The Dance
Sighing she stood against the wall, watching as the lights reflected off of shimmers in folds of multicolored gowns. They all looked so happy and in love. She was happy for them, and upset at herself for not being able to find whatever it was that they had. Hesitantly she swayed back and forth to the slow tempo of the music, letting herself fall into her own thoughts.
Earlier that Day….
“I have plenty of time I’m sure.” She said cheerfully to her best friend as she sat on the chair. “I just have to touch up my hair dye, get dressed and throw on some make up.” Cilla smiled down at Izzy, her eyes full of confidence in herself, excitement her voice betrayed her excitement for the night.
“You for got about the food…” Izzy mentioned matter-of-factly. Cilla stopped where she stood and glanced back at Izzy over her shoulder.
“How long could it take to make spaghetti?” and she was off again wandering about the house not doing anything she particularly needed to do before that night.
Present
She smirked at herself. ‘Procrastination has to be a form of art…’ she thought to herself. She knew the lights would rise in a moment and she didn’t want to seem upset that she had been left alone on the last dance yet again. Quickly she straitened her self and blinked away the tears. Smiling as her friends glanced in her direction.
It had been a pleasant night, for how nights could go. No major drama, nothing out of the ordinary. She had arrived with Alan, a friend of hers that seemed to have liked her up until that night, that didn’t bother her so much if she would have gotten at least a dance or two in... but no dances? Okay just over a half a dance really… but still... it was enough to leave her feeling pretty low.
The lights were finally coming up as the DJ told the high scholars good night. She smiled as people came to tell her good bye, the black satin dress getting crushed in every hug. She smiled and waved as another friend handed her purse and shoes. She looked at the shoes in disgust. Those were going strait into the back seat of her car the moment she got out to it.
Her friends walked out with her, a few piling into her silver car, and the rest into another one, green in color. She quickly turned on the heater and tuned out everyone else around her. Driving quickly across the town she got to Alan’s house and let the other girl out to her vehicle. He climbed into the front seat and still she said nothing. They rode like that all the way to the after party.
The party was just as silent as the car. She sighed again. This was what she got for trying to relive her high school fun right? A boring night that was oddly reminiscent of another dance... she shook her head and decided it would be a bad idea to follow that rain of thought, but still the memory pushed its way to the front of her mind.
Fall the school year before
The day was warm, still early fall. It had been bright when the tall blonde boy had come to pick her up from her house. Her cheeks were flushed red from excitement. Homecoming with him. The idea nearly made her jump for joy... again. He happily took pictures with her, for her mother and her father, then for his family too. Every time they got in and out of the car he would open the door and make her feel special. Once they were at the dance though… she kept losing him in the crowed. Or so she thought. She would wander about with this friend or that and find him watching the foot ball game in the choir room. Boys will be boys, was her only thought then. He had remembered to show for the slow dances, so she was happy to dance the rest with her friends. Then the last song came on. And he was no where in sight. Then from the corner of her eye she happened to see him, and she smiled. He’s only a moment late, but when she turned to look at him he was with another girl.
Present
She blinked back a few tears at the bitter memory and she looked around the room. The couples were half asleep and Alan was just sitting on a chair playing on his cell phone. Looking at his phone she suddenly noticed hers was buzzing. Quickly she looked at the text. Her friend Ryan had texted her Michael says hi it read. Her hands froze on the keys as her mind flooded with memories. A first kiss as she stood under the stars in a golden gown. His warm arms wrapping around her as she shivered in the cold due to a too short brown dress. She remembered staring at the ground, with the feeling of missing out on that last dance again, this time in an off white gown, but then a hand grasped hers and pulled her out of her chair. He softly whispered in her ear “Sorry I almost missed it.” As he danced her around the floor like they were the only two in the world.
She smiled at the thought then frowned at her phone. He didn’t say hi to her... not anymore... not since... she killed the thought and replied cheerfully. It wasn’t going to get to her, not this time. “Well I think I’m going to head out.” She said politely and started out the door, Alan in tow. She dropped him off, asking him to not talk to her anytime soon. She didn’t want to be reliving the memories that had been haunting her all night for a while.
Mindlessly she continued to text Ryan as she drove around town. She had changed out of the black gown and into jeans and a button up shirt a while ago and was comfortable now. The nagging feeling that had haunted her since that last dance kept coming back though, she couldn’t shake it, it felt as if her night was still unfinished. She finally resolved to stop and talk to Ryan, but he was at Michael’s house, so they would have to be discreet.
She parked across the road and waited for a moment. Then from the direction of the large house a tall figure ambled across the yard. Cilla stepped out of the car and shivered in the cold early May wind. “What’s wrong Cici?” He asked softly, at that moment she couldn’t hold it back anymore. She started sobbing and he crushed her in a hug as she babbled the night’s events, and the events from dances before, telling him about that unfinished feeling she had. The house loomed behind him and she knew the largest part of her heart ache sat inside those walls. She took a shallow breath as she heard Ryan ask a simple question. “Would you dance with me then?” She knew his night hadn’t gone according to his plans either, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and they slowly moved around in a circle.
She was shivering under the pale light of the full moon and stars. This is the perfect dance with the perfect person she thought to herself. Not because he was someone she had fallen in love romantically with, but because she loved him in a different way. In a way only two best friends could understand. They were there for each other no matter what, and they both knew it.
As she drove home she finally felt at rest. As she glanced up from the road and into the sky a shining light appeared, falling from the darkness, a falling star. The night had ended the best way possible. Cilla smiled up at the moon. Maybe her life wasn’t such a disaster after all. Maybe she would be like that star, a dazzling sight on the life of some person. Just Maybe.
End
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