Swing Night (standard:romance, 1535 words)
Author: Rene Amador	Added: Jun 17 2002	Views/Reads: 3333/2285	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
I'm guess I'm just a hopeless romantic when it comes down to it. It's one of those evenings when everything falls into place.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

him an excuse to edge closer to her.  Dana had moved to Chicago about 
seven months ago from New York because it provided more diverse theater 
opportunities.  She performed off-Broadway but found it not to her 
liking.  It was too tame for her tastes and offered no real creative 
outlets.  Much like everything in New York, a person didn t pay for the 
product but for the brand name.  She finally was fed up and uprooted 
herself.  It was a difficult transition but it was a decision that she 
was glad she made. 

Dana s experiences had dwarfed Sean s.  He worked in a consulting firm
downtown but only considered it one part of his life.  Sean played the 
saxophone ever since he was ten and was quite good.  He and some 
friends from college got together regularly and had jam sessions at his 
apartment.  There were talks of starting their own band but because of 
time conflicts it was not very likely to happen.  When he wasn t 
playing music, he liked to go to the theater every chance he had.  
Those two interests made up his nightlife. 

They bounced from topic to topic until the band started to play some
up-tempo numbers.  Sean s ears pricked up and he turned to Dana.  Her 
eyes seemed to show that she knew the question he was going to ask. 

Would you like to dance, Dana? 

Yes, but, I don t dance very well. 

Oh, don t worry.  I ll show you.  We ll take it easy at first. 

Sean held out his hand for Dana.  She hesitated for a moment, not really
sure what was going to happen and simultaneously savoring the evening 
in anticipation.  Finally she put her hand into his, touching the tips 
of his fingers with hers and Sean gently clasped Dana s hand.  A jolt 
jumped between them. 

Alright. 

Just as they stepped on the floor the band began a new number.  A
resounding cry from the trumpeter started the song and the rest of the 
band picked up one by one creating a gradual buildup.  Sean held onto 
Dana s hand and placed his arm around her waist.  She rested her other 
hand on his shoulder.  The band started the slow song.  The two danced 
cheek to cheek and learned each other s movements and cues gradually. 

The two danced the rest of the night away.  Dance after dance, they
moved gracefully together as if they were old partners and anticipated 
and accurately predicted each other s steps.  They tripped around the 
floor and cleared a circle around themselves.  The crowd noticed and 
gave their attention and Dana and Sean in return gave them a show.  She 
turned.  He glided.  She spun.  He swayed.  Finally at four in the 
morning, the band called it a night and the partners returned to the 
bar. 

Sean had to work the next morning and Dana had a callback for a part in
a play in the early afternoon.  They decided to part ways, reluctantly 
at first, and then walked out together.  Neither of them expected the 
evening to go so well. 

I had a great time out on the floor.  Did you have fun? 

Yes, I did.  I just wish I didn t have to work tomorrow morning.  I
thought you said you couldn t dance well. 

No, I can t. 

You could have fooled me.  I don t know how you picked it up so quickly.
 Could you believe everyone was watching us?  I thought I was going to 
trip on my own feet. 

Oh, you did just fine and you were a great teacher.  Well...I&better
get&going because I have that callback tomorrow.   She took a step 
back.  Her eyes focused on her own feet.  I wouldn t want to show up 
late.   Then she looked up at Sean. 

A silence fell on them.  It was one of those silences that two people
can share and just enjoy each other s company without the stress of 
having to keep chattering.  Sean looked into her eyes.  He thought that 
he was going to get lost.  Dana then turned and started to walk away.  
Sean turned the opposite direction and started to walk, a little 
disappointed.  Suddenly he had an impulse to turn around.  He watched 
her as she strutted down the street until something peculiar happened. 

Dana stopped in her tracks.  She opened her purse and took out a
handkerchief.  She extended her arm gently and let the handkerchief 
fall to the sidewalk.  Sean did a double take.  Dana continued to walk 
but greatly slowed her pace.  The moment the handkerchief hit the 
pavement, Sean ran to it.  He picked it up and followed her, gradually 
overcoming her.  He couldn t wait to talk to her but couldn t think of 
what to say.  Usually it s a bad thing, but not then, not at all. 


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