Chapter Text
I laid, sprawled out on my bed, head buried in my pillow. Dance lessons. What did that have to do with my major? Let alone classical dancing. I don't do classical. I don't do ‘neat and clean’.
I could barely play at the idea that someone would hear me, hell, perform in front of a crowd of people?
What am I supposed to do?
*Knock knock* came from the door
“Hey…” Forest stuck his head partly in the doorway.
“What's up?” I asked, lifting my head from my pillow.
“Jewel said you'd probably be here.”
“It is my dorm so… yea.” I chuckled.
“Rough day?”
“How can you tell?”
“I can always tell. So, what's up?”
I sat up from my bed as he walked to stand in front of me.
“I don't know if I'm doing this right.”
“What do you mean?” He tilted his head.
“Maybe this whole college thing was a mistake.”
“That's not true.”
“It is. I tried music before and it didn't work. Then I tried science, but that didn't work either. Dot convinced me to try again, Rosy got the band back together, Ace and Spot even double majored in music for me.”
“What do you mean ‘didn't work’? Storm, I've known you for years, where's all this coming from?”
“I guess it's just not what I expected? We have to take some kind of dance lesson, but I don't understand. I can't do it.”
“You can't do it or you won't do it?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I mean, you can't let things hold you back. I've heard you play. I've seen you perform. I don't think I've ever seen you light up so much than when you're playing.”
“I love making music. It's just…”
“Just what?”
“I don't dance. I feel trapped. Ace and Spot double majored for me and if I give up on this, it's like I'm wasting their time, like I'm abusing their loyalty. It makes me feel selfish.”
“Selfish is far from the list of words anyone could use to describe you. They did this for you because they care, they're worried, and you can't help that you're nervous.”
“I know… but what if this is a mistake?”
“A mistake can be easily fixed, sometimes you just need to ask for help.”
“I'm questioning just dropping the whole thing.”
“Because of a dance class?”
“No… maybe? I'm so used to making things up in my head that I shut down when things aren't what I expect.”
Forest sat on the bed next to me as I leaned on his shoulder. He softly rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb.
“I don't dance.” I said again.
“You don't dance or you won't dance?”
“Can't.”
“Can't, don't, or won't?”
“Quit doing that.” I chuckled.
“Quit doing what?” He mocked.
I let out a deep sigh, not in annoyance but just because I felt so exhausted.
“So… about these dance lessons, what are they?”
“It's some classical performance or whatever.”
“Classical?”
“Yea, I was so wrapped up in myself that I kinda forgot that there's other genres. I didn't even know dance was part of the major.”
“You didn't bother to check? That's not like you.” He jokingly bumped my shoulder.
“It's just stress, I don't know. I just- I'm nervous.”
“Nervous about?”
“I don't know. I just am. I always have been. I've never really liked dancing, so I don't think I'd be very good at it.”
Suddenly, Forest got up and held out his hand.
“Here, I'll practice with you.”
“I don't dance.” I repeated, for the third time.
“Don't or won't ?” He quoted.
I breathed heavily as I reached out for his hand. He pulled me up quickly.
“So, classical. Like waltzing?”
“Yea.”
“So, do you know how?”
“I'm not doing that.”
My hands rested on his shoulders, around his neck, as his hands laid softly on my waist.
“Come on, it's just you and me. No need to be embarrassed.” He laughed.
“I don't even know how to waltz.”
“Then I'll show you.”
He pulled away slightly, “When I step back, you step forward. When I step right, you step left, and vise-versa. It's just the opposite of what I do.”
“This is dumb.” I sighed.
“Dumb enough to fail a class over?”
“Maybe…” I joked.
“Come on.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“What do you mean?”
“You've always been there for me, even when I don't ask for it. Comforting me about whatever dumb thing I'm upset over.”
“Because I care about you, you know that.”
“I do. I just never had that before… It's nice.” I smiled.
“Come on, don't worry about messing up.”
“Are we seriously doing this?”
“Are you seriously willing to fail a class over this?” He repeated.
I sighed.
“Like I said, your moves are the opposite of mine.”
“Where did you learn this anyway?”
“Is that a genuine question or are you just stalling?”
“Both.”
“Jewel taught Bee and I as kids. She thought we didn't socialize enough.”
“And now neither of you shut up.” I laughed.
“Hey-” He jokingly frowned, “Quit stalling, we're doing this even if it takes all night.”
“Fine.”
He pulled me closer, almost into a hug, as we started moving. Front to back, left to right, and vise-versa. The dorm was quite small: having barely enough room for two beds and corresponding desks. Each move either of us made was only centimeters of a difference.
“You're not doing as bad as you made yourself out to be.”
“Well, there's not much room to mess up, literally.”
“The dorms are quite small aren't they?”
“Tell me about it.” I said, annoyed.
We continued to slowly sway, moving as much as the tiny room would let us. The sunset softly glowing through the closed blinds of the window that sat in the space between the beds.
“You know you can talk to me, right?” He asked.
“Of course I do.”
“Good.”
I leaned forward and rested my head on his chest. He pulled away slightly and took my face in his hands.
“I love you.” He said, pecking my lips.
“I love you too.”