ššššššššš :
Ā Ā Ā Ā the surprise leaves only a spare moment between them, one where celeste feels her pulse kick up while she waits for the offer to click. sheās not expecting him to say no, but her stomach still does a flip when his hand reaches for hers, familiar smile on his face except this time bigger.Ā ā iām hoping that you canāt. ā she laughs, though thereās a hitch of nervousness to it. it doesnāt fade as he leads them deeper onto the dance floor and the realization sets in that sheās actually going to have to dance, and with samson no less, a child of the god of arts. she reminds herself that sheās faced far more horrific things: monsters bearing too many heads and shark-shaped teeth. dancing should not be on her list of fears.
rejection, though ?Ā maybe.
Ā Ā Ā always a quick study and determined not to embarrass herself, celeste falls into it naturally, hand resting gently over the fabric of his shirt. she alternates between staring down at the ground to manage where sheās stepping and looking up to meet his gaze, but thereās a smile that stays planted firmly on her mouth. if heās even half as nervous as she is, she canāt tell. he moves to the music like itās something as simple as breathing, and celeste moves too, less gracefully but managing to follow his lead and desperate to capture a mental image of this moment. itās not one she wants to forget.Ā
Ā Ā Ā just as the praise comes, the bottom of her foot finds his toes and she lets out a sheepish laugh.Ā ā natural, huh ? ā celeste has never considered herself a clumsy person, but itās thrown her off enough to trip up her small sense of rhythm. that and the fact that sheās tipsy means she falls forwardĀ before she quickly draws back.Ā ā usually i prefer to lead. āĀ she teases to smooth it over, but her face is hot and her voice gives her away.Ā ā itās like teaching a fish to ride a bicycle. āĀ
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā š
šš Ā š Ā šššššš Ā šš Ā š
ššššššĀ theyāreĀ notĀ theĀ onlyĀ twoĀ inĀ theĀ room,Ā attentionĀ solelyĀ onĀ celesteĀ andĀ theirĀ gentleĀ movementĀ acrossĀ theĀ danceĀ floor,Ā Ā herĀ smileĀ asĀ sheĀ catchesĀ hisĀ eyesĀ fillingĀ hisĀ chestĀ withĀ dizzyingĀ warmth.Ā Ā then,Ā asĀ soonĀ asĀ theyĀ findĀ aĀ rhythmĀ theyāreĀ brokenĀ outĀ ofĀ it,Ā hisĀ complimentĀ seeminglyĀ theĀ catalystĀ ;Ā handsĀ moveĀ toĀ gentlyĀ catchĀ herĀ armsĀ asĀ sheĀ fallsĀ forward,Ā aĀ light,Ā good-naturedĀ laughĀ maskingĀ theĀ wayĀ hisĀ ownĀ faceĀ āĀ alreadyĀ redĀ fromĀ theĀ dancingĀ andĀ alcoholĀ āĀ growsĀ brighterĀ atĀ herĀ proximity.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā iāmĀ prettyĀ sureĀ iĀ sawĀ aĀ fishĀ ridingĀ aĀ miniatureĀ bicycleĀ atĀ theĀ aquariumĀ once,Ā Ā āĀ samsonĀ jokesĀ inĀ anĀ attemptĀ toĀ easeĀ someĀ ofĀ theĀ nervousĀ edgeĀ heĀ picksĀ upĀ inĀ herĀ voice,Ā āĀ Ā soĀ iāmĀ prettyĀ sureĀ itĀ canĀ beĀ done.Ā Ā āĀ Ā heāsĀ aboutĀ toĀ speakĀ againĀ whenĀ theĀ songāsĀ lastĀ notesĀ fadeĀ awayĀ toĀ anĀ announcementĀ fromĀ theĀ dj,Ā warningĀ ofĀ lastĀ ordersĀ beforeĀ theĀ impendingĀ ballĀ drop.Ā Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā theĀ musicĀ startsĀ upĀ again,Ā andĀ samsonāsĀ eyesĀ flickĀ overĀ toĀ theĀ barĀ whereĀ aĀ queueĀ isĀ alreadyĀ forming,Ā andĀ backĀ againĀ toĀ hisĀ danceĀ partner,Ā Ā ā Ā doĀ youĀ wantĀ aĀ drinkĀ forĀ theĀ countdownĀ ?Ā Ā myĀ treat.Ā Ā āĀ Ā aĀ beat,Ā tryingĀ toĀ keepĀ hisĀ toneĀ casualĀ despiteĀ howĀ hyper-awareĀ heĀ wasĀ ofĀ howĀ closeĀ theyĀ stillĀ were,Ā Ā ā Ā orĀ weĀ canĀ keepĀ dancingĀ untilĀ then.Ā Ā soon-to-beĀ birthdayĀ girlāsĀ choice.Ā Ā ā