A Friendship Lost

10 - A Dance

Jennifer's POV

„Okay.", Ben says. „I just.. like to spend time with you. Is that alright?"

„I don't know.", I say again.
„Can I hug you?", he asks.

I inhale and pout slightly at him. I know he wants to comfort me.
I exhale again.
„Can you just take me home, please?"

He looks a little sad but gets out of the trunk and holds out his hand. I take it and jump out too. He opens the door for me, as usual, then he drives me home.

„Thank you, it was really nice to see you again.", I say and I mean it. It was confusing and strenuous, but I had a good time.

„I'll text you.. if that's alright?"
„Yes, it is." I smile a little.

He gets out of his car and walks around to open the door for me, then walks me to my door.

„Bye.", I say and smile at him.
„Bye.", he says and I go inside.

I hold back until I reach my bedroom. Inside, I shut the door, let my purse fall to the ground, hold my hand to my heart and breathe in and out deeply. Then I slide down on my door and break down into tears. I'm sobbing quietly while my heart just hurts like hell.

The tears stop after a while. I crawl to my purse and look at my phone. Leah texted, asking how it was.

I text her that it was nice but that I'm deeply confused and scared.

The next minute she calls.

„Hi.", I softly say.
„Baby, have you been crying?"
„Yes."
„Want me to come and hold you?"
A squeaky tone escapes my throat and tears start to flow again.
„I'll be there quick."

Shortly after, she's at my door and I open. Before she got here, I already did my night routine. It's about 11:30, and I'm also getting tired.

„Come on.", Leah says, takes my hand and leads me into my bedroom.
We get on my bed and I cuddle into her arms.

That feels nice and safe.

„Wanna talk?", she asks.
I shrug my shoulders.

After some time, I start talking.
„I'm just so scared, you know. If I let myself fall for him, I fall deeply and madly for him. And I can't live through losing him again. What if we break up again? What if we don't work?"

Leah's POV

I could say „But what if you do?", but I don't for some reason. She told me in detail how she felt after their breakup and I don't ever wanna see her that hurt.

I just keep on holding her in my arms.

„You can never know.", I say. „Not with him nor anyone else."

„I know.", she whispers and squeezes me.
„Can you stay and hold me until I fall asleep?", she asks.
„Sure baby.", I reply and kiss her on top of her head.

Jennifer's POV

Two days after my date with Ben, he texted me and asked me out again. After giving it a thought I replied a day later and now I'm in his car again, nervously fiddling with my hands.

I haven't seen Marc since our last date.

„Thanks for letting me take you out again.", he smiles at me.
I smile back.
„I'm not sure if you wanna talk about it? Should we talk about it?"
I guess he's referring to the end of our relationship.
„I'm not sure."
„We're here.", he says and parks the car.

„Where are we?", I ask and look out the window. There are some stores and other buildings, but I don't know where he's possibly taking me here.

He opens my door and leads me to one of the buildings. We go up the stairs when I see a sign that reads: „L.A.L.D.C. - „Los Angeles Latin Dance Community".

I raise my brows.
„What are we doing here Ben?"
He opens up a door to our left.
„We're taking dance lessons. Well. I am. You're helping me."

I'm not sure how to feel. Dancing requires a lot of body contact. I always wanted him to learn how to dance salsa and merengue with me, but now?

„There you are!", a beautiful woman walks over to us. She has dark hair that's in a long ponytail, red lips and she's wearing black leggins and a black sports bra.

„Here we are.", says Ben.

„I'm Marisa, you're dance instructor for today. And my partner Ian.. IAN!", she yells his name and smiles at us, as Ian comes running. „..will assist me."

„Hi!", he says a little breathless.

„Hi, nice to meet you.", I say to both of them. We shake hands and go inside the studio. First they show us what we - Ben - is going to learn, then it's our turn.

„Ben, this hand goes here.", Marisa places his hand on my upper back „and this one there, so Jennifer can take it."

I take his hand and my heart feels like it's beating out of my chest. His scent is mesmerizing and his breathing on my head drives me insane. My other hand goes on top of his firm, big and sexy shoulder.
I shake my head a little to erase those thoughts. A sexy shoulder?

„What's up?", Ben asks.
„Nothing.", I say and smile.

He knows what he's doing to me with all the touching.

We start with Salsa, Ben said he wants to learn since it's the one I like the most.

After some time I feel more secure touching him and being touched by him and not like it's gonna break me. That's nice.

I don't have to concentrate on the steps like he does, so I spend my time studying his face, which looks eager to learn and sometimes I just close my eyes and let him lead me. I kinda let myself fall into his trust of leading me good and he is a quick learner.

He smells amazing. I open my eyes back up, because I realize I let myself feel a little too much and I don't want that.

„So now you lead Jennifer with a little pressure in this direction so she'll walk around you. Hand on his lower chest and walk around, Jennifer. Yes, exactly.", Marisa teaches us.

My hand slides around his torso gently and I can feel his tight and strong muscles... Oh god.

„Well done!", both of our teachers applause us.
„If you're up to you could try a little free dancing and use what you've learned.", Marisa suggests at the end of our lesson.

„Okay.", Ben immediately says.
I secretly hope he messes up, because if he's good, I... I don't know... it will be harder to keep my feelings for him on the low.

The music starts and we get in position. I look up and smile at him. I've always loved the fact that he's much taller than me.

„Ready?", I ask him.
„Are you? For me?", he says jokingly.

I giggle and he starts. For a beginner he's actually not that bad. He doesn't know much but besides that he leads very well. And I'm a sucker for a good leading man. At the end notes of the song Ben spins me around, then leads me to fall back, my back is arched slightly, his hand on my back is holding me, my neck is stretched and exposed under his face.
I smile. He lingers a little in that position, until the music stops and he pulls me back up again, a little too close to his face.

I immediately get my hands off him and our teachers applaud us again.

„Amazing!", Ian says. „You're a quick learner!"
„Thank you, that's just because I have the best reason to be good.", Ben replies and smiles at me.
I feel like I'm blushing and I hope it doesn't show.

For the first time, I realize that there are now two people knowing we've been on a date. And I don't like the idea of rumors spreading.

Ben drives me back home and we're in his car.
„That was nice.", Ben says.
„It was, thank you. I always wanted you to dance with me."
„I know. I hope I fulfilled your expectations of how that would be.", he laughs a little.
I chuckle. „You did.", I reply softly.