Chapter 12: Centre stage

"Well it seems Miss Trepe we have no other choice left but to dance." He held his hand out willing, waiting. I put my black gloved hand into his rough tanned one and I felt a swell of emotions flow through my body. I felt like a love sick teenager. He led me through the twirling bodies to the centre of the dance floor and it was an extraordinary feeling watching the couples move around us, I felt like a princess. Hands slid around my waist and they seemed to be burning there for an instance. Without me even realising it my hands and arms were creeping up to join around his neck. We started dancing. And I felt like I was in a dream. The band started a new song, a slow song of course. And I lent into him so I could feel his heart beating against my cheek. We swayed in what seemed suddenly a natural movement, it felt to me as if all our feelings for each other were coming out into a motion of beauty and grace. He leaned down to smell my hair and I felt like I was floating, just hovering above the ground with happiness and love, I looked down just to make sure I wasn't. I wanted to hold this moment for ever. He put a hand under my chin lifting my eyes to meet his.

"I love you." He whispered and those three words seemed more then just words for the first time, had meaning, he loved me. Oh those words! For once they seemed to be real full of their own life like they were 3 separate angels that filled both our hearts and joined us as one. It wasn't like when I was a teenager when you're sitting in your car at lovers point and there's nothing left to say over the head banging music and your boyfriends yells "I love ya sexy bum." And then you start making out like there's no tomorrow. That was like for example home brand chocolate, but this, this was the most expensive, most divine, most beautiful, melt in your mouth chocolate specially made for you with love from Belgium. I knew in the very moment that he was the one, the only one I would ever love until the end of my days.

"I love you too." I whispered into his ear and I watched his cheek slide up his face as his face beamed with a happiness, I wanted to remember forever. The music twirled around us and nothing else seemed to matter except our love, and it seemed nothing else would ever matter from now on. No one could reach us, now that we had come to this place. The world was a blur and it felt like if we tore our gaze from one another this moment, would be lost in time. I was so scared I would never feel this way again, but at the same time so happy I had found him. I wanted to put my mouth up to his and tell him how I felt, I also wanted to scream, laugh, cry, sing and dance. But it seemed that most of these actions would cause a bit too much attention so instead I did the only thing I could. I danced. I let my love for him go down to my feet as a new song started. Wouldn't you know the tango came on?

We flew across the floorboards as though we were walking on air. Our passion was swept away with the music and everything seemed to make sense. The music spoke to me like it never had before, I always thought music was nice and appreciated it but at that moment it spoke to me. It was a language I suddenly realised, but not one of words and speech, it was feelings, pure emotions, a time and place someone had been, it enfolded the room in its passion and smoothly ran through my mind. Then I realised life is all about love. And without life there is no love, but without love there is no life.

            The songs moved from one another each having a different story to tell. Some sad and meaningful, others vibrant and happy, and then those ones, the ones that seemed to eat into your very soul that whispered about break ups and when life goes wrong. Then it broke into the "Cha-Cha" I don't know why but before I knew it the rest of the people who I had barely noticed had formed a circle around us, we weren't that good were we? I twirled and my dress flared out as I did so, I loved it when it did that. I smiled

"You never told me you could dance." I stated as I spun back into to Squall.

"You never asked." He said as I looked up into his eyes, we laughed. He dipped me down, so low that I took my hand out and touched the ground. Then he pulled me up sharply. We walked around each other, shoulder to shoulder, never losing eye contact, like two angry bulls before a fight. Then I spun off to the side, and he to the other. We stood their backs facing one another. Then I turned and ran, ran like I was faster then the wind, I felt free, weightless, which was probably a good thing because when I got to Squall he picked me up. I was on top of his shoulders, you know like those ice skaters do. Circling around and around, I posed thinking of those ballet movies I had watched as a child when my love was for dancing. He lightly dropped me to the floor and just as the song was finishing we grabbed hands and bowed. The circle of admirers clapped in enjoyment, their cat calls and whistles echoing through the acoustics of the ballroom. I sighed in the exhilaration of it all, the couples shyly started to enter the space where the dancing had taken place, and timidly begun to dance again. I dared a look at Squall, who was also gazing at the other couples; he felt my eyes upon him and turned to face me with gracious smile.

"You were wonderful," He said obviously delighted.

"You weren't bad yourself," I laughed lightly punching his shoulder.

"Hey, are you picking on me?" Squall said jokingly, placing his hands on his hips and pouting.

I laughed and punched him on the arm again, "Yep."

"Alright now you're laughing at me as well," Squall said crossing his arms, and fake glaring, "You'd better watch out or I'll give you my famous puppy dog eyes."

"Oh I'm scared!" I replied pretending to tremble.

"Okay little lady, let's settle this somewhere private." Squall drawled, putting out my arm for him to take it.

"Okay buster you're on." I laughed taking his arm and letting him led me out of the ballroom.