dance, it was the last thing I thought about when it came on that night. All that weighed on my mind was him. How he held me, how he looked at me, how he kissed me with so much hunger while still being able to mask it in front of everyone. I was so invested in those memories that the envious looks and rumored whispers of my pairs felt like nothing but a prick. Even the taunting, "I told you so's" from Nyla didn't bother me.

What did annoy me though, was the fact that every time I seemed to make progress with him, he'd disappear. It was about three weeks since the performance and he hadn't shown and anytime someone asked Mr. Gonzalez about him, he simply replied with, "He's not coming today." Before I knew it my emotions were being affected negatively by his absence. Before I knew it, I was watching the door to see if he'd come, before I knew it I'd caught feelings for a guy who I knew absolutely nothing about. We hadn't even exchanged phone numbers. It started to feel like it was all a figment of my imagination, like I had made it all up to cope with my loneliness. That was until one fateful day.

It was now almost a month since our last performance, we had already started learning the new dance for a show we had coming up in two months. It was my day off and I was craving some caffeinated fuel and so I dressed appropriately, a pair of jeans and a hoodie, and set out in my car towards my favorite place, the cafe across from the studio. It was a bit far from my house but I was willing to overlook that since they had the best and strongest coffee to offer. I ordered the usual, an espresso with a mushroom stuffed croissant and sat down to eat after I collected my meal. I scrolled through my phone a bit and then started to make my to-do list for the day while I ate. That was when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone fixing to sit in front of me, naturally I looked up to see who it was. Maybe the place was full and there was nowhere else for them to sit.

Poof! There he was again, re-appearing in my life like something out of a fairy tale. He was wearing a black t-shirt with black jeans and a black cap to tie the look together, I assumed black was his favorite color, with reason, he looked hot in it, just like everything else. However I was too enraged to focus on the fact that he looked like a meal. I looked at him with evident animosity and began to pack my things up to leave. As soon as I stood up though, he spoke with somewhat of a deeper and more authoritative tone, "Sit down Lorelei."

"Excuse me?" I said.

"Let's talk," his tone was back to the more welcoming, soothing one, like before, however I couldn't overlook his impudence. I sat down with a thump, not because he told me to but because I was ready to straighten him out for speaking to me that way.

"Listen, let's get this straight. I don't take orders, especially from cocky men who think they can mess around with your feelings." I said more than I intended to say, I had no intention of allowing him to know that I had started liking him but it was out now.

"You're right, I shouldn't order you around. I'm sorry. I just wanted you to hear what I had to say."

His apology sounded genuine enough, I was willing to overlook it this time but I was still annoyed by his disappearing act so I replied with an attitude, "I get it ok? You're the type of guy that gets what he wants when he wants from who he wants and that's fine by me but let's just forget about the whole getting to know each other thing ok." Throughout the conversation I kept from holding eye contact for too long, I had mastered it in dance but under normal circumstances I was still a bit intimidated by him.

He sighed and then began, "You care about me this much?" I chuckled in annoyance. He can't be serious.

"Are you kidding me? No, I actually don't. May I remind you I was just about to leave."