She'd been in a pink dress. Her blonde highlighted hair styled back, an uncharacteristic look for her. And he was just trying to be chivalrous. After all, he said, she was there, she should at least get a dance out of it. Part of her was tempted to take the dance. And perhaps a few months prior, she might have said yes. But after being in that town for just a few days, she'd quickly learned that things were complicated when you lived a real life…when you didn't move from one base to another in the blink of an eye. She'd learned that relationships were complicated. And so when she saw the nervous girl with raven hair edge her way into the crowded room, she knew what was right. She knew who he should be dancing with plain and simple. Because he and she were friends by a thread, and the raven haired girl and he….well they were more. So she turned to him and said "Chivalry noted, but I'm not the one you want to dance with…she is." And he had turned, seeing the other girl for the first time, and his face lit up, and left her holding her cup of punch. And she had smiled softly and downed the punch…wishing it had more of a kick.
The next time she was wearing orange. Another dress, but this time her hair was dark. It was four years later and the circles that they'd spun around each other through the years were spiraling closer and closer. They worked together. Every day. And it was impossible to work with someone without feeling closer to them. There was a swirl of feelings and emotion that was impossible for her to ignore. And here they were, inches apart. Dancing…until they weren't dancing…but nearly kissing…but the soft jazz music had broken into a sort of whine, as if announcing a presence, as if boding something to break the kiss. And her cousin's voice had broken through, heralding the return of the raven haired girl. And he stepped away. She looked from the girl to him and knew. She bit her lip and dropped her eyes as though casting a silent prayer that it wasn't true, what she had just realized. But there was no denying it. And it broke her heart a little. She was still not the one he wanted to dance with. She had faded away into the background. Through the wedding crowd and off to the porch, running a hand over her eyes to try and stop a few runaway tears. They were selfish tears anyways…
The third time she was wearing jeans. And it caught her by surprise. She'd walked into an empty barn after he'd called her. And suddenly it was all aglow with a gentle spinning light from a disco ball. Some song she couldn't place was playing in the background. When he stepped out, she felt something different. There was something in the way he held his shoulders…as though the weight of the world was gone from them…and it left her a little breathless. They met under the glow. When he accidentally stepped on her toe she worried for a moment that they would stop, that he would call it off. But instead, he pulled her close, and let her step on his feet. She bit her lip and looked at him, seeing a look for the first time that made her heart pound. He seemed…content. And when he said "I love you" it was honest and genuine. No need for a chivalrous show, no confused nonverbal emotion. Just a straightforward and clear thought translated into words. And she responded, saying what she'd wanted to say for longer than she would care to admit. "I love you too…" She closed her eyes, and rested her head on his shoulder. And didn't press him when he wanted to live in the present, after all, this moment….this present, was as close to perfect she could remember. The two of them, together, dancing slowly, with an overwhelming sense of peace, of weightlessness, of love. And as she listened to his heartbeat, one thought wandered in and out of mind….I can't believe I'm finally the one he wants to dance with….