I hit shuffle and music starts to play, specifically the song “Still Into You” by Paramore.
“Since when do you listen to this?” Teagan asks, sounding intrigued.
“Ever since I walked in on you dancing to this, it’s been stuck in my head,” I tell her honestly.
“I can’t believe you got to see that for free.” She snickers as I join her at the island, sitting on the stools as she dumps the puzzle pieces out.
“You usually charge people to see you dance?”
“No, but maybe I should. My dance moves have helped me earn high scoring floor routines.”
“I think that has to do more with the flips and splits. If it were based on dancing… I don’t know if you’d have as many gold medals as you do.” My tone is light and teasing, and she doesn’t take it to heart.
“Let’s see you bust a move.” She turns in her barstool to face me, her face serious.
“Not a chance.”
She pouts her bottom lip, batting her lashes at me, her big brown eyes giving me the puppy dog look.
I sigh deeply, grunting as I stand. “Fine.”
Having grown up and taught ballroom dancing, I don’t shy away from the dance floor. Even if I’m making a fool of myself.
I shake my arms and legs out, then as soon as the chorus hits, I’m moving my body to the music. Pretending to rub my belly when she talks about butterflies, bobbing my head to the beat and moving from side to side.
Teagan’s hand flies to her mouth as she laughs, and it only encourages me as I continue to dance, moving my body to the music and not caring how I look, because it’s making her laugh.
I’d do anything to keep her laughing.
Getting an idea, I dance over to her and pull her to her feet.
She’s shaking her head at me at first, but when the last chorus of the song hits, she’s dancing along with me.
We’re both jumping around, being silly and dancing, not giving a fuck about anything.
And it’s so freeing. I can’t remember the last time I danced like this. If I ever have, honestly.
There’s a moment our eyes connect, a quick passing of something, and then it’s gone as we look away and finish out the song.
Once it’s done, we’re both out of breath. I grab us some water and return to the island, where Teagan is grabbing my phone.
“An Ozzy Osbourne song? Is this my playlist?” she asks.
“It’s, uh, a playlist I made.”
Teagan pauses her fingers scrolling on my phone, dropping it gently in front of her. “I thought you didn’t know this kind of music.”
“I didn’t. But you like it, so I want to listen to it. See why you like it, so I made a playlist of the songs you’ve mentioned liking or I’ve heard you listening to,” I admit, feeling shyer than I ever have in my life.
It feels like admitting a secret, one I’m not sure if she wants to know.
“That’s…wow. Uhm, really nice?” she says, sounding unsure and confused.
“I’m sorry if it’s weird.”
“No, don’t apologize. I think it might be the most thoughtful thing anyone’s done for me,” she says, a hint of sadness in her tone.
“You’re welcome then,” I say quietly as I sort through the puzzle pieces.
