chapter 13: That's a different kind of flame
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In 2010, Ben and Stella were in physical education class, Stella was sitting on the floor with a notebook doodling and Ben was next to her when the teacher came in.
"Good morning kids, as was said in last class, today we are going to rehearse for a dance performance this weekend" the teacher says, Ben rolls his eyes.
"Can it get any more boring" Ben says, Stella looks at him quickly, the teacher starts to explain the types of dance, Ben looks at Stella's drawing.
"That's really cool" Ben says, Stella smiles blushing "thank you" Stella says softly, Ben smiles.
"So kids, I want you to pair up, okay?" The teacher says "Come on let's go boys and girls!" She says.
Ben gets up impatient with the teacher, he looks at Stella "come on!" Ben extends his hand, Stella looks at him confused.
"You will be my partner right?" Ben says "uh..why me?" Stella gets up "because you're my friend" Ben smiles.
The teacher plays music and teaches the students the steps.
Ben is still holding out his hand "come" Ben says, Stella looks at his hand dropping her notebook.
Stella takes his hand, she feels her heart racing as she does so, Ben smiles at her.
He looks at the steps the teacher is teaching "I have an idea" Ben says.
"Let's do our own dance" Ben says, Stella looks at him confused "it'll be more fun than this quiet dance for old people" Ben says, Stella tilts her head.
"You're doubting me, right?" Ben says, Stella shrugs, her cheeks are completely red just because she's been holding his hand for so long.
"just follow me" Ben says taking her other hand, Stella looks into the little boy's eyes.
He starts to move his arms awkwardly to the rhythm of the song "Move your feet like this" Ben says taking two steps to the left and one to the right pulling her with him.
Stella looks at the other students dancing in a completely different way "Hey don't look at them, you'll lose the vibe like that...just look at me, okay?" Ben says looking at the little girl in the eyes.
Stella nods,the two continue dancing in that clumsy but fun way, Stella laughs and Ben smiles, pleased to have made the little girl laugh.
"one day girl I'm going to achieve the impossible...make you talk" Ben says bending down a little towards her, Stella frowns.
"you won't be able to stay silent with me forever" Ben says confidently, Stella smiles gently.
"although you don't even have to say anything for me to know what you mean, I can read your face" Ben makes fun of it "can you?" Stella says quickly
"yup I'm getting good at this" Ben says "Ben! Stella! No talking and follow the steps!" The teacher says.
In shock, Stella lets go of Ben's hands, he rolls his eyes and looks at her "See, you don't even need to say anything but I can see that you don't like her either" Ben says, Stella smiles at him and agrees.
Stella looks at his hand but doesn't have the courage to take his hand again, Ben laughs lightly and holds her hand back and they both dance in the same way again.
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Returning to the present day
Everyone goes to the dance studio for a dance lesson with renowned party planner Georgia King.
"Oh Joanna" Marni says "just to let you know Tim still works with Georgia so..." Marni says.
"Who is Tim?" Stella asks Charlie "Joana's ex fiancé" Charlie says "oh Ish" Stella says.
"relax the past is the past" Joanna says, Will supports her "we're past that" Will says.
"really that easy?" Richard asks "actually it wasn't easy but that's a long story" Marni says "are you going to tell us?" Stella says "definitely not" Will says.
Ben enters the studio "are you ready for the show?" Ben asks "what show?" Stella ask, suddenly the lights go out.
Georgia King and her assistant Tim enter the studio and begin a dance performance "This unnecessary show" Ben says.
Georgia and Tim continue the performance and everyone watches them "brother, really?" Richard tells Charlie "Marni is a fan of hers okay and she's a great party planner" Charlie says.
"It would be disappointing if she wasn't, after all this" Aston says "What am I doing here?" Stella says to herself.
Georgia and Tim finish the dance and Georgia steps forward "Holla, Bonjour, Hi everyone, I'm Georgia King, some of you already know me but I also see new and beautiful faces here today..." Georgia says.
"you also already know my assistant Tim" Georgia introduces him "Hello" Tim says "hi" everyone says "Hi Marni" Tim says, Marni frowns "hi Tim, good to see you" Marni says awkwardly.
"So, what are you waiting for, let's get the party started!" Georgia says.
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All the couples get together and start dancing, Georgia invites Richard to dance with her and demonstrate the steps.
Ben and Stella are alone, they avoid looking in each other's direction.
Georgia goes to him and hugs them both "what are you two waiting for to show everyone your love, my two lovebirds" Georgia smiles.
Ben and Stella look at each other scared "No!" Ben says "Ew no.. we're not..." Stella laughs "yes we're not a couple" Ben says "No" Stella says, Georgia looks at the two.
"not even close" Ben says "yes we hate each other" Stella says looking away.
"yes" Ben looks the other way "are you sure this tension between you two is anger?" Georgia says, Ben and Stella look at each other.
"Whatever feelings are going on in those hearts of yours, the best way to deal with them is on the dance floor so go.." Georgia pushes one against the other.
"Ben I want you to dance with Stella" Georgia says "Georgia.." "Stella dear..." Georgia approaches Stella.
"look at him, you're going to tell me that there's not even a little part of you that wants to dance with this cute boy" Georgia smiles and gives a little wink.
Stella looks at Ben and then sees Richard not far away motioning for her to dance with Ben, but Stella knows that what Richard wants her to do is tease Ben.
Maybe part of her wants to dance with him for the sake of dancing whit him, But the other part of her wanting to tease him just to see him ask for more, but the other part of her that is afraid of doing both and losing herself in the feeling and I ended up disappointed again.
Stella rolls her eyes and goes to him "let's get this over with" Stella says "okay then" Ben says.
Stella and Ben start dancing, Ben puts his hand on her waist, Ben smirks "Could you put your hand a little higher?" Stella says.
"uh as far as I know I have my hand in the right place" Ben says looking at the others dancing, Stella steps on his foot automatically making his hand stop on her back.
"Owch! okay then...are you happy now?" Ben says with pain "it's better" Stella says.
Stella doesn't even look him in the eye, Ben on the contrary doesn't stop looking at her.
Suddenly they see Tim dancing with Marnie and Charlie following them irritably, the two frown but don't question the situation, they just laugh lightly and look at each other.
Ben smiles at her 'what?' Stella ask "do you remember a school performance we had to dance together?" Ben ask.
"I remember we didn't even come close to dancing right" Stella says "But it was fun" Ben says.
Stella shakes her head "we danced our way" Ben smiles "no, it was your way" Stella says.
Ben smiles "Our, it takes two people to dance" Ben says, Stella smiles.
"do you remember the steps?" Ben says "Did that dance have steps?" Stella asks "Hey it was a very complex dance, maybe your closed mind doesn't understand" Ben says.
Stella laughs "I remember it was something like that..." Ben says taking two steps to the left and one to the right pulling her with him.
"What are you doing?" Stella says looking around "Hey don't look at them... just look at me...okay?" Ben smirks, Stella frowns and rolls her eyes.
"you're ridiculous" Stella says but without holding back her smile "you're going to lose the vibe like that" Ben says, Stella shakes her head.
Ben looks at her, Stella accepts and the two try to redo the dance they did when they were children.
In a very clumsy way, but just like when they were children "that's so silly" Stella says smiling "So what?" Ben smiles.
Ben moves her arms awkwardly and she laughs.
They dance to the rhythm of the music, Ben pulls Stella close by holding her waist, the two looking at each other.
The two sway to the rhythm of the music, while Ben holds her hands in the air and slowly lowers them to the rhythm, intertwining their fingers, Stella looks him in the eyes and smiles.
"I don't remember that part" Stella says "I'm improvising" Ben says calmly looking into her eyes, Stella gets a little closer.
Ben holds one of her hand close to his chest, and she slowly moves her other hand to the back of his neck, the two of them swaying to the rhythm of the music.
They forget the rest, everyone around them, Gail looks at them with pride in her eyes, Richard gives a malicious laugh, Charlie looks worried and Marni doesn't understand why.
"why the laugh?" Georgia asks Richard as they dance "them" Richard points, Georgia smiles "I said that's not anger...." Georgia says "I'm not so sure, maybe you just never saw the fire in their eyes" Richard says "oh my dear, that's a different kind of flame" Georgia says.
Ben and Stella dance more calmly, Stella gets lost in his eyes, he spins her around, with each turn Stella looks for his eyes again.
Ben kept smiling at her, with each step they took in the dance they got closer and closer to each other.
Ben held her waist tightly, he tilts his head with a slight smile also getting lost in her eyes.
Stella gets closer to him, smelling his perfume, probably a smell she wouldn't forget so easily.
Stella is so close that Ben can feel her breath near his lips, so he can resist the temptation to lean in, he lifts his chin a little but without breaking eye contact with her.
Stella takes a deep breath, and thinks about what is happening, the two things she was hesitating about doing before this dance she has already done or is about to do, it is already a path of no return.
She has already danced with him and the closeness between them is tempting enough, she needs to be careful not to get lost in the feeling.
Stella gives a slight smile and just touches her nose to his quickly, and gently pushes him away, when the music ends.
Stella moves away from him in the most indifferent way possible, Ben breathes quickly as if he had been holding his breath until that moment.
"Great class guys, everyone was great" Georgia says, everyone applauds.
Ben seems confused trying to understand what happened.
He wonders what Stella feels about him, whether she really hates him, or she likes him, or she just has a carnal feeling for him, or maybe she is starting to fall in love, the possibilities are many but none of them made sense to him.
Stella quickly leaves the studio, she tries to remain firm, the doubts that Ben has about her are the same ones she has about herself, at the same time that everything she does seems wrong, it seems right.
The fear of being disappointed is too much, Stella just takes a deep breath and tries to forget.
As Ben takes a deep breath and remembers the moment and how that dance, however confusing, made him feel good, as good as the first time they danced together when they were kids.
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