The Dance We Step To

I ran the brush through my bright blonde hair. I didn't mind the color so much now that I've lived with it for about twenty-five years of my life. At first I can't remember how much I hated it. It made me feel dumb and stupid. I had that philosophy up until I met him.

I guess he treated me nicely. I can't say that I ever really got treat so nicely before. I don't want to brag, but I'm pretty damn smart for a farmer. I was going to be a teacher but when my grandfather passed away, I guess farming was more of my calling.

I looked down at the picture frame that sat on my vanity. It was of a younger me and well, an old boyfriend. I don't want to talk about him. He was in the past. That's all there is to say.

His hair was the color of mud. His skin was burned and browned to a crisp. His skin was the roughest skin there ever was. He always wore a black tank top with a white towel always around his neck. I could never figure out why. I gave him for his birthday one year a purple bandana. He never took it off even when we would kiss. Sometimes it hid his hair, but I'd always pull it back so I could see that wonderful chocolate color hair.

I always used to care what I used to look like back then. Wearing all types of makeups. Not even really caring about my farm. Well, not really only when he was around would I doll up myself. How could I not love that toothy smile that he would always make for me, and only me too. Just kidding, he made it for everyone else I just never saw it.

Or when he first asked me out. That night was the best night. He booked Nick's whole dinner just for the two of us. I love the way he would make me feel like I was the only girl in the world. But on somedays, when fishing was low or he got bored and drunk. I hated those days. Sometimes I would have to write a list to why I still liked him. I hated those days. On those nights when he wouldn't go back to his shack on the beach, I would wish for Harvest Goddess to just take me anywhere but there. I would pray for him to just leave and never come back. Only in the morning, when he slept, it was the most wonderful sight there ever was.

That was it. I could feel the tears coming. He was the reason I left. I had made a life out there on the islands and he tore them down to soil I tilled on. I couldn't take it. Why? Why? Had he done something like that to me? What did I do wrong?

My hands found my face and I crumpled into them. I heard steps rattle the floorboards of my old farmhouse. Someone was in the house, but it wasn't like I cared.

"Claire! Claire!" It was his voice. Slowly my hands fell from my face. I tiptoed from the chair to the small attic crawl space. I couldn't face him. Not this way. Not ever. I closed the door and shivered. I couldn't face him again. Never again.

The steps got louder. Louder. Louder. Louder. And louder.

He stopped in front of the crawl space. I hyperventilated. He was coming. He found me. I can't leave. There's no escape. Please Goddess help me!

He began to open the door. The soft evening light began to shin in my eyes, blinding me from seeing his evil face. Goddess!

"Claire? Honey?" I could feel my eyes widen the size of dinner plates. The tear ducks opened and salty water poured from them.

He faintly smiled at me and held out his arms at me. I crawled out from the crawl space into his arms. This guy knew me too well. He rocked me back and forth. Slowly he stood and brought me down the stairs into the kitchen. He pulled out a chair and sat in it with me in still in his arms, like a child he used to say.

"Claire? Honey, you want to talk?" I love his voice. His voice is smooth like silk. His hands are ruff, but the rest of his body is smooth and creamy. His eyes are like perfect ores that he chips away at the mines for hours at a time, just so he can make a single necklace that I will buy. His toned muscles are out of this world, the way he can easily lift me. Or how he hides his warm autumn hair behind his father's UMA hat.

Slowly he takes off his hand and places it on the kitchen table. He runs his left hand through his hair and I sit myself on his lap.

I stare at his eyes. There's nothing more beautiful in this world than those eyes.

"Gray…"

"Mhmm?" He cocks his head to the side. I love the way he thinks. It's like the Goddess blessed him with knowledge of the world.

"We should probably get going." He smirks. I love the way he smirks.

I slide off his lap and let my pink high heels touch the hardwood floor. My soft peony dress ruffled down my body as he took my hand a steadied me. I love his rough hands.

We entangle our fingers and leave my farm.

…

It was way too late at night to check the time and a little too early to leave. I glanced up at Gray, his soft blue eyes stared down into mine.

"Hey, do you think it's time to head home?" I questioned.

"Sure. It is getting late." He shrugged and I left his arms and walked over to the birthday girl, Ann.

Her hair was braided around the top of her head, but that was formal as it got. She had on an overall dress with her usual shirt on, not that it mattered.

"Hi Ann. I think I'm gonna go. I have to visit Jill tomorrow. She wants me to show her the ropes again."

"Alright. Before you go, if you see Gray tell him Mary is looking for him. You know she's just dying to get a dance in with him."

"Haha. Yeah." Damn. We kept our relationship a secret. Not like anyone cared. But, Mary has always been on his tail for almost their whole lives. It might be too much of a shock that the new farmer only knows him two years and she gets him.

Anyway… not like I'm bragging or anything, but my handsome boyfriend and I have to-

I flip my head around. Gray disappeared! I spin in circles but he's nowhere to be found. I slip through the crowded dance floor weaving my way through couples, till I spot him and Mary dancing.

Just from one glance I can see the pain he has on his face. I slowly wade my way through till I reach them. Tapping Mary on the shoulder she shivers and looks over at me.

"Claire?"

"Mary, may I cut in?" She glared at me. Shit I think she knows.

"Fine. See you later Grayyyyyyyy!" she practically squeals his name out.

Instead of taking his hand, I just walk home. By the time I reach the Blacksmith's he's got his fingers entwined with mine and he's pleading for me to talk to him.

"Please Claire. There was nothing in the dance. She just asked for one dance." Pretty much that was what e said till we reached my house and I was glaring him down on my front porch.

"Look Gray. I know you don't think too much about it. But what if I just waltzed on over to Kai and danced with him. You'd get jealous too right?"

"What? But Kai annoys you. Wait your jealous?"

"Yes I'm jealous. I don't want Mary stealing you from me. That's happened one time too many."

I turn around and unlock my door, I step in ignoring Gray and walking through the kitchen till he- wraps his arms around me and whispers in my ear "Claire you're the only girl for me."

He turns me around and cuddles me body into his. We slowly sway back and forth as the fist pumping music drifts through the farm houses' open windows.

How could I not love this man? He's everything that other one wasn't. He doesn't just create emotions, he lets me have a field day with them. And no matter what time of day it is, he's always there, right beside me. As we sway to the music of the night.