Miami, Florida 1963

"Puedes darme otro bazo de agua, por favor?," Katey asked the waiter fluently, tapping her pen on her notebook in a nervous fashion.

"Si, enseguida," the waiter replied and rushed off to the kitchen with his other orders. Katey looked out into the street from the little Puerto Rican Café in South Beach. A mixture off prettily-tanned locals and milky-toned tourist walked past the trendy boutiques to the beach in the latest styles.

Katey sighed. She checked her watch for the fifteenth time in the past five minutes. 'Where's Joann? She was supposed to be here ten minutes ago.' She flipped through her notebook and turned the pages to the back cover of the leather-bound book.

Taped to the back cover was a picture of a gorgeous American girl in a simple blue halter dress, sitting in the booth of a club next to a handsome Cuban boy, hugging her close to him while the girl flashed a smile at the camera.

They were surrounded by the friends they have made there together, perfecting the picture perfect scene all with genuine smiles. Her parents were in the background, filming the dancing in a documentary-like fashion. In the background of the picture were the words painted: La Rosa Negra.

Katey smiled. She fingered the face of the boy in the picture. She wishes she could've had more time with Javier.

Javier…

'Where are you now?'

The day after the scene in the club, Katey moved back to St. Louis. She was enrolled back into her old High School. She was back to her old life. She wrote to Javier long letters almost every day and he always replied. Her friends reassured her that it will be like she was never shipped off to Cuba.

When her friends would remind her of this, she would smile and agree with them but inside her heart would just re-shatter. She would put on a good face for her classmates and parents so they wouldn't worry about her. She knew her parents would understand, but she needed to be strong. If not for her, for Javier.

Every night, she would come back from school, and collapse on her bed, sobs wracking her body, trying to convince herself she was back in Havana, back dancing in his arms. She would always fail horribly. Susie would then go on Katey's bed and brush her hair soothingly. No words were needed.

Katey got accepted to Radcliffe. Too soon the year was closing to an end. Before she knew it, she was packing up her things and putting them in the car, moving into her dorm-room. She immediately became the most popular girl on campus. Boys wanted to date her and girls wanted to be her best friend.

Guy after guy would ask her out but she would always decline. She knew nothing could ever come close.

That was the year she met Joann.

Joann was her roommate. She wasn't like everyone else. She was the shy girl, just like Katey. She didn't go out of her way to please her, she would just be herself.

When Katey got to know her, instead of the quiet girl she thought she was, she grew to know Joann for her quirky, silly, loyal self. They hit it off almost right away and Joann became Katey's pillar of support. Like a long-lost sister.

As the years went by, Javier's letters became sparse. As tension increased between the United States and Cuba, so did her depression. Finally, Javier couldn't afford to send anymore letters and Katey got her last letter. As she read it, her vision became blurred with tears. She set down the letter as she read the last sentence, staining the print with her tears:

"I will love you always."

Katey didn't get out of bed for a day. When Joann got back to the room from class, she read over the letter and gasped, knowing what this meant. She sat on Katey's bed and cried. She was crying for her best friend. She was crying for Javier.

Katey had told her before about how when she moved to Cuba, and how she fell in love with Javier. Instead of being repulsed that she dated a foreigner, she smiled and gushed on how romantic that was and squeezed her for every detail.

Katey was simply relieved she could talk about Javier for once instead of feeling she needed to hide him. They sat up and talked all night, drinking what Joann called "pop", and eating junk food. Katie told Joann everything: his smile, his accent, his boyish appearance and even his gentlemen manners. How he would make fun on how she couldn't move her hips and her squeamish nature when dirty dancing.

She even got out the box with pictures of Javier and her out. She hadn't touched them since she was seventeen.

Joann flipped through the pictures. "Awwww… Kate! You guys were so cute," she squealed, looking over the pictures excitedly.

Ah, Yes. She remembered these. There were pictures of Javier and Kate swimming in the turquoise water, some of them spinning around in each other's arms during sunset in the sand, and of course some snapshots Susie took of them dancing during the competition.

The other ones were Javier experimenting with the camera while practicing in La Rosa Negra. They included some of Katey striking a ballet position to demonstrate to Javier the proper posture in ballroom dancing and others of Katey in silly posses, trying to make Javier laugh.

"I miss him so much," whispered Katey, wishing she could relive these pictures. If only…

After her all-night convention with Joann, she felt better, like a weight lifted off her shoulders. She no longer cried every time she thought about him. Of course she always felt sad, but it was something she could live with. She was probably the only person she knew who sobbed all thirteen days of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

People thought it was because she was afraid, but she was even more afraid that she didn't know what this meant for Javier. She didn't like this feeling of uncertainty. Katey then made a pack with herself. She wouldn't need a man to live her life, be a housewife in the suburbs, or wait for some guy to sweep her off her feet. No, she would make something out of herself. She would show the world how strong she was.

Katie graduated from Radcliffe at the top of her class. Joann and Katey then rented an apartment in Chicago so they could get jobs. Joann wanted to become a secretary and Katey wanted to become a writer.

Finally, at the age of twenty-three, Kate became a published author. She wrote her first book, Dirty Dancing, about an American teenage girl who falls in love with her Cuban dance instructor and the tension it causes.

It became an instant hit and before she knew it, she was number one on the bestseller's list. For ten straight months, of course. Joann grew tired of her "macho pig" bosses and worked for Katey as a personal assistant, which she clearly needed. The duo was inseparable.

Joann and Katey moved to Miami two months later into a small apartment in South Beach, where Katey hopes to get inspiration for her next book…

"Kate!" Joann shouted from across the street, bringing Katey out of her daydream. There stood Joann, carrying seven very large shopping bags, waving frantically with her free arm. It was a comical sight because the shopping bags seemed to swallow her up next to Joann's petite frame.

Getting too over-excited, about what God knows, Joann dashed in front of traffic, causing many startled drivers to start honking their horns, with various shouts of "watch where you're going" and many other colorful phrases. Joann waved half-heartedly at them, continuing to run towards Katey, her two inch heels clicking behind her. Finally, Joann reached their table, setting down her bags and plopped down in the chair, catching up with her breath.

Katey would've been laughing at the display, but this was an almost every-day occurrence with Joann.

"Why were you so late? You'll be the death of me someday," Katey chastised with a smile.

Joann looked at Katey with the same excitement she had before.

"Ooh Kate you can't blame me! They were having the most fabulous sales! I was on my way to lunch and I actually was going to be on-time, but they had the cutest penny-loafers in the window and I HAD to have them," she said in a rush, and to prove her point, grabbed one of the bags and pulled out a pair of khaki penny-loafers, which Katey had to admit were pretty cute.

"And the other six bags?," Katey asked playfully, gesturing to the massive mob of shopping bags.

Joann peered shyly through her eye lashes. "We're not in Chicago anymore, Kate. This constitutes for SOME new outfits," she whined.

Katey chuckled at Joann's attempts at a pout.

"I don't mind you were late, as long as you bought something for me," she said, actually trying to make an attempt to be…well…girly, which wasn't often.

Joann giggled. "Of course silly!," she exclaimed. Joann then went into detail of all her purchases, except one, which Katey didn't push when Joann wouldn't tell her, but she was curious.

The waiter came back with the glass of water and took their orders, which Katey said in perfect Spanish. Joann wasn't awed by it like she used to be. She just silently sipped her café con leche.

"So Joann, what's on the agenda for today?," Katey asked, taking a gulp of water. It was rather hot for May.

Joann took out Katey's planner, which was a pretty thick book, and her glasses out. She opened the book and flipped through the pages until she was at May, 1963. To Joann this book was her Bible as Katey's notebook was to her. It held everything: book signings, readings, appearances, deadlines for upcoming chapters. If she were to lose it… well it would be very, very bad.

She cleared her throat quickly and read quickly what was on the agenda.

"Well, at three-thirty, we have a book signing in Coral Gables and at five we have an early dinner with the Young Authors of America Association in a gala uptown. Then we have the rest of the evening to ourselves," she said, all playfulness gone from her voice, now that she was in business woman mode. With that she snapped her book shut and took off her glasses.

"Okay, that's not bad," Kate said once she absorbed everything. "Finally, a little time to myself," she whispered with a sigh.

Even though it was very soft, Joann picked up on it.

"Not so fast missy! I KNOW you are not going to spend another night alone!," she exclaimed, pointing a finger accusingly at Katey.

"But Joann! I haven't had time to myself in weeks! It won't kill me to stay in!," Katey pouted, sounding rather childish.

Joann shook her head. "No! I know what you're going to do. You are going to sit on your sofa reading Wuthering Heights in the middle of South Beach, which leaves me alone watching cheesy late-night talk shows. How boring! You've been doing the same thing for the past five years!,"

Katey peered at her friend under her eyelids suspiciously. "You have something in mind?," Katey asked sarcastically, already knowing the answer.

Joann fidgeted under her friend's gaze and twiddled her thumbs. "Maybe," she said. At this time the waiter brought there food, to which Katey mumbled a "gracias" and Joann just sat there, still twiddling her thumbs.

Katey took a deep breath in, trying to prepare herself. "And what exactly did you have in mind?" Katey asked, trying to sound at ease when inside she just wanted to run and hide.

"Well…," Joann trailed off and then turned her attention to her many bags. "Remember when I said I bought something for you?" she asked, trying her best to not upset Katey.

"How could I forget?" Katey joked, but it ended up coming out as a squeak. She was already getting a bad feeling about this.

Joann looked like she was about to burst. "In one of the boutiques I was in I saw this really pretty dress that would be perfect for tonight-," she said, trying to get Katey warmed up to the idea when she was suddenly cut off.

"Wait! Where will I be going tonight that requires me to wear a DRESS?" Katey asked, gritting her teeth.

Joann sucked in a deep breath. She only hoped Katey wouldn't murder her in front of so many witnesses. "Well, there is this Cuban dance club Downtown-,"

"No" Katey snapped quickly.

Joann though was prepared for this and cut her off before she could get a sentence out. "When was the last time we have gone out? Hmmm?" Joann accused, knowing she was right. Since she became published they haven't been out much and Joann was starting to get cabin fever. Katey couldn't sit around moping forever.

Katey opened up her mouth for a retort, but nothing came out and she just shut her mouth, glaring holes into Joann.

Joann recovered quickly. "I'm not saying you have to go out with any guys! I just thought you would have fun dancing. It can be a girls' night! No boys!" she swore, nodding her head reassuringly.

"Couldn't we just go to a movie or something? I heard a few blocks away they're playing It's a Wonderful Life. C'mon, how about it? You know you LOVE that movie," Katey begged, trying to bargain with her best friend. She knew Joann loved Christmas movies, even if it is the middle of spring.

Joann got a dangerous glint in her eyes. "You are going to get dolled up, you are going to this club with me, we are going to dance, and you will have the time of your life, got that?" she said in a tone that left no room for arguing.

Katey gulped. "Oh, fine. But I swear if guys starts hitting on me, we are far away from there," she said in a defeated tone. She knew how to pick her battles. It's not like she didn't like dancing. In fact, it was one of the only times she felt truly free, like in her own world where only she existed…and maybe another person if he were still around. Wuthering Heights after the literally hundredth time was a little boring, too.

Joann squealed. "You are absolutely going to love the dress I picked out for you! I even got the shoes and everything. Now I think maybe we should leave your hair down…," and with that Joann continued to ramble, to which Katey wasn't paying much attention to, knowing her friend was doing it more for her own benefit. Instead, she tracked down the waiter and asked for the check so they would have time to put back all the bags in the apartment and call a cab to Coral Gables.

The rest of the afternoon went on schedule: Katey freshened up and put new clothes on, Joann critiqued outfit and tried to force some accessories on her, Katey shrugged it off, called cab, etc.

They were greeted in Coral Gables by screaming fans, most of them girls, holding up books and banners. Kate then plastered on her phony smile and stepped out of the cab, waving to all of her fans as they were held back by security, Joann walked right beside her, scribbling furiously in her planner while Katey chit-chatted with her fans, signing autographs.

Inside the large bookshop she was greeted by the manager and from there Katey walked to a podium, where she began reading excerpts from her book. Afterwards, her fans clapped ecstatically and were now given the opportunity to ask questions.

"Where did you get your inspiration for Dirty Dancing?" a pubescent girl asked from the back. Kate inwardly grimaced, this question being asked constantly, and one she would rather not get into much detail.

"Well, when I was seventeen my father got a promotion and we had to move to Cuba. When I was there, it was the beginning of the revolution and, of course, there was a tangible tension. It was there where I was inspired to write this love story, to give hope and to show that love could prevail through even the worst conflict," Katey replied with passion, as if it were the first time she had answered a clearly unoriginal question. She was becoming a great actress.

Surprisingly, a full grown man stood up and asked, "Did you also get inspiration from personal experiences?" he asked in a pompous tone.

Katey felt as if someone punched her stomach and her pain only flickered across her face for a fleeting second. Nobody took notice though as she quickly recovered with a cheesy smile.

That question hasn't been asked in a while. Joann, sitting next to her, still looking through her planner with her head down, mumbled something like "asshole" so only Katey could hear. Joann knew how much talking about Javier hurt Katey. Hearing Joann, Katey smiled slightly.

"Yes, that is partially true. I was friends with a Cuban boy who was my age and just as smart, maybe even smarter," Katey paused, smiling a wistful smile thinking about the good things in Javier, "but he just wasn't given the same opportunities like me. He dropped out from High School when his father was killed by the government so he had to help his mother raise his family. He one night lost his job at the hotel I was staying at because of our relationship so to help him out we entered in a Latin Ballroom Competition so he could earn money. When Castro invaded Cuba, my family was forced out of Havana and he stayed behind to take care of his family, hoping his father didn't die in vain" Katey said in a storyteller manner, hoping her detailed narrative would stop all questions about Javier.

Her story earned many "awwww..."'s from the audience.

The rest of the questions were relatively harmless and she moved without problem to uptown for the gala.

There she ate her dinner quietly while people bombarded her with praise and conversation, to which she politely accepted and tried to seem intent on the conversation, nodding in all the right places, but she could care less. Finally, before she knew it, it was seven o'clock and time to trek back to South Beach.

Joann was bouncing excitedly on her heels next to her as she turned the key in the door. Katey groaned outwardly as she remembered why. 'Great…dancing…people…ugh,' she thought in that order, preparing herself for the worst.

When Katey opened the door, Joann practically sprinted towards her room where they placed all the shopping bags from this afternoon. In a matter of seconds, she was out of her room into Katey's room, where said girl sat at the vanity taking her hair down. Katey gasped.

In Joann's hands was a fabulous cocktail dress. It was a fire engine red that would contrast well with Katey's sun-kissed skin. Joann broke Katey of her stupor.

"So…what do you think?" Joann asked, eagerly awaiting feedback. Katey continued to stare at the dress. Joann pursed her lips in worry. "Kate, you're starting to scare me a bit, hun. Please tell me what you think!"

Katey look and the dress a bit more and stood up. She put a finger on her chin thoughtfully and broke the silence.

"Let me see how it looks." With that, she took the dress out of Joann's hands and dashed down the hallway to the bathroom. Joann walked to the living room, waiting to see how Katey looked. When Katey came out of the bathroom, all Joann could do was gasp. Katey made a face.

"I didn't know I would look that bad." Katey said, disheartened. Joann shook her head.

"Go look at yourself in the mirror" she said in a bossy tone. Katey let out a sigh and went to her room. What she saw in the mirror shocked her, to say the least.

The girl in the mirror was beautiful. The dress hung to her newly-acquired womanly curves. It flowed to just a few inches above her knee not covering up everything, but leaving just enough for the imagination. The halter top made it look like she had a bust that usually wasn't there. The dress had no back and started just above her lower back. Not only did the dramatic red compliment her skin tone, but it brought out her blue eyes. It was stunning. Damn Joann was good.

Joann stood in the doorway, holding up a pair of strappy heels.

"Let's not forget shoes now," she teased, tossing the stilettos in Katey's direction. Katey picked them up and put them on. She pointed out her leg to admire her heels. They were black and their sensuality complimented the dress well.

When she was done Joann was walking into her room, already dressed and ready to walk out the door. She had a dress similar to Katey but in a floral pattern with Jackie Kennedy heels on in red. Her hair was curled loosely on her shoulders and she had a hibiscus flower tucked behind one of her ears.

She looked stunning as well. But, how did she get dressed so fast, yet her hair and makeup done before Katey even finished strapping her heels on? Was she Superwoman or something?

What Katey failed to notice was the bottle of hair product and a curler in her hand. When she did spot them, she sighed.

"Please don't make a giant production of this, please?" she pleaded, hoping Joann didn't go overboard or took too much time, with her being a perfectionist. All she really wanted to do was go to the club and dance. Not that she would admit it out loud; she didn't want to inflate Joann's ego too much.

Joann chuckled. "Don't worry. It'll be done before you know it and your make-up will take even less time. I think we'll keep it light tonight since we're going to be sweating a lot. Ew! How gross would that be if your make-up smudged all over your face like that?" Joann babbled, in her own little world.

Katey didn't even try to snap her out of it. She knew her friend was partially insane. Nothing new there.

In a matter of minutes, her hair and makeup was done. Joann curled Katey's hair first and then lathered in some of the mousse substance so her curls would loosen, giving her a beach-like wave. All Joann did to her face was apply some faint blush, bringing out her cheek bones, dabbed on a little bit of mascara to make her already-prominent eye lashes pop, and applied a deep red lipstick making her lips pouty, but in a good way. It was a shame it was a girls' only night. They were dressed to kill!

They walked out of their apartment, out into the street, arms linked together. They weren't worried about being alone at this time of night in the middle of Miami. In college they both took a self- defense training class in part of their resolve to not depend on a man. They knew exactly what to do if they came across the situation.

They sang "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash and laughed at how off key they were the whole time they walked to the club.

The club was jammed. Latino couples were walking arm in arm to the door. The bass from the speakers vibrated in the air. The club seemed very small, nothing that separated it from the ordinary. There were no bouncers, like other clubs.

On the outside wall, a mural was painted. Katey had seen murals similar to this only in Havana. In the picture was a Cuban boy looking in the horizon. There was a beautiful sunset on the beach, bathing the sand in hues of purple and gold. In the sky was a woman's face painted where the moon should be. The woman didn't look like she was there; she seemed like a ghost maybe a spirit. She looked down at the boy with a wistful expression, her long hair flowing around her bare shoulders. There was a Cuban flag painted in the right corner. In the middle of this scene were the words, "Bailame el Agua".

Katey commented in her head that the name of the club was grammatically wrong, but it seemed to fit the place. Little tables were set up next to the entrance, covered in table cloth and a single candle emanating a warm glow from the middle. With a view of the ocean, it gave off the perfect date setting.

Joann and Katey stopped at the entrance. Katey looked back at Joann, who still had her arm linked with hers.

"Shall we?" Katey asked, quite jovially now that she was actually here. Joann giggled. "We shall" she replied, as they took long strides into the club.

The club inside was dark. On one side of the wall was a nicely decked out bar. There was a raised platform on the opposite side, where a Cuban guajira band played. Scattered around the room were various tables just like outside. Katey and Joann spotted a free table quick.

They sat down there clutch handbags and watched the dancing. Katey felt a sense of déjà vu. The couples on the danced floor danced close together, their bodies pressed together tightly. Most of the couples weren't that bad either. Some did intricate twists and dips. Others couples seemed like they were grinding on each other to the music.

Katey felt like watching these couples that she was violating their privacy in a sense. It also irked her that she used to dance with that sort of passion. Katey looked away as she felt the tears prick at her eyes. Joann interrupted her train of thought.

"Hey! Let's get a drink!" Joann exclaimed, grabbing Katey's hand and yanking her towards the bar. Katey yelped as the small girl practically forced her to run in three inch heels.

Joann came to a halt in front of the bar.

"What should I have?" asked Joann, going through the possibilities in her mind.

"Whatever you want. I know what I'm going to have," said Katey as she pushed aside her friend lightly. She had plenty of practice ordering drinks from bars spending a semester abroad in Spain. Katey called over the bartender, who first held such shock on his face she might as well be brought back from the dead, even though she had never met him in her life. But then he looked at her and smiled.

"Que quiere la chica linda?" he said as he gripped his hands on the counter. She shot a smile back. Maybe something good would come of this.

"Una Medalla por favor," she said, batting her eyelashes. 'Just work it…,' Katey thought, cocking her head to the side for good measure. He totally fell for it.

"Si con gratis" he whispered, leaning forward. Katey felt a want to slap the unsuspecting man for his apparent nerve but just sat back down on a stool and watched his receding figure.

Well, at least she got a free drink. Should she feel offended that she just got hit on for her looks or grateful she just saved herself fifty cents? As she debate raged inside her head, the bartended came back with a cold Medalla beer. Oh well, their lost.

Katey murmured a "gracias" and weaved through the crowd to their table, where Joann was already sitting with a Cosmopolitan martini. She sat down and took a swing of her beer. Joann gaped at Katey as if she were drinking kerosene on fire.

"What?" Katey muttered. If Joann kept sitting with her mouth open, she might start to drool which is not very attractive. She got herself out of her stupor and just shook her head knowingly, a sad small smile on her face.

"Do you know how manly you just looked just now? And I took so much time to doll you up-,"Joann whined but was cut off by Katey.

"Didn't you say this was a girls' night out? Then that means it doesn't matter if I just looked like a man or not, does it, if I'm not trying to actually get a man, am I right?" she said knowingly. She just caught Joann in her own trap. With that she punctuated her declaration with another swig of her beer.

Joann's only response was to glare at Katey as she sipped her cosmopolitan daintily. Joann was both confused by her friend's choice of words and her attitude, so just settled for an emotion between being annoyed and bemusement.

With that two burly men approached their table. They looked like they were from the Caribbean, maybe from the Dominican Republic or Haiti. They looked hungrily at the two girls. The one on the left spoke first, looking at Joann.

"Wanna dance?" he asked, holding out a hand in a gentlemanly manner. Joann looked at Katey, who was glaring daggers at her saying, 'if you take that hand I swear…,' but brushed it off and said in a light, sing-song voice "I'd be delighted."

As Joann walked away, Katey continued glaring daggers at her back. 'Maybe I should empty her makeup covert and throw it all in the trash. Or throw away all her Jane Eyre novels she covets so preciously…'

Katey was deep in thought, but was interrupted by a hand stuck out in front of her face. She looked up at the man's face who was trying to smile coyly but looked like his face was frozen.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked, awaiting her answer. She took another swing of her beer.

"Ummm…I…can't…dance?" Katey squeaked, looking away for a second, hoping the ordeal was over. The man grabbed her hands and pulled her out unto the dance floor wordlessly.

He pulled her out into the middle of the dance floor and placed her hands on his shoulders and then placed his hands on her waist.

'Okay, maybe just one dance and I can slink away,' Kate thought, formulating a plan. The band started playing a fast song. Katey swayed her hips to the beat, not releasing her rigid posture. He continued to stare into her eyes and she looked at anything but him.

'This guy is starting to creep me out,' she thought as he flashed her another hungry smile. Katey looked for Joann to make sure she was okay and found Joann was getting cozy with her partner. Midway through the song, Katey noticed her partner's hands wandering downwards to her thighs.

She shoved the man off. "What do you think you're doing?" Katey hissed, trying to get away from him and turned around. He grabbed her wrist and spun her into his chest and pulled her in too close for comfort. He placed his hands all over her butt.

He whispered huskily in her ear, "C'mon baby. You know you like it. Why try to fight it?"

The more she tried to wriggle out of his grasp, the more aggressive he got, touching what he could get. Luckily, Katey knew how to fight. She kneed the man in the groin and he doubled over in pain. He attempted to get up.

"When I get my hands on you, you little slut, I swear-" the man said trying to get to his feet, winded from the pain, but then was cut off by a punch to the face. A mysterious man stood over the now unconscious man.

"That's no way to treat a lady," the mysterious man said quietly. He spoke with a subtle Spanish accent. She was struck with the feeling of déjà vu yet again. Why was she feeling this way?

The man was dragged out of the club by two other men Katey assumed worked there, throwing him out into the alley.

The man turned around and looked directly at Katey. She still couldn't see his face as all the lights were lowered once a new song started playing, which was a slow song. He slowly placed her hands on the back of his neck and put his hands on her waist, not to startle her.

By the time he had set them up, Katey didn't have time to object. Plus, she didn't want to leave. In his arms, she felt safe, which she hadn't felt in six years.

She smiled at her savior. "Thank you," Katey whispered, hoping he heard her. He did.

"What is a gringa like you doing here," he asked bluntly, hoping to get an answer.

She bristled at the remark. "I will have you know that I speak perfect Spanish, thank you very much!" Katey retorted, not trying to brag.

He chuckled. "I'm sorry. Then what is an American girl like you doing here?" he repeated, stressing the words "American girl" with great sarcasm.

Katey knew what he meant. "I was kidnapped here against my will," she replied, keeping her best poker face. She could feel the mysterious man's shoulders tense up at her words. She laughed in her head.

He was so shocked all he could mutter was a confused, "Huh?"

Now it was her time to chuckle. "No, I mean my best friend dragged me here, saying I don't have that much fun," she said in a soothing voice, trying to calm the man. Apparently, it worked.

'Why am I being so open with this man I don't even know? But he seems so familiar. I feel like could tell him everything.'

He pulled her closer as the song winded to an end and she placed her cheek on his chest. She hoped the song would never end so she could revel in this sense of calm in her soul.

Everyone in the club clapped. The singer took her bows. She then took her place back at the mike and spoke, "Hello everyone! Welcome to the club Bailame el Agua! Tonight is our one year anniversary, as you all know, and it took years of planning and dedication to get to this point. Let's give a round of applause!"

Everyone then started to clap even harder some even whooped.

The singer continued, "This club started out as a dream by one of my good friends and now seeing it as a reality makes me so proud at how far he has come!" Katey now noticed she was still in this stranger's arms, but he made no move to let go. She took a step back so they were at arms length so she could get a better look at the singer.

A drum roll played in the background as the singer continued with her speech.

"Let's give it up for the owner of this magnificent club who turned this hole-in-the-wall into what it is now."

The spotlight shown down from the ceiling unto the mysterious stranger, startling Katey half to death.

No.

It can't be.

She wretched herself out of his grasp. Katey thought she was going to faint as tears immediately leaked down her cheek. This was a cruel joke.

No, he can't be here.

"Javier…," Katey whispered.

With that, she ran.

GLOSSARY:

"Puedes darme otro bazo de agua, por fasvor?"- "Can you give me another glass of water please?

"Si, enseguida"- "Yes, right away."

café con leche- A drink popular in Latin America and Spain which is coffee, milk, and sugar.

gracias- Thanks

Bailame el Agua- "Dance with me the water"; it is supposed to be grammatically incorrect. It will be revealed later why it is like that.

Guajira- A Cuban dance (look at scene when Javier is dancing in the street it's sorta like that); similar to the mambo.

"Que quiere la chica linda?"- "What does the pretty lady want?"

"Una Medalla por favor"- "One Medalla please" (Medalla is a brand of Spanish beer)

"Si con gratis"- "Of course. (On the house, free)"

Gringo/a- An insult; means foreigner, white person, etc. (Gringa just indicates you're a girl)

I know all of you are asking wtf? Why is he in Miami? How does Katey know Spanish? Why was the bartender so startled to see her? How did he know it was Katey?

All we be answered next time. Well…not all but you know what I mean.

-The Pink Panda 17