ALYSE
The light shone on me as I stood center stage. My breaths were short yet fast as my nerves were getting the best of me. I glanced from side to side as the darkness howled from behind the curtain.
Clap! Clap!
My head snapped forward as my eyes landed on Jalen, who was sitting in the front row in a black tux.
The light moved from me and shone on him.
His tie and a few buttons from his shirt were undone as he leaned forward with his elbow to his knees.
His eyes slowly rose to me. “Dance for me, baby,” his voice soft yet smooth.
To hear his voice excited me. I went to run off the stage to him when he held up his finger, shaking it from side to side. “Dance.”
Light back on me.
I glanced down to see myself in a black lace panty and bra. I threw my hand over my body. “I-I can’t!” I shouted.
Light on him.
“You can. It’s you and me.” He smiled.
Clap! Clap!
The music cued in. The quartet rendition of ‘Earned It’ played.
I couldn’t see his face, but I knew he was watching me.
I knew he was devouring me to the point that he probably envisioned me naked.
My body rocked side to side as I took baby breaths.
My hand crept up my thighs slowly as my feet began to feel light.
I swayed across the stage and balanced on my tippy toes, doing body rolls and pirouettes.
My arms flowed in waves as my feet moved across the stage before I spun.
I built momentum as I did a perfect jeté.
As my back faced him, I tossed one leg up and held it for a few seconds before my hand slowly eased up my thigh.
I allowed my leg to glide down, sending my body into a split as my head snapped back to look at him.
The cold breeze across my nipples made me look down to see that the bra I had on only a few seconds ago was off.
Light on him.
He held a sexy grin on his face as he watched me proudly. “I want to fuck you.”
My nerves became bad again. “I’m a virgin.”
The light disappeared, leaving us both in the dark. What was happening? “Jalen?” I called out. “Jalen!”
“Jalen!” I shouted as my head shot up.
I noticed my entire class staring at me. I shrank in my chair from embarrassment. “If you want to interrupt my course, Ms. Maverick, you can come up here and teach my class; otherwise, you can adequately answer the question I just asked.”
I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep in class.
After I left the skating rink, the drive back was draining.
I didn’t get much sleep, and I was clearly exhausted.
I hadn’t heard anything from Jalen since being back, and my first thought was that he was over me for leaving him last night.
The class lasted for another ten minutes.
I had about an hour break before I had to get to dance practice, and the first thing I wanted to do was get some sleep.
I hurried out of class and rushed to my car.
My parents got me an off-campus apartment, but it’s where everyone with money stayed.
I rushed through campus to get to my car.
As I got closer, I noticed something on my windshield.
My feet moved quickly to see what it was.
I snatched the card from the window. As my eyes scanned the words, a smile eased on my face.
I glanced up, searching the parking lot, and that’s when I spotted him leaning against his bike with orange flowers in his hand.
I didn’t want to run, but my feet were moving fast as hell to get to him. “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me anymore because I left,” I told him.
He handed me the flowers.
I wasn’t mad. I know that type of shit you’re not used to. I’m sorry.
I rolled my eyes. You promised me you would talk.
Why is it so important to you?
“Because I want to know why you're so afraid. You don’t trust me?” I asked.
He licked his lips as he glanced around. “Ya-ya—”
“Ok, Alyse, we see you! You’re not a square after all,” girls from Blue Reign said as they passed by.
I turned to glance back at him.
Why do you let them talk to you like that?
I knew they had fucked it up for me, and there was no way he was going to speak, but I had an idea. “Follow me,” I told him.
I rushed over to my car, hopped in, and took off, with him following behind me on his bike.
It took about ten minutes for me to get to my apartment.
He followed behind me as we walked through the luxurious courtyard.
Once we made it to my door, he tapped my shoulder.
“Don’t worry, I live alone,” I told him.
He nodded, as we entered my place. I could see him looking around. He went to sign, and I stopped him. “Here you will speak. Out there, you get a pass, but here in my space, we talk to each other, deal?”
I could see him contemplating. “Jalen, what did you tell me?” I paused before I started to sign.
You and me. No one else.
I could see his eyes close, then open. “O-o-o—”
I placed my hand on his. “Slow down and breathe.”
“O-o-kuh-kay.”
So, there it was, he stuttered. However, the way he sounded in my dream was just the same, with a deflection. I smiled. “Why are you so afraid to speak?”
Eyes close. Eyes open. “Puh-p-puh-people du-du-ddd-don’t hu-hu-hu-hu—”
“Slow down.”
“Have pa-pay-pu-pu-patience.”
I nodded. “Well, I have the patience. You can talk to me.” I smiled. “I have dance practice, and it’s about three hours. How long do you plan to be around? I want to spend some time with you.”
I will stick around.
I threw my hand on my hip. “Talk.”
He ran his hand down his face. “I-I-I’m here f-f-f-for as la-la long as yo-yo,” he paused in frustration.
I gripped his sweater, bringing him closer as my head tilted up to look at him. “I’m not here to judge you, but if you want us to have anything, I expect you to try. Take your time.”
“You wa-wa-want me,” he finally got out.
I could see relief in his eyes. He stroked my hair as he leaned forward and did the unexpected; he kissed me, and I melted. His soft lips and gentle touch were everything. I just hoped that when I told him I was a virgin, it wouldn’t change anything.