ENTRY 43

After my initial instruction I-Five took Sacha's hand and guided her toward me. "Now it is time for you two to dance together."

I remember getting a lump in my throat and my palms getting sweaty as she looked up at me smiling warmly. I took her hand in mine and tentatively moved into the proper dance position. I don't know why dancing with Sacha made me jittery. We fought against Darth Vader together. I shouldn't be worrying about stepping on her toes. I loosely draped by left hand around her waist while making sure I kept a respectful distance.

I-Five walked around us critiquing our form before he reached out and pushed Sacha and me together until our hips were touching. "You are supposed to be a married couple. You are going to have to show some familiarity between each other or else nobody is going to believe this rouse." I felt my face warm in embarrassment by this intimate contact, but Sacha appeared unperturbed by our close proximity. "On three, start out with the basic steps I taught you," I-Five instructed us. "One, two, three."

I stepped off with my lead foot moving in deliberate if not hesitant steps. I-Five had to correct us a few times, but we seemed to get the hang of it fairly easily. After a while I found myself smiling and laughing at the ease of moment. Sacha smiled in delight as we swayed back and forth to I-Five's step-count.

"Good, good," I-Five called out. "You appear to have mastered that particular dance."

I couldn't help but grin. It felt good to dance. I remember dancing a few times at the temple when I was a child, but it was done to increase my dexterity and coordination, not to have fun.

"Make sure they know how to slow dance." The words came from Magash who grinned mischievously at Sacha daring her to prove herself.

"I know how to slow dance," Sacha shot back before she wrapped her arms around my neck, put her head on my shoulder and pressed the entire length of her body against mine. She then started to sway to imaginary music. As she moved back and forth her hips rubbed against mine provocatively.

"Put your hands around her waist," I-Five critiqued. I realized I was standing there in total shock, my hands hanging to my side and with a panicked look on my face. I slowly moved my hands until they rested around her waist.

Sacha looked up at me and whispered, "Your hands are too high." She reached behind her body and repositioned my hands so they rested just above her buttocks. We swayed back and forth a few minutes before I started to wonder why we are practicing this dance at all. We were simply leaning against each other and shuffling our feet.

"I think I got this," I said as I tried to detangle myself from my dance partner.

"I don't know, Jax," Den said wryly. "It doesn't look natural to me." He turned to Magash. "How about you, does it look natural."

Magash shook her head. "It looks very unnatural. You are supposed to be lovers, but your movements are awkward and stilted."

Sacha nodded her head and leaned in closer to me while swaying in such a sensual manner that every nerve in my body was on high alert. "Is this better?"

"Much better," Magash said with a smirk.

"Oh I agree that is much more believable, but Jax still looks nervous." Den grinned obviously enjoying my discomfort. This much contact, even between platonic friends, was becoming far too much for me to handle. I had a very attractive young lady in my arms pressed firmly against me and I could feel my body responding. I needed to get out of there before I embarrassed myself.

I pulled away from Sacha. "I think I need a break." I turned and quickly left the dayroom. I could hear all my friends call out for my return, but I had to get to my quarters and into a cold shower!

I hope Sacha didn't noticed why I had to leave suddenly...but I think she may have. I'm just having one hell of an embarrassing day.