Page 64 of Handsome
Something seemed off with him, so I patted his cheek as I passed and decided we both needed to just have fun. “Okay, then let’s just enjoy ourselves.”
My eyes widened when I spotted an older lady, her gray hair in a bun, standing near a buffet table. She reminded me of a schoolteacher. Then Cyrus said, “That’s our teacher. Come, Sarah, this is Zelda.”
“Is she the one you almost dated?”
He froze and his eyes widened. “What? No.”
Heat rose to my face, and I closed my eyes. “I’m joking. I guess I’m not very good at it, Handsome.”
He put his arms out in dance form. The teacher came closer, studying us with the intensity of a general doing an inspection.
The gleam in Cyrus's eye intensified, but he walked me around a corner toward a rack of dress as he asked, “Which outfit will look good on you on TV?”
I giggled. If I was going to be on TV, then I needed to sparkle. I went through a few clothes on the rack and then stopped and showed him the gold and green glitter bikini top with pops of blue. “Oh, we’re definitely going with this glitter bikini top.”
And the matching skirt had a long slit on one side that would show one leg up to my hip. It was exactly what I thought of when I thought "dance show," and I moved it to a separate rack.
After I gave the bikini top one last pat, we returned to the teacher as he said, “You seem excited.”
I tilted my head and met his gaze, and with my hands over my heart I said, “Of course. I’m with you.”
He rocked back on his feet. “You mean that?”
“Hold proper form,” the teacher commanded us.
We complied. And his arm around my waist let me believe as we moved together to the music that just started. Once we found our simple routine, I whispered, “I’m here to dance with you while you make me believe happiness is possible.”
He sucked in his breath and almost stepped on my toes. Then he picked me up and hugged me as he asked, “You’re happy?”
The teacher made a disgusted sound, and we quickly returned to our dance.
He twirled me, and when I was back in his arms and we started the promenade, I quickly said, “I realized on the plane that dreaming and imagining the future aren't painful or scary when I’m in your arms.”
He twirled me at the end, and we fell back into our formation. Then he said, “I thought you were upset.”
We finished the song, and the teacher critiqued our routine. Then she gave us some pointers, and Cyrus asked her to come back later.
Then he restarted the music, but we were alone. My heart beat more wildly when he touched me now. Truthfully, my body ached to be his as I said, “How can I be upset with the best man I’ll ever meet?”
He held me tighter and whispered, “Sheereen-am.”
“I like that nickname,” I said and went up on tiptoe.
Then I puckered my lips because I needed at least a kiss. I was his if he still wanted me.
40
Cyrus
Her sweet kiss was more powerful than medicine. She gave me hope.
Now we’d practiced on our own, and our instructor had returned to ensure we were prepared, we wouldn't make fools of ourselves. However, we never had enough alone time for me to ask what had changed.
My heart now hoped she might love me back one day.
Hair and makeup and tailors all arrived to ensure we looked perfect for TV.
All I could manage to do most of the time was smile at her.
