19.
chapter nineteen:
don't ever take
yours truly to
a dance stage!
it's a warning!

"Let's welcome Serena and Ash for the freestyle!"

I froze mid-step. I felt Serena tug at my hand and lead me to the stage. She was gritting her teeth to force a smile.

I couldn’t make out what was happening, except for Calem calling out to me desperately through the air pod and the tight grip of Serena’s hand. "Ash, follow my lead," she whispered as we slowly trotted towards the center of the stage.

"I-I don’t know how to dance!" I hissed back, not bothering to smile as she was.

"Please. Just follow my lead."

I nodded very slowly. My body was shrieking in rebellion, the right side already giving up to pain.

We were handed two portable microphones, which we fitted into our outfits. When we reached the center of the stage, the crowd roared. The students from Anistar High were smirking, some even booing, but Serena’s grip forced me to bite back insults.

She suddenly left my side and stepped forward. "Good evening, crowd!" she shouted, and at once, the boisterous chatter died down.

I caught Misty and Gary looking at me incredulously. I glanced at Drew on the podium above the dais; he looked furious but forced a smile when he saw me looking.

"We are here to perform our freestyle dance to War of Hearts by Ruelle!" she screamed the song’s name, and I faintly heard Calem asking the others if they knew the tune. However, there wasn’t much time.

The crowd gave an encouraging cheer, mostly from our students. My eyes scanned the audience; they were all looking at us, hope in their eyes—wishing on an already fallen star.

Dread filled my heart, but Serena turned on her heel and walked around me, taking hold of my hand and rotating me 180 degrees so my back was now facing the crowd.

Looking me in the eye, she whispered, "The dance signs. Kneel when the beat drops and stay put." Without warning, she fumbled with my jacket and unzipped it so the flaps blew around me. The instrumental started, booming in my ears.

We separated, and she took charge once again. She started with a soft hum to the tune. Serena held her hand out to me, and I tried to take it, but she backed away, singing the lyrics. "Come to me in the night hours, I’ll wait for you." She nodded with a smile, and I raced forward to grab her palm. I managed, but she let go the next instant, and I was left rocking on my heel.

"And I can’t sleep 'cause thoughts devour. Thoughts of you consume." She twirled around me, poking my chest at the end. "Chorus," she whispered before parting. I smiled and obliged, humming to the tune. How had fate played this? Three days ago, we were discussing this very song, and now we’re swaying to it.

At the end of the chorus, she tapped her feet twice, and I remembered the signal to twirl her around twice. "I can’t help but love you, even though I try not to!" We were both breathless, but I stepped to the left, held the same arm behind my back, twirling her to my right, and reversed the action again for the next line. "I can’t help but want you, I know that I’d die without you!"

She pulled in close and whispered the next instruction, "Beat drop."

As predicted, the song reverted to instrumental, and I clumsily fell to one knee in the center of the stage—at least, what I thought was the center. "Ash, a bit to the right," Kiawe guided through the air pod, and I shifted slightly as Serena showed off her impressive footwork in front of me. "Perfect! Keep going!"

I kept my head low until I felt her touch my shoulder twice, signaling me to stand up. "Stay with me a little longer; I’ll wait for you." I rocked back and forth on my heel, not knowing how to proceed, as she did a circle and fell back into my chest with a soft thud.

"Shadows creep, and want grows stronger, deeper than the truth." I felt her sway and decided to follow her actions. The first time, I almost moved in the wrong direction, but Kiawe shouted through the air pod, and I snapped to attention. It was hard to concentrate when a novice dancer like me was in front of fifty or so students.

Not to mention, when your crush was literally leaning on your chest...

We hummed through the chorus, and I took a few steps back to the edge of the stage when she signaled, her hands behind her back telling me what to do.

"I can’t help but love you, even though I try not to!" Serena tapped her feet twice, and I took hold of her left hand with my right, held the other hand behind me, and twirled her around. She looked mesmerizing—focus, Ash, focus!

We switched sides again for the next line. "I can’t help but want you, I know that I’d die without you!"

Serena quickly shoved me to the front, and I clumsily staggered before catching myself. How I wished I had graceful feet.

I watched her circle me, taking small leaps. She winked, and I understood that all I had to do was watch her as she went round and round. "I can’t help being wrong in the dark 'cause I’m overcome in this war of hearts! I can’t help wanting oceans to part 'cause I’m overcome in this war of hearts!"

The song slowed, turning to instrumental for the final time, I realized, and I dropped to my knee again. "You’re at the perfect spot!" Kiawe confirmed as a gust of artificial air blew, ruffling our hair and clothes. I briefly realized why Serena unzipped my jacket. The flaps made me look like some sort of hero taken out of a novel or movie.

Out of the corner of my eye, thanks to the blinding lights, I caught Serena standing before me. When the instrumental ended, she tapped my shoulder, and I bolted to my feet, immediately grabbing her left hand for a twirl. "I can’t help but love you, even though I try not to!"

I almost regretted not enjoying myself when we switched sides again. "I can’t help but want you, I know that I’d die without you!"

When the next line came in, I surprised her by gently leading her into a sway. "I can’t help being wrong in the dark 'cause I’m overcome in this war of hearts!" I pulled her closer, despite the protest of my right arm, poking her nose at the last line as we stepped into a chorus of breathless singing.

"I can’t help wanting oceans to part 'cause I’m overcome in this war of hearts!" We parted, and I felt a rush of excitement as she returned the gesture, poking my chest.

Squeezing her fingers tightly one last time, we separated, and I let her move forward. The chorus continued, and I left the last note to Serena. She hit one final high pitch of "oh," ended it slowly, and froze in place. I stepped up beside her, and we bowed in unison, concluding the performance. "We’re done!" she announced happily.

— 💌 —

Hey guys!
I attached the song in case there's anyone who hasn't heard it!

Since I'm doing anything author's note, might as well ask: how's the story so far?

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x