The following morning, Patrick awoke to find that unsettling dream still trapped in his mind. While he knew it was a dream and only a dream, that didn't stop his mind from dwelling on it all the same, but he knew there was nothing to fear. It was perfectly common for one to get sucked into a frightening dream that felt all too real, but at the end of the day, they were tricks of the wandering mind. There was nothing about them to truly fear, as he reminded himself once more as he opened his eyes on that Sunday morning.
Just a nightmare, he told himself, his eyes shifting to his bedroom window. That's all it was.
He didn't let himself ponder about it any longer. Besides, what reason was there to spend time dwelling on something that existed only in his mind? He knew he'd planned on completing the rest of his class's tests for that upcoming week, so sitting there in bed lost in his thought wouldn't help. He wanted to spend the day as productively as possible, so he didn't waste time crawling out of bed.
His kitten, likewise, also wanted to spend the day as productively as possible. As usual, at the top of her to-do-list was meowing and rubbing up against Patrick's legs till he led her to the kitchen for her daily breakfast.
"Morning, Earnest," said Patrick, opening the blinds of his glass-paned window. "Lots to do today."
Instantly, the orange kitten jumped off the bed, trotted over to him and nuzzled her head into his leg.
"Yup, lots to do today," he repeated.
Earnest stared up at him with unblinking eyes and meowed loudly.
"What?" he asked, looking down at her, his lips breaking out in the tiniest of a smile. "You think I'm forgetting something? I was just going to go shower, get dressed and have some breakfast and then finish those tests. What's wrong with that?"
Earnest continued her morning meowing, not shifting her gaze from his.
"Oh yeah!" said Patrick, scooping her up in his arms. "Can't forget your breakfast. Silly me."
The kitten appeared satisfied with this answer. She flickered her tail back and forth slowly, while purring loudly.
As Patrick had planned, he spent that afternoon working away at completing the rest of the tests he'd be assigning his class that week. While he worked, Earnest kept him company by lying comfortably in his lap, occasionally glancing up at him as if to say: time for lunch yet? No matter what he was doing – working on teaching assignments, reading or watching a Yankees game – Earnest never failed to keep him company.
When Monday finally rolled around, Patrick's students were all seated at their desks, waiting for him to announce who would be first to complete the holographic search test. It came as no surprise to anyone to see that Em was fully prepared and based on her previous academic achievements, they'd be shocked if she scored less than a hundred percent. There was no doubt she'd make a fantastic teacher or librarian, what with how much she liked the course.
"Bet you'll get a hundred," Jay commented, who always sat across from her.
Em shrugged, and answered, "Maybe not."
"Course you will," Jay shot back with a little smile. "If there's anyone in the class who's acing this test, it's you. I'll be happy with a pass."
"You'll do good," she assured him, sounding relaxed and not nervous even the slightest. "Mr. Mac said he's never had anyone fail his tests before."
When Mr. Mac entered the room, he set his leather satchel down on his desk, turned to face his class and asked with an enthusiastic smile, "So who's ready to ace this?"
He could tell by their expressions that most were ready and he knew there was no need to worry. As Three-Dimensional Searching was often one of the tests students performed exceptionally well on, he felt confident this class would perform just as well.
"It's not hard, right?" asked Jay, always one to joke before a test. "I mean, it's passable?"
"Is it hard? That depends," his teacher replied. "Did you review the material?"
"Yeah," said Jay, scratching his head. "More than last time."
"Then you shouldn't struggle with it," Patrick explained, setting up his own holographic platform. "It's absolutely passable."
"Can I go first?" Jay asked quickly. "To get it over with?"
"Eager to get started?" asked Patrick. He then smiled and said, "Sure. You're up first then, Jay. As for the rest of you, if you'd each like to wait out in the hall till I call you in. Each test should only take a couple of minutes. You'll search up the major facts for your topics and then present those to me, so I certainly don't expect you to search up everything. That might take the rest of the year, so for testing purposes, we'll keep it short, simple and easy."
As anticipated, the class did remarkably well, with each student achieving a grade of eighty percent or higher. If they continued to perform as well as they were, Patrick felt they'd be more than ready for the end-of-the-year cumulative exam.
"You all did excellent!" Patrick said to them, sitting back down at his desk. "I knew you'd all ace it and sure enough you did. Well done."
"No tests for a while though, right?" asked Jay, heading for the door.
"Next test will be the week before Christmas break," said Patrick. "So from now till then, you've got a bit of a break."
Jay punched a fist in the air, uttering with excitement, "Sweet!"
As Patrick was checking the reminders on his comm, he didn't notice that Em had strolled up to his desk.
"Hi, Mr. Mac."
"Hey, Em," he answered, setting his comm down. "What's up?"
"Not much," she said casually. "I was just thinking about the school dance coming up. I know it's not till the end of the month and all, but I've been thinking about it lately."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, myself and a few other students were actually trying to see what teachers might like to come and chaperone? We've got three volunteers so far, but we still need two more. The committee and I have been doing all the planning and so far, it's been going great, but we're still short on two volunteers."
"Why do I have the feeling I know where this conversation is leading?" said Patrick out loud, leaning back in his chair and staring up at her with a small smile. "I've gotten very good at reading what's on all of your minds."
Em gave a small chuckle and said, "We can't have a school dance without you, Mr. Mac. You're the coolest teacher here. We just couldn't call it a dance without you there."
"Sure you could," said Patrick.
"No, really," Em went on. "We all want you to come."
Patrick shrugged and answered, "I'm sure one of the other teachers won't mind going."
"You won't mind coming though, right?" asked Em, her mind already flashing ahead to what the next part of her plan was. If I can just get Mr. Mac to agree to come, the next part should be easy.
Patrick stared up at Em, trying to read her thoughts but was coming up empty.
"Of course I don't mind," Patrick explained. "What I don't understand is what difference does it make whether or not I'm there?"
"Come on, Mr. Mac!" said Em, giving him a smile. "You're pretty much everyone's favourite teacher. It just wouldn't be the same without you there."
"So you really think I should go?" asked Patrick finally.
"For sure," said Em with confidence. "If you agree to come, then we just need one more teacher to come."
"Have anyone in mind for who else you'd like to ask?" asked Patrick, already sure he knew exactly who Em intended on approaching.
"Not yet," said Em quickly. Oh, I know exactly who I'm going to ask! There's only one other teacher I'd think of asking and I bet you know who it is too! "But I'm gonna ask around, see what teachers are free that night."
"Alright," said Patrick at last. "Well, if you really want me at the dance, then I'll be there, but don't expect to see any dancing from me."
"Oh, you have to dance!" Em exclaimed.
"Goodness no, I don't dance," said Patrick with a light chuckle. "But you'd better get going to your next class. Well done again on the test today. I knew you'd all do great."
"Right," said Em, turning and striding for the door. "So you'll be there, right?"
"I'll be there," said Patrick.
"Just one more thing," said Em. "Make sure to dress up!"
Patrick raised an eyebrow, chuckled and asked, "What for?"
Em was silent for a moment, then answered casually, "Makes it more fun that way."
"Alright then," said Patrick, going along with it.
"So you'll be there?" asked Em again. "In a tux?"
"I'll see what I can do," was Patrick's response. He then waved her off good-naturedly, saying, "You better get going though! Class is starting soon."
Satisfied, Em then exited the room and with a pleased smile, she instantly made her way to one of the other classrooms. It was only one room over from Mr. Mac's and she still had just a few minutes left before her next class, so she figured she'd have plenty of time to execute the next part of her plan. If this second part of the plan proved successful, then she had no doubt she'd be able to help pull off the final phase of this plan. As for the plan itself, she knew so long as there were no interruptions or major roadblocks, then these two teachers would take care of the rest.
It's perfect, thought Em, assembling all the pieces together in her head. Now if I can just persuade her to come, then my work here will be done. The rest will take care of itself.
As she was strolling into the classroom, she couldn't help think: I wonder how long it'll take you to say those three magic words, Mr. Mac?
When all the students had left for their next class, Patrick remained sitting at his desk for the next ten minutes, his mind drifting to a thousand places. He had another twenty minutes till he'd be transitioning from his role as a teacher, to that of a librarian. He thought back to when he'd first started working at Chelsea High, back when he feared how he'd be able to juggle the duties of both a teacher and librarian. At the time, it had seemed like a boatload of work and he wondered more than once if he could truly handle the responsibilities but after a few weeks at work...it became a world he could feel all but confident in.
What pulled him out his thoughts was a familiar voice.
"Hey."
Patrick directed his focus to the door and saw his next-door neighbour strolling in.
"Why hello, Ms. Norm," said Patrick formally, sending her a welcoming smile. "So nice of you to drop in!"
She smiled in return and replied in an equally formal tone, "Good afternoon, Mr. Mac. Such a pleasure to see you again."
The two chuckled at the exchange.
"What's up?" asked Patrick.
"It seems that I've been cordially invited to attend the school's upcoming dance," she stated.
"Well isn't that funny," Patrick remarked, drumming his fingers along the polished, wooden table. "I was also invited. I'm curious...who gave you the invitation?"
"Em Stickler."
"Ah!" Patrick exclaimed, it all making sense now. "Of course. She said they still needed two teachers to volunteer, and how coincidental she just happened to ask the two of us."
Amber shrugged and with a half-smile, declared, "Teenagers."
"Yes, teenagers," Patrick agreed, shaking his head. "Always up to something."
"She's quite smart though," said Amber.
"She's certainly one of my brightest students," Patrick told her. "She'll make a great teacher or librarian someday, but as of right now…I think she's got her mind on something else."
"You think so?" asked Amber.
"I'm almost positive," was his answer. "She was quite persistent in getting me to agree to attend the dance."
"They seem to like you," she offered, setting her shoulder bag on the desk. "Maybe they just want one of their favourite teachers there."
Patrick thought for a moment, setting his gaze on the rows of desks. Finally, he looked back up at Amber and said, "Perhaps. But I think it goes a little beyond just that. Did she ask that you dress up, by any chance?"
Amber nodded. "She did. Why? Did she ask you to?"
"She certainly did," said Patrick, leaning back in his chair, feeling like he was now playing the role of a detective. "Now I wonder why she'd want both you and I at the dance, all dressed up and fancy?"
Amber and Patrick locked eyes momentarily, both now on the same page as to what Em had had in mind when she'd invited the two to the dance.
"She's clever," Amber heard Patrick say. "I'll give her that. She's definitely clever. But she can't get anything past me. I know what's on her mind."
"So you think she's…what," Amber said, running through the possibilities. "Watching us?"
Patrick crossed his arms and looked Amber right in the eye, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "That's exactly what I think she's doing," he answered bluntly.
"But…why?" asked Amber, puzzled at the thought.
"Why, I'm not sure of," Patrick said, stumped. "But I'll bet you anything she's now taken on the role of Cupid."
"Just without wings and the arrow," Amber threw in, breaking out in a small laugh.
Patrick laughed and went on, "Yeah, essentially. Give her the arrow and wings and she's basically Cupid."
There was a short pause, and then Amber asked, "Are you going?"
"To the dance?" said Patrick. "I don't see as I have a choice. She was so insistent on convincing me it wouldn't be the same without me there, so I figured I better go. Not that I plan on dancing, though. I'm a terrible dancer."
"Ever dance before?" she asked.
"Uhh…not really," Patrick admitted. "But I'd be willing to bet on it that if I did, I'd be less than amateur."
"Oh, I doubt that," Amber shot back, locking eyes with him. "Step out on the dance floor, and I'm sure you'd know what to do."
"Ooh, I don't know about that," said Patrick, running his fingers through his hair. "I might be a teacher and a librarian…but I'm simply not a dancer."
"You'll dance a bit though, right?" said Amber, frowning as best she could. Patrick could tell she was fighting back a smile though.
"Well, I don't know," said Patrick slowly, giving his arms a stretch. "That's a pretty big question you're asking. I might need some time to think about it."
"Come on, Pat!" said Amber jokingly. "You're not scared of dancing, are you?"
Patrick let out a big smile, while telling her, "I'm not really a Pat kind of guy."
"Oops," said Amber quickly. "Sorry. I didn't—"
"But," he went on. "I guess I can make an exception." He thought for a few seconds, then told her, "I don't mind you calling me Pat."
"That's okay. If you don't like the name, I can always—"
"No, really," said Patrick. "I don't mind at all. Normally, I don't like being called Pat…but it sounds different coming from you. I know that probably sounds weird, but…I don't mind hearing it from you."
"Alright," said Amber, placing her shoulder bag at her side once more. "So back to my original question. Will you be dancing at this dance?"
"Oh, okay!" said Patrick, surrendering. "I'll dance, but just warning you now…I'll be terrible!"
"You won't be terrible," she assured him. "I'll help you out."
"So you're going too, then?" he asked her.
"Like you said. Em was pretty persuasive about getting me to come. She kept saying since I'm new and all that I wouldn't want to miss the first dance of the year, and that it'd be fun to get all dressed up and have some fun. She did make a good point though, how teachers have to have some fun too. I've got to hand it to her…she knows how to pull you in."
"That she does," said Patrick. "Well, I look forward to seeing you at the dance then."
"Likewise," said Amber, turning to leave. With a playful wink, she said, "And I look forward to seeing you dance!"
"I better get practicing then," Patrick joked.
"Me too!" she called back, and strolled out of the classroom.
The next three weeks couldn't have flown by any quicker. Em and the other members of Chelsea High's social committee – Shana, Casey and Nicole – were hard at work preparing for the upcoming event. The four were responsible for coming up with the specific design of the dance, color theme and overall structure. As this was their fourth year on the committee, the four had become efficient in organizing such events.
When Em revealed to the others her secretive plan involving Patrick and Amber, the three immediately voiced their approval to her.
"You think you can get them to dance?" asked Casey.
"Should be able to," said Em, sounding as confident as ever. "Dim the lights, play some music…and everything should fall into place."
"They're so cute together," said Shana, the hopeless romantic of the group. "The way he looks at her when they're together…it's adorable."
"They are pretty cute together," Nicole agreed.
"You think Amber knows Patrick likes her?" asked Shana curiously. "I don't know if he's told her yet, but I wonder if she knows how he feels?"
"That I'm not sure of," Em answered, jotting down some notes on a piece of paper. "I don't know what happens behind the scenes but at the school, you can't miss the smiles they give each other, and the fact that Mr. Mac now seems to be daydreaming, well…there's a reason he's day dreaming."
"Nothing like a little dancing to help bring two love birds together," said Nicole, twirling her hair between her fingers. "Nice thinking, Em."
"It wasn't me," Em told her. "I'm just helping to orchestrate what they both know is already going to happen."
"And you think it'll help?" asked Shana.
"We'll soon find out," was Em's response.
The dance was held on Friday, September 30th, and it couldn't have been held on a more perfect evening. At this point in the year, the school workload was at its lowest, so it always made for a great time to kick back, relax and have some fun. Along with the first dance of the semester, a second dance was normally held closer to Christmas, but there was always something exciting about attending the first dance of a new school year.
Like all the previous dances, the vast gymnasium was once more decked out in sparkling colors and flashing lights that lit up the room like it was alive. Positioned overhead and in the center of the room was the classic disco ball that sprayed the floor, walls and ceiling in a shower of shimmering light. Wherever one's eyes turned, they were met with dazzling shades of reds, blues, greens, yellows and purples. Each color seemed to blend in seamlessly with the other and when standing amongst the ongoing explosions of light, it was almost magical.
Various seating tables were placed throughout the room, some decorated in colors of deep blues, others showing off ruby reds. Trays of foods and drinks were also situated throughout the room, offering sandwiches, fruit and veggie trays, cheese and crackers, chocolate fountains, chips and dip, bowls of candies, bite-sized chocolates and anything from sparkling water to almost every kind of soda for those craving something sugary.
Em Stickler and the rest of the committee were of course first to arrive, as they'd spent the past few hours helping to get everything ready. In no time at all, students were strolling eagerly into the now multi-coloured room, all dressed up and ready for the first dance of the year.
"Great job with the decorations this year!" Shana exclaimed, giving Em a high-five. "Looks like it'll be the best one yet."
"Agreed," said Em with a smile. "Should be a fun time."
"Are all the teachers here yet?" asked Nicole, her eyes watching the open doorway.
"Almost," Em answered. She quickly counted what teachers were currently present, concluding that all but two had yet to arrive. "We're just short on two. They should be here any minute."
"I hope they're coming," said Casey, taking a sip of cola.
"Oh, they will," Em assured them, helping herself to one of the chocolates. "The fact that both know that the other is coming, well, they won't want to miss out. It's the perfect opportunity for them to, how do I word this…dance further into love!"
"Aren't you Miss Romance tonight," said Casey with a light chuckle. "So will you be sharing a dance with anyone special?"
Em shrugged, and said, "Who knows?"
"You and Jay should dance!" Shana suggested, lightly nudging her in the shoulder. "You're quite cute together."
Em chuckled, shook her head and asked, "Me and Jay, huh? You really think we should hit the dance floor later?"
"Absolutely!" the three girls answered with enthusiasm.
"Well, we'll see," Em told them. She picked up another chocolate, popped it into her mouth and remarked, "What I'm hoping to see tonight though is Mr. Mac and Ms. Norm get swept up on that dance floor."
Shana smiled, and said somewhat dreamily, "Such a shame Mr. Mac's ten years older than all of us. I bet he's a great dancer. And I bet he looks so good in a tux!"
Em laughed at the comment, and replied, "I'm sure there's plenty of gentlemen out there to sweep you off your feet, Shana."
"Ms. Norm is so lucky though," she went on.
"Poor Shana, crushing on the teacher," said Nicole playfully.
"No I don't," she shot back quickly, stuffing a chocolate into her mouth. "I just think he's cute. That's all."
The four then spotted a new arrival making his way into the room. He was dressed formally in a black tuxedo, white shirt, bow tie, matching shoes and even from where they stood, his brown eyes looked to have a special sparkle in them tonight. As he entered the room, he was immediately greeted by the other teachers.
"There he is!" Casey exclaimed. "Guess he was in the mood for dancing." She then called out, "Hey, Mr. Mac!"
Patrick looked, acknowledged her with a smile and a wave, and then made his way over to Matt and the others.
"What did I say?" said Shana, her eyes now on Mr. Mac. "He's even cuter in a tux!"
"All that's missing now is Ms. Norm," Em announced. "As soon as she shows up, my work here will be done."
"Bet you anything those two will be the cutest couple here tonight," Nicole proposed.
"No arguments there," Shana chimed in.
Em gave a small chuckle, and said, "Yeah, they probably will be. No doubt all eyes will be on those two tonight."
"You think he'll kiss her?" asked Casey.
Em thought that over, shrugged, and answered, "That depends."
"On what?"
"On if it's the right moment," was her straightforward reply.
"But they like each other," said Shana, puzzled at Em's response. "And if they're dancing, and under the lights, and the music's playing and they're holding each other close…how is that not the perfect time to kiss?"
"He'll know when the time's right," said Em, sounding sure of herself as ever.
"If you say so," said Nicole.
"He will," Em repeated, still her typical confident self. "Because that's the way it was meant to be."
"Ooh, sounds philosophical," joked Shana with a laugh.
Em smiled, turned her attention to Mr. Mac and thought to herself: You'll know when the time's right, Mr. Mac. You'll know.
Upon entering the vast room, the first person to greet Patrick was Matt Brenner.
"And Mr. Mac officially joins the party!" Matt exclaimed, giving him a friendly clap on the shoulder.
"Hey, Matt," said Patrick. "So you decided to attend too, eh?"
"Sure, why not?" said Matt. "I figured, why not, since I didn't have much else going on." He then smiled, whistled and joked, "Look at you all dressed up and fancy. Special occasion?"
"Nah," said Patrick. "Just felt like dressing up, I guess."
"Well, you beat all of us," said Matt, loading up on a plate of the scrumptious looking snacks. "No way can we go up against a guy in a tux. And really…how can we go up against the youngest teacher of the school?"
"Correction though," said Patrick quickly, his eyes falling on the chocolate fountain. "I'm no longer the school's youngest teacher."
"Oh, that's right," said Matt, remembering. "Ms. Norm would now be the youngest teacher. She's coming tonight, right?"
Patrick nodded, and answered while looking over his shoulder, "Should be here any minute."
"You two going to dance?" asked Matt, enjoying himself to a helping of chocolate-dipped fruit.
"Apparently so," said Patrick. "I told her I would, though I don't know much when it comes to dancing." He picked up one of the delicious-looking chocolate-dipped strawberries, popped it in his mouth and wondered how he'd ever get to dancing when all these mouth-watering delicacies had yet to be eaten?
"Ah, you'll do fine," Matt said reassuringly, also enjoying the chocolate-coated strawberries. "Just let the music do the work."
"Maybe I ought to stay by the chocolate fountain," Patrick suggested, a smile crossing his face. "Someone's got to be here to ensure all this food doesn't go to waste, right?"
"True," said Matt, and then joked saying, "So you don't mind if Amber and I share a dance then?"
Patrick swallowed another strawberry, looked over at Matt, held his gaze for a moment, and then announced so quickly that Matt actually burst out laughing, "Change of plans! You stay here and take care of the food, while I dance with Amber."
Still laughing, Matt replied, "Looks like you've got your mind set on dancing then."
"Guess so," said Patrick, hoping he'd learn as he went. "I wonder when she'll be—"
It was then that Patrick found himself unable to speak; his mind and thoughts were now focused solely on someone else. When he'd turned, he hadn't expected to see her making her way into the now busy room, but there she was. In walked Amber Norm, wearing a black-and-white polka-dotted strapless dress that fell to her knees, with a simple, heart-shaped diamond necklace and black flats. Wrapped around her waist was a black bow tie, and like before, her hair was again flowing freely down her back.
"I, uh…" was all Patrick got out, before he was once again at a loss for words.
"Well, what do you know?" said Matt, clapping Patrick on the shoulder. "Mr. Mac at a loss for words! Unbelievable. Never thought I'd see the day."
Patrick shook himself together, but still couldn't take his eyes off Amber.
"I am not at a loss for words," Patrick shot back, blinking. "I'm just, uh…"
"Yeah, he's at a loss for words," Matt uttered under his breath. "Well, my friend, you two going to show us all how dancing is done, or what?"
"She just got here!" Patrick exclaimed. "Dancing's not till later."
"I'll be sure to keep my eyes open then," said Matt, his attention once more on the plates of food. "And everyone else will do the same. You two will be right in the spotlight, I bet. All eyes will be on you, my friend."
"Thank you, Matt," said Patrick, shaking his head and wanting to laugh. "That makes an already nervous guy feel so much better."
"Don't mention it," said Matt with a smile. "It's what I'm here for."
Patrick was just about to walk over to Amber, when her eyes then fell on him. Amidst all the music, dancing bodies, flashing lights and laughing voices, the two stood there silently, simply staring at the other like they had all the time in the world.
When she approached him, she gave him a friendly smile and remarked, "Hey stranger!"
"Hey," Patrick smiled, unable to avert his eyes from her own. He paused momentarily before adding in a dumbfounded voice, "You…you look stunning."
She smiled at the compliment, feeling her cheeks flush with red.
"Thank you," she answered. She too paused for a moment, and then said, "And might I add that you look…dashing."
Patrick chuckled lightly. "Glad you think so. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to pull off the whole tux-look."
"You pull it off quite well," she commented, noticing that Patrick most certainly did. "You look...like a gentleman."
"Thank you," said Patrick. Looking around the room, he asked, "So what do you think?"
"It's awesome!" she exclaimed, taking in so many different colors, shapes and patterns. "The colors, lighting, music…it's all so perfect. Who did all of this?"
"Em, Casey, Shana and Nicole," he answered. "They're the school's social committee. They help plan and organize events like this. They've been at it for a while now and they certainly know what they're doing. More than I would anyway."
Her eyes then fell on one of the tables that held what appeared to be a gloriously delicious looking chocolate fountain.
"Is that a chocolate fountain?" she asked excitedly, pointing to their left.
Patrick followed her gaze and said, "Sure is."
"I've always wanted to try one of those," she went on, eyeing the fountain hungrily.
"Don't be shy then," Patrick encouraged, leading her over to it. "Help yourself. I think I hear it calling your name."
When the two were standing in front of the fountain of chocolate, Amber examined the tray of various fruits laid out next to it – strawberries, apples, cherries, kiwi, pears and bananas. The display of fruit looked scrumptious all on its own but dipped in a layer of sweet, warm chocolate, she couldn't imagine how much tastier they'd be.
"Oh, I love chocolate!" said Amber, the excitement still palpable in her voice. "Always does the trick for a sweet tooth. Every time. Nothing better than a helping of chocolate."
"You have a sweet tooth now?" Patrick asked, enjoying watching her growing excitement.
"Twenty-eight, to be exact," she told him, choosing one of the strawberries. "With this much chocolate, I can't just have one sweet tooth."
"Ah, makes sense," said Patrick. He picked up a strawberry himself, dipped it into the fountain and declared, "Well, I'm sure this should crush all your cravings."
"For sure," she agreed.
When she'd swallowed, she was left with the sweet aftertaste that never failed to leave one craving the delight that was chocolate all over again.
"That…is amazing," she said, at once reaching for one of the apple slices. "Whoever invented the chocolate fountain is a genius."
"No arguments there," said Patrick, chuckling. "Chocolate really is the universal cure for a sweet tooth."
"A hundred and ten percent," Amber said, trying a chocolate-dipped slice of apple. Only a moment after she'd swallowed and she was preparing a second. "You have to try this!"
"Apples and chocolate?" said Patrick curiously. "Hmm, bet that'd be good."
"It is!" she exclaimed, coating one of the slices in the pool of delectable chocolate. "It's like the two were made for each other. Here, try it."
She reached out, placed the treat into his mouth and smiled in anticipation while waiting to see his reaction. Just as she guessed, it came almost instantaneously.
"Amazing," was all Patrick said.
"That's a good way of putting it," she said.
"You know what else is amazing?" he asked her. "Chocolate and watermelon."
He picked up one of the slices, dipped it in the flowing chocolate, and placed it in Amber's mouth. The sweet mixture of juicy watermelon and milk chocolate was one she wouldn't have thought to be so irresistibly delightful. After that one bite, she felt she could go on eating them till her stomach could take no more.
"Now that's amazing," said Amber, looking to Patrick with a satisfied smile.
The two burst out laughing, and then wasted no time in helping themselves to a second, scrumptious round of chocolate-dipped fruit.
From across the room, Em and the other girls were dancing while watching the two teachers enjoying their feast of fruit.
"Isn't that so cute?" sighed Shana, her attention no longer focused on the lights or music.
"What?" asked Casey.
"Mr. Mac and Ms. Norm!" she answered. "Feeding each other fruit and all…so romantic."
Em chuckled, and said, "I'm sure Mr. Mac would appreciate knowing his students are watching him so closely."
"I can't help it," said Shana defensively, her face still wearing a smile. "They're just so sweet together."
"Careful there, Shana," said Nicole jokingly. "Wait till they get dancing. The romance of it all might be too much for you. Don't want you passing out."
"Very funny, Nicole," said Shana, laughing at the joke. "Don't worry. I'm sure I'll be fine."
"So what do you think, Em?" asked Casey. "You think it's time we slowed things down a bit?"
Em nodded thoughtfully, and answered, "Yeah, I'd say now's good. They've had some sweets but now seems as good a time as ever to switch moods."
She then made her way over to the D.J. while calling back to the girls, "Be right back."
"Gonna slow things down a bit?" asked Shana.
"Something like that."
As for the rest of the students, most were now dancing either solo, or in groups and were thoroughly enjoying themselves. What with the catchy music and shower of lights that lit up every aspect of the room, even those who weren't the best of dancers suddenly found they were able to develop a kind of rhythm while letting the music act as their guide. Most of the songs and tunes that had played so far had been full of speed and energy, but it was now that all noticed a change in the air.
The pattern of lights was now shifting. The bright, vibrant colors of reds, greens and yellows were now vanishing to make way for softer shades of whites, blues and purples. Sparkles now shimmered throughout the room in a seemingly endless fashion, bathing the room in a blanket of gleaming diamonds. The shades of sapphire blues, snowy whites, and orchid purples danced along the walls and ceiling, making the ceiling look more like an evening sky filled with thousands of twinkling stars.
Gone now was the fast-paced music of energy; now filling the room was a tune that began as a soft, almost inaudible sound. But almost instantly, it gave way to a tune that spoke in a soothing, flute-like voice that was rather hypnotic. It was impossible to mistake this new melody as anything but a song meant for slow dancing.
Already pairs of students were making their way onto the floor under the softly glowing lights. Still standing off to the side, however, were Em and the girls. Em would have been perfectly content with standing there watching if not for the fact that they had already gestured for Jay to come over and sweep her onto the dance floor.
"You gotta have some fun too," Shana smiled, waving for her to follow Jay.
"Tonight's not about me though," she shot back with a little smile. She pointed to the opposite side of the room, declaring, "Tonight's about those two."
"Don't worry," Casey assured her, taking a sip of soda. "Give it a few minutes and those two will be dancing away in a sea of love."
Em then turned to Jay and asked playfully, "You know how to dance, right?"
"Come on!" said Jay, taking her hand and leading her onto the floor. "Give me some credit. I know the basics.
"The basics?" asked Em, raising a brow.
"Uh, well, let's just say I do," said Jay with a wink and after pulling her into his arms, the two were dancing away.
Patrick and Amber, meanwhile, were still standing next to the chocolate fountain and trays of fresh fruits. Hearing the shift of music and seeing the dramatic display of soft, sparkling lights though, stirred something inside them. Patrick was all too familiar with that bubbling sensation; he'd been struck by it all too often lately. Whether he was sitting with Amber at lunch, or running alongside her through a vast field of grass, or standing next to her under a shower of shimmering light, it tickled at something he still had yet to fully uncover.
"Well," said Patrick, now suddenly sounding like a shy, sixteen year old. "I guess now's as good a time as any to, um…"
"Dance?" asked Amber, finishing his sentence.
"D-dance, yes," said Patrick quickly. He ran his fingers through his long, brown hair nervously, and said awkwardly, "I should have taken dance lessons. I…I don't know how I'll do, dancing and all…"
"Aw, don't even worry about it," she told him, placing a hand on his shoulder, a rush of warmth spreading through his body like a blazing fire. "You'll do fine."
"I hope so."
"Besides," she said, and leaned in closer to whisper in his ear. "The key to good dancing is not overthinking. Just hear the music…and the rest will take care of itself. I promise."
"That's encouraging," said Patrick, hoping that was indeed the case. While he might not have ever had much experience or practice with the art of dancing, he had to hope somehow, he'd simply know what to do.
Before stepping onto the dance floor, however, Patrick said to Amber, "Wait."
She turned to him, and joked, "Still want to keep eating?"
"No, it's just—" he said, and then reached out and took one of her hands into his own. "That wasn't a very official way to ask if you'd like to dance with me." He then cleared his throat, lifted her hand to his lips, kissed it softly, and in a voice he hoped sounded charming enough, asked, "Amber Norm…may I have this dance?"
Amber chuckled, looked him straight in the eye and answered, "I'd love to dance…Patrick Mac."
"Did I not say that right?" asked Patrick, wondering if her laughter was due to his attempt at sounding chivalrous.
"You said it absolutely right," she told him. Staring into his eyes just then, she proceeded to erase the space between them, wrapped her arms around his neck, and uttered quietly, "You're as chivalrous as any knight in shining armour…just a few thousand years in the future."
"Without the armour," Patrick added, chuckling lightly.
"Armour or no armour," said Amber, resting a hand on his cheek. "You're perfect to me."
Patrick felt a rush of electricity spreading through him. He stared at her for what felt like the longest moment before pressing his forehead against hers, murmuring, "And you're perfect to me."
Without a word, he took her hand once more into his and led her onto the dance floor, the hundreds of glittering lights enveloping them both. As he led her to the center of the room, Patrick hoped that whatever it was that helped people like him transform into dancers would work its magic tonight. While he might have been a historian and an intellectual, he wasn't too sure how he'd perform when it came to dancing. Moreover, he wasn't sure how great a dancer he'd be dancing with a woman that never failed to reach somewhere inside him and ignite a storm of sparks.
It's only dancing, he reminded himself, trying to block out all thoughts of doubt. How hard can it be? Sure, you've never really danced before but if everyone else can do it, why can't you? Can't be that difficult, unless I accidently step on her foot or something…oh dear.
When they reached the center of the room, Patrick recalled previous times he'd watched people dance. He never understood how they all seemed to move so effortlessly, so gracefully, but he did conclude that it was a dance based solely and purely on teamwork. If that was indeed the case, then he wondered if just maybe he could become that kind of dancer for tonight.
"I bet you'll be the best dancer in this room," Amber told him, sounding far more confident than Patrick felt.
"I-I don't know about that," he said but before he could say anything further, he immediately felt Amber's other arm wrapping around his shoulder. Suddenly, he'd forgotten what he was about to say, and was now thinking only of the here and now.
He silently brought his other arm around Amber's waist, and in a matter of seconds, it occurred to him that this felt…right. The enchanting, flute-like music, the never-ending display of glistening lights, something about this atmosphere seemed to speak to them both. Whatever words were whispered in their ears like secrets in the wind, they sounded familiar, comforting, and both Patrick and Amber hoped to soon hear them in their entirety.
At this point, no words needed to be spoken. Amber's right hand was locked securely in place with Patrick's left, and with her other arm resting on his shoulder and his wrapped around her back…they couldn't have been more ready to let the music sweep them away.
To Patrick's surprise, Amber had been entirely right when she'd mentioned hearing the music and letting everything else simply fall into place. As the ongoing music filled the room, Patrick let himself direct his focus solely on that and without having to think hardly about it, his feet seemed to know exactly what to do. Anyone else catching sight of the two swaying back and forth in harmonious rhythm would have supposed they'd been dancing their whole lives.
That was exactly what it felt like to Patrick. In the strangest way that somehow made absolute sense, he needn't have worried about having little to no experience with dancing, since the music served as the perfect guide. What with how relaxed and dream-like of an atmosphere they'd now become wrapped up in, he wondered why he'd ever feared stepping on her feet. The combination of music, lighting and dancing quickly led him to conclude that all of this couldn't have felt any more natural.
"Not too hard, is it?" asked Amber softly.
"No, it's…surprisingly easy," said Patrick.
"Like riding a bike easy?" she smiled, resting her head against his shoulder.
"Yeah," said Patrick, falling just as heavily into that dreamlike, distant state. "Exactly."
"I wouldn't mind spending the rest of the night like this," she whispered, closing her eyes while feeling his warm breath tickling the back of her neck.
"Not gonna fall asleep on me, are you?" asked Patrick, his eyes also closed.
"I don't know," she answered, a small laugh escaping her. "Your shoulder makes a pretty nice pillow."
"That's kind of you to say," said Patrick, also chuckling. "Well, if you'd like to use my shoulder as a pillow, then I have no problem with that."
As the two carried on dancing, Patrick found himself growing more sure of himself, more confident that he knew what he was doing. Unlike his academic life that involved so much research and studying, he hadn't done any real preparation for this, but now it looked as if he needn't have bothered. The simple joy of holding Amber in his arms was all he really needed to help guide and tell him what to do.
It wasn't long till he no longer thought of it as dancing. No, it felt more and more like the music was a vast cushion, lifting them both up in a way that in any story would be described as downright magical. What was it, thought Patrick, that made something as simple as dancing seem so incredibly…uplifting?
Whatever it was had gotten hold of both teachers.
When Amber finally lifted her head from his shoulder to look up into his eyes, Patrick realized more than ever how beautiful she looked. What with her silky brown hair, her chocolate brown eyes and the hundreds of sparkling lights that lit up her entire body, she looked like a diamond herself.
"You look so beautiful," Patrick whispered, unable to avert his gaze from hers.
She felt her cheeks flush with red, and dropped her gaze only briefly before whispering back, "And you couldn't look any more handsome."
Patrick smiled at her and without exchanging any words, the two pulled themselves even closer together. No longer were the two dancing as two separate people; they were now dancing as one. And while they might not have become aware of this since they were so caught up in this world of their own, sets of eyes were now focused on them. From where they danced, Em peered over Jay's shoulder, secretly and silently calling to Mr. Mac to take that next step. From where they stood, the teachers were watching them, each wearing a small smile that told the other they knew exactly what they were witnessing between these two.
Well done, Mr. Mac, thought Em, sensing the emotional connection between the dancing teachers even from across the room. Now all that's left is for you two to close that gap completely.
"I think I've got the hang of this," said Patrick, sounding more sure of himself.
"Now you're a teacher, librarian, historian, and a dancer," Amber told him, resting her cheek against his own. "I'm learning something new about you everyday, Mr. Mac. Anything else I should know about you?"
"If anything new pops up, I'll let you know," he answered, his breath sending shivers down her back. "Although…there is something I'd love to try."
"What's that?" she asked curiously.
Patrick gave her that irresistibly charming smile and declared, "Taking our dancing to the next step!"
Without saying another word, Patrick raised his arm and as if she'd read his mind, Amber surprised him with a graceful, nearly effortless twirl. As she spun, Patrick's eyes were drawn to her and without realizing it, he was smiling all over again. When she was once again back in his arms, his eyes widened and for that moment, he felt speechless.
"You're…you're a natural!" he exclaimed. "You sure you aren't a professional dancer?"
Amber shrugged and said humbly, "No, I just danced a lot as a kid."
"Well, you certainly know a thing or two more than I do," Patrick replied.
"I wouldn't say that," said Amber, her eyes locked on his.
"Why not?" he asked. "You seem like a great dancer."
Bringing her face closer to his, she brought her lips just inches from his ear, and with a hint of shyness in her voice, whispered, "You're an amazing person, and that's what makes me a great dancer. You."
Patrick didn't know how to respond to that. It was like his mind was now white, blank and unable to process what she was saying.
"I...I'm not amazing," he uttered quietly, dropping his gaze briefly. "I…I'm just a teacher. I'm nothing special."
"You're right about a lot of things, Patrick," Amber told him, caressing his cheek. "But you're one hundred percent wrong about that."
"But, I—"
"You are an amazingly special person," she told him, her voice now the only sound Patrick could hear amidst everything else. "You're so many things, Patrick Mac. Smart. Handsome. Caring. Hard-working. Funny."
Neither one of them even noticed now the sound of the music filling the room, nor did they take in the continuing flashing of diamond-like lights. They only saw each other and letting the words seep into his mind, Patrick realized it had been a long, long time when he'd been this truly happy.
"I feel the same about you," he murmured, their faces now only inches apart. "I..I haven't felt like this before. It's like I…" but his voice trailed off, as if he'd forgotten what he'd been going to say.
"What?" she asked, her voice almost inaudible.
Patrick locked eyes with her once more and uttered softly and somewhat timidly, "I'd like to, uh…I don't know." His cheeks were flushed with a slight hue of red, and without needing to see, he knew already his cheeks were burning with red.
"You're so cute when you're nervous," she said quietly, wrapping her arm further around his shoulder, breathing in his scent, not wanting to pull away from him.
Patrick chuckled lightly, pressed his forehead against hers and whispered, "I'm very nervous right now, but now more than ever I simply have to say…I would love to kiss you, Amber."
She stared deeper into his eyes, reading so many different emotions that it was almost overwhelming, but in a good way. Really, it was like her own emotions were being reflected right back at her – excitement, growing curiosity, adoration and a spark of energy neither had felt in their life in the longest time.
Staring into his eyes, she knew exactly how she felt. Though all the emotions fought for space in her head, there was one that stood out amongst all the rest, one that sat heavy in her heart. It was that four letter word she'd heard too often before.
It wasn't till then that she was starting to understand more of what that word meant.
"You and I must think alike," she commented, wanting so badly to close that gap between them. Just a few inches was now all that kept their lips from touching. "Because I'd love nothing more than to kiss you."
No further words needed to be spoken; the evident longing in their eyes was enough to reveal what now filled their minds. The beautiful-sounding tune and dancing lights that cast the room in a dreamlike setting only helped push them further into acknowledging their own bundle of feelings.
For Amber, dropping her eyes and allowing them to fall ever so slightly, she couldn't escape from what she knew she wanted. She could have tried telling herself it wasn't the case but it would have been futile. There wasn't anything else in the world she wanted right then. The same thought had occurred to her when she'd been sitting next to him under the apple tree at Grand Blossom Park on that sunny afternoon that now felt like years ago.
With their faces now so close and Patrick's eyes fixed on her own, she knew for certain that nothing else could erase what she knew she wanted.
She wanted to feel Patrick Mac's lips pressed against her own.
"Oh, I'd love to kiss you, Pat," she whispered, her lips hovering so close to his own that she could feel his breath. It was like her whole body was shivering in delightful anticipation while silently encouraging that she move in closer. "But I wonder if we should maybe wait till we're…"
"Alone?" he whispered back.
She blinked and nodded in silence. "You've no idea how much I'd love to kiss you right now. It's like my heart wants to leap out of my chest or something. But I…I wonder if we could wait till we are more, well…alone?"
"Believe me," said Patrick gently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I would love nothing more than to kiss you right now. But perhaps we should wait till it's just you and I…and not the rest of Chelsea High." He added this last part with a small chuckle.
"True," she agreed, also chuckling. "Lot of people here right now."
"Lots indeed," said Patrick, nodding, now realizing just how many people were gathered in this one room. "Not much privacy, is there?"
She shook her head, stating, "Not a problem if you're eating or dancing, but I, uh…"
"You want it more just you and I?"
She nodded and shifted her gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, sounding somewhat embarrassed. "That probably sounds silly and—"
"That's not silly at all," he said reassuringly. "I can see what you mean, us being in a public space and all, in a room with hundreds of people. Not a lot of privacy, and while I'm no expert on kissing…I can understand why you'd prefer waiting."
He then broke out in a bigger smile and announced, "And besides…you and I haven't finished dancing yet!"
For the rest of the night, the two were at each other's side constantly. Once the slow song had reached its end, the two teachers found they weren't quite ready to leave the dance floor, not just yet. The fun they felt making their way throughout the room as the lively music re-energized them was enough for them to want to carry on dancing. For Patrick, he reflected back on earlier when he'd worried how good a dancer he'd turn out to be but already that felt like hours ago. He'd now discovered a newfound confidence he hadn't known existed, and in no time at all, he was twirling Amber around like he'd been doing it for years. The two found themselves enjoying it so much that after a couple of songs, their self-confidence had reached a new level.
When she felt Patrick's arm now sliding up her back, she followed his lead by slowly and gently falling backward, always feeling his arm wrapped securely around her. All the while, Patrick's eyes remained locked on hers as he lowered her carefully to the ground, and before they knew it, once again the two were on their feet again.
"I thought for sure they were going to kiss!" said Shana, sounding disappointed. She and the other girls had had their fill for dancing and had resumed their preferred position of standing at the chocolate fountain.
"Agreed," said Casey, helping herself to one of the sandwiches. "The way they looked at each other, and how they were leaning in…it was like they were teasing us or something!"
"Oh, it's coming," said Em.
"How do you know?" asked Shana, throwing her a puzzled look.
"I've seen this sort of thing," Em explained. "And I know if it's meant to be and the time is right…then it will happen. That's the funny thing about love. If it's truly love and it's nurtured and given the chance to blossom…it'll grow."
"You're quite philosophical, aren't you?" Nicole chuckled, popping a chocolate into her mouth.
"I suppose," said Em, smiling. "I just know that when I watch those two interacting with each other, what they share can't be mistaken for anything but love."
"Too bad though," said Shana, shrugging her shoulders. "It would have been so romantic seeing them kiss."
"Oh I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of them around school," said Em, glancing over at Mr. Mac and Ms. Norm. "Wouldn't surprise me at all if you catch them sneaking in a few kisses here and there. Patience though…patience."
When the evening had reached its end, Amber and Patrick made their way to the entrance doors, hand in hand. It was hard to believe the night had come and gone so quickly, but replaying it all in their minds, both agreed they couldn't have had a better time.
"Well, that was fun," said Patrick.
"Very fun," said Amber. She gave him a light nudge in the shoulder and added, "And you turned out to be a pretty spectacular dancer, after all!"
"Who would've thought, eh?" Patrick joked with a chuckle. "A dancing teacher?"
"Two dancing teachers, to be precise."
"Of course," he smiled, his hand still enveloped in hers. "Two dancing teachers that danced the dancing night away."
"And then danced their way home," said Amber.
The two burst out laughing, already forgetting how many laughs they'd shared that night.
"I'll have to make a note to attend the Christmas dance," Amber told him.
"Maybe you and I can practice our dancing again?" said Patrick.
"Sounds like a plan," she said.
After a brief pause, Amber pulled Patrick into a warm hug and told him, "A+ on the dancing tonight, Mr. Mac."
"Why thank you," he answered. "But if I was an A+, then you were an A++."
The teachers then pulled apart, but not without sharing one last look into the other's eyes, both wishing they could go on dancing all through the night.
"See you Monday," said Amber.
"Bright and early!" she heard Patrick say.
Back home in his apartment, Patrick felt sure he'd sleep soundly tonight. What with all the dancing he'd done earlier, he was all ready for a good night's sleep and the thought of that nice, warm bed was now sounding perfect just about now.
What he couldn't have expected was to be woken up out of a dead sleep. As with any other disturbance, he'd simply dismiss it as being nothing more than a nightmare. But strangely enough, it seemed to be the same, identical dream he'd encountered a few weeks ago. He couldn't mistake it as anything but that same, unsettling dream.
Just like before was that sharp noise that sounded like crashing thunder.
And the weight of crushing pain that felt like a thousand bricks piling on top of him.
But most of all, who was that unnerving, unidentified stranger that seemed to be orchestrating the whole frightening dream?
He didn't know, but having been trapped in that same dream for a second time, it was starting to make him uneasy. Thinking it over, it just seemed too coincidental to be sucked into that same dream but whatever the case, it left him more puzzled and tense then ever.
What did it mean? Did it mean anything at all? Or was it purely just a nightmare and nothing to spend time dwelling on?
Patrick decided to try and push it completely out of his mind. He concluded it wouldn't do him any good to worry about what was very likely to be only a very frustrating occurrence.
So with Earnest curled up comfortably beside him, he laid back down, closed his eyes and thought only that night of dancing with Amber till he'd finally dozed off.
Hey everyone!
I just wanted to let you know that the next chapter will likely take a bit longer for me to complete, as I have a big exam coming up next week that I'll be spending the next week studying for, so I won't be able to get around to working on the next chapter till the exam is over.
But I'll for sure begin working away on chapter 8 as soon as I'm done my exam and I'll try to have it up as soon as I can.
Till next time, hobey-ho :D