Kadian

The Great Mistake

Chapter 49

“Go dance with your man!” a girl exclaimed as she shoved Kadian’s back.

“No!”

“Why not?”

“He didn’t ask me to yet, he’s over there with them.”  As Kadian said this, the cluster of girls  surrounding her looked back to see Mohassen in the middle of a group of men and women.  He glanced at her, but continued talking to a friend.

“Girl, he won’t turn you down looking like that!”  A teen motioned to Kadian’s dark, navy green dress. The sleeves were short, but the dress itself was floor length. It glistened and sparkled whenever she moved.  

Kadian had intended on leaving her hair twisted, but the girls all agreed that she was due for a new look.  Instead, they combed her hair out and put it into a very low and loose bun, with a kinky fringe at the front.  She looked almost as lovely as she did the day she returned from Shango.

“You do look pretty,” Zuri murmured.  She wouldn’t admit that she had been having fun at the fest, but she was.  

“Go over to him!”  

“You shy?  Hold up- Mohassen!  I mean, Great Mohassen!”

“No!”  Kadian whined, but he was already on his way over.

“Yes?” he asked

The girl bowed before pushing Kadian into him.  “She wants to dance with you!” she said goofily as they all scattered off, laughing.  

Mohassen silenced them when he kissed Kadian’s hand, and led her to to center of The Log.  The drummers took notice, and immediately began to play gentler music.  

The villagers quickly forgot about Mohassen and Kadian, and began to couple up themselves.  Some men grabbed their women, while others walked carefully besides theirs.  Some of the girls threw their arms around their partners’ necks assertively, while others waited nervously to be touched.  The single girls watched from the outside of The Log, swaying gently.  The older single girls would become Undos the following day, but for now, they were simply single.

Kadian slowly put her arms around Mohassen’s neck, touching his hair as she did so.  “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while,” she admitted.  

The two began to rock and sway to the music as Mohassen placed his hands around her waist.

“Is it soft?” he asked.

“Very.”  

He smiled.  “Thank you.”

Kadian frowned.  The words sounded foreign coming from him.  

Mohassen noticed, and immediately said “You look very nice, Kadian.”

“Thank you.  You look nice too.”  Mohassen wore a deep brown, patterned jacket with matching pants.  Of course he didn't bother to wear a shirt underneath the jacket.  Kadian found herself staring at his chest before bringing her eyes back up to his.  

The connection the two shared didn’t feel the same as it once had.  There were certainly feelings lurking in Mohassen’s eyes, but Kadian couldn’t tell if they were positive feelings.  He also struggled to maintain eye contact.  Just when Kadian would start to think that everything was alright, he would break their gaze abruptly, eyes darting about.

“Are you okay Mohassen?” Kadian asked after Mohassen had averted her gaze for the third time.

“Of course!”

“So what is this?”  

“What is what, Kadian?”

“Why am I standing here right now?”  Her voice cracked.