Oh school, how I hate thee. Clara wrote into her notebook while eating lunch.
"You shouldn't write that," Petey said to her when he noticed what she wrote. Roger and Irene were eating with Clara and Petey at the same table.
"Of course you would say that, Petey," Clara said, rolling her eyes.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He responded, scrunching his eyebrow's.
"Oh come on," said Clara, "Mr. straight A student, in advanced classes."
"That doesn't mean anything."
Clara scoffed, "You're joking right?"
"You're just as smart as I am."
"Right."
"Was that sarcasm?"
"Oh no, I would never be sarcastic with you."
Before Petey could get a remark out, Roger interrupted, "Hey, how come you two never touch each other?"
Clara's eye's shot up to Rogers, "What?"
"You know, you don't hug or hold hands or anything."
"Say's who?" Clara said, scooting closer on the circular bench towards Petey so their shoulders were touching. Petey's eye's were darting all over the place.
"Oh yeah, real intimate."
"Shut up, Roger."
"You shut up."
"No you shut up."
"No you sh-" Irene slapped her hand over Roger's mouth. Clara smirked at him.
"Come on Petey," Clara grabbed Petey's wrist and dragged him to a split hallway where they would part to go to separate classes. She dropped his wrist and turned to face him.
"What class do you have next?"
"Advanced Sciences."
"Right after lunch, nice."
Petey laughed, "It's actually just a lot of book work."
"Yeah," Clara said glancing away from Petey.
"I got a message from Ms. Naomi yesterday."
"Oh?" Clara still wasn't looking at him. She knew exactly what he was talking about, she had gotten the message too.
"We have the option of dance classes, if we want a reception after the wedding." Clara could tell that Petey was trying hard not to gulp.
"Okay..." Clara didn't really want to dance with Petey, the idea made her nervous.
"I think we should do it."
"What?" Clara was now looking Petey in the eye. He kept blinking.
"Unless, of course, you don't want to."
Clara breathed, it was here that she had to make the selfish decision or the decision she would regret, "No... I do want to."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Teens don't really dance together lest they get attached to someone they can't marry. So, there are not school dances as there used to be. Weddings make the exception where everyone can coexist in dancing.
~
Clara and Petey were going to meet Irene and Roger at the dance class. Dancing is fairly rare, so private dance classes are even more rare.
"Welcome!" A woman greeted them at the door.
"Clara!" Irene ran towards her and grabbed both of her hands excitedly. Clara smiled as she was grateful for Irene's distraction from her impending doom.
Cause of death: attempting to dance.
Clara wasn't just nervous about dancing, but dancing with Petey. She had never even hugged him before; and now she's supposed to hold hands, pretty much hug, and move in circles with him all at the same time? It seemed like too much.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the instructor proclaimed, "We will be starting our dance lessons now! If you are new please move to the right. If you are advanced, please move to the left."
Irene and Roger had never been to a class, so they moved to the right with Clara and Petey while holding hands. Clara and Petey was the only couple there not touching each other in some way. Clara felt nervous and pressured around so many couples.
"This is my partner," the instructor motioned to a man nearly a foot shorter than her. The man bowed lightly, "We will be showing you the proper stance and motions for the basic two step.
"Gentlemen, take the ladies left hand in your right and put your left hand on her waist," The instructor gave the example, even looking down at her partner, she seemed happy to be there.
Clara tried not to look at Petey, but ever so gently, she felt a warm hand take hers and their bodies seemed to drift together. An arm wrapped around her waist, supporting her back in a way she had never felt before. Clara met Petey's gaze.
Could she see the glittering excitement in his eyes?
Could he feel her heart racing?
To be continued...
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