Lead & Follow

Step 2, Ballroom

In-Between: 2/5
Summer 2 | Step 2, Ballroom

"And,  ta-da~!" 

After what feels like an eternity of suspense, the soft palms which shield your eyes from sight lift. 

" Beachside Dance Studio? " you murmur incredulously. Your eyes graze over the large, neutral-toned sign which lays ahead, and the swanky, modern-design building which rests behind it. " What –"

"I know you're a little hesitant to try new things, like Randy, but it's about time you put yourself out there!" 

You turn to one of your oldest, dearest friends, Terry Brook, and shoot him a withering glare. 

"Terry, why are we here?" you grumble, and it's only now that things start to click for you. You're on the receiving end of an infamous Agent Terry scheme. Double-crossed.

"I'm glad you asked, [Nickname]," he responds with unfettered enthusiasm. From the depths of his pockets he retrieves a couple of crinkled tickets. "I signed us up for ballroom dance lessons!" 

It's been a couple of years since you've graduated and lots of things have changed around you. Two of your best friends have gotten together, and one of them has come out as male. 

You're enrolled in online courses now, and you're tossing around the offer to room with Cove at his place. 

In the end, you think the only thing that has remained the same around you is Terry's infallible spirit–even in the face of your less than stoked expression.

"I'm a terrible dancer!" you retort in flustered protest. You weren't much for dance, and you certainly weren't good at it. In fact, the only reason you'd ever given it a shot in the first place was–was because of Baxter 

You banish the very thought from your head with a furtive head shake.

" Exactly the point, my friend!" he chuckles boisterously as he waves the tickets around like they herald the existence of pirate treasure rather than unnecessary vexation. "I know you're always hanging out with us or Cove, but you don't ever branch out–adventure anymore."

Can you blame me? you think, somewhat deflated. The last time I threw myself into the fire, I came up burned.

"I think we both know that me and adventure don't mix very well," you murmur in a low, reserved tone. Your gaze falls to the asphalt below.

Terry frowns. His bubbly persona finally tempers in the face of your obvious despondence. 

You've been without Baxter longer than you'd been with him, and for the most part you don't coop yourself up and stew on the hurt feelings anymore, but to those close to you, it's obvious. 

The carefree part of you which had been cradled by your blissful childhood in Sunset Bird had been the one thing that had never–may never bounce back.

"[Name], I," Terry begins with an anxious expression. Despite his usual upbeat persona, heavy subject matter always settles like a stone in the pit of his stomach. "I know you're scared to try again, b-but I'm not asking you to go on dates or anything! Just, y'know, baby steps!"

"Baby steps?" you echo with a raised brow. 

"Yeah! One new thing at a time!" he suggests, his mood bouncing back almost instantaneously. "In this case, an awesome new activity, and some one-on-one time for us overworked secret agents!"

He flashes you a cheesy grin and thumps his sternum with a pointed thumb as if you couldn't already infer who the 'secret agents' were in this case.

The look on your face is skeptical at best, "Well, I mean, couldn't we have done parasailing or something if that was the idea? Ballroom dancing seems a little romantic–like maybe something you should save for Randy?"

"Would you have really gone parasailing?" he counters, eyes bright and expectant. "A-And besides, Randy hates this sort of thing."

"Uhm," you think over his hopeful question. "Maybe, but…I guess you did already buy the tickets for this."

"Yep!" Terry whoops in the face of your reluctant agreement. "Look out, dance class! Agent Terry and Agent [Name] are going to dance circles around you!"

You sweatdrop as you observe his seemingly hyperbolic enthusiasm. "Are you really this excited to be pressuring me to mingle?"

"That's part of it," he admits with a devious expression. "But there's also a built-in bonus perk to this whole scheme!" 

"Oh, yeah?" you reply with an affectionate smile. "What's that?"

"After we ace this course, you'll never be impressed by some jerk and his sick dance moves again, naturally," Terry proclaims, and his eyes are practically on fire with determination.

Suddenly, his insistence towards this whole thing makes a lot more sense. You're reluctant to agree, and secretly considering an escape route up until this point–but their ulterior motives strike a chord in your heart.

Your friends are incredible.

"Thanks, Terry," you laugh, though happy tears well up in your [e/c] eyes because you are just so touched by their kindhearted ministrations. "I actually like the sound of that."