First off, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Kay, now I got that out of the way...
Wow. The last time that I gave you guys a chapter, I was waiting on the second Twilight book, New Moon. I'm reading Breaking Dawn, the last one, now, so...yeah. It's been a while and I'm sorry for that. I hope I'm not losing my passion for writing. That would unconditionally and irrevocably SUCK!!!
Chapter 10 – Best Dance Ever
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
Brandon groaned again, tapping his pencil impatiently against the irritated, empty surface of his desk and watching the clock's tiny hands slug to each number. 2:29. Just one more minute until that glorious bell that would allow him to take off out of the building and to the only place that he'd been thinking about nonstop all day would ring. Troy's house. Where a certain blonde, who was probably as impatient as he was right now, was standing and waiting for him with open arms.
He bit back another growl as the hands on the clock seemed to go even slower than before. He knew that it was only because he was staring it down with furious eyes, but the fact of the matter was that no matter how angry he got at the time that seemed to move like frozen molasses, he wasn't the one in charge here. He could get mad for as long as his little heart desired, but it wasn't his choice to decide when the damn bell would ring. He would just have to wait for a short, 45 seconds more until he could see her. Until he could run up to her, hug her, kiss her, have her whisper those three, immortal words to him that would improve his homicidal mood right now...
Oh my God, eternity has to be shorter than this! He felt the need to shout the words out to the entire class who, unlike him, were working carefully and quietly on their homework. He had finished all of his earlier in the period to try and distract himself from the image of the beautiful blonde that was hopefully waiting for him too. Her bright blue eyes exuberant and complimenting the amazing outfit she had probably pulled together, looking like a model walking straight out of a magazine. Her wide, animated smile flashing a large array of white, pearly teeth. Her perfect, full lips that moved graciously and, at times, fiercely against Brandon's that made him shiver at the memory of the last time he kissed that flawless skin on her perfect body.
Oh good Lord... His fist came down on the desk as a low growl that he couldn't suppress slipped from his throat. He almost didn't even notice all the heads that rose from their bowed position to stare at him, their faces contorted into a look of pure confusion and slight annoyance. It only lasted a second before they reverted back to their schoolwork.
Brandon was just about to bash his forehead into the desktop before a folded piece of paper landed on the imaginary target. He looked over at Troy, whose head was hovered over what looked to be history homework, but his hand was slowly motioning over toward the note, his index finger moving in a circular motion as if saying "Open it."
Brandon did as he was told and flipped it open, reading the note with curious eyes.
Get a freakin' hold of yourself already! Don't worry, she's not going anywhere. Just calm down and relax. Jeez...
He turned back to his best friend in order to quietly hiss "Easy for you to say!"
Troy just slightly shook his head, letting Brandon know that he was rolling his eyes behind the curtain of bangs hiding them.
But, Brandon thought to himself, maybe he's right. It's not like she'll change her mind or anything. I'm probably just losing my mind over nothing and overreacting. Like any normal boyfriend would. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth slowly, calmly. Deep breath, you're fine.
And then the bell rang.
Before Darbus even looked up to say goodbye to her students, Brandon was already out the door leaving nothing behind him but a trail of wind that followed him out the door. The force of his escape caused the desk to squeak against the tiled floor and jerk to the side, making it now lopsided and out of line with the rest of the row. Troy just rolled his eyes again.
"H-have a nice weekend ladies and gentlemen." Darbus dismissed them without even looking out at her audience, instead trying to figure out what had caused Brandon's sudden delivery of speed. She looked over at Troy in hope of an answer. Troy just muttered three words: "Isabelle's in town."
"Ah, that explains it." Darbus sat back and continued to read her thick novel.
Troy and Gabriella calmly gathered their belongings together and walked out of the classroom semi-slowly, taking their sweet time in getting out to the car that Brandon was probably already standing beside. He had gotten everything he needed from his locker before the final period had started, for he had his plan together when he anxiously woke up that morning from a restless, impatient sleep.
After stopping at their designated lockers, Troy and Gabriella walked out to the parking lot hand in hand, seeking the place out for Troy's car and Brandon. When Troy's eyes suddenly scanned across his silver vehicle, a loud chuckle escaped his lips.
Sure enough, there Brandon stood, his arms crossed tightly across his chest, his foot tapping violently against the worn pavement, and his face carved into a hard, homicidal glower. His lips were pressed into a tight line and his eyes wide with anger. The sudden rush of blood to his face just confirmed it. He was about to blow a gasket.
"Could you slugs get any slower?!" Brandon spat, spreading his arms to emphasize his fury. "I was about to drive to the house without you!"
"And what would my parents think if they saw you and only you getting out of my car?" Troy argued with a grin.
Brandon just glared harder "They would probably understand since there is the next best thing to an angel standing in that house, now come on!"
Gabriella just rolled her eyes and waved him off as though he were nothing to worry about "Geez, calm down already. It's not like she'll just run off if you're a few minutes late."
"We wouldn't be late if you idiots had picked up the freakin' pace!"
Troy just laughed at his impatience and fished his keys out of his pocket, heading for the driver's side. Before he even had a hand on the door handle, the keys were snatched from his hand. "I'm driving." Brandon demanded.
"Excuse me?"
Brandon rolled his eyes as though it were painfully obvious. "You honestly think that I'm gonna let you drive at the normal speed limit when I've got somewhere to be?"
"You think I'm gonna let you?"
Brandon didn't reply right away; he just glowered at Troy and then growled "I'm. Driving."
Troy backed up a few steps and teasingly said "Jeez, okay. Don't give yourself a brain hemorrhage."
Brandon, once again, rolled his eyes and swiftly opened the door to launch himself inside. Troy followed. As soon as he and Gabriella were in their seats, they grabbed the seat belt and strapped it tightly across themselves, afraid of Brandon's driving already.
Brandon revved the engine and after checking to make sure there was nobody behind him, pulled out of the parking lot and sped down the street, pushing the speedometer needle way past his personal limit. His eyes focused on the road passing too quickly under the tires and his jaw hardened with each passing second. The leg that wasn't on the gas peddle started to shake violently in anticipation.
In less than half the ten minutes that it usually took them to get home, Brandon found himself swiftly turning into the Bolton driveway. His books were in his hands before the car was even shut off.
Troy and Gabriella also unbuckled their seat belt and grabbed their things. When they looked up, the driver's door was being slammed shut and Brandon's figure retreated from the vehicle to speed inside the house
Gabriella rolled her eyes and turned to her boyfriend. "He's so desperate."
Troy just chuckled in response, giving her a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Wouldn't you be that way if we were separated?"
She looked at him with slight horror, trying to block out the heartbreaking thought from her mind. "Don't even joke like that, Troy..."
He grinned and pulled her chin up to his face. "You know I'd never let it happen."
"Still, you know how Brick is. What his twisted mind can come up with."
Troy's face hardened instantly and his eyes tightened into an angry glare. "There's nothing in his twisted mind that we couldn't counter together. I'll never let him hurt you again, even if it means I have to stop him by hand."
She smirked, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere, and replied "Can I kick him in the nuts if you have to?"
He smiled – a smile that barely touched his eyes – and answered "Go crazy."
Gabriella smiled back and, pecking him on the lips one last time, exited the car with an amused look. She could see it now. Isabelle crushed tightly against Brandon's large frame while she spun around in his arms, begging him to stop as she squealed.
She waited for Troy to gather his things before he stepped out of the car and joined hands with her, his eyes now more calm. She smiled at him and started for the front door.
The couple walked through the door and stepped into the kitchen, where they found Brandon leaning against the refrigerator heaving oxygen in and out of his lungs, his eyes closed. Troy and Gabriella giggled, knowing that he had run into the house too fast and was now paying the price.
Lucy was already in the room and she had her head down, slicing carrots for dinner that night and grinning slightly. She laughed quietly at Brandon, although it didn't match the sorrowful look in her eyes.
Troy snorted "Need an inhaler?"
Brandon glared at him. "Shut up." He exhaled.
Lucy looked up at the new addition to the room. "Hey guys. How was school?"
Gabriella grinned teasingly at her brother. "Amusing." Brandon turned his annoyed eyes to her as well.
Troy added "Yeah, it was like watching a criminal waiting for a death sentence, only without all the fear."
"You're pushing it, Bolton..." Troy fought back a laugh at Brandon's harsh warning.
Brandon took one more deep breath before he finally decided that he had regained control of it and asked "So, is she here?" Troy could plainly see the sparkle in his eyes that appeared whenever he spoke of his girlfriend of nearly half a year. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Lucy barely lifted her head, but she averted her eyes to Brandon and stared at him with sadness and a tad bit of worry. "About that..."
Brandon frowned at her tone.
Lucy continued dryly "H-her mother had an emergency meeting from across the state that would last her a few days. Izzy had to stay and baby-sit Sarah. I'm sorry Brandon."
Brandon didn't even hear her last words. Everything muted after "Izzy had to stay" He could feel his body numbing and his open mouth dropping open a little further. His heart skipped a few beats and his thoughts immediately fogged, not letting him think clearly at all. Isabelle couldn't come? She wasn't here?
He felt a hand on his shoulder but didn't turn to acknowledge it. "Brandon? Are you okay?"
Troy's voice brought him back to reality and his broken heart started beating painfully against his chest again. "She's not here?" He wasn't even conscious enough to realize the stupidity of his question.
Lucy shook her head, looking down at the counter.
Gabriella slowly walked over to her brother and rubbed his back, whispering "I'm sorry, Brandon. Are you sure you're alright?"
Brandon was gazing at the floor with tears lining his eyes, but his will blocked them from leaking. His once broad shoulders slumped and his legs didn't receive the feeling back yet. He tried to gulp down the lump in his throat and nodded his pale face slowly. "I guess," he muttered, trying not to let all of his heartbreak empty through his mouth. "I don't know." He finally sighed truthfully.
"Do you think you'll be able to go to the dance tonight?" Troy asked, careful not to set him off by being too ignorant.
Brandon seemed to think about it for a short second before nodding. "Yeah, I have to go whether I like it or not. I guess I'll have to fake all the enthusiasm."
Gabriella leaned her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his torso, feeling tears of her own building in her eye sockets. "This sucks..."
Brandon nodded, letting a lone tear escape his eye. "I can't believe this. I got all worked up about seeing her and taking her on that date tonight after the dance, but now-" He cut himself off as his voice cracked. He just closed his eyes and leaned his head against his sister's. Not even the sweet aroma of her hair could comfort him now. His only sense of peace at the moment was two states away, probably sitting on her bed crying her eyes out. He could relate. As soon as he got home from the dance, he was going to do something he never usually did. Go to bed early. Forget staying up until three, partying with friends. His lover, his other half wasn't here at his side. What was the point in celebrating?
"Okay, that's it! I can't take this anymore!" An emotional, watery voice suddenly came from around the corner. Brandon and Gabriella's heads snapped up to see Lucy grinning smugly, but with a little regret in her eyes. She flashed her teeth and turned to watch the blonde run out of the living room and into the kitchen.
Brandon's eyes widened and his jaw dropped again. "Izzy?!"
Isabelle stood there, her hand over her mouth and her blue eyes bulging with tears. Her other hand was delicately placed over her chest as she whimpered "We're going on a date?"
Brandon didn't reply. His arm went limp around Gabriella's waist and his body drained of all color as well as feeling, once again.
Troy chuckled behind him "If he doesn't wake out of that coma, you won't be."
Gabriella flipped around to face him as she snapped "Why are you so happy? You knew about this?"
"You didn't? I thought my dad told you."
"Well, obviously he didn't! This is just mean!" Even though Brandon couldn't see it, he could practically hear the smile forming on her face.
But even with her shrieking behind him, Brandon could do nothing but stare at Isabelle in awe. She had, if possible, gotten more beautiful than the last time he'd seen her three weeks ago. Her spotless, tan skin caught in the perfect sunlight emerging in through the window had gotten a shade darker, probably from all the sun she was getting in San Francisco. Her hair, straight last time he'd seen her, was now in natural, fresh waves which were probably produced from a quick shower earlier that day after the plane ride. Her eyes, despite the reflection from the tears, glowed brighter every time he laid eyes on her. A perfect, flawless goddess, all his, standing only ten feet away from him, had tricked him?
"Izzy..." He repeated, starting to believe this dream-like haze that was now wearing off.
Isabelle wailed "I'm sorry Brandon! I'm so sorry!" She was now rushing to him at full speed, her eyes already closed. "I didn't know you'd react like that! I feel so bad!"
As soon as her arms wound around his waist, all of the life fell back into him at lighting speed. He looked down at the crying beauty tight against his body and inhaled, closing his eyes slowly. Just like Troy had said, it was like waiting for a death sentence and just as he thought it was over for him, the judge offers him parole. The nightmare was over.
Brandon smiled a toothy grin and crushed her against his chest even more, burying his face in her hair. "That was just cruel and unusual punishment..." He joked with a laugh as he planted his lips against her scalp.
Isabelle sniffed and giggled "I know. There's your revenge for making fun of my Evanescence obsession."
"That was twice the damage," he muttered, still smiling. "So I owe you one back."
She pulled back to examine his perfect face, her lip curving up into a sarcastic grin. "That's not fair."
Brandon rolled his eyes "It's perfectly fair and you know it. Now," He kissed the salty tears off of her face as he paused. "What to deprive you of...hmm...oh! I got one!"
"What is it?" she warily asked, biting her lip.
Brandon leaned down with his eyes already half closed, signaling a kiss. She smiled and stood up on her toes, ready to meet his lips.
She was met with nothing more than his sweet breath being blown against her mouth. Her eyes snapped open and she saw Brandon's face, not even an inch from hers, smiling devilishly. "Gotcha..."
"Oh come on!" She tried lurching forward, but he pressed their foreheads together to prevent her from doing so. She whimpered.
"Not so fun when you have to wait, is it?"
"This is ridiculous, you stubborn idiot."
Brandon just grinned wider. "That wasn't very nice, Blondie. I'm going to have to punish you for that."
"Jackass..."
He gasped in false offense. "I'm still counting here. That's two."
She whimpered, her eyes becoming larger than normal and her lashes fluttering softly. Her lower lip jutted out into a pout and a high-pitched crying sound came from her throat. She sounded like a puppy begging for a belly-rub.
Brandon closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and then opening them again. He knew exactly what she was doing. Trying to make him feel guilty about his sarcasm and tempting him out of his punishment. It worked.
"You're lucky I'm so hungry for you right now, otherwise I wouldn't be holding you this close."
Isabelle, still giving her puppy-dog pout, smiled a half grin, fluttering her lashes.
Brandon leaned down and brushed his lips gently against her bottom lip, wishing that she would so desperately give up this unnecessary begging. He felt her smile and whisper "Give up yet?"
"Only if you do, gorgeous."
Isabelle just giggled and jumped, wrapping her legs around his torso. She grabbed his face in between her hands and finally leaned in, pressing her lips against his lovingly.
"Aww!" someone said behind them. "That is so SICK! Get a room, horn dogs!"
"Shut up, Chad." Brandon growled against Isabelle's lips, still gripping her waist tightly against his body.
Chad rolled his eyes and turned to Troy. "Sorry I got here late. Did he cry?"
Troy busted out laughing, earning a sharp slap on the arm by Gabriella. "Oh yeah. I actually started to feel guilty for a second."
"And throw away everything I ever taught you?" Chad gasped, faking devastation. "Not a chance!"
Brandon and Isabelle just ignored their teasing, too caught up in each other's presence to notice the friendly cruelty. They eventually separated and Brandon stroked her smooth hair. "When did you get here?"
Isabelle sighed, inhaling the aroma of Brandon's natural scent and laying her head against his shoulder. She felt even more at ease when she was around him since he stopped wearing cologne two months ago. "About three hours ago," she answered softly, running her fingers up and down the surface of his solid, muscular chest. "I was actually considering sprinting to the school as soon as I saw your house."
She smiled as she heard his deep laugh. "How strange. I was thinking about running home at lunch a few hours ago."
"Great minds think alike?"
He smiled gracefully. "Two heads are better than one."
Just as Isabelle was about to crush her lips to his again, a hand came between them to push Brandon's face away from hers. "Okay, love bugs. That's enough." Brandon and Isabelle turned their heads to glare at Troy.
"That's two, Bolton..."
Troy rolled his eyes. "Don't you have to go set up for your dance tonight?"
"That's not until another hour and a half, dummy."
Troy eyed the two's position and wrinkled his nose. Isabelle was still firmly wrapped around his waist and Brandon's hand had moved down from her hips to under her butt for better support. Not that she minded. "Yeah, well, I would still appreciate it if you would stop groping my cousin. You may be my best friend, but I still gotta put my foot down at some point."
A growl rumbled deep inside Brandon's chest, but he let his girlfriend down with great reluctance. "I'll be delivering your revenge for this shortly."
"I'll be waiting."
Brandon rolled his eyes and turned to the blonde beside him, his hostile mood instantly melting away. "So about tonight, after the dance..."
Isabelle smiled "I can't wait. What are we doing?"
Brandon chuckled, tucking a lock of loose hair behind her ear and snaking his arm around her waist again. "Now what kind of surprise would it be if I told you?"
"Ba-abe..." she whined, pouting again.
He placed a finger on her lips, stopping her from going further. "I don't wanna hear it. You'll just have to wait. It'll be worth it when you see what I'm planning."
Troy butted into their conversation suddenly. "What are you planning? You never told me."
"Not a chance."
Troy grimaced. "Wow, she's right. You are a jackass."
"Love you too," A muffled chorus of Three Days Grace's song "Animal I Have Become" suddenly filled the short-lived silence. Brandon slid his phone open and answered "Hello...yeah...ugh, are you serious? Wait, is she okay...fine, I'll be right there. See ya." He shoved the phone back in his pocket and announced with a sigh "Kendra just broke her leg tripping down the steps. We gotta rearrange the dance now, so I gotta run. See you guys later." He turned to Isabelle and pulled her into a kiss, releasing most of the passion that he felt for her into it. His lips lingered on hers as he murmured "I'll see you tonight."
Isabelle smiled when he finally allowed her to breathe. "Good luck. I love you."
"I love you too."
--
Brandon stepped out of the car and looked through the glass doors into the school where it was dark, but flashes of colored light could be seen jumping around the walls. He smirked. It was perfect.
"Ready to rock this?" Troy asked, coming up behind him. Brandon smiled widely. "Never been more ready in my entire life."
Troy laughed, pushing him into the building by his shoulder. "Well then let's go. You gotta go get warmed up."
Brandon smiled and exchanged the secret handshake between him and Troy, consisting of pounding each other's fists, slapping their hands, pretending to spit in their hands, and then shaking hands once again.
"Eww! Okay, I gotta know; what the hell is that?" Brandon turned and smiled at Isabelle's disgusted, beautiful face. "It's a metaphor," he answered "We pretend to spit because that shows that we trust each other."
"How'd you manage to think that up?"
"I can't remember. We started when we were ten, I think."
Isabelle giggled and took Brandon's hand in hers. "I want to say it's creative, but obviously I can't right now."
Brandon leaned down and pecked her lips once. "It's okay, you'll get used to it."
Just as Isabelle was about to deepen the kiss, Brandon was torn away from her. "Dude!" Michael screamed in his ear "I'm so excited! This dance is gonna be awesome!"
"Yeah man," Brandon whimpered, pointing to his ear. "I can tell you're ecstatic."
Michael didn't seem to notice his sarcasm and continued to exclaim "I'm so psyched for Amy to see it! Now she'll see why I've been so tired this past week!"
Brandon laughed "I'm sure she already does understand."
Michael shrugged and just as he was about to say something else, his eyes landed on Isabelle. He smiled widely. "Izzy!" He lifted her into his arms and spun her around. "So good to see you, Blondie!"
When he finally put her down, Isabelle had to hold onto his arm to steady her dizzy head. "G-good to see you too, Mike. Where did that come from?"
He shrugged again. "I don't know; I'm just so full of it right now!"
"Aren't you always?" Michael turned around and immediately calmed as a wave of black hair gracefully glided her way over to him and linked arms, smiling up at him.
"Hey, babe," He kissed the top of Amy's head. "Didn't hear you come up."
Amy smiled and averted her attention to Brandon. "Looking good, Montez. You ready for your dance?"
Brandon nodded with a friendly grin. "You don't look too shabby yourself, Hartzler. And yeah, I'm pumped." He grabbed Isabelle from behind and encircled her neck with his arms, pulling her close. She smiled and held his hand. "This is the reason I'm dancing at all." Isabelle rolled her eyes and said "You don't mean that."
"Course I do. When Mike asked me to join again, I immediately thought of you. I figured it would be nice if you saw another one of my passions."
Troy then tapped Brandon on the shoulder and sternly said "Hey, what are you still doing out here? The party's in there."
Brandon rolled his eyes, but smiled. "The party's wherever Izzy is." Isabelle blushed and tightened her grip around his hand.
Troy made a face. "Eww, too cheesy. Just get going."
"Fine." He leaned down and kissed his girlfriend's neck, whispering "Ready?"
She took a deep breath and turned them around, gazing up at the school with worried eyes, as if she expected Josh to jump out at her any second. She felt a squeeze around her hand. She smiled and nodded.
"Nothing's going to happen, sweetheart. I promise." Brandon reassured her, resting his cheek against hers.
Isabelle closed her eyes and leaned into him. "Nothing's going to happen." She softly repeated.
Brandon squeezed her arm. "That's my girl. Let's go." He untangled her from his hold, but didn't unglue their hands from each other as he led the way into the school, biting his lip. He and the team had their dance near perfect again after Kendra's nasty fall, but it was all on such short notice. What if someone forgot a new move? He was especially worried about Todd. He loved the boy, he swore he did, but if you were to stand him beside Chad, he would, most of the time, make curly-q look like a genius.
After Brandon signed them both in (and sneaking Isabelle in as a freshmen, who had been absent that day) they walked into the gym.
Isabelle immediately squealed "Oh my God, this is amazing!"
Brandon looked up into the room and gasped. It was amazing. The dark atmosphere complimented the flashing lights that jumped around the air, highlighting certain teen's beaming faces in the room. The music that rumbled through the room immediately found Brandon's ears and surged through his veins, rushing to his limbs and begged him to dance. He smiled and twitched. They were already taking effect.
Isabelle pulled him into the room and giggled "I love this song! Let's go dance!"
A smile tugged at Brandon's lips as he recognized the song to be the beginning of "So What". "Right behind you!"
"Hey, hey! Not without us!" Gabriella shouted behind him, trying to be heard over the music. Brandon turned around and smiled. "Took you guys long enough!"
Troy rolled his eyes as he walked beside his girlfriend, their hands intertwined with hers. "Better late than never, right?"
Sharpay then appeared from behind them. "Are we gonna stand here and talk or are we gonna go make these people self conscious about themselves?!"
"I believe that's Brandon's expertise." Taylor complimented from the doorway with Chad on her arm. Brandon blushed.
Isabelle took both of Brandon's hands and pulled him onto the floor. "Well then prove it to me. Bust a move, Danger!"
Brandon smiled and warned "Let me know if you can't keep up. I go pretty fast."
"I don't think that'll be a problem."
Brandon lifted her hand to his lips and, not even letting the need to blink tear his eyes away from hers, kissed it softly before yanking her toward him a little roughly and crushing her to his body. Isabelle gasped in surprise, but almost lost all air flow to her lungs as she felt his body start to move against hers along to the beat of the song. She looked up at him and saw him grinning, his eyes making her suspicious. The excitement was the only obvious emotion that she could see, but she could also tell that there was something else hidden underneath that. Could it be...relief?
Isabelle ignored the other mystery trait and threw her arms around her boyfriend's neck, swaying her hips along with him and barely noticing their sharp movements attracting a crowd. Brandon snaked his arms around her waist and increased his speed, his grin stretching further when he saw the shock on her face. He usually did surprise people when he used this pace with them.
Isabelle's mind was in a whirl. How someone could be so perfect, she would never know. He was practically flawless. The way he smiled when something really pleased him, his beautiful voice humming random melodies when it got too quiet for him, his soft, mesmerizing eyes underneath his sleek black bangs, and his frantic conversations with himself when he got anxious. Brandon was like her Prince Charming from the dreams she had when she was just a little girl. He was delivered to her life in a desperate time of need and fought for – and over – her whenever necessary. Of course, he had his flaws that she chose to ignore, including his over-protectiveness, his little, annoying obsessions over things like Three Days Grace, casual yet formal shirts, nailing a dance routine when he still had plenty of time, and his never ending gym visits. Not to mention his temper, but she had only seen that angry side once, in the janitor's closet last year. These minor defects were part of him, made him who he was. And she loved him all the same.
The beat increased as it neared the chorus and Isabelle found herself tiring, but Brandon kept himself swinging and swaying at such a pace that Isabelle wondered if she was hallucinating it all. She felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Can I borrow your date for a minute?" Michael asked her with a sly grin. "This is our part." Isabelle giggled and nodded, curious as to what the two had planned.
Brandon mirrored Mike's expression and, after kissing Isabelle on the forehead, followed him into the center of the circle that had gathered, surrounding the dance team in the middle. A triangle of the members had formed, Brandon at the point with him being the captain of the team. The short pause in between the verse and the chorus was spent freezing. Then it struck, and the teens went crazy.
The gang had joined Isabelle in dropping their jaws, including Troy and Gabriella who hadn't seen it. They were going so fast it was almost turning into a blur, their limbs flinging precisely in sync with each other and body's twisting in ways that the onlookers couldn't dream of attempting. It suddenly felt stupid keeping them in here, at a simple high school dance. These champions belonged in a music video.
The chorus eventually ended, and the dancers slowed themselves, moving to the next verse of the song slower, but not yet calm. Each and every person in the group had some sort of smile or smug grin on their faced, a relieved smile in Brandon's case. Isabelle now realized that the cause of this was that no one had forgotten a move, no matter how complicated it seemed. He met Isabelle's stare, biting his lip and winking. The blood pooled in her cheeks, but she didn't notice. She was too busy giving him two thumbs up.
The chorus started back up again and the team broke out into the same impossible-looking moves that they had just performed a few moments ago. They didn't look faltered or tired in any way, even after the workout. They all looked happy, especially Brandon, who looked extra-pleased. His smile provided yet another bright light to the room and the way his eyes sparkled, from what the gang could see, meant that he was on cloud nine and not letting anything, or anybody, bring him down. This was his happy place, his serenity. A strong, passionate way of life.
Once again, the dancers returned to a more believable speed, but this time the triangle parted slightly. Everyone in the group motioned for one of their friends to come join them in the circle, whether it be their boy/girlfriend or just their best friend. Brandon turned to face Isabelle and held up a finger, beckoning her to him. She beamed.
She felt a squeeze on her arm. Gabriella squeaked "Go, Izzy!"
Isabelle wordlessly followed her cheery orders, letting her feet lead her into the arms of her lover. Brandon grinned and placed a kiss on her cheek before taking her hands in his and letting the music overcome him again.
The dance continued without a glitch for another hour and a half before the dance coach, David Hilson, took the microphone in his hands. "Havin' a good time, Wildcats?!"
The response was an almost deafening roar from the students.
He chuckled and continued "That's what I like to hear. Now, as most of you know, our dance team has been practicing very hard, three days a week, for half of the summer to choreograph the perfect performance to open this year with a bang! I honestly didn't think that they could handle some of the moves that I had in mind, but they surprised me and stuck it out till the end! And, in ten minutes, you'll get to see that performance! So be prepared! It'll be just like sitting front row of 'America's Next Dance Crew'!"
More screams rang in the air, hands clapping and whoops of encouragement being thrown all over the place.
Brandon took Isabelle's head in his hands and kissed her forehead, telling her "That's my cue. I'll see you afterwards, okay?"
Isabelle nodded, her eyes glowing with love and admiration for him. "Break a leg. I love you."
Brandon's lips came down on hers for a lingering second. "I love you too." Isabelle's eyes stayed shut for a long second but when she opened them, he was gone.
After ten long, impatient moments, the current song cut off abruptly and the lights dimmed, blackening the platform that the team would perform on. Anxious murmurs spread throughout the room, but the gang stayed perfectly at ease, the adrenaline in their bodies pulsing through their veins. Troy grinned "Go get 'em, Danger."
The beginning of "Let It Rock" erupted from the speakers and the crowd screamed, suddenly remembering what was going on. The noise died down when the first verse began, noting the fact that the team needed to hear the song in order to dance to it. '
The lights shone on the dancers, showing that they were in the same triangle that they were in just a few moments earlier with Brandon as the tip. They had all changed into different outfits, or you could call them uniforms with them being the same on everybody. The girls wore red short shorts with white stripes on the side and red tank tops with a giant white W on the front, the words "Wildcat Dance" in small letters underneath it. The guys wore white, loose fit sweatpants with 2 red stripes racing down the sides and a matching white hoodie, with nothing more than a wife beater underneath. Isabelle nearly drooled as Brandon's perfectly sculpted body that was clearly visible through the thin material.
She didn't get to stare for long. As soon as the lyrics began, the team began to move along to the beat of the song, their moves precise and sharp with every move. As their moves became slower toward the end of the verse, Isabelle giggled at something that Brandon had told her earlier, before the dance. There were few rules when you were on the team, but Coach Hilson gave him an advantage to being the captain; he was allowed to add one more personal rule when they danced. Brandon had one, short sentence that followed: "TNT: Tight, not tense."
When the team momentarily froze, Brandon stared down from the platform at Isabelle, who was mouthing "I love you." Brandon winked and whispered back "Forever."
After four amazing minutes, the performance ended and the team fled the stage after accepting the roaring applause from the audience. Brandon was changed and back before Isabelle even had time to miss him, sneaking up behind her to wrap his arms around her and kiss her cheek, whispering "Miss me?"
The blonde shrieked and turned in his arms, throwing her arms around his neck. "Brandon, that was beyond amazing! It was like watching a pro front row!"
Brandon smiled and gave her waist a squeeze. "Thanks. All a part of what I hope to become someday. A pro who owns his own dance studio." Isabelle smiled at the faraway, dreamy look in his eyes that proved that dancing is something that he planned to do until the day he died.
She snapped her fingers in front of his fingers. "Come back, sweetie."
"What?"
Isabelle giggled, continuing "So how about that date?"
Brandon gave a sly grin, looking up at the clock that hung on the wall. 8:27.
He turned back to his girlfriend and said "Three minutes until one of the best nights of your life. Can you wait?"
She pecked his nose, breathing "Nope."
Coach Hilson announced over the mic "We're runnin' low on time, but I think we can squeeze one more dance in! Who's with me?!"
The students screamed.
"Swing" blasted from the speakers and Brandon chuckled "Maybe we'll get out of here faster if you show me how your hips swing."
Isabelle blushed, but rolled her eyes anyway. "You're so horny." However, she rolled her hips and bumped them into his waist. The song continued and the blonde in front of Brandon seemed to be getting into the song with him dancing behind her, not being able to tear his eyes away from her body. When the song finally ended, Isabelle was gasping for breath, asking "Wow. T-that was awesome."
The grin on his face widened. "8:30. Let's get out of here."
Sorry for those of you who read the Sneak Peak last chapter. This was getting too long, so I just decided to cut it in half.
REVIEW!!! Thnx :)
~Rachel :)
NEW POLL ON MY PAGE!!! PLEASE VOTE ON IT!!!
Sneak At Next Chapter:
- Brandon/Izzy date
- Brandon's in for a huge surprise
"Brandon, can I see you for a minute?" Coach Hilson called.
Brandon excused himself from the rest of the team and walked over to him, saying "Yeah?"
Hilson grinned, acknowledging the man beside him. Brandon looked him over; he looked official, business-like but still casual. He was wearing khakis and a logo shirt. He took a closer look. Albuquerque School of Dance...
His eyes widened.
"Brandon, this is is Matt Faith. He's here to talk to you about a job opening at the school."
"Oh my God..."
- Another attack strikes
roy slammed his locker shut and walked around the corner casually, only to be bombarded with a heavy weight pushing him to the ground forcefully.
"What the-" Troy groaned, holding his throbbing head with a trembling hand.
"TROY!!! HE'S GOT HER!!!" a worried, but familiar voice shouted in Troy's ear, enhancing his headache.
"What? Who has who?" Troy asked shakily, cracking his left eye open slightly.
"Brick! He's got-"
Trivia:
- So What is by P!nk, Let It Rock is by Kevin Rudolf, and Swing is by Savage
- I was browsing through my iTunes Library looking for a name for Brandon's dance coach. Coach Hilson is named after Keri Hilson (You can look her up if you don't know who she is; she sings Energy)
- Brandon's dance "uniform" is what Zac/Troy wore during We're All In This Together
- Troy says "Okay, that's enough, love bugs." Guess where I got that from...
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REVIEW!!! Thnx :)
~Rachel :)