Romance on the Dancefloor Part 2

I was running towards the classroom hoping not to be late. I totally forgot about detention this morning so I overslept myself. I came on right on time, all red from running. Sean was already there, sitting slovenly on the chair at the back of the classroom while looking at the sealing. He clearly didn’t want to be here. Him and me both. I took a seat on one of the chairs at the other side of the classroom while still catching my breath. He gave me a cold look. As if he blamed me for everything for being here.
Mrs. Thompson just arrived. "Well perfect, the two lovebirds are here." We both ignored her remark. "You can both sit here in the first row next to each other" she said with a smile. "What?" we both said shocked. "It’s bad enough we have to be in the same room, now we have to sit next to each other?" Sean said annoyed. "Well, I don’t see how you guys would be able to do you assignment that way."

"What assignment?" I said. "First of all, change your seat" she pointed at the two desks in front of her. Against our will we both changed seats. After giving us a lecture on how we should tread each other with respect and blablabla she gave us a peace of paper. "You are each going to write me an essay about the other person" she smiled. "and on that paper I just gave you there are topics that need to be implemented in the essay." I looked at the peace of paper, somewhere in the middle I read "first boy/girlfriend". "Excuse me Mrs. Thompson, those things are private." I said while looking at the paper. "Well you should have thought about that before calling Mr. Miles a jerk." It was very clear that she was amused by all this. "Well kids I will leave you two together" With a big smile on her face clearly enjoying our torture, she left the classroom.

"This is all your fault" he said. I couldn’t believe my ears. I turned at my left to face him. "Excuse me? Am I hearing this right? You’re the one who bumped in to me." I started to get very annoyed by him. "Whatever. Besides you almost cost us a second Saturday by being almost late." "Well, dancing didn’t work out for you so your looking for another hobby now, minding other peoples business?" I looked at him straight in the eye hoping to hit a nerve. I didn’t. He actually started laughing "Said the invisible girl". I hated when he said that. "You really should be more creative". I replied. "You know what, let’s start with this stupid essay". "Do you really think that I’m going to tell you all this?" I know, I was being stubborn, but I was not going to start talking about my private life. Especially not with him. "You know what, I don’t care, you do what you want." He turned around and started writing. What was he writing?

Time passed by and we still didn’t say a word. My paper was blank. I couldn’t just write anything down. He on the other hand was still writing. "Are your writing lies about me?" I said. "No, I just took a look in my glass boll?" He said sarcastically. "I’m not going to beg you to tell me about your stupid little life". "Okay I will try to answer the questions. But I'll ask the questions first" I was trying to make a deal. "Yeah and then you’ll refuse to answer mine, no thank you". "You know what, we’ll do it by turn. You can start." I turned around to face him. The first questions were easy, favorite food/color, country…Believe it or not, turned out we had a lot in common.
"Okay, 3 things you hate" he said. "Well that is easy, euhm I would say, you, but since Mrs. Thompson said to be nice I will drop that". "Ha funny".

"Okay euhm, I hate being oppressed, feeling trapped, or dependent on others. Feeling controlled. I hate small minded people who think that they’re the only one living in this world, people that assume things, but never go deeper into things. I hate…" I wanted to continue because there was so many things I wanted to say. "Okay, I got it. 3 are enough you know". He looked me in the eye, like he was searching for something. "Wauw, you’re frustrated." He said. "Save your comments, okay". He was right, I was frustrated. Frustrated about almost every aspect of my life. Okay Layla, get a hold of yourself. I shook my head, took a deep breath and continued with the questions. "Okay your turn". "Well, greed, lies and deceit". It came out without hesitation, as if he thought of this question before.

"First boyfriend. Or maybe girlfriend?" he continued with the next question. "BOYfriend thank you. His name was Eric." it was quit for a while. "So…" he said waiting for an answer. "What?" "Well I got to have more details to be able to write something down." I sighed "Okay what can I tell you more. Well I was 14 he was 16. He was a very sweet boy. We met on summer camp and euh, well that's it. There is nothing more to it." He seemed very interested. "So, why did you break up, if he was such a sweet boy?". "We went our separate ways". He smiled arrogantly "I know your kind." "My kind?" I said, curious waiting for what he was a bout to say. "You date a guy for a while, he’s being sweet and all, you like his attention. Then you get noticeable for other guys, cause a guy notices a girl when she’s not available of course, and when you realize you can get so many guys you want, so you dump the sweet boy. Very predictable." He looked me straight in the eyes. His gaze was deep, very deep, he was talking as if HE was the ‘sweet boy’. I was shocked by his prejudgment.

"Excuse me? So you ASSUME that that’s what happened?". "You seem like the type" he said, still looking at me. "Not that I have to justify myself, but Eric lived in Mexico and it was just a summer crush". "Maybe not to him". Why was he being so defensive? "I don’t see a 14 year old or a 16 year old maintaining a long distance relationship, it’s just not realistic. Besides you’re the one to talk. Don’t think I don’t see you with every week another girl on your lap." Oh no I think I went too far with this. He raised his eyebrows "You noticed it?" Ok, I new he was going to say that. Now he’ll think I’m in to him. I felt uncomfortable, but I didn’t show it though. If there was something I was good at, it was hiding my feelings. "Save your comments and let’s continue with the questions". He smiled, like a ‘you’re busted’ smile. "My first real girlfriend was Tanya, we were neighbors." His voice softened. There was something about how he called her name that made me think that that girl was special to him. "So what happened" I said curiously.

"Euh" there was hesitation in his voice. Right when he wanted to continue Mrs. Thompson came in. "Okay kids, I see that you both survived, so it wasn’t so bad after all." I saw relief in Sean’s eyes. "We’re not finished yet" I said worried that we might have to come for a second time and I have to admit that I was curious about his story with this Tanya girl. "Oh, no problem" Mrs. Thompson said. "You don’t have to turn in your essays. The purpose of this "essay was for you kids to work together and I see you did" she took a glimpse at our papers.

We both froze, but we didn’t say anything. We were both glad it was over.
It was quite when we were walking down the hallway. It was a bit awkward so I needed to break the ice. "Look, everything that has been said today will stay in the classroom, okay?"
He smiled. I liked his smile. No I don’t like his smile. What am I doing?
"What am I, eight? Do you really think I have nothing better to do than talk about your life? You’re not that special, you know". Damn, he could be arrogant "Well good then, I guess we can go back to normal, where we can kick your ass tonight at the battle". I tried to hit a nerve again, but I didn’t seem to be able to do that. I hated his self confidence and the fact that he had an answer for everything. The way he stayed cool every time I tried to break him. "You guys are really so sure of yourselves" he stopped walking. "Well WHO won last week? And the week before that and before that, and before that…" I said. He was standing right in front of me. It hit me that he was quite taller than I was, and I was quit tall for a girl.

"I admit, you guys are not bad." He said "The techniques are perfect, but there is one big important thing missing in your dance". "Yeah? And what’s that". He came closer, bended a little and whispered in my ear. "Passion". I felt his breath on my neck and smelled his perfume which made me shiver. And his smell, my god his smell. No, no I can not be attracted to him. Things were going through my head. This was too confusing, this was the last thing I needed right now in my life.