#dapping

Apple did have to admit to some hesitancies as she walked towards the dance studio. She’d really appreciated the invitation, but from what she’d seen in Princessology class, Darling really wasn’t a great dancer. That was one of the subjects she’d been hoping to cover in their study session the other day. If Darling really was such an integral part of her destiny, Apple felt some responsibility over her, and she wasn’t about to let her fail Princessology class.

She’d reached the studio’s door by now, so Apple headed inside. The place was quiet, much more so than on a usual day. There were usually dancers darting in and out, but today the place was silent. Apple would almost call it eerie, but maybe peaceful was a better word. She didn’t think it would be possible for a lovely place like this to be creepy even if it was deserted.

Or maybe it wasn’t. Apple’s ears had picked up on something, the faintest sound of music. Turning towards it, Apple let the noise guide her down hallways and corridors until she arrived at a wide open doorway. A girl was dancing inside.

An old fashioned record player blared out a classic waltz. With her eyes closed, Darling Charming was whirling about the room, her hands held up in place even though she held no partner. Apple almost called out to her to say hello, but stopped. She didn’t want to ruin such a beautiful scene. She’d never seen Darling behaving so gracefully. She looked like, well, like a princess. It was spellbinding. So Apple stayed in the doorway, soaking in the girl dancing before her, until the record slowly rolled to a stop, and Darling’s eyes opened. The expression of serenity was still soft on her face until she looked up and saw Apple. Then she froze, looking like a deer caught in carriage lights.

“Apple,” the girl stuttered, “you’re early.”

“Just a little.” As if tied to her words, bells started chiming out twelve o’clock. Apple White slowly stepped into the room. “I didn’t know you could dance like that.”

Now Darling was blushing a light red. “I’ve been practicing. I’m just not good with the, umm, partners. That the White Queen picks out for us. I don’t know where to put my hands.” Darling gestured in the air vaguely, and Apple suddenly realized that she had been dancing the male part, her hands placed lower, as if they would be wrapped around someone’s waist.

“Oh,” Apple said unintentionally, her inner realization coming into the outer world. She hurriedly added, “Well, it looked very nice. What you were just doing.”

“Thank you.” Darling had crossed over to the record player now, her fingers light against the needle. Apple continued speaking to spare her from the anxious expression that was weighing on her face.

“And you asked me here to…”

“Dance. Not for long or anything, I just thought that, umm, that maybe it might be nice to...” Darling’s words slowly petered to a halt as Apple took a step towards her. The future queen extended a hand.

“It would be an honor. I do so dearly love the waltz.”

Darling breathed a sigh of almost imperceptible relief before reaching her fingers forward and taking Apple’s hand. She dropped the needle onto the record, then stepped forwards, standing startlingly close. Apple felt her heartbeat skip as Darling wrapped an arm around her waist. This felt so strange. Not wrong, so to say, but just so different. Apple didn’t have time to reflect on the situation though, because Darling was beginning to step, and she had to join in.

At first, the dance was clumsy. Darling seemed flustered, and Apple couldn’t get the feeling of Darling’s hand on her hip out of her mind. Eventually, though, as the track continued to play, they eased into a rhythm. A smooth step count, a one two three, one two three, one two three. And Apple did have to admit that Darling was a good waltz partner. She knew just where to step, how much pressure to put against Apple’s back, just the proper way to spin her around. Which made sense, Apple supposed, because she’d had experience dancing both parts.

As the record started to wind down, divulging into feedback, their dance slowed. Without any movements to focus on, Apple was able to re-realize just how close she was to Darling. The other princess was slightly taller than she was, but not nearly so much as the boys Apple had waltzed with, which meant that faces were almost right up against each other’s. Apple could intimately see each detail on Darling:  the smooth curl of Darling’s lashes, her lightly applied blush, her pink glossy lips. And her eyes, of course, her deep blue eyes that were also looking at Apple, scrutinizing her in the same way.

Apple forced herself to unlatch herself from Darling’s arms, step back. Otherwise, she was afraid that she might do something rash and impulsive, or maybe Darling would, something that was too quick considering the circumstances. “I need to go. I have so much to do, I’m sorry Darling, maybe we can dance another time.” Apple backed her way towards the door.

“Oh, of course. No rush.” Darling was blushing again, more than just the powder that she had placed on her cheeks. Apple waved a goodbye before rushing out and down the hallway.

Only once she got back to the school did she allow herself to pause and think. She didn’t know what was going on between her and Darling. It was so hard to understand. Her feelings were all confused, and she hardly knew what she was doing anymore. Maybe she could clear things up in a letter.

Dear Darling,

I just wanted to be honest with you. I’ve never been with anyone and I’m not sure I’m prepared for that now. I always planned to wait until destiny. Daring can attest to that.

But I’m worried that my destiny has already happened. So I’m not sure where that leaves us.

Maybe we can talk about it.

Sincerely,