Unpredictable (A Dance Story)

Chapter 13

"When you lean on Holden, play up your injured arm," Miss Sarah instructed.

I leaned on him with all my weight and put my head on his shoulder. For the very beginning of the dance, Holden mostly did the dancing while I acted weak and injured. I collapsed a lot and needed help up. As soon as the chorus started, though, I got to really dance.

He stepped away and I hopped up, then brought my leg to passé turned it in and back out (chilly-willy), extending it out. I turned away, hips square to the opposite side. I began to penchée, but fell forward a little as Holden grabbed my middle and stood me up. I turned to the front and felt Holden's hands around my waist as I assembléd and jumped. It was a little jump where I was suspended for a second. I stepped out of it and 'collapsed' again, touching the floor with my left hand. I did a little ball-change, then circle-kicked, bringing my left hand up.

"Careful," Miss Sarah warned as we both pushed our hand(s) out in front of us, which I thought looked dumb with only one arm. Holden stepped up and I 'fell' back, kicking my leg up. My left arm went around his neck and his arm supported my back, catching me. I curled my legs in and he bumped me up. He had one hand supporting my legs and the other behind my back, kind of cradling me like a baby.

"Not bad..." Miss Sarah complimented.

I gulped, still looking up at Holden's face. Of all the duets I'd danced with him, this felt the most different. I knew that I had to trust him, more than I ever had before. And it felt a bit weird. He put me down and Miss Sarah started giving a couple of corrections, like she always did before teaching a new part of a dance. I listened quietly and wondered why everything had to be so weird and different now..

***

"Ella, I'm glad you could come!"

I smiled politely at Mrs. Almes, Abbie's mother. They had invited me to a bonfire at their house.

"Oh, hey!" Abbie called from the top of the steps, "Come on up!"

I nodded at Mrs. Almes as I made my way up the stairs and followed her into her room. Abbie's room was the same color as mine, since we'd bought way too much purple paint when we did my room. Abbie had liked the color and painted her room with the extra. The difference between our rooms, though, was the fact that mine was organized and neat, while Abbie's was kind of utter chaos. She had even cleaned it for the occasion, and it was still pretty messy.

"Hi, Ella!" Called Abbie's sister, sticking her head through the cracked-open door. Lacey was 2 years younger than us.

I waved and said, "Hey, Lacey."

She bounced away without another word and Abbie shrugged. "So. I heard you're back to dancing."

I wrinkled my nose. "Miss Sarah's making me."

"Just a duet?"

I nodded. "Abbie, it's weird."

She cocked her head. "How so?"

I tugged at the blanket on her bed. "I don't know. I have to rely on Holden a lot more than before. It's just different."

Abbie thought for a second. "Well, I can see how that could be different, but at least you can trust him."

"That's what everybody keeps saying. But it's weird between us, too. It's not that I can't trust him, but - Oh, I don't know."

Abbie was quiet. She turned away, but I caught a glimpse of her in the mirror, a big smile on her face. She knew something that I didn't. And then it came to me, an idea that explained everything.

Were Holden and Abbie dating?

I'd always guessed that he had a huge crush on her. I didn't know for sure, but, still...If they were, they wouldn't have told me. I hadn't done anything with them lately. That would explain the weirdness of the duet. He was probably uncomfortable with me, knowing that he was dating my best friend!