The Circle of Friends

IV - Dancing With Love-1

IV - Dancing With Love

“Heather, you’ve got to help me!” Lori gasped, breathless from running. She had raced to Heather’s locker at the end of the day to avoid being seen by Jason. It was important that he not know her dilemma.

“With what?” asked Heather, cramming her book on the top shelf. Her locker was a mess and she had to search for her car keys.

“Tomorrow night. After the game, there’s a dance, right?”

“Yeah. There’s one after every home game. Why?”

Lori took a deep breath, trying to keep her panic to a minimum. “Heather, I’ve never danced before. Ever!”

Heather found her keys and turned to face Lori. “You’ve never been to a dance?”

“No,” said Lori, her eyes wide. “I’ve never had a reason to go. And tomorrow night Jason is going to want to dance and I won’t know what to do!”

Heather placed both hands on Lori’s shoulders. “Then you’ve come to the right person. I can show you!”

Lori sighed. “I would appreciate it. When would be a good time?”

Heather c****d her head to one side. “Well, is there actually a time when you’re not with Jason?”

“Tonight. And he said he’s not calling until after nine.”

“I’ll be by around seven, then.”

“Thanks so much, Heather,” said Lori, breathing a sigh of relief.

Lori raced home to start her routine. She had just enough time to inhale a bowl of soup before taking her shower. Her father was home and he asked if Jason was coming over tonight.

“No, but Heather’s coming over. She’s going to teach me how to dance so I won’t look like a fool tomorrow night!” cried Lori as she ran upstairs.

“Dancing? Wow, you must be just crazy about this guy, then!” Phil called after her.

Heather arrived promptly at seven and they retreated to the game room. Putting on some dance music, Heather spent the next hour giving Lori a little rhythm. The slow songs were easy, but the fast dances had Lori concerned. Heather was surprisingly patient and Lori gradually began grasping the moves.

Sarah dropped in unannounced a little after eight, bursting loudly into the game room. Lori and Heather jumped at the abrupt entrance, providing Sarah with a good laugh.

“What are you doing?” she asked, closing the glass doors.

“We are having a dance lesson!” said Heather, both hands on her hips.

“You? Dancing?” cried Sarah, pointing at her best friend. “Since when do you dance?”

“I will be tomorrow night,” answered Lori defensively.

“Oh, you are soooo in love!” cried Sarah, sinking into the nearest chair.

“I think they both are,” said Heather, nodding in agreement.

Lori began to wonder if having Heather and Sarah in the same room together was such a good idea. “You guys don’t know!” she accused.

“Yes we do!” they replied in chorus.

“Besides, you had such a crush on him in tenth grade,” added Sarah, grinning mischievously.

“Sarah!” Lori cried in dismay. She had not wanted to reveal that piece of information.

“Really?” asked Heather, all ears now.

“Yeah, but last year she was still enamored with Scott.”

“Sarah!”

Heather leaned against the back of the couch. “Who was Scott?”

“Oh, he was cute!” declared Sarah, moving to Heather’s side. “Curly blonde hair, real laid back. Scott taught at the pool before he went to college. They went out several times, I might add! Lori really liked him.”

“I did not!” said Lori, desperate for Sarah to cease.

“Yes you did!”

Heather put a restraining arm on Sarah. “Lori, it’s okay. I’m not going to tell Jason you had a crush on him once. You really like him now, though, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she said meekly. Lori had liked him from the first day.

Heather arose and grabbed Lori’s hands. “Well, let me give you a little advice when it comes to one Jason Phillips. Show him you love him, but let him say it first! ‘Cus if he says it, he’ll mean it!”

“All right,” promised Lori.

Giving Lori a quick spin, Heather twirled her toward Sarah. “And tomorrow night, tell him you’re not very good at dancing and then just let him lead!”

Her task complete, Heather went home shortly afterwards. Lori only had to tolerate Sarah’s jibes for another five minutes before she departed as well. Alone at last, she continued practicing until Lori noticed her father watching from the doorway. Embarrassed to have an audience, she stopped dancing. Her father smiled reassuringly.

“May I be the first man to dance with you?” he asked, stepping into the room.

Lori accepted his hand and wisely let her father lead.

Friday night’s game was another blowout. Thrilled for the boys, Lori was pleased to see Jason score a touchdown as well. His talents on the football field could not be denied and she felt proud to be his girlfriend.

Sarah had come to the game, eager to see her friend dance afterwards. Feeling self-conscious, Lori did her best to ignore Sarah’s mischievous smirk. It was Heather who gave her the reassurance she needed, though. After all, no one else would know she had just learned to dance last night.

“Besides, Jason’s probably just gonna want to hold you close all night anyway!” Heather exclaimed.

He was certainly in a good mood when he joined them at the table. Jason kissed Lori on the neck before taking the seat next to her, his grin enormous. He and Matt continued a good-natured banter that had obviously begun in the locker room. Spirits were high after tonight’s victory and the boys were ready for fun.

Lori listened to the music, praying the first dance would be slow. A crowd already occupied the dance floor, moving to a techno dance remix. Lori felt grateful for the dim lights. Her lack of skills would be unnoticeable in the dark.

The boys were still busy rehashing the game. Sarah eyed her from across the table and Lori pretended not to notice. Eventually she would have to face the music though, so to speak.

When a very popular love song blasted from the speakers, Jason pulled Lori to her feet. Matt offered his arm to Heather and followed them onto the dance floor. Jason had barely put his arms around her when Matt and Heather bumped into them. Still wired from the game, the boys continued to pester and talk with each other for the duration of the song. Lori simply followed Heather’s advice and let him lead.

Jason acquired drinks after their dance. Most of their group remained at the table, egging on those who did get up to dance. Lori was surprised to see Sarah accept Paul’s invitation, but then again, Sarah knew how to dance very well. If it involved boys, she did not miss an opportunity.

The next slow song began to play and Jason once again escorted her onto the floor. This time however, he guided Lori away from Matt and the others.

“Everything okay?” he asked softly in her ear. “You’re quiet tonight.”

“I’m fine,” she answered quickly, and then took a deep breath. “I’m just not a very good dancer.”

He held her tightly, his hands pressed against her back. “You appear to be doing fine to me!”

Jason only enticed Lori from her chair for one fast paced dance, explaining he felt too tired to bounce around all night. Whether it was true or not, Lori suspected he was just being considerate. At least she got through the evening without an embarrassing moment. Her image had never been of concern to Lori, but she wanted to make a favorable impression on Jason. Admitting she really liked him had been no lie.

Jason was growing quite fond of Lori, too.

During the next few weeks, Lori continued to adapt to Jason’s presence in her life. The routine she had followed for the past few years required adjustment, allowing for more outside activities. She learned how to compact a whole night’s worth of schoolwork into one hour and still get high marks for her efforts. Football games and evenings with Jason took precedence over many things she now found trivial and boring. The endless hours of solitude no longer required filling.

Her training remained the one thing she refused to compromise, even for Jason. Regardless how tired she felt, every morning found her hard at work. Lori had spent too many years toiling in the water to let her goals fade now.

However, it was difficult to not let some of the time she used to spend with Sarah and Maria be taken by Jason. Occasionally their shopping day was pushed to Sunday, but Lori tried to plan it in advance. She endeavored to include them in activities whenever possible, and for Sarah this was not a problem. Maria’s presence was a rare occurrence, however. Her parents were very protective and strict, and enticing Maria to join them proved a challenge.

Lori never let the thrill of being with Jason wane in the slightest. Her spirits were always lifted when she saw him approach. His natural charisma was incredibly inspiring. Jason did not appear judgmental or his anger easily provoked, either. Several football players confirmed he did indeed possess a temper, but Jason always left his aggression on the field.

The one thing she heard most frequently was their compatibility as a couple. Matt even told Lori that her gentle, supportive nature was exactly what his best friend needed. Heather echoed the sentiment, always with the promise that Lori would have his heart soon. This she still patiently awaited, wondering how she could have so easily fallen for Jason.

By the third week of October, conversations shifted to the upcoming Halloween party at Matt’s house. His father would be out of town that weekend and Matt had permission to invite over a few friends. In his mind, this translated into throwing a big party. It would be the last Halloween the friends would enjoy together as teens and Matt requested that everyone come in costume.

Jason at once began making suggestions to Lori, who cringed at some of his ideas. She refused to go out half naked and knew her parents would forbid it as well. Eventually he took her shopping for a costume that would fit her criteria and still show off her figure. Jason finally talked her into a Cat Woman outfit to go with his Batman suit. It revealed her curves while still covering her entire body.

They returned to her house and tried on their costumes again. Jason’s was rather snug on his frame also, but he made a convincing Batman and strutted around her room acting like a superhero. Lori’s costume fit almost too well, the material stretching across her body. Only her swimsuit fit tighter. Perhaps no one will recognize me, she thought in front of the mirror.

“It’s perfect!” Jason exclaimed from behind. He wrapped his arms around her middle. “You look sexy!”

“Are you going to be able to control yourself at the party?” she inquired.

“Can’t make any promises,” he said, rubbing his hands down her thighs.

“Jason!” she moaned, turning to face him.

His expression turned innocent. “What can I say? I’m Batman!”

She stepped into the bathroom to change. When Jason finished dressing in her bedroom, he returned his costume to the bag. Lori hung hers in her closet and noticed Jason awaiting her on the end of her bed.

“I think we’ll be the sharpest dressed couple!” he proclaimed confidently.

“You do, huh?” Lori asked, joining him.

“Yes, I do!”

He scooped her into his arms and flung Lori on the bed. She laughed and tried to wiggle free, but she was no match for Jason. Finally she surrendered and let him kiss her. After several minutes he leaned back and stared at Lori, his fingers gently stroking her cheek.

“What?” she asked, c*****g her head. “You’ve got something on your mind tonight!”

“What makes you say that?” he asked, his hand dropping to her shoulder.

“Something in your eyes. I can tell when there’s more going on than what you’re saying.”

Jason smiled. “I was just thinking…how lucky I am to be with someone as beautiful as you. You’re really special.”

She laid her hand aside his face, her heart wanting to hear more. Lori longed to tell Jason how much he really meant to her, but Heather had insisted she wait. Difficult though it might be, Lori intended to follow that advice.