Chapter Four

Nigel's POV

As we walked through the door and past Miss Kantanino into the dance studio, I noticed Abby in the crowd of girls and smiled at her. I didn't know why, but I couldn't help it. And she smiled back. "Ahem." Miss Kantanino coughed. "Boy's find a partner."

Kuki was beckoning for Wally to come over and dance with her. Hoagie was nudging him with his elbow as he walked hesitantly to Kuki. Hoagie partnered up with of course Fanny and Patton with Rachael. Out of the corner of my eye I saw an incredibly nervous Bartie taking Virginia's hand. But before I knew what I was doing I was walking right over to Abby, like my legs decided to have a mind of their own. Before I got a little too close to Abby, Lizzie jumped in front of me and took my hand. "Ready Nigey?" She giggled. To tell you the truth I really hated that name, but I never told Lizzie just in case it would hurt her. I looked behind Lizzie and Abby partnered up with Ace, but she didn't look too pleased. I looked back at Lizzie and she winked at me. I tried to manage a smile.

"Okay class." Our teacher addressed us. "First we'll try the waltz. It's quite easy."

She turned on some music and held out her arms like she was dancing with a partner made of air. "And one-two-three and one-two-three…"

She continued over and over again, showing us with our feet what we were supposed to do. I looked over to Wally, who was looking quite nervous of either the steps or the fact that he's dancing with Kuki. He looked over at me and mouthed the words "Help me!"

"Help me!" I mouth back.

"Okay." Miss Kantanino breathed as she clapped her hands together. "Your turn."

She turned around and pressed 'play' on the stereo. Waltz music played from the speakers and I grabbed Lizzie's hand and put my arm around her waist, as she put her hand on my shoulder. "No, no like this!" I overheard Kuki instructing Wally on where to put his hands.

"Oh right…" He mumbled, blushing like crazy. I rolled my eyes. Hoagie and I keep telling him to confess his feelings towards her, but he keeps denying it.

Everyone's feet started to move, but not the graceful way of the waltz but more like the stumbling way of a shuffle. "Nigel, if you don't know how to dance just let me lead." Lizzie said to me.
"I thought you were leading." I said back to her.
"Okay well sorry." Lizzie said sarcastically. We were waltzing towards Kuki and Wally, but they didn't seem like they were enjoying themselves.
"Ow. Wally, that's not how-ow!" Kuki whispered, giving her feet a little shake everytime Wally stepped on them.
"Okay sorry." He whispered back.
"Having fun?" I whispered to them.
"Maybe, if Wally would stop stepping on my feet!" Kuki growled.
"And I told ya, dancin' aint my thing okay?" Wally growled back.
"Well you danced with me at the party back when we were ten!"
"You remember that far back?"
I could see Lizzie didn't enjoy listening to a potential couple argue, so we moved towards the centre of the studio, where Abby and Ace were dancing. He had his arm wrapped around her waist and held her hand and I did not like it one bit. Even though Ace was grinning mischievously at Kuki and Wally and Abby seemed interested in her feet, my blood boiled at how close they were.
Miss Kantanino stopped the music and everyone stopped just as suddenly. We all turned to look at her. "Umm… that was good." She tried to say with a straight face, but she looked horrified, possibly at our terrible dancing. "We'll try again tomorrow."

"Oh my god!" Fanny laughed. It was lunchtime and like we always do at lunch, we all sat around a table in the cafeteria. Wally, Kuki, Hoagie, Abby, Fanny, Virginia, Bartie, Rachael, Patton, Lizzie and I. "Dance lesson is the most stupid lesson in the history of stupid!"
Hoagie nodded in agreement. "Well from what I saw at least Hoagie didn't step on your feet." Kuki said while poking her salad with a fork. "Wally kept stepping on my feet. I'm surprised I can still walk."
Wally shot her look but didn't say anything. "Yeah, well you shoulda seen Bartie." Virginia giggled. "He was as stiff as a post."
"Yeah well," Bartie nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "I never danced before."
"You think the school's taking this whole Valentines Day thing a little too far?" Abby asked and everyone nodded in agreement.
"You should've heard the haiku Abby wrote in English." Virginia burst out laughing.
Lizzie tried to put some of her home-made casserole in my mouth but I kept leaning my head back gesturing I didn't want anymore. "Fine your loss." She muttered as she put it in her mouth.
I zoned out for a while, as conversations started around me. I didn't listen much to them and listened more to the conversation occurring in my head. It has been going on for quite some time but I could never figure out what it meant.
"Leave her. You know you don't love her."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't. Your heart belongs to someone else."
"Who?"
"You know who…"
"Nigel?"
I woke up at the sound of my name. I looked around the table and everyone seemed to be staring at me. "I guess I zoned out for a while there. Ahahaha." I laughed nervously.
"Nigel, are you sure you're okay?" Asked Kuki apprehensively. "You've been quiet all day."
"I'm fine."
"Sure?"
I nodded. "Okay…" Kuki hesitantly agreed and she returned to poking her salad with her fork. I looked up at Abby and smiled at her again, and she timidly smiled at me back.