Page 39 of The Way We Dance

Luckily, the excitement over the recital was still propelling the kids to be on their best behavior and to practice to their hearts' content. Class went smooth and before I knew it, my mental clock was telling me class was over.

I clapped a couple of times and told the class they did well. I told Sam to wait for me but he was running out of the studio quickly, excitement suddenly in his eyes.

"You're back!" He yelled, making me look out of the window to the reception area.

Ty was smiling and leaning his elbow on the counter where the receptionist sat when she was in. He was talking to Sam's mom and she was trying not to swoon. Her hand was to her chest and she was laughing at whatever Ty had just said.

I slowly left the studio once everyone was gone and watched on as Sam jumped to give Ty a high-five. Then I heard Sam scream with what I hoped was excitement and started jumping up and down, pleading with his mom.

By the time I made my way out of the door to where I could hear them, Mrs. Watson was holding her hands up in surrender, "Ok, ok, we can go to the game."

Ty and Sam high-fived again while I crossed my arms, wondering what I had missed.

"Miss Metro, Ty just invited us to his game on Sunday. It's only preseason but that's ok, I’ve never been."

"Wow, invited?"

"Yeah, we get his special tickets and get to go in the special gate."

Ty was smiling, satisfied with himself while I wanted to slice his throat. He knew how much I wanted to connect with Sam, he knew that I wanted him to dance. Yet, here he was, giving Sam the key to the football "in crowd."

"That is exciting." I probably sounded pissed. Very, very pissed. There was no way I could compete with whatever Ty was going to treat him to.

"The best part is," Ty added, "Since Miss Metro and I are such good friends, she was already going to come. That means you will be sitting with her and she won't be alone."

"Oh good, that is good news," Mrs. Watson cooed. She put her hands together, more pleased than ever that she had agreed to go.

Meanwhile, my eyes were as wide as saucers and I was confused as to how I got roped into all this. I wanted to say, "Um no." But another part of me—a very, very small part—wanted to watch Ty play in person.

Without being able to speak properly, my silence spoke for me and everyone had arranged for us to meet at the player's Friend and Family entrance an hour before the start of the game.

There goes my Sunday plans. The ones where I do nothing and enjoy it.

I stood in silence as the rest of the plans were made and walked behind the counter once Sam and Mrs. Watson were gone. Admittedly, I was distracting myself from screaming and avoiding going into the studio with Ty until I was calmer.

None of that lasted very long. Maybe thirty seconds after I heard the door shut, I spun around and eyed Ty.

"How dare you!" I yelled.

He didn't say anything, just looked at me. He was as shocked as I was when he said I was going to the game.

"You have no right showing up here and creating a situation that you know hurts me. You are deliberately doing this to piss me off and guess what? It fucking worked."

Most likely, Ty was more shocked at me losing my ever present poise than he was at my anger, but there was a part of me that felt he was genuinely wondering what he did wrong.

"I confided in you. I told you Sam was important to me. I told you he was the best dancer I had ever seen. I told you I wanted to help him and I even told you how. How dare you do this to me."

Finally finding his voice, Ty didn't hold back. "How dare me? This isn't about you, yet ironically it is for you."

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"What Sam chooses to do is not your problem. I understand that…."

"What Sam does is not your problem either. You barely even know him. Yet you swoop in here just in time to give him the passport to your world."

"My…? Do….? What?" Ty's head was spinning, I could see it as if it was on an actual stick and the wind was blowing hard. I knew I was flying off the handle and giving him a lot to be confused about, but I had been so good.

So. Damn. Good.

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