Where do we go from here?

Lovers and Joggers A couple holding hands and a brace of joggers make tracks towards Totteridge Lane on the Dollis Valley Green Walk. The slope of the ground towards the Brook, which is out of shot on the right, is evident in this photo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Becky directs Sean to her house, the two of them talking about everything and nothing during the late-night drive.  Becky has calmed down and is actually surprised that she’s feeling comfortable with Sean, something she’s never experienced before with any other guy.  Sean is quite pleased that the tears have stopped and that the two of them are able to enjoy being with one another.  Sean, like most guys, isn’t at ease when a girl is crying, but he feels pretty good about the way he handled the situation.

When Sean pulls the truck up to the curb in front of Becky’s house, he turns the key to shut off the engine, turning halfway around in his seat, leaning against the door, wanting with all of his heart to lean over and kiss Becky.  But he’s concerned about how she will react.  He definitely doesn’t want to scare her, doesn’t want to start the flow of tears again.  He’s never found himself in a situation like this before.  Usually the girls are all over him, wanting him to come inside and spend the night.  He doesn’t expect that from Becky, but he isn’t exactly sure what to do next.

He reaches over and to run his fingers through her silky  hair.  He smiles, “I’ve really had a good time tonight, Bec.  I…uh…I hope you’ll let me call on you again.”  Then he mentally bangs his head against the dash, thinking, Let me call on you again?  Who says that?  What kind of dork is she going to think I am?  “Um… could I maybe get your phone number so I can give you a call later?”

Biting her lower lip, Becky meets Sean’s gaze.  “I’d like that…a lot.  I want to thank you for making this such a nice evening.  I really enjoyed myself.”  Taking the paper and pen that Sean holds out to her, Becky writes her number down for him, wondering if he would ever really call her.

Sean takes the paper from her, folds it, and puts it in his pocket.  “Here, let me give you my number.  I’ll give you my number at home and at work, just in case.”  He writes both numbers down and hands her the slip of paper.

Sean finally tears his gaze from Becky and says, “Well…let me walk you to the door, Bec.”  He gets out of the truck and walks to her door, opens it and lifts her down out of the truck.  His hands on her waist, hers on his upper arms, both not wanting the night to end, neither knowing what happens next, wondering where do we go from here?

Holding hands, they slowly make their way to the front door.  Becky worries that he will want more from her than she is willing to give.  Sean wondering if it would be okay to at least kiss her.  As they stand in front of the door, Sean lifts Becky’s hand to his lips and gently kisses the back of her hand.  Then he whispers, “You go on inside. I’ll stay here until I hear the door lock and I know you’re safe.”

Becky nods her head, unlocks the door and steps inside.  She turns to look at Sean.  He’s standing there smiling softly at her.  Again he whispers, “‘Night, Bec.  I’ll call you tomorrow…or today, I guess it would be.  Anyhow…um…guess I better be goin’.”

“Good night, Sean.  Again, thanks.  Talk to you later.”  Becky then closes the door and locks it.  Sean stands there until he hears the lock click into place then turns to walk back to his truck.  Halfway down the walk, he turns around and looks back toward the door.  On the other side of that door, Becky is leaning against it, the back of her hand resting upon her lips, still feeling the tingle of that kiss.  She smiles, thinking what a polite southern gentleman Sean is, asking if he can call on her again, hoping against hope that he does.

Sean turns around again, walking toward his truck when it hits him.  He just met the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

The surprising gentleman

A man and a woman holding hands with fingers intertwined (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She turns to face him, the tears still glittering in her eyes.  Becky waves her hand back and forth between them, “This…this guy and girl stuff…I’m so shy…I hate being this shy…I’m not…I’m just not…I don’t know how to do this.”  Her voice catches on the last word and she struggles not to burst into tears, beating herself up for being an idiot, knowing that Sean will be thrilled to get her back to her house and out of his truck as fast as possible.  And that he won’t waste any time getting as far away from her as his big truck will take him.

Sean’s looking at her with those deep chocolate eyes.  He sighs softly and brushes her hair from her cheek.  “I don’t want you to feel bad, Bec.  I mean, I like you…I really,  really like you.  But I would never…I wouldn’t expect you to, I don’t know, do anything you didn’t want to do…or weren’t ready to do…I mean, I didn’t really notice that you were that shy, seemed to me like we talked together pretty good, ya know?”  He stops talking and just shakes his head.  “I don’t want to make you sad or make you cry, Bec.”

Becky lowers her head, covering her eyes.  She then releases her pent-up breath, squares her shoulders, sits back in the seat and meets Sean’s concerned gaze.  “Really, Sean, it’s not you.  It really is me.  I’m guessing you’ve had lots of girlfriends…and me?  I’ve not been able to figure out the whole relationship thing.  I imagine I’m not like most of the girls you’ve gone dancing with, huh?”

Sean smiles sweetly, rubbing his thumb along the palm of her hand.  “Well, I’m thinkin’ you not being like most of the girls I’ve gone dancing with is probably a good thing.  It just hit me, all those other girls, mostly I wouldn’t ever have wanted to take any of ’em home to meet my mom, but you? You’re different.  My mom would be happy to meet you.”  Sean lifts his hands between them, “Not that I’m saying we have to do that any time soon, but still…”

Becky looks at Sean with a question in her eyes.  “I…you surprise me.  I would have thought you’d be like every other guy I’ve known and high tail it out of here.”

Sean snorts, “I think you’ll find out I’m anything but like every other guy.”  And then he gives her a bawdy wink and wiggles his eyebrows.

Becky laughs softly.  “Yeah, you just might be right.”

Sean turns the key in the ignition, “So, how do I find this house you share with those other girls?  I don’t know if you know this or not, but it’s after two in the morning…not all that late for a guy like me, but I’d be willing to bet it’s pretty darn late for a girl like you…right?”

Last dance

2008 4×4 Ford F-450 Pick up truck. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sean chuckles, “I think she likes you, Becky.  She’s a pretty special lady.  I’ve known her for years and she’s taken quite  a few of us under her wing over the years…”

Blushing, Becky half smiles at Sean’s comments.  “Well, I could tell she definitely likes you.”

Sean leans back in his chair, shrugs, and asks, “Hey, what’s not to like?”

Sean and Becky spend the rest of the evening dancing and talking, then dancing and talking some more.  They are both surprised when they hear the announcement that the club is about to close.  Sean escorts Becky out to his truck.  Petite little Becky stands there with her hands on her hips looking at the huge truck.  “This is your truck?  You actually climb in and out of this thing…without a ladder?”

“Hmm…well, I am a little taller than you, I guess.  Let me help you up.”  After opening the passenger side door, he offers Becky his hand and then realizes she’s going to need more help than that to make it up into the truck.  “I think I’ll have to lift you up so you can get in…okay?”

Becky’s cheeks flush and she looks down, then lifts her gaze up to meet Sean’s.  “Um…yeah…I think I’d have a hard time climbing up into this thing with a dress on…so…yeah…”

Sean’s  hands span her tiny waist.  Becky reaches up for his shoulders, neither of them able to take their eyes off of the other.  He effortlessly lifts her into the truck, “Watch your head, Bec.”  She nods and smiles at the nickname.  She sits down, smoothing her skirt under her legs.  Sean closes the door and runs around the front of the truck and leaps into the driver’s seat.

Shaking her head, Becky notes, “You make that seem so easy.”

Sean reaches over and envelopes her tiny hand in his much larger one, laughing…”Hey, when yer 6’6″,  big trucks are no problem…it’s those tiny little cars that make life difficult.”

Becky likes the feeling of their hands being joined, but finds herself blushing again.  Then, to her mortification, she feels tears in her eyes and quickly looks away from Sean.

“Uh..Bec…are you alright?  Did I do something wrong?”

Still not looking at Sean, she shakes her head and wipes the tears from her cheeks.  “No, it’s not you…it’s me…I just don’t know how to do this.  I’ve never been good at this.”

Sean gently touches her shoulder, “Good at what, Bec?  I’m not…not sure what you’re talking about.”

 

Dancin’ queen

Tiagpointe (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Angel steps back from Sean, her hands cupping his face.  “Let me look at you!  Still the handsomest devil to set foot in this old dance hall, aren’t ya?”

Sean laughs and bends down to kiss the cheek of the older woman.  Angel is not a small woman, a bottle blonde, wearing a rust-colored suede skirt and vest, cream-colored low-cut blouse and hand-tooled cowboy boots.  She looks like she lives in a country dance hall.  “So sweetie, are ya home for the winter now?  We sure did miss ya around here all summer.”

“Yeah, we just got back last Sunday.”  Sean winks at Angel.  “Missed you too, gorgeous!”

Angel swats him.  “You’re definitely a sweet talker.”  Angel smiles at Becky.  “So, handsome, are you gonna use the manners I know your mama raised you with and introduce me to this cute little girl?”

Angel silently screams for joy as she watches her favorite young man sharing a look with the little blonde.  Sean gently touches Becky’s hand.  “Angel, this is Becky.  She’s new in town and one of the best dancers I’ve ever seen.  And Becky, this is Angel.  She owns this place and keeps us all in line…ha, get it?  In line!!”

Angel laughs, “Honey, it’s a good thing you don’t have to rely on your comedic talent to earn a living.”

Sean falls back in his chair, hand over his heart, “Ouch…”

Angel offers her hand to Becky and says, “Nice to meet you, Becky.”  In a stage whisper, she says,  “This one here is pretty special.  I try not to say that in front of him too much, don’t want him thinkin’ he’s God’s gift or anything.”

Becky shakes Angel’s hand, responding shyly, “I’m pleased to meet you too, ma’am.  I love your dance floor, it’s really nice.”

“Well, thank ya, hon.  I hope we’ll see you around here a lot.  Now, I gotta get back to the business of runnin’ my business.”  She points at Sean.  “Make sure the two of ya aren’t strangers around here this winter.”

Sean rises from his chair and hugs Angel again.  She whispers, “Hon, I think this little gal is a keeper.  You be good to her.”

Sean whispers back, “Oh, I intend to.”

Angel steps back, waves at the young couple and sashays across the dance floor, greeting her other customers, a smile on her face as she thinks about the two kids she just left.  After watching the girls throw themselves at Sean over the years, she has a good feeling about that little Becky.  She seems to be a different kind of girl.  Maybe, just maybe, the girl who can bring Sean some peace and contentment.

Dancin’ in the dark

EKKO’s dance floor, Utrecht (city), NL Nederlands: Dansvloer van EKKO in Utrecht (NL). De dj van 030303 staat voor het podium met t-shirt met smiley (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Not too long after Becky’s friends leave, Kenny stops by the table.  “Becky, this is Kenny, he’s one of those crazy guys I live with.”

Kenny winks at Becky, “Now don’t be believin’ everything he tells ya about me, Becky.  He’s been known to spin a tale or two.”

Becky nods, “Well, that’s good to know…I think.”

Sean laughs, his hands in the air.  “Wait a minute, now.” He points toward Kenny.  “There are quite a few tales to tell about you, man.  And I’m not goin’ there.  We’re just over here mindin’ our own business.”

Kenny cuffs Sean on the shoulder.  “I’m just kiddin’ around, Becky.  Sean’s alright…most of the time…”

Sean rolls his eyes.  “Becky, I’m so sorry…Kenny’s quite the…uh…jokester.”

Becky laughs softly.  “It’s okay.  You guys are funny.  It’s nice that you’re such good friends.”

Kenny raises his eyebrows and backs away.  “Well, on that note, I’ve gotta get outta here.  You kids have fun…don’t stay out past your curfew.”  Kenny walks away laughing.

Shaking his head, Sean says, “He’s crazy.”

“No…that’s…you guys are…you’re good friends…that’s just nice to see.”

The band begins playing “Stray Cat Strut”.  Sean sits up straight, a big grin on his face.  Pointing back and forth between them, he says, “You want to hit the floor?  Have you danced the line dance to this one?”

“Well, no…I don’t know…I mean, yes, I want to dance, just not sure which dance you’re talking about.  But I learn pretty fast, whatever dance it is.”

They join the group in the center of the floor.  There’s a lot of laughing as the young folks dance their stray cat strut line dance.  True to her word, Becky picks it up quickly, mastering the intricate steps and spins.  When the music ends, both Sean and Becky are flushed and out of breath.  They sit back down at their table, the fun of the dance still surrounding them.

“Whew!  You really can dance, Becky.  Have you taken lessons or danced professionally?”

“Oh my goodness, no…I just love to dance. I was on the dance team in high school, but that’s it.  Well, I take that back.  I took ballet lessons when I was younger, much younger.  Then it just got to the place where Momma couldn’t afford it, so I started just learning country dancing at home.”

“Well, you’re really, really good.  Seriously.”

“Well, thanks.  You’re pretty good yourself.  Have you taken lessons or anything?”

Sean shakes his head, looking at her with a question in his eyes,  “No, no lessons or anything for me.  Just a lot of…uh…practice over the years.”

“So, do you go out to the clubs every weekend?”

“Uh…well, not every weekend.  I’m not in town every weekend…with work and all…and I don’t usually go out to the clubs when I’m on the road, just too much other stuff to think about and do for work.”

“So you have to travel a lot for work?”

Sean laughs, “Oh yeah…you could say that.  Seems like I’ve spent most of my life on the road.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Sean sees someone stop at their table.  When he sees who is standing there, a huge smile crosses his face.  “Angel.”  Sean jumps out of his chair to hug the woman who wraps her arms around him.

 

 

Slow dancin’

Ryman Auditorium, where The Byrds made their appearance at the Grand Ole Opry on March 15, 1968. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sean slowly walks around the perimeter of the dance floor, stopping to say a few words to friends, nodding at acquaintances.  Bethany hungrily watches him as he moves away from her.  However, the entire time, his thoughts are on the girl waiting for him at that small table in the shadows.  When he finally makes his way back to Becky, he places the bottles of water on the table with a flourish.  “One icy cold water for the lady.  And one for me.”

“Thanks, Sean.”

Sean waves off her thanks.  “No problem.”

Sean pulls a chair from under the table, sits down with both elbows on the table, and just looks at Becky with a smile on his face.  “So…Becky…come here often?”

They laugh and relax,  both feeling comfortable as well as curious.  Sean decides to go first.  “Are you, uh, are you from Nashville?”

Becky shakes her head.  “No.  I just moved here a couple weeks ago.  From Knoxville.  I’m starting grad school at Vandy on Monday.”

“Wow.  Seriously?  That’s impressive.”

Laughing, Becky says, “I don’t know about impressive, but that’s what I’m doing.”

“So, you got brothers, sisters, parents, a husband?”  Sean says it like he’s joking, but he’s secretly hoping to hear a “no” to the husband part of the question.

Becky laughs again.  “Well, let’s see.  No brothers or sisters…I’m an only child.  Definitely no husband or anything.  And, as far as my parents go, it’s just been my mom for most of my life.  They divorced when I was five and from then on, it was just Mom and me.”  Becky lifts one shoulder in a shrug.   “What about you?”

“Me?  Hmm…okay…let’s see, I’ve lived in Nashville all my life.  I’m an only child too…Mom and Dad adopted me when I was five and then they found out they couldn’t have any kids of their own, so they were pretty much stuck with just me.”

“I’m sure that’s not how they see it.”

“Well, yeah, you’re right.  They’re pretty, uh, pretty cool.  I’m lucky to have ’em.”

“So, do you live with your parents?”

“No, no…I live with four other guys in a big old house here in town.”

“I bet you guys have some wild times, huh?”

Sean chuckles and says, “Well, you’d think.  But we all spend a lot of time working, different guys out on the road at different times, so we’re not all there very often.  And it’s an old neighborhood with a lot of really old people, so we try to kind of keep a low profile, no loud music or wild parties.  I think the neighbors kind of appreciate that.   A lot of times, the ladies’ll bring us a cake or cookies or whatever.  Think they think we don’t eat right or something.  What about you?  Are you going to work while you go to school?”

“Oh yeah, I have to, I have to have the money. I already had a job lined up when I moved here.  I’m working 20 or so hours a week over at Pinky’s Diner.”

“No way!  We stop in there after work sometimes.  You know, to get breakfast for supper.  My dad and Charlie love eggs and bacon and hash browns or biscuits and gravy at night.”

“So, you and your dad work together?”

Sean looks at her questioningly.  “Well, yeah, we work together, always have.”

“So, where do you guys work?”

At that time, Becky’s friends stop at the table.  “Becky, we’re getting ready to go home here pretty soon.”

Sean jumps in, “I’ll be glad to take you home if you maybe want to stay and dance and talk for a while.”  As soon as he says it, he’s hoping he didn’t sound too desperate.

Becky hesitates, looking into Sean’s eyes, then nods her head slightly.  “Okay. I think I’d like that.”  She looks at her friends, “That be all right with you two?”

They both smile and nod.  Her closest friend, Dana, leans down to hug her and whispers, “He’s so cute.  Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

 

Dance like no one’s watching

CajunPitStop-1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The music ends.  Sean and Becky, both breathless, remain on the dance floor, hands intertwined, the magic surrounding them.  As Sean feels himself falling deeper into Becky’s gaze, the corner of his mouth lifts in a half-smile.  “Wow.  Just wow.”Becky releases her pent-up breath, looks away, then looks back into Sean’s deep brown eyes.  “Right.  Wow.”  She smiles up at him, blushing.

As Sean returns her smile, he asks, “So…uhh…you want to get a table and maybe talk or something?”

Chuckling,  Becky nods her head.  “Yeah, that’d be good.  I’ll let my friends know, okay?”

Sean gently rests his hand on the small of Becky’s back as they make their way to the table where her friends are sitting.  As Becky gathers her jacket, she nods toward Sean.  “We’re going to sit over there and talk for a bit, okay?” Her friends nod in agreement, smiling at each other as Sean and Becky walk away.

Before they sit down at their table, Sean asks Becky if she would like a beer or something.  “Well, I…uh…I don’t really drink beer or anything.  A water would be good though.”

“Seriously, you don’t drink?  You’re not kidding me?”

“No, I never really have.  Is that…uhh…is that a problem?”

“No,no…not at all.  Whatever you want is fine with me.  I’ll grab a water for you and be right back.”  Sean turns to walk away, then turns back around, walking backwards with a huge smile on his face.  He lifts his hand, pointing his finger at her, “Be right back.”

Becky returns his smile, shaking her head as she watches him watching her.

When Sean reaches the counter, he says, “Hey, Bill.  Can I get a couple bottles of water?”

Bill raises his eyebrows, “Water?  Really, Sean?”

Sean shrugs his shoulders, “That’s what the lady ordered.”

“Well, gotta give the ladies what they want, right?”

“Oh yeah, for sure.”

“Saw you dancing with that little gal.  She new around here?”

With a slight shake of his head, Sean answers, “Ya know, I don’t really know.  She’s…uh…I don’t know.  But I think I’ll go find out.”  Sean pays for the water, turns around, nearly colliding with a very tall, very sexy brunette.

“Oh, sorry, Bethany…didn’t mean to run you over.”

With her beautifully manicured hands, the brunette grips Sean’s upper arm, leaning into him and caressing his arm.  “Hey, Sean…are you going to be around all night?  Maybe we can do something later.  It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Sean’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes as he steps away from the girl.  “Umm…yeah…well, I’m with someone else tonight, Bethany.  Maybe some other time.”

Bethany steps back, trying to hide the pain with a smile, “Sure, Sean, some other time.  Whenever you want, let me know.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

As Sean walks toward the table where Becky sits waiting for his return, Bethany glares at the tiny blonde, muttering,  “You little bitch.  You will not take him away from me.”

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And then we danced

Do I Hear a Waltz? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Um, yeah, I’d love to dance with you, Sean.”

Sean offers his hand to Becky (just like the gentleman his mama taught him to be) and escorts her to the dance floor.  As they sway together in time with the music, neither of them gives a thought to what a striking couple they are.  Becky, the tiny, five-foot-tall, fair-complected blonde and Sean, the six-foot, six-inch, long, lean handsome young man.  For both of them, their only thoughts are how right this feels, how in tune they are with both the music and one another.  How perfectly they fit together as they glide across the floor, her skirt swirling around his legs as they turn.  They have eyes only for each other, sharing smiles and their passion for dance.

When the music ends, they step apart, hands still joined, eyes still locked, the electricity flowing between.  Still holding her hand, Sean begins to lead her back to her table, neither of them wanting this to end.  As they approach her friends, the band begins to play another country song.  Sean stops walking, a smile on his face.  “Uhh…you don’t happen to waltz, do you?”, he asks.

A huge smile lights up her face.  “Actually, I do.  That’s my favorite dance.”

“Well then…could I…have this dance?”, he asks as he jokingly bows toward her.

Becky responds with a mock curtsey and says, “Indeed you may, kind sir.”

As the music envelopes the young couple, the dance floor becomes their world, and they its only inhabitants.  They are matched perfectly, sharing the rhythm of the music, magic sparking between them.  No dance has ever been more meaningful for either of them.  No moment in time more full of possibilities.

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Want to dance?

Dance Hall (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When she reaches Sean, she hesitates for just a second and says, “Hello.”  With the briefest of glances over her shoulder, she continues walking away.

As Sean watches the girl in blue walk away, everything else in the dance hall fades into the background.  He no longer hears the music, no longer sees the couples dancing on the floor, his eyes are riveted to the little blonde as she sits down with her friends.  Once seated, she raises her eyes to meet Sean’s, then quickly glances away, her cheeks flushed.

Kenny stares at his buddy, finding it hard to believe that any girl can have this effect on Sean.  “Sean, you have to ask her to dance now, man.  She made the first move.”

With eyebrow raised, Sean looks at Kenny like he’s nuts.  “First move?  What are you talking about?”

Kenny raises both hands in the air, “Look…where do you think she was going?  She walked over this way for what purpose?  To say hi to you.  That’s it.”

Rubbing his chin, Sean considers what his friend has just said.  Looking at Kenny, a smile begins forming on Sean’s face.  “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Elbows on the table, hands clasped, Sean glances back toward the girl.  “Yeah…yeah…you’re right.”  Pushing himself away from the table, Sean slowly stands.  He pats Kenny on the shoulder, turns and walks away, not realizing that the eyes of most of the girls in the dance hall are following him as his long, jean-clad legs carry him around the floor.

When he reaches the table where the three girls are sitting, the little blonde turns her aqua eyes toward him.  He smiles and says, “Hi, I’m Sean.”

Biting her lower lip, the little blonde smiles and says, “Hi Sean, I’m Becky.”

With his smile growing, Sean says, “Hi, Becky.  I was wondering if maybe you’d want to dance?”

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Dance the night away

Beer bottles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“She won’t be interested in a guy like me…not a girl like that, man.”   Sean gulps the rest of his beer, looking at Kenny, still shaking his head.  He places the empty bottle on the table with a sigh.

“Sean, I don’t even know what you’re talking about.  All a the chicks like ya…why would this one be any different?”

Sean sprawls in his chair, draping his arm over the back of it.  “Kenny, I don’t even know how to explain it.  She’s just different.  A different kind of girl.  And I just can’t see her wantin’ to have anything to do with me.  You know me, you know how I am.  And she’s just…I don’t know…different…”

Kenny picks his beer bottle up off the table and runs his index finger around the water ring.  “I…Sean, I don’t know what to say…you can have any girl you want.  So…I just don’t see where this is comin’ from.  I mean, she’s just a girl.  You haven’t even talked to her yet.  Just…just go over and ask her to dance or somethin’.”  Kenny laughs and says,”Hell, she could be stupid or somethin’…somebody you wouldn’t even want to dance with, much less talk to.”

Sean’s lip curls in a half grin, “Dude, have you even looked at her?  I’m definitely wantin’ to dance with her…and somethin’ too.”  As the two friends share a laugh, Sean glances back toward the girl.  When his chocolate-brown eyes meet her vivid aqua ones, he forgets to breathe.  A slight smile flits over her lips and she looks away.  Sean takes a shaky breath, runs his hand through his thick brown hair, and whispers, “Wow”.

With both elbows on the table, Kenny covers his eyes with one hand, looking down, trying unsuccessfully not to laugh.  “Dude, you got it bad.”

At that time, a couple  stops by to talk with Sean and Kenny.  After talking for a few minutes, the couple makes their way down to the dance floor.  Sean’s gaze is pulled toward the table the blonde is sharing with her friends.  She’s not there!  The dance floor…is she on the dance floor?!  In desperation, Sean tells himself he’s lost his one chance.  His shoulders sag, he drops his head toward his chest.  Then, out of the corner of his eye, he catches a glimpse of pale blue.  He looks up over his shoulder just as the blonde makes her way toward his chair.

When she reaches Sean, she hesitates for just a second and says, “Hello.”  With the briefest of glances over her shoulder, she continues walking away.