Ch. 20

Jenny instinctively took three steps backwards, mirroring him. It came without thinking, without her noticing. The movement was a natural reaction to the carnivorous motion of the man stalking her.

Sarah watched "Terrence" as he moved, realizing that she had (how many times now?) forgotten to breathe. His movement, like his voice, brought back memories and emotions that she would much rather have suppressed.

His head was raised proudly, but tilted slightly downwards, his eyes locked on the girl in front of him. He held his chest up, abdominal muscles pulled tight under his ribcage, his shoulders flung back, but somehow relaxed at the same time. The white shirt showed little skin, but managed to show every muscle of his tensed torso to perfection. His steps were sure and almost serene – movement for the sake of movement. His hips were mesmerizing and unsettling to watch – they moved one by one - slowly at first, then finishing their motion in a sharp shift as he moved his weight off of one foot and onto the other.

When Jenny moved back, not nearly as gracefully, but somehow still on the same beat as the teacher, Sarah had held her breath again, as though expecting him to pounce at the sight of fleeing prey. It seemed that, if the prey moved with the same slinky, stalky motion, the predator would not strike. But one break in rhythm, and it would be over. A deadly game.

Sarah didn't even realize that the music had already started. It stole in imperceptibly, barely registering somewhere at the edge of her consciousness. The song was as hypnotic as movement of the man before her – it came nearer and nearer and then retreated, moving further away and then creeping back again, always steady and deceptively slow. The heavy, advancing beats emphasized the ones in the four-part rhythm. They were interspersed with the light sound of African tambourines, lulling and seductive, moving and writhing – never still.

She saw Jake peeking out from the music room - What was he so tense about?, she wondered - and made a mental note to ask him what the song was. She couldn't think, couldn't wonder – she could only watch and listen and feel. The music seemed to seep into her, moving under her skin.

The man who had called himself Terrence had caught up to Jenny now, extending his arm to take her hand. Sarah felt sorry for her, but not sorry enough. Somehow, somewhere inside, she felt she didn't like Jenny right now.

Maybe not Jenny specifically, but the fact that she was the sole focus of this strange man's gaze. That seemed wrong to Sarah. So wrong, in fact, that it made her slightly angry. She felt the strange anger flaring up inside her, almost fiery. She felt that Jenny should not be getting this attention.

Am I jealous? Sarah wondered, staring at the pair in front of the class and trying to cope with the anger that had begun to spread through her. I can't imagine why... It would be terrifying to be up there right now. In front of everyone, in front of him. Locked in his gaze, in his rhythm. Do I really want that? No, I don't. I don't think I do...

Well, she wasn't a 100% sure of that.

What she was sure of, was that she didn't like this man dancing with Jenny. Not one bit. Or with anyone else for that matter.

In fact, she didn't like him looking at anyone else.

Or thinking of anyone else.

This is very strange... she told herself. Why on earth do I feel so... possessive?

Meanwhile, Jareth had caught Jenny's right hand in his left and held it, wrapping his right hand around her left shoulder blade. She had shuddered.

Why? Sarah caught herself wondering. It would be thrilling to feel that contact, to be so close to him, to have his movement dictate mine...

Dumb blonde...

She tried to shake off the venomous thoughts, but they were not that easy to get rid of, now that they had already taken root. She was slightly horrified at herself.

Jareth took a step forward, and Jenny gave way, taking a step back, eyes down – completely submissive. He moved to the side, slowly turning his hip until the tambourine signaled the hip switch, and he moved swiftly settling his weight onto his leg, and extending the other one forward. Jenny could have been his shadow – she moved with precisely the right timing.

I wish I were that good of a dancer, Sarah thought. I can never get the timing right.

She was sure Jenny wasn't that good when she danced with the others, though. Watching her now, she could have been a professional. Her every movement was perfectly controlled, first smooth – stretching in between the beats – then sharp, settling on the count.

The only thing missing was, of course, the attitude that the pros had. All the latin dancers she had seen always looked like they were the best thing ever to happen to this world – God's gift to men. Or women, depending on the gender.

Jenny certainly acted that way in school, and during normal dance lessons, but now there was nothing of that attitude left in her. She looked like she wasn't really there. Perfect, beautiful, correct – but completely empty behind the eyes.

Her mind-numbingly gorgeous partner, on the other hand, made up for her lack of fire. It was obvious that the spark was coming from him – he nearly glowed with power. He was completely in charge – head of the partnership, life of the dance, king of the ballroom. King...

Sarah's thoughts screeched to a halt as images of the crystal ballroom swam before her mind's eye. She couldn't stop herself from remembering... The Goblin King, coming up to her, leading her through the crowd of dancers... making her swirl and glide gracefully along, his body telling her what to do... his gaze zeroing in on her, focused only on her, eyes locked with hers... the intensity of that gaze...

Distracted, she didn't notice Adam slide closer and shuddered as he closed his arms around her waist.