[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.I wonder at her first choice, and something clicks inside me.An instinct that something is wrong with Cecilia.The strobe lighting was switched off for the slow song.Now the only light came from the DJ’s booth in a greenish glow.Lots of people had coupled off.There were hands on shoulders and hands on bums.Some of the couples were kissing.You were about to go back to the chairs at the side of the hall when you felt hands from behind, touching your hips.When you turned around, you couldn’t believe it.Hector was dancing with you.Touching you.His arms worked their way around your waist, his thumbs tucked under your red belt.You went with it.When Hector swayed, you swayed.Each movement brought you a little closer together.Until you were against him.Your chest, his chest.Faces touching, cheek to cheek.He smelled so good.Aftershave and soap and him.The song ended and you thought it would finish.But he didn’t move on.He still had you in his arms, you still stayed there.Nothing like this had ever happened to you before.You had to remind yourself to breathe.Almost didn’t want to.You thought that the breaths might somehow count time along, drive it forwards, when you wanted it to slow right down.Hector tilted his head down.Your head was turned up.And your lips … your lips moved towards his.Oh my God.Suddenly, he jerked backwards.He said those words.You will never forget those words.I hear footsteps.I open my eyes.The drama teacher is next to me, and I take a step backwards.Everyone else has found a pair.‘The faller must stand upright, feet together, hands crossed over the chest like this.’ He demonstrates the posture.‘Tight butt cheeks, and keep the body stiff.’ He knows this will elicit laughter.He waits for it to pass.‘The catcher should have one leg in front of the other,’ he continues.‘Arms extended, take the weight mostly through the legs.The faller should say, “I am ready to fall, are you ready to catch me?” The catcher should reply, “I am ready to catch you.” Be clear with your communication.’‘Er, no thanks.I am just dancing, actually.Just dancing,’ Hector said, looking uncomfortable.You sobered up very quickly.The warm, woozy feeling was sucked away by cold reality.It was almost worse that he wasn’t being a prick.He kept holding you around the waist.Kept dancing, like it was no big deal.But he didn’t hold you quite as close.You saw out the song, wishing, wishing, it would just hurry up and end.Afterwards, you searched for Lara.She was nowhere.Not in the giant circle that had formed on the dance floor again.Not in the corners of the room.There was a queue for the toilets, and you joined.You were just behind the door when you heard it.It was Lara’s voice.Your friend’s voice.‘And then, she leans in for the pash –’‘No waay!’ squealed an Abbey.You could tell it was the blonde Abbey because she was one of those girls who always elongated her words.‘Like, as if Hector is ever going to want to pash that fugly!’The other Abbeys cacked themselves.It was the best joke ever.Lara’s laugh was in there, too.You could just see their smirks in the mirror through the half-closed door.Lara’s hairstyle was back in place again.Messy at the top.Two long pigtails.‘So, I’ll be your partner today!’ The drama teacher’s voice is artificially bright.My teeth are clenched as I nod.Around the hall, questions and answers are spoken.‘I am ready to fall, are you ready to catch me?’‘I am ready to catch you.’It’s a Trust Exercise.The teacher doesn’t object when I ask to sit it out.jackJack was walking on a well-worn path.It was the track that started behind the canteen and led down to the bottom oval.The gap in the bushes that ended at ‘the love nest’.Christened by heaps of couples before them.It had happened kind of like this with Tylah, a year before.Jack had taken her there to ask her if she’d go out with him.Her reply was pretty much guaranteed.She’d overdosed him with signals.So many messengers had approached him, letting him know she was up for it.That she was keen.But this, this was different.His heart was on a swing.This time, he wasn’t just going through the motions [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]