A different step

For the previous edition of Twirl, go here.

After a kiss that set her heart on fire and made her toes curl, Wade dropped Vivi off at her front door. Only the late hour discouraged him from introducing himself to her father, who he was convinced was watching at the window. Vivi didn't have the heard to tell him that her father didn't care about anything except her dancing.

She also didn't have the heart to tell him she never wanted to introduce him to her father. Because she knew the second she did, it would be over. He would ship Vivi off to a dancing school in the mountains or in Europe in a heartbeat, and she'd never slide across the wooden floorboards with Wade again.

On top of everything, Mrs. Angelson's favor and Damien's comment weighed in her stomach like a bad hamburger.

"I can't do it," she told Susanne the next day at Saturday practice. Susanne's black shadowed eyes mirrored her own as she stifled a yawn during warm- up.

"Do what?" she croaked, her voice hoarse from the night before.

"Dance the Lover's Dance from Firefly," Vivi said in a low voice, wincing as she slid her feet into fifth position. Dancing in heels all night wasn't the brightest idea when one had to go on toe for three hours the next morning.

"I thought she wanted Carmen to do that," Susanne said, rubbing at her eyes. "She's a slut, anyway."

"Susanne!" Vivi hissed, stifling a giggle. "That wasn't nice!"

"Well, it's true," Susanne shrugged, too tired for courtesy. "The girl's looser than an old keyboard."

Vivi burst into laughter and Mrs. Angelson frowned her direction. "Something you want to share, Vivienne?"

"No ma'am." Vivi's face sobered immediately and her stomach twisted in knots. Mrs. Angelson simpered knowingly and turned, calling out commands in French. For the rest of practice, Vivi felt her teacher's dark eyes burning into her back. As soon as the final song faded, Vivi grabbed her practice bag and rushed out of the room. She slipped her shoes off and slid into her tennis shoes, not bothering to take off her tights.

"Where you going so fast?" Susanne panted, running after her as Vivi bolted across the parking lot. "Want to grab a sandwich?"

The last thing Vivi wanted was food. She plastered a smile on her face. "I can't. I've got to get to the library to study." The lie popped out of her lips before she realized what she had said. Susanne snorted.

"Whatever," she grinned. "You're going to go make out with Wade. Call me later. There's a new movie I want to see." Waving, she sashayed across the parking lot to her car. Vivi exhaled and climbed into her car, closing the door harder than needed. She flopped back into the warm car seat, staring out the window.

"Now I'm lying to my best friend," she muttered to her steering wheel. "Great. Just great." She looked at her dashboard and chewed on her lip. The last place she wanted to go was home. Shrugging, she turned the key and the car roared to life. She might as well go to the library.

A few moments later, Vivi was surrounded by books. She wondered through the aisles, trailing her finger over the well worn spines. Picking up a novel about a crime fighting lawyer, her mind drifted as she turned the dusty pages. This was a world that was alien to her. Leaning against the bookcase, she had become entrenched in the plot when a low voice startled her.

"I didn't know you liked to read, Vivienne."

Gasping, she slammed the book shut with a loud clap. "Mrs. Lourve!"

Her old dance teacher beamed and reached out with a trembling hand to touch her frizzy hair. "Look how big you've gotten! My, you're beautiful."

"Thanks," Vivi beamed, giving her old teacher a hug. The woman had taught her when she was in diapers and had instilled her love of dance in her. "How are you doing?"

"Great," Mrs. Lourve said with a smile. "I'm teaching at the Red Chair Academy on Broadway, the 3 and 4 year olds. It's a blast. What are you doing dear? You'll graduate soon, yes? Going to college?"

Vivi hesitated. "I graduate in a year. But I'm not sure what I'm doing."

Even after more than a decade, Mrs. Lourve knew how to read her. "What's wrong, Vivi?"

Vivi shrugged, sliding the book back in it's spot. "I'm just kinda stressed. I'm kinda tired of ballet. I started country dancing, and it's a ball."

"What's wrong with that?" her teacher asked.

"Well, the final performance is coming up soon," Vivi explained. "And my Dad and Mrs. Angelson want me to do really well so I can audition for the New York Ballet."

"What do you want Vivi?" Mrs. Lourve gave her a gentle but firm look. "Do you not want to go to college at all?"

Vivi shrugged, digging her toes into her shoes. "That's the thing. I don't know. I know I can't ever stop dancing, but I don't know if I want to give up my life for dancing. It seems like there's so much out there..." Wade's blue eyes flashed in her mind, and she blushed.

Mrs. Lourve grinned and gestured toward the door. "That's very wise dear. Why don't you go explore instead of spending a gorgeous Saturday in a stuffy library with old people like me?"

Vivi burst into laughter. She kissed her teacher on both cheeks and flew out the door, her eyes shining and her curls blowing in the breeze. Digging her keys out of her purse, she leaped to her car. As soon as she rounded the corner of the parking lot, she shrieked in delight.

Wade was perched on her hood. He gave her a lazy grin.

"It's a bit early for dancing, isn't it?" he teased as she pirouetted towards him.

"It's never too early," she shot back, tossing her hair. "Are you stalking me? How do you always know where I am?"

Wade snorted. "Small town, darling." He slid off her hood and took her hand. "Come on."

"Come on where?" Vivi realized with horror she hadn't taken a shower since last night. Slapping her hands to her face, she pulled away. "I can't go anywhere. I'm all sweaty and gross. I've been at practice all morning and my hair's a wreck."

"I've got a surprise for you." Wade's eyes twinkled. "Trust me, you'll like it."

"Wade, I look terrible!" Vivi protested, trying to pull her hand from his. "Let me go home and change."

Wade shrugged. "Suit yourself." He let go of Vivi's hand. As she shifted her bag on her shoulder, he took two steps and leaned forward. Suddenly, Vivi found Wade's shoulder hoisting up her belly. She dangled over his shoulder, her feet swinging in the air.

"Wade!" Vivi shrieked with laughter. "What are you doing?"

"Kidnapping you," he replied promptly, striding to the car and opening the passenger door. "Girl, you need to eat more. You're lighter than a piece of paper." He gently placed her in the seat and shut the door, winking at her as he locked it from the outside. She was still laughing when he crawled in beside her.

"Where are we going?" she asked as the truck's engine roared to life.

Wade's eyes glimmered with excitement. "We're going on an adventure."

To be continued........


Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have Beef Burgundy and a new Kitchen Magic Friday! And this weekend, we've got all sorts of whimsical fun!