CHAPTER ELEVEN:
𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮
❝ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪꜱ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪꜱ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴅᴏɴᴇ. ❞
✧･ﾟ: - *✧･ﾟ* :･ﾟ- *:･ﾟ✧
"Shall we?"
Greeting us on the entrance was a tall and muscular, bald man with a dark complexion who wore a bright blue turtleneck with tiny rainbows repetitively scattered everywhere. They had the cartoonish clouds on each end as well. Did I mention he also had shades on? In the evening?
With a deep voice that pierced through the room, "Halt," and raised a palm at us as he pulled out a clipboard. A clipboard, I tell you. "Name?"
Seriously? Another bouncer slash security guard slash annoying person standing at the entranceway?
"Elsa Ellednera and Merida Van Gogh." Porcelain spoke for us. Our names sounded so good together.
"Like the artist?" Even Rainbow Turtleneck Guy knew about Vincent. What kind of rock was I living under all my life?
"Aye."
"Sexual preference?" He knocked my socks off.
"WHAT?!"This was Vanellope and Ralph all over again!
With that, he took his sunglasses off and pulled out a stamp and slapped it hard on our wrists as fits of chuckles were exchanged between him and Elsa.
Guess what the design was. What else could it be?
"How very, Bubbles." Elsa playfully rolled her eyes at the man. The fact that that Rainbow Turtleneck Guy was named freaking Bubbles didn't bother me more than my thought that 'Oh, so they know each other' bothered me.
I knew my Elsa-knows-everyone-and-everyone-knows-Elsa theory wasn't too far-fetched.
"Ye two know each other?"
"Uh-huh. He's my boss."
"You. Call. Your. Own. Boss. By. His. First. Name?"
She only laughed.
Without even noticing, the used-to-be-shop already began to fill. The presence of all these people in a confined space made the hairspray scents levels in the air increase by a thousand. It's giving me war (A.K.A. high school prom) flashbacks.
I had to give it to the decorators, though. The room looked like they fed a gigantic room-decoration-spitting monster every existing thing that screams gayness and homosexuality and it puked up this room.
On the small stage at the corner was a band called Louis and the Alligators. They all fittingly wore matching light green tuxedos. Their saxophones and trumpets intimidated me way more than it should.
Suddenly, a guy with straight long hair, golden bodangles hanging from his ears, and a crazy amount of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet (honestly, indigo can go home) on his entire outfit appeared in front of the mic on the stage for everyone to see.
My eyes hurt looking at him.
If his dress that boasted the entire color spectrum wasn't insane enough, he also wore a sparkling sequin-covered long robe that trailed across the floor behind him as if it were a cape. His shoes put Ugly Gladiator Shoes' to shame with his Gods-know-how-long-inched wedges that could squash me if he tried. But I didn't even mention the worst part yet: his hair was dyed in...!
I can't even say that awful word anymore.
It's a cursed word, it is.
He was the personification of this damned room.
Bodangles grabbed the mic and tapped it lightly to catch the attention of the guests, "Good evening, guys, gals, and non-binary pals!"
I knew he was going to say that.
"Let's get this party grooving, baby! Take it away, boys." and the room erupted in cheers as they swayed to the music born from the band's melodic abilities and instruments. To call the audience a sea of heads wouldn't be inaccurate as the way they jumped up and down was reminiscent of the waves that would crash against coastlines. As they busied themselves at the dancefloor, the rest were busying themselves with the food tables. We were part of 'the rest.'
Turns out, Elsa crazy for chocolates.
The more I look at her as she partakes in the brown pastries, the more I impressed I was with the way doesn't waste a single crumb. You would never see any hint of a chocolate stain on her teeth or lips, and her fingers were squeaky clean. She patted her mouth dry with a tissue right after as if she just finished a nice tea party with the Queen of England and didn't just stuff her gob.
I never wanted to pinch anyone's rose colored cheeks so badly in my entire life.
"Let's play a game." her attention was now fixed on me, filling two cups from a punch bowl and handed me one. My ears perked up like a bunny, "Guess the gender."
The mechanics of the game were a no-brainer.
I told her I was in because there's absolutely nothing more fun than assuming other people's preferences in a Pride Ball. We knew it was by all means unethical and problematic, but we did it anyway.
I pointed at a pair standing amongst the crowd on the dance circle, a big dark-skinned lad with long black hair holding hands with a pale ginger who was much smaller than him. With their proximity to the tables, we overheard a bit of their conversation.
"When I'm with you, I feel no worries, Pumbaa." the Ginger affectionately lays his head on his partner's head.
"Ya just gotta put your behind in your past." his reply caught me off guard.
Elsa and I said in unison, "Gay."
"They look so sweet." Elsa whispers to me which I almost couldn't hear with the noise in the room. It made me shudder how her breath felt against my ear. The good kind. The best kind.
Keep the music up, Alligators, so she may continue her whispering endeavors.
She pointed at a woman on the other side of the room gorging on the chocolates like Elsa did a minute ago but less clean than her. She wore a black gown that reached her ankles, with the layers of her outfit' frills spreading out like tentacles, disobeying the dress code entirely.
"I know her. That's Ursula." she discloses, "She used to visit the bar all the time after her girlfriend, Vanessa, broke up with her for some Eric guy."
"Pfft, cheaters." I scowled.
"Tell me about it. What do you think? L or B?"
I took a good long look at the lady as if appearance had anything to do with one's sexuality because it doesn't. "Honestly, with the way she's emptying the tables, I think she gave up on love entirely."
Elsa bellowed in laughter. I stared at her like there was nothing else worth staring at.
"You're probably right."
I scanned the room again and my eyes were caught by a tall macho man staring at a mirror in his hand. He was talking to his reflection and seemed to be awfully pleased with what he was seeing. He reminded of that one character in mythology Hiccup told me about.
Ah, how life imitates mythology.
"I think that one's self-sexual." I quipped, earning myself another chuckle from my date. She then pointed at another man with a ponytail standing near Self-Sexual Guy.
"See that other guy? He's been trying to get close to him all night!"
A light bulb appeared on top of my head. I think Elsa got the idea too with the way she gave me a sly smirk.
We walked over to the future couple. Elsa stood next to Ponytail Man and pretended to be rifling through the chocolates there, (although I knew that part wasn't pretend) as I stood beside Self-Sexual Guy and feigned combing my hair using nothing but a clenched fist. Elsa and I peeked at each other, and we nodded, signaling we let our plan commence.
Elsa made the fakest "Oh, my chocolate!" I have ever heard, and I did the worst "Oh, my comb!" act of my career, lowering down to pick nothing from the ground, pushing the two towards each other with the force of our butts.
"Oof!" both exclaimed. With our bums still up in the air, I peaked at them from down here.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, you... you intimidating specimen." Never have I ever wanted to laugh and puke at the same time.
Unsurprisingly, the other one replied with a smug grin, "Well... as a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating."
He wasn't nicknamed Self-Sexual Guy for no reason.
Even after Elsa and I left the two, they were still in the corner and engaging in a one-sided conversation. They were most likely just talking about his intimidating specimen traits, but Ponytail looked just as delighted to be in that situation. After Elsa finished another chocolate truffle, we high-fived each other.
"By the way, why didn't Jack and Hiccup come?" her brows knitted together, "They're like the gayest people I know."
Same.
I blew a raspberry, "They said that they would literally blow off the roof with their presence. So, for the good of the people, they decided to stay at home tonight."
"How thoughtful of them!" she clasped her hands together before... "You know, the way you look tonight..."
I felt as if my body had burst into flames.
"D-don't! I don't really... I mean, I don't hate it. Look, it was Jack's fault! Tooth! Cleavage!"
"You look beautiful, Merida." The fire died down, cooling my body. I didn't want to believe it, but I would never call Elsa a liar or thought less of her opinions. Her subjectivity was my objectivity.
"But," her hand brushed against my elbow, "you will look even more beautiful if you feel beautiful."
She lightly tilted her head to her left with a smile forming in her thin red lips, referring to the comfort rooms. And so, we went.
Standing in front of the ladies' room mirror, Elsa untied the low bun she was wearing that looked like it took hours to put up and let her long blonde hair fall on her back and on her shoulders. My heart pounded in my chest harder than I pounded a television when it wasn't working. I found myself envious and craving for that sweet feeling of freedom for my hair imprisoned in a bun. When she beamed her pearly whites at me, I took it as an invitation to do what I longed to do too.
"Sorry, Tooth." I mumbled, whereupon I snapped the beaded elastic band in half that was used to tie my hair via forcefully-pulling-on-it, causing the beads to scatter on the floor dramatically, the clattering sounds louder than the band playing outside as it hit the tiles.
With that, my hair fell down with a graceful thud, almost closing in on my face. It was like releasing captive animals in an unforgiving zoo. I swiveled my index finger on the top of my head where my non-existent hairline should be and pulled out a wee bit of hair and curled that baby down to rest on my forehead.
Elsa snickers and did the same, leaving an even smaller chunk of hair on her forehead.
What is this, a couple thing?
"Yeah! Let our hair down!" she raised a fist in the air, "Destroy the patriarchy!"
"Eat the rich!"
"Hotdogs are sandwiches!"
We grinned at each other for a while until the grin decreased to a teethless smile and our eyes softened after our adrenaline rush to break our hair ties with force in the name of freedom.
Once again, I found myself studying Elsa's face that I had memorized now. Her icy blue eyes that just pierces through the room like a cannonball. Her flushed cheeks that looked like pillows. Her cute-as-a- button nose that was literally as small as one. The light dusting of freckles on her cheeks like stars in the sky, and her... lips.
Her lips.
Her lips.
Her lips.
My lips.
Her lips.
She was looking at mine too.
Gods.
My face felt like it was the only part of my body that was affected upon diving into a pool of lava. My breath slowed down like time.
Did she move?
Am I doing the same?
This stupid gap between us, I want it gone.
I think she wants that too.
Here we go.
"I DON'T WANT TO, SHANG!"
"Mulan, please!"
What in the...?
"My duty is to my heart!" and with that, the comfort room door was slammed shut and the frustrated panting of a woman echoed in this claustrophobic room.
Both Elsa and I turned our heads to the source of the rude noise.
I stared daggers into the short-haired woman. I rolled my eyes back so hard that I thought it was going to get stuck in the back of my head.
Hey, you. I don't know you, but I hate you.
After what seemed like forever of her trying to catch her breath, she fixed her posture and made eye-contact with us.
"Hey, Mulan." Elsa really was full of surprises.
"Hi, Elsa." she greets back breathlessly and with the same amount of joy as if she didn't just have an unconventional fight with the person behind the door and so rudely disturbed our moment.
"Jings, crivens, help mah boab."
Elsa and I left the room, almost getting jumped on by a buff lad upon exiting the door, thinking we were his rude girlfriend.
Dude couldn't at least tell if his girlfriend was near what with all the raging aura of rudeness she radiated?
"C'mon, Mulan! The slow dance in starting soon. I need you."
The slow dance... the dance where all the magic happens. Where dreams come true. Where fates are sealed. And, of course, where hearts are broken.
Of course, dancing was another one of the things I hated about dress coded parties. But you know what I'd hate more? To not dance with Elsa tonight. The idea just fills me with an anger that made my hatred for Rude Girl and Rude Boy back at the comfort rooms seem merciful.
Suddenly, the instrumentals that the Alligators band used began keeping up at slow pace unlike its previous upbeat ones. The light emitted by the gigantic and ugly disco ball on the ceiling began to flash its colors slowly too. Everyone that used to be hanging out at the food tables all joined in on the fun.
And I knew immediately what that meant.
"Shall we?" I raised my elbow up for her take again.
"Thank you," I was flying the heavens, "...only I don't dance."
I was pulled back down to Earth, "Oh."
And still, she pulled me into the dancefloor.
✧･ﾟ: - *✧･ﾟ* :･ﾟ- *:･ﾟ✧
Starry, starry night . . .
What?
"Did you request this song?"
"Maybe."
Paint your palette blue and gray . . .
She grabbed my hands and guided them to be placed around her... waist.
Look out on a summer's day . . .
Meanwhile, her arms dangled around my... neck.
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul . . .
The gap between us was almost imaginary. Her dress was so tight that it felt like the soft fabric hiding her body was already her skin. My wrists rested on her waist and my hands were locked together.
Shadows on the hills . . .
The fact that we were dancing in the middle of the dancefloor together was already enough to make my blushing powers relapse once more at full blast but the thought of my hands being this close to her skin is just...
Sketch the trees and the daffodils . . .
Just torture.
Catch the breeze and the winter chills . . .
I feel like I was about to go into a cardiac arrest with the pace of my heartbeat.
In colors on the snowy linen land . . .
And still...
Now, I understand . . .
I was happy. Really, I was. I was thrilled.
I was way too confident earlier that I would actually have the guts to handle all of this that the very word 'confidence' just left my mental dictionary.
What you tried to say to me . . .
We were so close that the hair resting on our shoulders were touching.
And how you suffered for your sanity . . .
We were so close that I could smell the lingering scent of vanilla perfume and the lilac shampoo she used.
And how you tried to set them free . . .
We were so close that I could tell what toothpaste brand she used!
They did not listen . . .
We were so close that if you examined us from a different angle, it would look like we were kissing.
They did not know how . . .
Except, we weren't.
We were just there in the middle of the sea of heads slowly bobbing left and right across the dancefloor underneath the starry night sky, or the rainbow disco light, rather.
The dance where all the magic happens. Where dreams come true. Where fates are sealed. Where hearts are broken.
Perhaps, they'll listen now . . .
Was it the perfect time to confess?
No.
Then when?
Now.
What?! You just said 'no.'
No, I didn't.
Aye, you did.
No, you.
Exactly, I'm you.
Oh, go make a baby with yourself!
You know that means making a baby with you, right?
SHUT IT!
I need to switch my attention at something else lest I lose my head.
Looking around, I noticed that the Rude Couple had finally made up and were dancing together a few meters away from us. Cute but I still hate them.
On my left, I saw Self-Sexual Guy dancing around all by himself, which was funny because that meant he was just dancing with himself, and it just gives his title as 'Self-Sexual Guy' all the more meaning. But, when he turned around, I saw that he was actually lifting on his arm the three-feet tall Ponytail Guy, dancing the night away.
Me and Elsa should really work as matchmakers for a part-time job. Oh, the irony.
I spotted the Ursula person seemed to be the only one who wasn't in the dancefloor. She didn't seem too upset as it meant she had the entire buffet to herself.
I scanned the room to look for that other couple Elsa and I talked about while we played the game earlier. Instead, my eyes landed on another familiar couple in the crowd who were also looking straight at us, Blondie and Goatee. They both gave me a thumbs up. I smiled awkwardly in response.
Lang may my lum reek, indeed. I'm going to need it.
Still not satisfied with the relaxation I had or the lack thereof, I continued to search through the room with my eyes and make out any faces as much as I can with all the dim and slowly fading lights, resulting in the strangest thing that would happen tonight, and... ever.
I saw him again.
Sideburns. In the Pride Ball?
Was he here with Anna? Why wasn't she with us earlier if that was the case? Why didn't Elsa make any mentions of her at all? I could be mistaken. I further squinted my eyes as if they were a pair of binoculars in need of adjusting to get a better view.
It truly was him. Clear as day. And he wasn't dancing alone. It wasn't Strawberry whose hips he had his hands on and swayed the night away to.
No, instead, he was with that same blonde I saw him smooching the daylights out of that one night.
Have I caught him red-handed? The poor lassie. Although the girl could just be a friend of his, sharing a perfectly platonic dance much like how Elsa and I did.
The room was as black as Earl of Hell's Waistcoat, my vision could just be messing with me. The lad might not even be Hans. Aye, he was a ginger and had ugly sideburns but, that could've been anyone.
Asking Elsa and putting an end to my curiosity was the obvious answer but... I hardly knew anything about this Hans character. I didn't want to stick my nose where it didn't belong.
"Hey," she spoke up as loud as a whisper, breaking the tension. "you enjoying the party?"
Hearing her voice made the armor fall down but unfortunately, not enough that to make me miraculously grow guts of steel and finally confess to her.
"Aye." It was true.
But I still couldn't shake the thought away.
"By the way..." Fuck it, "how's yer sister, Anna?" I could've waited a while longer, but it was too late. You're slow dancing with someone and want to talk about their sister? Lame.
"She's doing okay." she answered, unbothered by the new subject matter, "I've never seen her as happy as she's been recently. She thinks she's finally found her true love or something."
Well, I guess that answered one question.
They would not listen . . .
"You should really come by our house tonight," she announced it like it was nothing.
Pardon?
"Have dinner with us. Meet my family... and all that jazz."
"But—"
"Too late. I already told them."
They're not listening still . . .
She already planned it, this scheming lass! She suggested that so breezily as if I was some friend she's known all her life, carelessly letting me into her home without a shadow of a distrust.
Perhaps, they never will . . .
No way can I decline an offer like that. With that in store, I ultimately decided it was the worst possible time to confess to her. I didn't want the rest of the night for us to be weird.
Such is well, though! I needed to grow a pair first.
Seconds after her sweet invitation and the music dying down, a spotlight shun on the stage, illuminating Kuzco and his rainbow everything, blinding everyone faster than a laser pointer as it made the whole place shimmer.
"It's the moment you've all been waiting for, gaydies and lesbimen!" Such horrific choice of words to morph, Bodangles. The first greeting was fine. "Who will be crowned 'The Pride of Pride' tonight?!"
That was a thing? Crivens, I should've read the poster more. Don't blame me. You should see the number of rainbows on that one ugly poster!
Kuzco pulled out a piece of paper from his bosom, "Drum roll, please!"
The band didn't have drum instruments, so the guests just had to mimic their best drum roll sound. They also started chanting different names all at the same time that it was impossible for you to make any name out. It sounded like the gates of hell opening.
Something tells me if Jack and Hiccup were here, one of them would win the award. Rather, get award. Like, actual theft. Wouldn't that be a memory to treasure.
"And tonight's Pride of Pride is..." his last word lingered on for about twenty more seconds, "IS ME!"
The crowd burst into a fit of applause. Everyone! Even Elsa! Meanwhile, I stood there completely dumbfounded. Was that allowed?
Oh, come on, dude wasn't even following the dress code!
I mean, yes, I suppose no one could beat his outfit tonight. It doesn't just scream 'pride,' it wakes you up from a good night's sleep, shoves it down your throat, makes you poop it out then feeds it to you again.
I stared at Bodangles, applauding in confusion, as Tiana runs to the stage holding a red cushion with a golden crown bejeweled with gems of every color of the rainbow atop of it and placed it on his head. He was then handed a wine glass filled with a clear liquid and left him alone at the stage.
He chuckled through the mic, "Thank you, thank you, thank you. Wow, I did not expect this. Thank you very much." he said, not even a hint of actual sincerity in his voice.
"Here's to keeping on kissing!" and with that, he raised the glass in the air.
"HERE'S TO KEEPING ON KISSING!" the people repeated, fists in the heavens.
Suddenly, the couple on my left started to kiss each other. And so did the couple in front of us. And beside us. Behind us. Near the food tables. Rude Couple. Everyone. All the couples in the room kissed their respective partners on the cheeks, forehead, and lips like it was Hogmanay.
Everyone except Elsa and me.
Until she did.
I felt every portion of her soft red lips, every bit and every fraction, come into contact with my even redder cheek. I experienced the way they left a warm mark in the slowest of motions, like bombs being dropped from the sky. The sound that was born from the impact when she pulled away was louder and livelier than any music Louis and the Alligators could ever create.
This has to be a dream. It was too good to be true. I must have never woken up from my drunken stupor weeks ago and everything that has ever happened since then must be a figment of my imagination.
When I was able to recover from the fall, I managed to look her in the eyes again. She was smiling... with a hint of mischief in her eyes like a child who had just successfully pulled a prank on an innocent victim. I would know. I lived with Hamish, Hubert, and Harris.
"Thank you for coming with me." she simply said. Stopping me from reply, she gave her soft pale cheeks a tap, urging me to return her kiss.
DAMN DAMN DAMN.
I leaned in and gave her the World's Quickest (And Most Awkward) Kiss. Her smile was bigger than a crescent moon, accompanied by one of her famous giggles.
The kissing scene ended with another round of applause as our newly crowned Pride of Pride stepped down to greets his subjects.
Something felt a bit off about our kiss.
I hated myself for ever conjuring up this concept in my head but I just have the strangest feeling that Elsa was just messing with me.
"Wow..." was all I could say.
"I know, right?" I thought she shared my opinion on how weird all that had went down since the ending of the slow dance was, but I knew she didn't when she added, "It was a sure win for him!"
"Uh huh."
"Listen, I gotta take a visit to the... what do you call it? Lavvy." I watched her leave.
As soon as she was out of sight, someone gave me a wee tapping on the back of my shoulder. It was Blondie and Goatee. They looked... pissed.
"You better have a good explanation on why you two aren't making out yet!" I wasn't even surprised anymore.
"Blondie, please."
"Elsa invited me to go to her house after this." Rapunzel squealed in endless joy.
"Already at that part of the relationship, I see." Eugene added. They both reminded me of Jack and Hiccup. I wonder how that interaction would go down. "It took me about three years of courting Sunshine over here that she finally took me to her house."
"Well, Eugene, my parents can be a bit... uh, overprotective of me."
"You're an adult, Blondie."
"I'm still their 'baby', as they say."
"Well, now, you're my baby." they once again reminded me how they're the King and Queen of displaying public affection. Timon and Pumbaa could never.
"What are Elsa's parents like?"
Blondie and Goatee's mood shifted dramatically, as if I had just said something offending to them, or that I ran over their pet chameleon. They exchanged glances before returning their eyes to me.
"What?"
"Hey, guys." Elsa's voice came. "What are we all up to?" she rested her hands on her hips.
"We heard a certain someone was taking another certain someone to a certain someone to meet a certain set of someones." Way to go, Rider Dude.
"Right you are!" Elsa plays along, "Now, if you'll excuse us, this certain someone will have to escort a certain someone out of here and to a certain somewhere."
We bid our goodbyes and our see-ya-laters.
"Shall we?" it was now Elsa's turn to lift her elbow in a chivalrous way. It took everything in me not to kiss her. I linked my arm with hers and we waltz the heck out of that place.
I still didn't know what happened with Rapunzel and Eugene back there.
✧･ﾟ: - *✧･ﾟ* :･ﾟ- *:･ﾟ✧
The walk to Elsa's place was quiet. The good quiet. The best quiet.
She still smelled heavenly. With our arms still intertwined, I hoped to the stars that I didn't share Gladiator Shoes' stench. I probably did what with how frequently I broke a sweat back at the ball.
When she took her arm away from mine, I thought it was the end for me, that she could no longer take the odor she whiffed from me.
Until... "Tada! Welcome to Casa Elsa!" she spread her arms open to behold the beautiful house in front of us. "Well, it's more of a Casa Cooper but still."
I sighed in great relief, "Cooper?"
"Indeed, as in Rapunzel Nicolette Cooper." So, that's her full name. Rapunzel's parents' house? Where were Elsa and Anna's?
Their house rivaled the magnificence of the museum. I peered through their gates and saw that their garden was bursting with flowers and wonderous plant life. This explains how Rapunzel almost never runs out of flowers to put on her hair.
"Wow." This entire night truly took my breath and my words away.
"Oh, by the way," she stepped back toward me and lowered her voice, "Can you do me a favor?"
"Anything."
"D-don't tell them we were just at the Pride Ball tonight..."
The weight that fell on my shoulders was heavier than my dad. "Why?"
"They don't... know." she removed the clip-on rainbow streaks that decorated her hair. She hid it in her purse, scrambling nervously and fondled with her fingers after. What was she so nervous about?
"They've always been highly expectant of me, you see. They will freak out if they find out I've been out partying instead of working." she rolled her eyes again, no longer in a playful manner like before. It was a bitter eyeroll. Indignant.
"But... ye work in a gay bar, a place where partyin' happens all the time." her eyes remained glued to the cemented pavement. "Plus... yer an adult."
Elsa finally let me see her eyes again, "Yes, well, that doesn't really stop them from shoving this 'perfect girl' image down my throat."
Perfect girl image?
She fixed her posture as a smile reappeared on her face. It wasn't convincing anyone. "I might also address you as my co-worker to them, though. Is that fine?"
"Aye..." It was my weakest yet.
Another thing we had in common. She too lies to her family. I didn't know what to think of it.
This was going to be one weird night, isn't it?
✧･ﾟ: - *✧･ﾟ* :･ﾟ- *:･ﾟ✧