chapter one. beauty and the beast: sebastian and mercedes dance, for old time's sake.
Mercedes and Sebastian's mothers sputtered through downed wine and silent laughter, the latter placing on a low blues disk and the former encouraging the youth to slow dance.
'You two used to dance all the time when you were younger,' Ms. Jones confided, drunkenly.
'In fact,' Tierney started, leaning over the disk player. 'You two loved this very song,' she trilled, 'this very song!'
Sebastian looked at Mercedes, slightly amused, but waiting for her reaction. He drifted between keeping his cool and being drawn into the atmosphere of the room, but he managed to remain unwavered until he saw Mercedes's own attachment. Mercedes only blushed and refused to look at Sebastian, refused to face the fact that he may be repulsed by the idea of pressing against her, but Sebastian lingered, praying that she'd remember the movement of his feet in their slow dance.
In a limbo of drunken provocations and miscommunication, Sebastian finally gripped the sofa tightly, and leaned over to whisper into Mercedes's shoulder, 'One dance. For old time's sake.'
Mercedes nodded quickly and gulped down the last sip of a glass of water, 'Just one,' she reminded, holding up one finger, why not?
The mothers clapped intensely when the couple finally rose, and shuffled the two to the center of the room, between the couch and the fireplace. The music seemed to lift, and Tierney swayed further away from her original place to allow the children room, Ms. Jones sipped a tall glass of dark wine, and smiled in satisfaction.
Sebastian stepped between Mercedes's feet slowly, placing his hand in the small of her back; he was too tall to lean his forehead onto hers, but he grasped her hand with his to bring them all the more closer. He ignored her stilted movements and the feeling of his mother's gaze in his back, choosing instead to focus directly on falling into rhythm with Mercedes's slow pacing.
Mercedes hadn't danced formally in years, and she feared that her palm began to sweat in Sebastian's hand, she caught a glimpse of her mother's eye during the first turn. Whilst attempting to relent from Sebastian's tight grasp, Mercedes was pulled back quickly, their eyes finally meeting.
"You haven't danced in a while, have you?" He asked somberly.
Mercedes shook her head, "Haven't had the opportunity."
Sebastian nodded and looked away, "Don't think so deeply about it, just relax. If you can remember what it was like when we were first together,' he chose his words carefully, "remember where my feet will move next."
Sebastian lightened up and resorted back to a less complex maneuver, but soon Mercedes's feet aligned with his, and her head cradled into his chest.
"I don't remember it being like this,' Mercedes whispered, 'And, then, I was in love with you."
Sebastian laughed, "I guess the feeling's passed?"
Mercedes remained silent as the two continued to sway back and forth, Sebastian thought that it could be like this all the time… if only.
Tierney silently gripped for her friend's hand, soft tears swelling in her eyes. She wanted nothing more than happiness for her son, she was even better if it included happiness for herself.
Mercedes felt Sebastian's heart racing in her ear, and she wondered if he could feel her's in his stomach, she only leaned in closer for the hope that he did.
Sebastian confessed, "I miss this."
"Me too."
He didn't know if it was time to express his feelings, he wasn't sure if it would ever be time. He didn't know for sure how he felt, but he knew he felt Mercedes's chest racing just like his, but to say the word… He sighed and cherished the moment. He could tell her that he loved, or so he thought, her another time. For now he could just be in love.