When Stars Align

A sprinkle of ballet and a side of salsa.

Amanda held on to the barre and did some stretches to free her muscles. It was a routine for her she never failed to perform before a dance. It was in the early hours of the evening and after the events of last night, she needed to free her mind– nothing cleared her mind more than dancing.

Last night, she’d been impulsive and emotional. She had let her guard down and did the one thing she’d promised herself not to do the moment she’d seen the news he would participate in Paris Fashion Week the same time she’d be in Paris that year– go to the fair and see him. Well she’d certainly seen him and she was all the worse for it. She stared at her reflection in the floor length mirror and sighed. Her eyes looked puffy from all the crying she’d done last night, she looked horrible.

After six years of separation, one would think she’d have gotten over the guy and she guess she had, to some level. She knew in her mind she was over him but her heart wasn’t so easily persuaded, it was dead set on loving him and only him. She looked away and turned on the cassette player, the sound of a mournful piano filled the room. She struck a pose, standing on the tips of her toes and danced.

She tried to turn in a pirouette and tripped. Frustrated, she kicked off her silver pumps and tried again. Her dance show was in two days and she couldn’t afford to miss a step in front of two thousand five hundred people, her routine just had to be perfect. She did an arabesque and slowly brought her leg down, did a series of turns before pushing herself off the floor and turning in mid air. In the air, she felt free, like the world was hers for the taking and she could reach the stars.

The feeling of being free lasted only for the duration of her stay in mid air before her feet touched the floor. No sooner had she landed, she jumped in mid air again. She danced around the room with her eyes closed, her body in perfect tune to the music. Each key in the song held the string to different parts of her body, she was the puppet and the pianist was the puppeteer.

As the song drew to a close, she turned in a series of pirouette. Her legs ached from dancing for so long but she loved the burn she felt in her muscles, it was familiar; constant and she needed it in the mood she was in right now. The song stopped but she didn’t, she spinned and spinned. The sound of clapping jarred her out of it, the moment broken, her eyes sprang open. She turned and the intruder turned out to be her dance partner.

“Gabriel, how long have you been watching?” she asked, smiling.

“Long enough to know you danced without me, you never dance without me,” he replied, a teasing lilt to his smile.

“That’s not true, I dance without you all the time. You just don’t know it.” She picked up her satchel and took out a water bottle, taking a long drink from it. Staying hydrated was an important part of dancing.

Gabriel lifted his hand to his chest in mock hurt and batted his eyelashes at her. “I’m terribly hurt by your betrayal.”

At this she laughed, Gabriel had always had a flair for the dramatic. She didn’t know why he was a dancer, acting seemed more his niche. She changed the cassette and another song came on, Moon Dance by Charlie Chaplin. Making a curtsy, she winked at him. “I’m deeply sorry Monsieur, please accept my sincerest apology.”

He raised his hand dismissively and scoffed, turning up his nose at her. “That’s much better.”

She laughed and he grabbed her waist, spreading his hand on her back. “Dance with me,” he whispered and they started their dance routine.

“Have you spoken to Sandro lately, how is he doing?” he asked after their rehearsal.

“No, but I’ll speak to him tonight. Time differences and all.”

“Well, when you do, say hi to him for me.” He picked up his bag lying by the doorway and entered the changing room. A minute later, the sound of water running echoed around the room.

Amanda bent down and wore her shoes, dressed in a pink crop top, jean shorts and stockings, she hadn’t bothered to change into her dance attire. A while later, Gabriel came out of the changing room all freshly showered and smelling of soap. Like her, he was Nigerian but of Yoruba decent unlike her Niger-Delta self. With a beardless face, soft brown eyes and luscious pink lips, he was what one would call a charmer.

He sauntered up to her with an easy smile, grabbed her waist and tried to kiss her; she declined and pulled away from him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You’ve never refused before.”

“It’s nothing,” she looked away, “I just don’t want to do that right now.”

Though he was her dance partner and they were a duo, Gabriel and her had a relationship outside the dance studio. They’ve been together for the past four years and have always been friends with benefits. She knew he wanted more than just s*x with her but her heart belonged to another.

“Gabriel, I think we should—” she started to say but he cut her off.

“No, don’t say what I think you’re going to say.”

How did he know? Was he a mind reader or something.

He took her hands and pulled her closer to him, she didn’t resist.

“Look, I know you don’t feel the same way about me but I’m not giving up on this. I can help you forget about him, you just have to let me in.”

She wanted to point out that she hadn’t forgotten about him in the past four years they’ve been bedmates but Gabriel was a sensitive man and she knew he truly cared about her.

He stroked her cheek, “I’m ready to have you whichever way I can,” he said softly.

“Gabe, I don’t know if I can ever stop loving him,” she voiced out her worst fear. Loving Luca is the greatest punishment any woman could receive.

Letting go of her hands, he threw his hands up exasperatedly. “Don’t say that Eku, you know that hurts.

“Don’t call me that again,” she warned lowly. Only Luca and her mother ever called her by her middle name and they were both out of her life.

“I’m sorry, okay.”

Sighing, he turned away from her and ran his hand through his closely cropped hair. Suddenly, he turned back to her and grabbed her hands again.

“Okay shake it off, let’s forget about all these unpleasantness and go somewhere nice and romantic tonight. That should get you out of the godawful mood you’re in.” He offered and she shook her head. A romantic setting was definitely not what she needed.

“Okay let’s go dancing then. You can’t say no to dancing.”

She lifted her brows questioningly, “What have we been doing since?”

“I meant another type of dancing, silly,” he tapped her nose with his index finger. “Come on we’re in the city of love you can’t say no to slow dancing and salsa.”

“How do you know they dance salsa here, we’ve only been here two days.” She was genuinely curious.

“Because I’ve been here before,” he said like it should’ve been obvious and she rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, I forgot you’re world renowned Gabriel, the international dancer,” she said making air quotes with her fingers.

“Exactly!” He grabbed her waist and waltzed her around the room. “Come on dance with me,” he laughed and she giggled as she fell limply in his arms and let him drag her around the room like a rag doll.

“Okay stop before you make me dizzy,” she said and he let go of her. “We’ll go have dinner and then dance salsa,” she acquiesced.

“That’s my girl,” he whooped and slapped her on the butt. She gasped and glared at him playfully.

“Now you need to go take a shower, you’re starting to stink up the place,” he said, pinching his nose and she feigned shock.

“Wow such finesse! I’m practically melting in my shoes,” she batted her lashes flirtatiously, her words dripping with sarcasm.

“Shut up you minx,” laughing, he stuck his tongue out at her and pushed her into the changing room.