Chapter 17: dancing

I don't own fablehaven

Kendra's POV

Bracken led me out the door. We were both smiling, mine a bit queasier. Something seemed to have come over me. What made this time any different? Nothing! Well, except we were going to a dance…and would be dancing. Never mind that.

I opened the driver's door and slid in. Warren had once joked how if Bracken had ever wanted to surprise me going somewhere, it either would not work or we would need a driver. I told him Bracken had a magic fairy place, which in itself was awesome, but also connected to shrines all over the world. I definitely won that one.

Once Bracken was in, I started the car and we drove off. The conversation was light and nice, if not a bit awkward. Or maybe it just me. Bracken looked fine. Did he even want to go to this? I bet it was going to be stupid. I should just—

"Kendra, are you alright?" Bracken asked.

I paused, still driving, and then I realized my face had pressed together. "Just a bit nervous." I looked over at him as we came to a red light. "I've never been to a real dance. I guess I just don't want to be let down."

He looked me in the eyes and reached out to put a hand on my shoulder. "It'll be fun, I promise."

I grinned. "How do you know that? You've never been to a prom." He opened his mouth but closed it when he couldn't find the correct thing to say. I turned back to look forward. "Checkmate."

"Ah, an expression I understand."

"Should I be worried?"

"Yes. Seth has interesting things to say."

"Seth doesn't play chess."

"He does not," Bracken agreed.

I might have snorted right then. Bracken side-eyed me. In the time I've known him, my pile of inside jokes on him had accumulated to an impressive amount. This one of course referred to his own snort. Very much horse-like indeed. Still an odd thought. But hilarious.

Such conversation continued (which I enjoyed—teasing Bracken was a favorite past time of mine) and eventually we pulled into the parking lot of the high-school. The anxious feeling started to bubble up again. I didn't even notice Bracken had slipped out until he appeared by my side of the door. He opened it and helped me out. He offered an arm and I took it. He gave me a large smile as we made our way to the entrance where people crowded around. In fact, there were a lot of people. Crowds were normally fine—and I knew several of the people here—but it intimidated me. I was sure the whole world could tell. At least Bracken did.

Are you alright? Bracken asked into my mind.

Guess this isn't quite going to plan, huh? I sent back. Bracken winked at me. Thanks. I'll try not to step on your feet.

Bracken gave a short laugh and shook his head. He was about to say something but I gasped.

"Bracken! Look at that!" I said aloud, breaking from his arm and pointing. We had entered through the front doors and the gym had been transformed. Silvery stuff sparkles pretty much everywhere. Large cutouts of butterflies were placed on the wall and a few hung from the ceiling. The rest of the walls had been planted with stone brick looking wallpaper. We were walking under a red carpet. The gym had been changed into a fantasy-like castle. Or at least a cheesy remake.

I tried to walk forward more but the mass of dress I had on nearly made me die. "I don't know how people move in these things."

"I don't think I ever fully understood that myself. My sisters seem to think the world of them."

We walked under a rainbow arch of balloons. I put a hand to my mouth. A poor attempt at covering up a giggle. Bracken raised an eyebrow at me. Then he saw it too. Two poor boys stood in costume. One was in a Knight outfit and slumped over a scepter. He was tugging at his armor and sweating like a pig. The other one wore a cone strapped to his forehead and worse a one-piece white suit.

I had to go to my tippy-toes to whisper to Bracken. "I found your duple-ganger."

Bracken sighed. Though I could see the amusement in his eyes I had spent enough times dragging him into things to notice.

We stood around, chatting some more until the first real dancing song came on. I felt a pit drop in my stomach. Bracken lent me his hand and we went to the middle of the floor. "I think we'll start with a classic one: the waltz. You'll put your right hand on my shoulder and the other will be clasped in mine." I did so and he praised me. "Next, is the pattern. It'll be like stepping in a box. We'll count by 1, 2, 3, 4, and over again. Take a step backwards. Excellent. See, I'll mirror you." Bracken took a step forward. "Next is to the left. Yes, like that! You're a natural, Kendra."

His silver-blue eyes sparkled and lit up. He was enjoying this, and I could feel that pit start to wash away. "Thanks," I said. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

The song in the background changed again. And I wasn't paying enough attention to notice it until Bracken changed his tempo to it. Thankfully it was slower than the one before.

"Then step forward. And to the right. Wonderful! Let's try it again…I'm impressed." He gave me a smile. Even while I messed up and stepped on his foot. I mumbled a sorry but he waved it off and we continued.

"One more thing. On beats 2 and 4 we step up, and the others we step down—or crouch a little. It's a bit like bobbing."

He demonstrated what he meant, and I tried to replicate him. It was strange, but we went through it time and time until the song ended. I was getting the hang of this! Bracken gave me another smile (although I don't think it ever left his face) then he something he did not teach me. He picked up speed and started turning. And it was amazing. We did the waltz through another song without talking.

"This brings back good memories," Bracken said. He looked wistful but he never left eye contact.

"Of what?"

"My old home. We had a grand ballroom there. Unlike anything you've ever seen. You would have liked it. I would have liked showing it to you even more."

I bit my lip. "It still makes me sad they had to destroy your home like that."

"It's alright. Rebuilding and improving the new realm—along with the bigger size—has proven to be just as special. It will take time, but I promise to make it as special for you. I'd like to think we'd be dancing just like this there."

I had seen parts of the Fairy Realm, and what I'd seen had been more magical than I could've imagined. And it wasn't done yet. Some things I was forbidden to see until they were just right. His words made me blush. "Where there any other dances you wanted to show me?"

He nodded. "A few. But so many." He got the wistful look again. "I'll let you pick, although some of the music won't be right." He listened to the song a moment, then made up his mind. "This would be a good Swing song. Or cha-cha. Or something from my own realm. The first ones are one's my sisters and I have learned from humans."

Still a weird thought. I shook it off. "I'd love to learn some of your dances."

He nodded, still smiling, looking even more dashing. He seemed to think about what he wanted to show me, but he made his decision. "I'll teach you the Sallay." I could tell that what he said wasn't English. Silvian? It would make sense. Bracken dropped both of my hands. "The hand positions on this one are different from the waltz. You'll put your left hand up to mine without spreading it." Our hands moved up and pressed together, like some would do on separate sides of glass. Bracken's fingers were much longer than mine and it made me laugh. He picked up my other hand in his, having it rest gently in a sort of handhold, but both of our hands were cupped.

Bracken started moving, swaying from right to left. I hesitantly tried to match his footing of stepping with one foot, moving the other to touch, and the second moving again. I stepped on one of his feet again. He pretended not to notice.

"This is the beginning base step. We'll move continuously left in a circle. You can sway with your steps if you'd like.

My dress started swishing back and forth as we moved through the steps. My left foot started to get a bit sore, but I was decided to ignore it. Bracken started to speed up. "The Sallay is a fast-paced dance!" he said. He switched directions, my right foot now getting the force of the dance.

From the corner of my eye, I saw some people stop and stare at us. One girl muttered "must be a foreigner. Weird moves."

I glared at her over bracken's shoulders, smiling at him when he looked back.

I was starting to get slightly dizzy going in circles like we were. Bracken broke from the circle and led me to a few, mismatched steps in every which direction. It must have had a pattern or some significance, but I was having a hard time following.

Bracken went into another circle motion, then the outside steps. As before, it started to speed up and Bracken began to do it on the tips of his toes, nearly jumping from move to move.

Thankfully, the song ended, and I stopped, butting a hand over my heart, and feeling the rapid beats. "Well, that was fun," I said, "but do you think the next one could be slightly less…exhausting?"

Bracken smiled sheepishly. "I apologize."

I waved my hands. "No, no, need. I had lots of fun! It really was nice. A bit odd, but good."

"Yes indeed. My aunt taught me that one. Said I got too spirited." He gave a little laugh. "I would love to you another, but it would require most of the people in this room to participate. And I'd have to pass you off to other dancers. And I'd like to think I haven't completely expended my time with you yet. Besides, how could I part with one so radiant as yourself? It would make me a poor excuse of a unicorn."

My face was already red from dancing, but it must have changed a few shades then. "And that'd be a false statement," I said.

"why thank you. It looks like you could use some punch." He offered his hand again. I took it and we went over to the refreshment table where a bunch of guys were horsing around. Bracken squeezed my hand, leaving to get me a cup.

Still feeling slightly woozy, I accepted a glass of pink liquid Bracken gave me. I brought it up t o my mouth and took a swallow. What I thought was punch turned out to be pink lemonade and I smiled behind my cup.

"Thank you, Bracken. That was very sweet of you," I said. Bracken froze. I frowned. "What is it? What's wrong?" I looked around, trying to assess the problem.

One of the guys at the table whispered to his friend. "Wow, see that weird girl? She sounds like an alien." He shook his head in disbelief.

"Kendra," Bracken said urgently, "you're speaking Silvian."

"What? How do I stop? Bracken?" I reached a hand to put on his shoulder, but my hand grew warm and felt sticky. Something in it started glowing. The light shot out and hit some cups off the table. I tried to stop it, but by now both hands were doing it, shooting out light. I heard someone yell out., "sick!" The only thing that was sick was me.

Bracken put an arm around my shoulder and quickly walked us through the double doors at the back of the gym. It's alright," he muttered. We walked on the sidewalk for a moment and the lights from my hands died down and stopped. I wasn't sure if my speech had gone back to normal. "Are you okay?" Bracken asked.

I nodded. "What going on? First it was my wings, now I don't know what's happening with the rest of me. What do I do?"

"I'll speak with Mother," Bracken promised.

I opened my mouth to say something else. Instead of letting me finish, Bracken put his hands in Sallay position, and I compiled.

We started the dance again and as my heartbeat rose again, I started to calm down a little more. Moving around always helped me to feel better.

Rain started to sprinkle from the sky. I glanced at the sky and warm drops plopped on my face.

"Dancing in the rain," Bracken mused, eyes twinkling. "Another Fairy Realm tradition." He leaned in closer. "I'm not sure what just happened, but I promise we'll figure it out. For right now though, shall we dance?"

I spared another look at the sky. "We shall." We started up again, Bracken's humming the only music to dance to. And the only music we needed. I smiled at him and he smiled at me. The dance ended and he gave me a hug. We broke away as the rain started to get heavier. Bracken took off his suit coat and wrapped it around my damp shoulders. He started to lead me to our car, and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

Ah! I took so long! Many apologies! But like, Jayla, thanks for coming up with such an awesome fun story that I could have a blast working on! (It took so long because I didn't know what I am doing! Especially fancy dances!) Although, those years of taking ballroom dancing have "helped me" with this. Heh. Well anywho, thanks for reading :)! Also, back to the letter thing, I got back into it! It's actually postcards, and it's so fun! If that sounds like fun, go to postcrossing(dot)com :P*