The Last Dance
The clock struck nine, and I knew that no one would be coming to my
party. It originally started at five, at six everyone started canceling on me, and
at seven those who had made a promise to stop on by had already left. Who
could blame them, it was an outside party and it was pretty windy and chilly. My
parents were already in their room, probably watching a TV show. I should’ve
made it a family party, but I had insisted to make it a small party with friends.
I stood up and began cleaning. As I began picking up the plates and salsa,
a bit had spilled onto my white sundress. The irony, a sundress. I groan before
setting the plates and salsa down, and I pick up a napkin to try and quickly
remove the stain. I had heard a knocking at my gate and turn back to see Sam
attempting to open the back gate.
“How do I open this?” He asks, making a horrible attempt at opening the gate.
I walk over to open it, he mutters a quick thanks before following me to where I
had everything set up- well, the rest of it-
“I’m so sorry, am I late? I had something pop up but I had promised that I would
come here, and I’m here.” Sam said
“No one showed up, you’re fine. I’m just cleaning up now.” I say, picking up the
plates and salsa again.
I walk to the door and cautiously open it, placing the items down before going
back outside to clean up the rest of the things.
Sam comes to help me clean up some more plates and chips before noticing
the speaker in the corner.
“Hey! We should at least play some cleaning music to make this a little bit more
fun, right?”
I mutter a quick sure before going to go collect the food, and the speaker turns
on. I had forgotten that my phone was still connected to the speaker, and
Dreaming Of You by Selena had started playing.
I looked back to see his reaction. His only reaction was, “Do you know how to
slow dance?”
“A bit,” I respond, with a bit of relief that he hadn’t reacted differently.
As I listened to the lyrics and thought about Sam. I had confessed my feelings
for him last week and he had gently let me down. Now it was only him and me with a love song that’s hitting a bit too close to home right now. He had started
walking towards me, getting an inch closer by the second.
“Do you want to dance with me?” He asked, holding his hand out.
“Yeah, to a different song?” I ask, pointing towards the phone at the table I was
sitting at before he had come.
“No, but do you mind restarting this one?” He asks
I nod and go towards my phone, restarting the song before going back to him
and taking ahold of his hand. He guides me to the center area and faces his
body towards me, placing a hand on my hips and putting my hand in the air. He
gently puts his body against mine and I take a deep breath before starting to
dance to the music. Selena’s voice surrounding us, and wrapping around me
like a warm blanket. As we moved to and fro, he muttered a bit into my ears.
“What?” I question
“I’m leaving soon.” He responds
“Oh, you have to go already?” I say, getting ready to stop dancing.
“No, not that type of moving. I’m moving states, my family’s heading west to go
be with my grandparents tomorrow, and I’ll start a new school out there.” He
responds, grabbing me a bit more as if I were to vanish in front of his eyes.
“Tomorrow? Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t anyone tell me?” I ask, a bit
surprised.
“I asked them all to keep it from you. I wanted to tell you myself, but I could
never find the right time.” He said
“So you’re telling me here, now? I could’ve had all this time to plan something
out, a formal goodbye or at least something.” I said as tears threatened to spill
down my face.
He didn’t respond after that, and a couple of tears slipped out. The hand on my
hip moved towards my back, and he patted me, allowing me to cry.
He spoke the lyrics in my ear as if it were his own words that he’s been wanting
to tell me. As I cried, he whispered a quiet “I love you.” Before putting his head
on my shoulder.
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