𝓡𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓢𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 (𝓡𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓞𝓷𝓮)

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓢𝓲𝔁𝓽𝔂

Mistress Harriet has given us the last dance we have to learn before our finals. This dance is something called the tango, and I already don't like it.

We have to keep our knees bent the entire time, and I can't seem to figure out how to do that without hitting Arty at all. Normally, I would just give up or take a break, but I'm not moving from this room until I get this right.

"Cathy darling, you do not have to worry about hitting me. I promise everything will be fine."

I just nod and keep my hand interlaced with his. I don't know why, but the image of my hand in his is sending a warm feeling throughout my entire body. I can't stop my face from being heated, or my heart from staying inside of me.

I still have no idea what's happening to me, or why I'm having such... bodily reactions to him. It's not even just my body, my brain can't seem to get a break when he's around.

I seriously don't know what's happening to me.

It's not even nerves, I really don't feel any bit of nerves around him. My shaking comes to a complete stop when he's around. It's just... it's something weird, some weird emotion that I can't quite place.

"Are you alright?" His eyebrows are clenched as he squeezes my hand.

I shake my head and mutter, "W-What?"

His cheeks are tinged a shade of pink, "You were standing there in some kind of trance staring at me. Are you alright?"

I shake my head again and my face somehow manages to heat up even more.

For God's sake, why would I embarrass myself like that? Especially in front of him. I probably look like a crazy person.

I shake my head again and close my eyes, "I didn't mean that," I pause and stare back at him, "We should probably get to this dance now."

He tilts his head and almost says something but shakes his head, "Yes, yes of course. Do you remember the moves?"

I look down and smile, "Yeah, it's not that I don't remember those. It's just the knee bending."

He smiles and he bats his eyelashes, "Alright, I can try to help. All you need to do is lead with one of the bent knees and hold the other one back a little. I recommend leading with the opposite knee that I lead with."

I pause then nod. That sounds simple enough.

He keeps his hand in mine, and flexes the hand that's on the small of my back sending shivers up my spine. My lips quiver, and his eyes that were on mine shift to my lips. His lips part slightly as he keeps his gaze on my lips.

Why is he staring at my lips?

Maybe he's just waiting for me to say something.

I raise my eyebrow but let out a shaky breath, "Should we start now?"

His eyes instantly snap back up on mine and he shakes his head, "Yes yes, I apologize darling. I was just-" he cuts himself off and shakes his head again, "Let us begin."

I look down, and he shifts his left bent leg behind him. He bends his right knee, and I bend my left. I shift my right bent leg behind me. 

I stare back at him, and the weird gleam that's been prevalent for a while now returns. The gleam making his pale green eyes a little more... pronounced.

They look....

I shake my head. Why am I getting so distracted? Focus Catherine, focus. We need to do this dance.

He nods at me, and we go through the motions of the dance without taking our gazes off of each other. Even as small breaths escape from us both, mostly him. I can't even suppress the small smile that's consistently been on my face.