S'thandwa Sam' (Completed)

Chapter Eleven: Dance Goddess

Author's Note: Eleventh chapter is here. Vote... Share... Comment... Enjoy.

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Chapter Eleven: Dance Goddess

We were currently backstage, waiting to be called onto stage. Our first dance was as the entire group. Mrs Connelly was so excited that her "Movement Geniuses" (as she called us) were performing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your chance to show them what you are made of", she said, clapping her hands excitedly.

"Thando, I want you to make them remember you during your solo. And Dwayne, during your duet with Thando, I want raw and real chemistry", she said and I smiled. Dwayne came to stand next to me and kissed the side of my head.

"We will give you fire", he said and I smiled.

"Yes; we're going to show them flames", I said.

"That's what I love hearing", she said.

We got onto stage as the group and after our routine, there was some singer by the name of Martha on the stage. She was the very talented singer who was going to sing during my solo performance. She was really good at that opera thing she did. She wasn't going to sing opera during my solo though. She was singing a song by Amy Winehouse and I was excited about that dance. There was something about her voice that sounded like a dance partner to me.

After a few other performances, it was my duet with Dwayne. To say that we showed the audience flames was the understatement of the century. It felt like the fact that we were out on a date made our chemistry all the more intense. It was beautiful to dance with him and to have no care in the world. I was so comfortable in his arms. I thoroughly enjoyed that dance and I couldn't wait to do it again in two days.

After that performance, I went into the change rooms to put on the white dress I was to wear for my solo performance. It was a beautiful flowy, white dress made out of a light material. The make-up artist came and did my face and then she loosened my dreadlocks. She then put a red rose pin on my hair. I looked at my reflection on the mirror and smiled.

"You are beautiful", said Dwayne from the doorway. I looked at him through the mirror and smiled.

"Thank you", I said.

"You look nervous", he said. I looked down at my hands. He walked towards me and then he knelt in front of me. He tilted my head upwards and looked me straight in the eyes. "Hey; what's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't feel so good. I feel like I'm going to throw up at any given minute", I said quietly. I felt my eyes getting watery and then I blinked and a tear escaped my eye.

"Stand up", he said as he took my hand and stood up. I did as he said. He then bent down and kissed my tear away. "Listen to me. You are an incredible dancer. You're irrevocably gifted. You have rehearsed. You know all those moves like the back of your hand. Believe in yourself; and if that's not enough, I believe in you enough for the both of us", he said sincerely.

Another tear escaped my eye and it wasn't because I was sad, but because Dwayne had said the right things. I smiled and he kissed me again. I was so engrossed into the kiss that I lost track of time until Mrs Connelly came to find me.

"Oh my goodness; I'm sorry for interrupting. I was here to get Thando", she said. I laughed at how uncomfortable she looked.

"It's okay Mrs Connelly", I said. "I'm ready. I just have to reapply my lipstick because someone didn't feel like keeping his lips to himself", I said as I was applying the red lipstick.

"You loved it", Dwayne said and I laughed at Mrs Connelly. She was beet red from blushing.

"Are you two dating?" she asked.

"Not yet", he said. "I'm trying to convince her to date me", he continued, as he kissed my forehead.

"I'm gonna go now", I said and then they laughed. I turned around and looked at Dwayne. "See you after the performance", I said and winked. He smiled back and then I left.

Martha was to walk onto the stage first and then I would follow her after she started singing. Before I did anything I said the short prayer I always say before my dance performances. I looked up and shut my eyes.

"God, let your light shine through me", I whispered and then, onto the stage I went.

Martha was singing a song by Amy Winehouse called 'Back to Black' and I expressed what the words meant in movement (if that makes sense). I totally lost myself to the sound of Martha's voice and thebacktrack. The lyrics meant more to me than what they were supposed to. I just remembered the pain I felt thinking about Lindo during the dance.

I remembered how much he meant to much to me. How much I loved him. How he had made love to me and then went onto kissing some other girl. How that hurt me. How I wished he was here. I thought about the possibility of our friendship being messed up and it broke me. I really missed my best friend.

Once I was done dancing, I collapsed onto the floor, breathing hard. My face felt wet and then I realized I was crying. I looked at the standing crowd and I spotted Beyoncé and she had tears on her face, but a beautiful smile nonetheless. I wiped my face and Mrs Connelly walked onto stage and took her bow. Then all the other dancers in our dance club joined us on stage. We took a bow and then we walked off the stage. Dwayne was holding my hand as we walked back to the change rooms.

"Thando, every time I watch you dance, I wonder what happens to you. It's like you leave your body but you're still in it. You take the people watching you on that journey with you. It's so... breathtakingly beautiful", he said as if he was in awe. I was still a little stunned as well by the flood of emotions I felt during my performance. People kept congratulating me, but I wasn't there. I wanted to be alone.

I ran into the bathroom and shut the door. I balanced myself against the wall and slowly, my composure slipped. I slid down and ended up on the floor. I cried my eyes out onto my hands. Someone knocked on the door and I didn't answer.

"Alright, I'm coming in", I heard Dwayne said. He opened the door and saw me on the floor. He hurried to me and then he sat down, picked me up and sat me onto his lap. He rubbed circles on my back and I started to calm down. I looked up at him and he smiled. "Are you okay?" he asked and I nodded. "Let's get you to your room", he said.

He then placed me on the floor and stood up. After he was standing, he bent down and picked me up bridal style. I put my arms his shoulders and buried my face into the crook of his neck. I took big whiff of his English Blazer cologne. I knew it was English Blazer because my dad used the same one.

"You smell safe", I mumbled and he chuckled. I was falling asleep and maybe that's why I was just saying the first things that came to mind.

"Thank you, I guess", he said.

"It's a pleasure, delicious vanilla brother", I mumbled and drifted off to sleep. The last thing I heard was his hearty laugh.

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Author's Note: I love this book. That's all I'll say...

Love Thaby. ❤