The Spawns

The Spawns | Chapter XLII -- This Simple Realization

"My plan is to be your chauffeur for the day," he shushed me with his fingers before I could say anything, "don't even try to argue with me, you will lose."

He didn't need to say this twice. 

My dance teacher was there when I got to the studio.

"Back from your little vacation?" she said as a greeting. 

I liked her a lot. Mom often complained saying she wasn't nice, and it was kind of true. That didn't make her mean, she was just a no nonsense kind of person. 

"Yes. I was wondering if there's a studio empty that I could use to practice the routine I want to do for our new showdown?"

My teacher often told me that if I focused more of my efforts on dancing rather than putting so much of myself into music, I could go far. The thing was, I didn't know what I was supposed to do, which of the two I was most passionate about. I hated having to pick. I didn't want to go on without one or the other.

Once I had my room, I took a quick trip to the bathroom to change into an outfit more appropriate for dancing and came back into the mirrored room.

I felt kind of shy suddenly, all alone with Cole in this room, ready to dance, while all he could do was look at me. Fortunately, I hadn't noticed it, but Cole had brought a notebook and pen, to keep himself occupied.

I put on Tallis Fantasia. The music softly played from the speakers spread around. I closed my eyes, picturing all of the moves I had seen in my head before. 

I took a deep breath and started to dance. 

It didn't feel the way it had when I had danced in the rain earlier with Nikki watching. That first time had been nicer, sort of freeing. Now, I just felt like something was lacking. It didn't have the same spontaneity. I was trying to do something more formal, and now that I was doing it, in a dance class setting, the whole choreography was kind of changing in my head. 

I started from the top again. I did a few combos. I stopped and started again. Again. 

I could see Cole setting his notebook down in the corner of my eyes.

"What's wrong Beth?"

I pushed a strand of hair that had escaped my ponytail. "Nothing..."

Cole rolled his eyes at me. "Oh please, do I look like Jayden?"

"No..."

He gave me a look. "Then why are you assuming I'm unobservant?"

"It's just..." I scratched the top of my head, uncomfortable, "I think this needs to be a two dancers' piece. It just fits better in my head like that, I see it that way but I don't want to work with anyone in my class because well I just can't work with them and I'm mad because it won't look like I want it to look and—and what are you doing?" Cole had taken his shows off and was now standing up, right in front of me.

"First move, I'm supposed to be standing like this, right?"

"What... I... What?"

"I'm not doing pointe though, forget about it, I'm not doing solo, treat me as an accessory please and I'm not going to do the little fly like a gracious angel hands move. That's your department Kitten," he ranted, standing way too close to me, his eyes never leaving mine. 

"You're not... you can't dance!" I replied, taking a step back.

He grinned. "Sure I can."

"Not ballet," I specified.

"I've seen you dance it for years," Cole started to explain, "I'm observant and I do martial arts. And this is not a ballet piece, it's a contemporary one. Anyone can dance that. Now, like this?" he ended his little rant by standing very close to me, getting into a position quite similar to the way I had been standing when I started my dance piece.

I shook my head a little, feeling slightly breathless.  "You're unbelievable."

"Ly charming, yes I know, I get that a lot."

"You're not in this class. You can't participate in our competition," I added, trying to find a reason not to do this. I didn't know why I was so adamant on not doing it though. Dancing with Cole sounded wonderful. 

Cole smiled softly at me. I felt like I was melting inside. "Well, until you do find someone that you can actually partner up with, how about you use me, and that way you can actually picture it the right way."

"I'm not sure how to do this."

"All I have to do is shadow your movements for now, right? Until you figure out how you want to break things up?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, let's start from the top."

I stopped arguing and started the music again. Cole was always so sharp and quick, that it wasn't difficult, adding him to the dance. I barely had anything to explain to him, he shadowed my movement just the right way. 

As we danced together, our bodies moving perfectly in sync, I was struck by this simple realization—no one was ever going to get me the way Cole did. 

I didn't need to date him for him to know me. I didn't need to date him to have him in my life.

I didn't need to date him in order to love him. 

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A/N: Hey everyone! This comes a little later than I had anticipated. Yesterday was my 10th year anniversary on Wattpad! I would have wanted to do like last year and upload many any stories, but unfortunately, my schedule didn't allow it. :(

Anyway. Thank you, as always, for being patient. As I've mentioned before, I'm trying to get back in my writing game, and I am trying to upload more often again. 

The Spawns doesn't have many chapters left, so I hope I can complete this story soon. :)

In the meantime, the next story I plan on uploading is The Virgin and the Whore. 

Thanks again! :D I love you guys. To ten more years of Wattpad!