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Enansal ran her hands through her hair in frustration. This choreography was not going the way she wanted it to. It probably didn’t help that her dance partner had moved to a different city on such short notice.
Granted, it wasn’t that much of a loss. She actually hated him as a dance partner.
But she still couldn’t deny that his departure had left her out of luck if she wanted to still wanted to compete the following month.
“Dammit…” she muttered, and finally looked up at her reflection in the dance studio mirror. All she saw was a tired and frustrated elf staring back at her.
Letting out a sigh, she pushed herself back to her feet and marched to her MP3 player. She thumbed through her song library. While she should make herself do another run-through of her choreography, a part of her bitterly asked herself what the point was when she didn’t have a partner. That same part of her mind just wanted to dance to something, anything, to get her mind off of everything that was bothering her.
She finally clicked onto one of her favorite tangos, and set her MP3 into the dock, turning up the volume almost to full blast. She then crossed to the center of the dance floor and closed her eyes. As the first strains of violin reached her ears, she began to move across the floor, arms propped up against an imaginary partner. She just wanted to forget everything…
When the song ended, Enansal slowly lowered her arms as her breath came in short bursts. Once her breathing leveled, she let out a sigh and turned towards the entrance of the studio room.
She gasped slightly when she saw a man standing there. For a wild moment, her brain hoped it was her dance partner. But as she took him in, she realized that it wasn’t her partner, but one of the students from Josephine’s beginner class. Cullen Rutherford, if she remembered his name correctly. She’d waltzed with him when she had to substitute a few weeks back.
Enansal straightened up, her expression wary. “Mr. Rutherford…How long have you been standing there?”
He flushed a little, and straightened up himself. “U-uh, Ms. Josephine’s class got out late. I was about to head out, but I heard your music…I-I apologize. I shouldn’t have…:”
She shook her head. “No, it’s quite alright.”
A long pause settled between them.
“…How is Josie’s class coming along?” Enansal finally asked.
“Ah…Surprisingly well, actually.”
“Oh?”
“I don’t have any prior dance experience. The first couple of lessons were…trying, to say the least. But, Ms. Josephine has been beyond patient with me.”
“Well, that is part of why she teaches at the beginner level.”
“I can see why,” Cullen agreed.
She nodded a little. After another long pause, she added, “Are you entering in the ballroom competition, Mr. Rutherford?”
“I had not been planning on it. I don’t have a partner, and I…never joined for the competitions.”
“Then why did you join? Trying to impress a girlfriend?”
“Oh, no. I’m single.”
“Ah.”
Yet another pause.
“Are you competing, Ms. Lavellan?”
“I was. My partner…moved away quite suddenly.”
“And he didn’t warn you beforehand?”
“You assume he has a sense of common courtesy.”
“Well, that was rude of him.”
She laughed. “That’s an understatement.”
“…Do you need a new partner?”
“Unless I want to drop out of the running entirely…then, yes, I will have to try to find a new partner. Even if I had someone in mind, I’d have to teach them the choreography within a month.”
“I could do it.”
She was about to refuse, but she paused a moment to look him over. Well, if nothing else, he seemed sincere. And even if it had only been the one class she had substituted for Josephine, the two of them had danced together before.
“Are you really up to it? You said yourself you don’t have a dancing background.”
“No, but I do pride myself in being a quick study. Besides…you look like you love what you do. You’re passionate about this. I would hate for you to drop out of a competition just because your partner bailed.”
She smiled. “That’s very sweet of you to say…”
He let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck.
She lifted her chin and held out her hand towards him. “Very well. If you’re willing to put the work in, then I’ll let you help me. Has Josie taught you the foxtrot?”
“A little…”
“Good. Then you at least have the basics under your belt.” She smiled again. “Let’s teach you the rest.”