The Flower
My body turns while my hips dip, almost meeting the floor.
My hair whips in front of my line of vision, but I don’t give it another thought.
My knees stretch, making me stand, then I dip again.
My hands wander over my upper body as I lose myself in the music, the air around me thickening with sensuality.
I turn once more, hearing the clicking of my heels on the wooden floor over the loud music.
My upper half bends forward, my hands come down, slowly feeling the length of my legs as they start from my ankles and make their way up to my thighs.
Hair moving in all directions as I feel the movements coursing through, like we are one and the same.
I stare at myself in the mirror under the low lighting.
My mind is only here, right at this moment.
“Did everyone catch that? Or do you need me to run through it again?” My loud voice breaks through the music as I click the pause button on my phone.
I turn around to face the class, making sure they heard me.
Everyone nods in agreement to proceed, and I press play again, music emanating through the speaker.
“Okay, we want to see you all do it this time. Ready?” I watch as the girls turn and dip, a few of them stumbling in their heels. We have a few beginners, and watching those who have never danced in heels before is quite entertaining. They remind me of baby deer learning how to walk.
Z cuts the music once more, mid-dance. Some girls pause, not expecting the music to go silent. Others shift on their heels, turning around in wonder.
“When you turn, do it with confidence! Pick your dominant leg to flip around with; you'll have more control. Like this!” Z says, demonstrating for the class.
She has them try it a few more times before restarting the music again.
Even the simplest movements can be more complicated, especially in heels.
Knowing how to shift your body weight without stumbling or looking stiff isn't for the weak. Also, who knew teaching women how to feel sexy would be hard? We have a lot of attendees who join our classes to help boost self-esteem. We are all for women’s empowerment.
It's very important as a woman to feel sexy.
First, because we are. Second, when you're not in a great headspace and you don't love yourself, it can take such a toll on you. We’ve had people saying it's cliché to take a heels class.
That it is basically pole dancing, without the pole, which by the way, we also teach.
But who cares? The amount of upper-body strength pole dancing requires is unreal—it should be its own sport.
The music cuts out once more, and I hear Z’s voice instruct the girls to take a five-minute break.
It’s more for her and me, to be honest. We’ve been at this since noon.
and we’re in our second class of the day.
I can feel sweat coating my neck, dripping down my back, and it sends a feeling of distaste through me, so I head toward the restroom to freshen up.
I take a hand towel off the counter and run it under cold water. My skin shivers as the cold, wet material touches my skin. My eyes look sunken in. You can tell I haven't gotten any sleep lately. I appreciate the girls in class not mentioning anything.
A ring at the door draws my attention. There shouldn’t be anyone coming in at this hour.
I toss the damp towel into the laundry bin, hurrying to see who it is.
My eyebrows pinch in confusion; there is a man I have never seen before, looking around.
He is tall, pale, and good-looking. What is he doing here?
“Hi, can I help you?” I say to the man, approaching him from behind.
Our classes are a man-free zone, so the women can be as comfortable as possible.
He looks in my direction, confused. His eyes dart to mine, then back around the room as if he is searching for someone.
My brows go up in question as I wait for him to respond.
“Uh, I’m looking for someone,” he says without explanation.
My guard is up and alert. I can’t just let some stranger in here.
Who knows what his intentions are? I eye him up and down, noticing something in his hands.
It's a bouquet of flowers. Bright red roses, as if they had freshly bloomed this morning.
“Who are you looking for?” I say hesitantly, trying to get more information out of the man. His eyes continuously wander the room when he suddenly stops and smiles.
A squeal fills the air as I see Z running in our direction. She leaps forward, and he catches her by the hips, pulling her toward him. Her legs wrap around his waist, making them even closer.
Is this the guy she’s been seeing?
I want to be happy that she is happy, but a part of me is still unsure. She kisses him on the lips, then turns towards me with a big smile on her face.
“What a fun surprise! What are you doing here?” she asks him.
“I just wanted to surprise you.” The smile on his face is ear to ear. She squeezes him tighter for a moment before turning to me.
“Dahlia, this is Zane! Zane, this is Dahlia. This is the guy I’ve been seeing. I am so excited you're getting to meet each other!” she says. He looks at me with a shy smile, and I give him an unsure one back. He reaches his hand out in hopes of a proper greeting.
Normally, I would be delighted to meet one of Z’s boy toys, especially one who’s officially earned boyfriend status, but something feels a little… off. I can't seem to put my finger on it.
After contemplating, I reach out and shake his hand. He gives me a smile before saying,
“It’s nice to meet you. Zoe has mentioned a lot about you.
In fact, she never stops talking about you.
” Zane pokes her stomach teasingly, and she giggles like a little schoolgirl.
A blush creeps onto her high cheekbones, and it makes something deep within me feel comforted.
I haven’t seen her act this way in a long time.
“Oh, has she?” I respond with a wink in her direction. I look around to see the girls ready for class to start again. They’re all standing in front of the mirror, practicing the moves from earlier.
“You should go, Z,” I suggest, still watching her wrapped around this man like a baby koala.
“Are you sure?”
“I can handle one more hour on my own. I’m more than sure.” I give her a heartwarming smile.
“You’re the best!” She unwraps her body from his, and now embraces mine. I hug her back.
“Now go before I change my mind,” I say playfully.
I watch as she lets the class know she is leaving and grabs her belongings.
She gives me a kiss on the cheek before walking out hand-in-hand with Zane.
I’m happy for her. I really am, but a part of me is sad that I don't get to spend as much time with her as I usually do.
I turn the music back on and continue the class for the next hour.
Once all the girls leave, Zoe and I usually stay back to tidy up.
Looks like it's just me this time. My body is exhausted as I sweep and mop the wooden floors.
They're scuffed and scraped from the heavy labor of the hardworking souls dancing their hearts out. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
The sun is starting to dip lower, leaving a feeling of completeness in the air.
By myself, it's taking me over an hour to clean up. I don't mind, though. It relaxes me to clean up alone. Our next class won’t be for another few days. Technically, I can come back and do it later, but I’m a do-it-now kind of person.
I give the studio one last glance before locking up.
I jiggle the door handle, ensuring it doesn’t turn.
Zoe and I came in her car, and she took her keys with her when she left.
The studio is a few miles from the apartment.
Looks like I am walking home today. I regret that decision now that I am walking back alone.
I had completely forgotten; I was so focused on her being happy.
Everything will be fine, Dahlia. Just walk fast.