Can I Have This Dance?

"Sooo, will you go to prom with me, Zee?"

She stares at him as he holds a bouquet of roses. His smile is so sincere, and his eyes are twinkling with anticipation. He's so handsome and sweet that she just can't stop looking at him. Her hearts pounds inside her chest as she bites her lip. She looks away embarrassed just before she answers.

"I'm sorry, Dick. But…..no," she whispers.

With tears in her eyes, she quickly turns around and runs off. Dick is just left there stunned and completely unsure of what just happened. They have been dating for three years now. He was so certain that she would say yes. They were perfect together. They laughed and cried together. They supported each other and shared each other's happiness. He doesn't understand what went wrong or if he did something wrong. Snapping out of his confused haze, he chases after her.

He finds her outside in the garden. She's curled up on the bench with her face buried in her knees. As he gets closer, Dick starts to hear her sniffle. He places the bouquet to his side and sits next to her wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"Is everything ok, Zee?" he gently asks.

"It's just uhhhhh, I don't know how to dance. I don't want to embarrass you," she answers wiping her tears with her shirt.

He knows she's lying, but he continues to hold her and bury his face into her hair. He stands up and takes her hand slightly tugging hoping to nudge her into standing.

"Here, come with me," he says.

Reluctantly, she stands with him.

"Take my hand," he begins, "Take a breath. I'll pull you close. You just take one step."

She grasps his hand as he guides her other one onto his shoulder. Just before placing his hand on her waist, he plays a slow guitar song on his phone.

"Keep your eyes locked on mine, and let the music be your guide."

They gently sway to the beat of the song. Smiling, she rests her head on his chest to hear his heart. He nuzzles her head a little as they sway in comfortable silence.

"This isn't about being unable to dance, is it?" he asks softly hoping to break the ice a little more.

"No, it isn't," she whimpers.

He turns them and starts to step back taking her with him. They twirl and step to the beat of the song. One, two, three. One, two, three, they continue to dance all around the garden. Dick holds her waist so close and firmly that she feels like she's floating as he's guiding them through the air. Finally relaxing, she looks into his eyes. She falls deeper into sync with him as they continue dancing in the garden. She tugs him a little signaling him to stop so she can vent.

"It's just. So many things are changing at once," she begins, "You're moving away to Bludhaven to start at the police academy. I'm joining the League soon and then I'll be starting up my own magic shows. It's just-I feel like we won't have time for each other."

She starts sobbing again as she wraps her hands around his neck. She cries and cries soaking Dick's shirt.

"I don't want to lose you, Dick," she stutters in between sobs, "You are my first boyfriend. My first love. You're all I have left in my heart. I don't want to drift apart or or fall out of love with you or or lose you. But at the same time, we're both on these different paths that we have to take. I don't want to stop you from helping people, and I know you'd never hold me back from joining the League to be with my father. I just-I don't know what to do. When you asked me to prom, everything just became so real. It made me realize that our time together may be coming to an end."

She grips his shirt for dear life weeping and releasing all her pent-up concerns. He just holds her accepting all her sadness and worry. He strokes her hair a little to calm her down before whispering in her ear.

"Zee, take my hand. I'll take the lead, and every turn will be safe with me," he coos kissing her cheek.

Carefully, he guides her hands back into dancing positions, and he begins to step to the beat again pulling her with him. By instinct, she follows him as they spin and dance around the garden again.

"Don't be afraid, Zee. Afraid to fall. You know I'll catch you through it all."

She sniffles as she looks away, still unable to look him in the eyes.

"Zee, even a thousand miles can't keep us apart 'cause my heart is wherever you are."

She smiles a little at how corny he's sounding. As she looks up to him, the clouds above them darken. Thunder booms throughout the sky before rain pours down on them. She worries and tries to pull away so they wouldn't be caught in the storm. Instead, he keeps his grip on her and urges her to keep dancing.

"Let it rain, let it pour. What we have is worth fighting for. You know I believe that we were meant to be," he tells her.

Her eyes widen at this. She knows that he loves her, and she so very much loves him. But she never knew that he felt so deeply about her. The tension in her shoulders wash away with the rain. She almost slips on the wet ground, but he immediately catches her as they continue to dance.

"It's like catching lightning, the chances of finding someone like you. It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do."

He moves to spin her and gracefully she follows. As he pulls her back in, he just can't help himself. He pulls her in for a kiss. Grasping the back of his head she holds him in place as she deepens their blissful kiss. Through all this, he keeps leading her in the dance, and she continues to follow him.

"With every step together, we just keep on getting better. I love you, Zee. I'd never let go of you," he reassures her pressing his forehead to hers.

Her heart is bursting while her ears are burning. She just cannot help loving this man as she smiles ear to ear.

"Promise me something," she whispers, "Won't you promise me that you'll never forget? You'll never forget about us? And that we'll keeping dancing together, wherever we go next?"

"I promise. No matter how far apart we are, I will always and only dance with you. We'll make this work, Zee. I'm sure of it."

Now beaming, she pulls him in for another sweet kiss in the rain. He happily obliges pushing her wet hair out of her face. Another thunderclap startles them and breaks them apart. Before pulling her inside, he tries again to ask her the important question.

"So, can I have this dance?" he shyly asks.

"Yes, Dick. You will always have this dance, just like you will always have my heart. Now, what color scheme were you thinking for prom?"

Can I Have This Dance? – Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens from High School Musical 3