Pull at my Heartstrings

Turns Out It's Not as Easy as it Looks

It’s been two weeks and I’ve managed to befriend my dance partner–though, it’s still hard for me not to burst into giggles when he talks to me outside of class. It must be painfully obvious I have a huge crush on him.

Monday, we head into choir together. First period.

Rather than simply making light conversation, it’s not been really long and we’re already making inside jokes, talking about which teachers we like, which we don’t, and how classes are going. We spent the weekends hanging out as well. Not like, date hang outs, more of calling each other on Skype, texting, or hanging out at the local gas station.

The bell rings and everyone hushes, scrambling to their seats. Mrs. Crum hurries in holding a CD.

We have the songs down, now for the dance.

Usually, the choreography is done by a small group of professionals. They are friends with Mrs. Crum and they agree to create an original routine for each of our three songs for each of our four yearly concerts.

Mrs. Crum is just putting the CD in when Dirk asks me what it is.

“Well, you know the songs we just finished learning? Well, that CD has the choreography for those songs. This is where the dancing comes in.”

“Oh,” he smiles at me. “Well I’m excited for that.”

I giggle like an idiot.

Mrs. Crum turns off the lights and presses play. I’m confused as I watch. Yes, we do things like this a lot, with guys and girls being really attached, but usually every group is as important and watched as the rest. In the video, one group remains front and center the entire time.

After we watch the entire thing, Dirk has a big smile on his face. Oh geez.

Mrs. Crum turns on the lights again, “Okay… I know we’ve never done something with placements like this before… but we’re going to try it. Now, who would like to be here?” She points to the front and center group.

All around the room are people trying to convince their partners that they should. Victoria nudges me.

“You should!”

“Eh…”

Dirk raises a hand without even asking if it’s okay with me, “We will.”

“All right, Dirk and Amber, front and center. Who would like to be here..?”

I’ve stopped listening. I slowly look at Dirk. “Why..?”

He shrugged, “Because it looks fun. They did most of the action.”

‘They’ ended with a kiss.

“Are you really willing to learn all that?! And do all that with me?! Of all people!”

“Well, yeah. As I said; it would be fun. Besides, I don’t really like most of the girls in this class.”

I make a face, “Why not? They’re all hot. They’ve got what I don’t.”

He shrugs, “They’re not my type.” He then smirks at me. “Besides, you’ve got something they don’t…”

I raise an eyebrow, “And that is?”

“Me.”

I smile a big, stupid smile and giggle. Then facepalm.

“Okay! Clear the chairs! We’re learning this!” Mrs Crum announces.

We pick up our chairs and stack them in the back. A guy walks over to Dirk nudges him with his elbow smirking. He mutters something to him, and Dirk just smiles, his cheeks turning pink.

I shake my head, and take my place in the center of the room. Groups gather behind me, and Dirk joins me in the front.

After some trial and error, we manage to learn the first minute of the first song. So far, the most contact we do is hold hands and brushing past each other to switch sides.

Though, the second day of choreography is a lot more touchy-feely.

After the first minute of the song, the first musical bridge comes in and we don’t have to sing for about ten seconds.

The back row pairs involve the guy simply grabbing the girl’s hips, the girl putting her arms around his neck. The middle row involves the guys twirling their partners and end with a dip.

Our part?

Dirk has to start by holding onto my hips tightly. I have to jump up while he gives me a little momentum and wrap my legs around his waist, my hands on his shoulders. This has to hold me up. Then, after a moment, he leans forward, I lean back and until my back is inches from the ground. After we do that he lightly tosses me in the air just enough so I can unwrap my legs without awkwardly falling and land so I’m standing in my original position.

And this is just the first song. Also, you’d think ten seconds isn’t enough to do all of that.

While the other pairs got their parts down, Dirk and I have to watch it a couple times. Our first attempt is a little jerky, and a little awkward. It doesn’t help when someone wolf whistles. I blame the whistle for when I fell off Dirk.

After we finish our sixth try, I still can’t land myself on the jump. I look at Dirk and see that he’s not even broke a sweat. Under those clothes must be a very toned body.

I’m blushing and probably drooling.

I shake it off and look at the teacher, “Okay, just one more try.”

Mrs. Crum pulls out two CDs. “I knew you guys would have to take a little longer with your part, so I got a second CD with the track, and a second with the dance. You two can work out on stage if you like. I can send someone out to check on you every now and then.”

I’m grateful. I felt so awkward doing this in front of the class–all the side comments and all the whistling gets annoying and embarrassing.

Dirk nods thankfully, takes the disk, and walks over to the doors leading out to the stage. I follow. Once he has the disk in the player and ready, he turns to me with a smile.

“Wanna start from the beginning?”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

We stand in the middle of the open curtained stage, start the track, and start from the beginning. While learning the choreography, it’s easier not to sing at the same time. I attempt lip syncing while we dance though.

I nail the jump, firmly placing myself up on Dirk. The track continues to play, but I’m too busy smiling widely. I gasp and squeal.

“I did it! I did it!”

“You did it.”

“I did it!”

“Now can you do it again?”

My celebration ends and I huff. He holds my hips tightly and gives me a little toss, helping me down. I walk over to the track, press the rewind button, and then play. I stand in my starting spot.

“Let’s do this!”

I don’t stumble this time, and I don’t take the time to celebrate either. By this point, I was so focused on the jump I’d forgotten what came next. Until Dirk was leaning forward and I suddenly remembered I was supposed to lean back. Then, on perfect cue, I’m let down.

Once I’m safely on the ground, I jump around squealing. Dirk has to grab my shoulders and shake me to remind me we have to keep going until it’s smooth.

After getting that, we’re told to go back inside.

Every day, instead of dancing with the class, we go out to the stage. The class hasn’t even seen our routine since we were just beginning and messing it up.

On the fourth day, we finish the first song and begin practicing it over and over.

We hear doors open and close, and Victoria’s voice. “Hey, guys. Mrs. Crum says to come back so we can do it all together.”

She came just as the song was almost over. I hold a finger up to her so Dirk and I can finish.

He turns me, plants his right hand between my shoulder blades, his left hand hooking under the knee of my right leg. On the last note of the song, my left arm is around his neck, my right limp.

We stay in that pose for a second, before he lets go of my leg and pulls me back up to a stand.

“Good job, Amber.” He sas in mock professionalism.

“You too, Dirk.” I return.

We both look at Victoria.

“OHMYGOD YOU TWO ARE SO CUTE TOGETHER I’M TELLING EVERYONE TO COME TO ONE OF OUR CONCERTS JUST SO THEY CAN SEE THE GOTHIC COUPLE IN SCHOOL TURNS OUT TO BE THE CUTEST!!!”

I’m stunned, and wave my hands nervously, embarrassed. “Wait, Victoria… we’re not really a couple.”

“Keep telling yourself that~!” And she skips back into the choir room.

I look at Dirk, to see what he thinks, and he just laughs. It sounds forced, and a little nervous, as if he’s trying to cover something up. I crack a small smile and follow in the direction Victoria went.

We walk into the room and Mrs. Crum looks at us. “Victoria tells me you have the first song down. So you can practice it with us now.”

I nod, and we take out places in the front. Dirk hands her the disks.

“All right everyone, please try to sing a little while doing the choreography. The sooner you can do both at the same time, the better.”

I can feel eyes watching us before the song even starts, the entire class curious as to how it looks. The first minute is easy, and once we get to the jump, I can tell people are just waiting for me to mess it up.

It’s perfect and as smooth as a hot knife through butter.

We do the entire song easily, all the while I hear the occasional gasp of girls behind us messing up. And their parts are easier than mine.

I’m too busy smiling to lip sync, let alone actually sing. And when I look at Dirk, I can see he’s doing the same.

By the finishing pose, I can’t take my eyes off him. Considering our faces are pretty close together.

I manage to turn and look at poses of the other rows.

The back row pairs are just standing.

The middle row pairs are holding hands.

And then there’s us.

Dirk pulls me close to him and shifts so I’m standing on my own feet again. He turns to the class behind us, and bows. I giggle and curtsy.

Victoria is the first to clap with a wide smile, followed by most of the rest of the class.

Mrs. Crum looks proud. “Well, that’s just the first song.”

Yup. The second is much more touchy-feely than that one. And the third is much more than the second. Not to mention that the last song ends with a kiss.