Out of the Flames

Chapter 4. Partners in Chemistry

Chapter 4.

Christine Sterling's POV:

"Blaire, you don't understand, when we danced, we had chemistry." I said to my friend from school and dance.

"Chemistry?! You are saying that you, Christine Sterling, have chemistry with a guy? The connection between two dancers that fall in love through dancing? Where they have been anticipating each others movements for so long they can almost read each other's minds?"

"Yes, I think so. I thought so anyways, is it possible for only one person to feel like that?" I asked.

"Yes Chris, practically every guy you dance with falls in love with you. You ooze chemistry when you dance. You put on such a show that you convince not only the audience, but the director and your partner."

"I know, but this was different. There was a true connection. I know-"

"Get back to stretching girls!" Our dance instructor, Mariah, yelled across the studio. Blaire and I moved away from each other and continued to stretch out. I swung my leg up onto the barre and slid into my splits. I looked in the mirror and saw the door to the studio open a crack and a young boy step in. The second my brain registered his bright red hair, I almost fell off the barre. He looked my way and I smiled at him. Edi crossed the studio to where Mariah was standing and started talking quietly with her. She quickly dismissed him and he came over to me at the barre.

"Hello Tina." He said with a charming little smile.

"Edi." I said returning his smile. I brought my leg off the barre and stood in front of him. "Excited for the most awkward day of your life?"

"Why is it going to be awkward?" He asked.

"Because you are getting assigned a partner today for the next six weeks or permanently if it works well. That means you get to dance with all the girls here and if you're any good-which you are-they will all drool over you. After you prove you're not gay, that is. That's what makes it awkward." I said finishing with a wicked grin.

"I'm not gay." He said flashing me a smile that made my heart pick up its pace.

"Your hair suggests other wise." I said, ignoring my pounding heart, I reached up and ran my fingers through his bright red hair once before returning my hand to rest lightly on the barre.

"I swear I'm not gay."

"Prove it to the rest of the girls when you dance with them."

"Or I could request you at the beginning." He said leaning in.

"And if I refuse because I want the other girls to think they have a shot with you?" I said stepping forward.

"I will make you."

"How?"

"I have my ways." He said suggestively as he took another step closer.

"What if I don't fall for it." I said looking into his bright blue eyes.

"Then I will grab you and make you dance with me." He said placing his hand right beside mine on the barre.

"Getting violent now?" I said cocking my eyebrow.

"I will be gentle, it will not hurt a bit." He started doodling on my hand with his finger. His eyes seemed to smoulder beneath his contacts and I had to make an effort to keep eye contact.

"Really, how gentle?" I said stepping close enough that if he moved two inches closer, we would be touching.

"Real gentle, nice and slow." He said, his fingers creeping up my arm.

"Are we still talking about dancing?" I asked batting my eyelashes.

He took the final step and leaned in to my ear. "No." He whispered. We were pressed up against each other and I was sure he could feel my heart crashing in my ribs.

"Will you two quit your flirting and start stretching!" Mariah yelled across the studio. Edi flashed a smile at me before stepping back and bending over backwards into a perfect bridge. I shook my head a bit dazed before returning to my stretching.

We spent another two minutes stretching before Mariah called us over to her.

"So, as many of you have noticed we have a new guy here, and since Chris seems so cozy with him, she can introduce him." Mariah said.

I blinked. "Um...this is Enrique. He just moved to Saskatoon." I shot Edi an evil look before adding one more sentence. "And he is so far in the closet, he found Narnia."

"What?! No, I am not. I am totally straight. Seriously, I swear on my mother's life." He glared at me with such fierceness that I knew he was already planning his revenge.

"Well then." Mariah said, obviously caught off guard by our little feud. "Enrique, I'm going to have you dance with a couple of girls to see who your best partner would be, ok?"

"Yes, could I do at least one dance with Christine, I feel like we would be good together." Edi stated in a tone that held enough authority for Mariah to take him seriously.

"Sure, but she kind of has a partner already. You can try though."

"Mariah," Jack, my dance partner spoke up, "I wouldn't mind dancing with Blaire for a while. We are good partners."

"Ok, thanks Jack." Mariah said with a smile. "Marie, why don't you dance with Enrique first?"

"Sure." Marie said stepping forward to Edi.

"Just something simple, I'll turn on the music in a second and Enrique you lead." Mariah said as she crossed over to the stereo. The music started playing and Edi gently took Marie in his arms. He danced with her for a couple minutes, but kept her at arms length the entire time. I watched with pleasure as he danced with three girls and had to keep my emotions off my face as I watched all of them fall in love with him. I did let myself smile a bit when I watched him remain unimpressed with all of them.

Finally, Edi spoke up. "Mariah? Could I dance with Christine now?"

"Fine."

"And I have a song, we danced it once before, it is on my phone." Edi said as he quickly scurried over to his bag and back to the stereo. He plugged it in and the song started. He rushed over to me and grasped my hand firmly in his like he never wanted to let it go. His other hand slid around my waist and rested on the small of my back. He pressed me closer until we almost moulded together. Then we danced. We moved together like one body. We were graceful, flowing and possessed by a chemistry that put Romeo and Juliet to shame. We twirled and glided across the dance floor blocking out everything but each other. I once again found myself getting caught up in his eyes, which, even though they were covered by his contacts, still showed every thought that passed through his mind. As the finale approached Edi pulled me even closer. I slowed my breathing hoping that he couldn't feel my pounding heart. He lowered me into the final dip and as his hand slid around the back of my leg, he leaned in and softly pressed his lips to mine. It only lasted a second, but it was enough to scramble my brain for a minute. As he pulled us back into a standing position, the other dancers burst out into applause. I ignored them and faced Edi. I slapped him across the face and was satisfied with a sharp sound.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"Proving I'm not gay." He said with a frown and a smirk on his face at the same time.

I sighed. "Guess I brought this on myself." I walked away from Edi and joined the group again.

"Chris, I think that you are the best match for Enrique. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to pair you two together for the next six weeks." Mariah said with a slightly amazed look on her face. I knew what was running through her mind as the same thing was running through my own.

How on earth did we have that much chemistry after three dances?

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That was probably the fastest chapter I have ever written. Wowzer, I am on a roll