Nothing is mine! Enjoy.
Chapter Six
Albert couldn't help but feel a little distracted during his classes on Tuesday. More than once he caught himself reading from the wrong chapter of Great Gatsby, or trying to assign his students a chapter they had already read.
His absentmindedness only worsened when a student in his third class of the day came in bearing a note from another teacher.
"Ms. Wilson asked me to give this to you," she said.
"Oh! Thank you, Teresita," Albert said, accepting the note and taking a moment before class started to read it.
118 A Park Ave
Pick me up at eight?
Lillian
Albert found himself smiling (and maybe blushing a little too), and tucked the note into his pocket. He had a date- yes, a date (what else would he call it?) with Ms. Wilson. Suddenly the end of the school day couldn't come fast enough.
Albert stood in front of his mirror, nervously adjusting his suit jacket. He hadn't wanted to dress too nicely (after all, it was their first date), so he simply added a jacket to the dress shirt and tie he had worn to school that day.
"I guess it looks all right," he murmured. He glanced at his watch. "7:30. I'd better get going if I don't want to be late picking her up." Lillian lived a few (well, more than a few) blocks from Albert's apartment, and the restaurant he was taking her to was another couple blocks down the street. It was a nice night, so Albert would have chosen to walk even if he owned a car (which he didn't). So with a final mirror check, Albert walked out the door (and was back in another minute to retrieve the small bouquet of flowers he had forgotten).
He tried not to fidget much on his way over, but Albert found himself failing miserably at that task after he had arrived at the address Lillian had given him (taking him to a small but well-kept looking townhouse) and rung the doorbell.
He was seriously considering walking around the block in an attempt to compose himself (he was a few minutes early), but Lillian didn't give him a choice: hardly a minute after the bell had been rung, she opened the door.
Albert nearly lost his grip on the flowers he was holding; Lillian's light blue dress and silvery shawl (which somehow managed to match Albert's navy suit) were certainly a step up from the modest combination of sweaters, blouses and skirts she usually wore. The warm smile she gave Albert on top of all that made him go weak at the knees, but he still managed to stammer, "You- you look beautiful" and remain on his feet. Lillian blushed and laughed a little.
"Thank you, Albert. You don't look so bad yourself."
A smile finally worked its way onto Albert's face, and he suddenly remembered the flowers.
"Oh! These are for you," he said, offering Lillian the bouquet.
"Aw, they're beautiful!" she exclaimed, accepting the flowers with a grin. "Thank you. Mind if I run and put these in a vase?"
"Not at all," Albert said.
Lillian was back in another minute, so Albert offered her his arm (which she gladly took) and then they were on their way.
It turned out the two got along surprisingly well, despite having known each other for less than a week. There were rarely pauses in their pleasant conversation, save for when they ordered their meals (chicken for Lillian, pasta for Albert). And it soon became clear that Lillian had trouble keeping her eyes off Albert. Albert didn't mind.
The evening drew to a close soon enough, and Albert walked Lillian home. Before he got a chance to say good night, Lillian turned and asked Albert
"Would you like to come in?"
She smiled warmly and held Albert's gaze, just as she had done the entire night, but suddenly the anxiety Albert had felt earlier in the evening was back.
"Oh, um... I really shouldn't, I promised my students I'd have their quizzes back to them tomorrow, and-"
"It's all right," Lillian said, cutting him off. "Trust me, I understand!" she added with a laugh.
Relief washed over Albert; he wasn't exactly sure what Lillian had in mind with that invitation, but it was still their first date for god's sake! And Albert liked to take things slow, thank you. So he'd rather err on the side of caution and-
"Albert?" Lillian said, snapping him from his daze. "All those quizzes waiting to be graded won't keep you from kissing me good night, will they?"
For a moment, Lillian's expectant look, the raised eyebrow and hand on her hip reminded him of-
"Of course not," Albert said with a laugh. Lillian smirked and took his face in her hands; Albert's immediately fell into place on her hips. After a kiss that lasted a good thirty seconds, the pair finally broke apart.
"Good night, Albert."
"Good night, Lillian."
Rose stood outside the gym, bracing herself for the night ahead. Bernardo's arm was wrapped tightly around her waist, and she wore the pink dress that fit like a glove (just as Maria hoped it would).
It wasn't the prospect of dancing that worried her (despite what she had led Bernardo to believe). She used to love dancing when she was in college; she only stopped because she didn't have the time for it anymore.
No, what set Rose on edge was the company she was to be introduced to. The Sharks. Maria insisted they were all nice boys, but... Rose had trouble accepting the fact that each and every one of them was in a gang. They seemed to Rose like the sort of people she would normally want nothing to do with. Rough, young hooligans. People like Conrad. Rose shuddered. Thank god he's in the army...
Bernardo gave Rose's side a squeeze. "What are you waiting for, Anita?"
"Sorry," Rose said, forcing a smile on her face. "I'm ready." And they went in.
The gym was already filled with young couples dancing to energetic music. Bernardo pointed to a group of people across the room and started pulling Rose in their direction.
"There they are! Let's go say hello, hmm?"
Bernardo was greeted enthusiastically by the young men and their dates; Rose did her best to smile and look like she was enjoying herself while she waited to be introduced.
"Who did you bring with you, 'Nardo?" one girl asked. Bernardo beamed and held Rose closer.
"This is Anita," he announced proudly. "Mi novia." He kissed her cheek. "Mi amor." Rose blushed, and the Sharks began to introduce themselves. Rose was determined to remember every name.
Suddenly the music changed, becoming even more upbeat, and everyone in the gym cheered.
"Come, Anita," Bernardo said, grinning and taking Rose's hand. "Let's dance!"
Rose sighed, softly enough that Bernardo couldn't hear. I hope popular dances haven't changed too much since I was in college, she thought.
Though she didn't immediately recognize the dance Bernardo was leading her into, Rose realized she had no need to worry. She followed Bernardo's lead easily, and found herself smiling as they settled into the rhythm of the music.
"See?" Bernardo said. "You are a natural, Anita!" Rose laughed and her smile grew. She had missed this...
The Sharks turned out to be very competitive dancers; catcalls and friendly jeers echoed from their corner of the gym as each couple tried to outdo the others.
"I am a very lucky man," Bernardo murmured into Rose's ear during a brief break. "I have found myself the most wonderful partner." He kissed her neck, and Rose found herself sighing at his touch. "None of the other girls can dance like you."
Rose turned to face Bernardo. "I don't think any other girl could keep up with you, 'Nardo."
Bernardo smiled warmly at Rose; their lips met and they became oblivious to everyone else on the dance floor. And Rose didn't mind in the least.
Tired as she was, Rose felt like she was walking on air. The dance had finished at midnight, and she and Bernardo had danced until the end.
She had to make a quick stop at Madam Lucia's to return the dress; she had changed in the back room of the bridal shop and left a dress of her own to change into when the dance was over.
Rose unlocked the back door of the shop and frowned when she realized there were lights on. I thought I had turned them off when I left...
"How was it?"
Rose dropped the keys and cursed, severely startled by whoever had spoken.
"I'm sorry, Anita! I didn't mean to frighten you."
Rose calmed considerably when she saw Maria sitting in a corner reading. She sighed, retrieving the keys from the floor and beginning to change back into her own dress.
"Shouldn't you be at home, Maria? 'Nardo will be worried when he realizes you're not there." Maria set aside her book and got up to help Rose with her dress.
"I left a note," she said. "I wanted to wait up for you, to ask how the dance was!"
Rose laughed, stepping out of the borrowed dress and handing it to Maria to hang up. "You couldn't wait until tomorrow?"
"It's after midnight, Anita. It is tomorrow." Rose rolled her eyes and pulled her own dress on over her head.
"Please, Anita!" Maria said, hurrying back over to plead with Rose. "Tell me about the dance!"
Rose sighed and turned to face Maria.
"Well, it was loud. Raucous. Chaotic..." Rose's face broke into a grin. "I loved it. It was the most fun I've had in a long time!"
Maria grinned. "And what did you think of the rest of the Sharks, Anita?"
"Everyone was wonderful, Maria. Especially your brother," she added after a pause. Maria's face lit up.
"Anita! Are you... do you mean to say you are falling in love with 'Nardo?" she asked with a sly grin on her face.
Rose laughed. "I think... I think I am, Maria," she admitted.
"I had such a wonderful time tonight," Rose said with a sigh. "Do the Sharks go dancing often?" she asked suddenly.
Maria laughed. "All the time."
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