Chapter 34 #3
Mya glances down at it, then back at us, a smile tugging at her lips. “Pretty well, actually,” she replies, her eyes lighting up just a little.
“Who would have thought that Miles at a dance would raise so much for charity?” she laughs, a sound that’s surprisingly genuine, and we all join in, the tension easing between us.
Just as the laughter dies down, Mya’s eyes shift behind Mindy, and she rolls her eyes in an almost comical way. Both Mindy and I follow her gaze, spotting Noah Montero casually leaning against the bar, sipping a beer, and watching Mya with an expression that borders on too interested.
Mindy raises an eyebrow, glancing between Mya and Noah.
“Friend of yours?” she asks, her tone playful, but with an edge of curiosity.
Mya’s face hardens slightly, the distaste clear in her voice.
“More like enemy,” she says, shaking her head. “Can’t stand the guy.”
I laugh, the teasing rolling off my tongue without thought. “You know he’s into you, right?” I say with a smirk, watching her reaction closely.
She scoffs immediately, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Noah. “Yeah, I know,” she says, rolling her eyes again, but this time there’s a hint of annoyance behind her words. “But he’s not getting me.”
Mindy grins, clearly impressed by Mya’s straightforwardness. “I like you, Mya,” she says, her voice full of admiration. “You give off that bad bitch energy, and I’m all here for it.” Her smile widens as she looks Mya up and down, the playful approval in her voice unmistakable.
We all burst out laughing, especially Mya, she has quite a contagious laugh too but in a cute way.
I spot Greg and Miles walking toward us now.
“Where’s Riley?” I ask Miles.
He points to her, currently learning how to line dance with a couple of other kids, some from her class that she hasn’t seen in two months since school let out for summer.
“Guess you found the girls,” Miles says to Mya. “how’s that going?”
She looks back at Mindy and me, and smiles. “Pretty good, actually.”
I smile, and Miles looks at me pleased to see that Mya fit in with us, I shrug my shoulders at him like, what can I say, people love us.
He smirks and pats Greg on the back.
“Mindy, Greg’s being a pain in my ass about wanting to dance with you, give the poor guy a chance,” he says cheekily, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
Mindy, always the tease, gives him a sideways glance and smiles.
“I need to hear it from him,” she says, cupping her hand to her ear, listening for Greg’s response.
Greg laughs, clearly not taking it too seriously. “Mindy, would you like to dance?” he asks, holding out his arm with that easy charm of his.
Mindy accepts with a playful grin, rising to her feet. “Bye, girls!” she calls over her shoulder, giving us a cheeky wave. Then, just as Greg turns to guide her away, she makes exaggerated googly eyes at him, and we all burst into laughter.
A few songs pass, and the energy in the room shifts as the familiar beat of a line dance tune starts playing. It’s time for Miles to shine, he’s always been a showman when it comes to this.
Mya and I are two beers in, the alcohol loosening us up just a little.
“I’m so ready for this,” Mya says, taking a sip of her beer, watching Miles with a mix of excitement and amusement. “I don’t even like beer. Ugh,” she adds, scrunching her nose at the taste.
I laugh and nudge her playfully.
“That makes two of us, but trust me, you get used to it,” I say teasingly. “And besides, it’s all about the experience.”
She nods, taking another dainty sip, though her expression still says, this is not my drink of choice.
The music picks up, and I watch as Riley, full of energy and joy, stands next to Miles. They start moving in perfect sync, executing the familiar steps of the line dance. The crowd starts to join in, slowly but surely, as the rhythm of the song pulls everyone to their feet.
“Let’s join them!” I say, standing up and extending my hand to Mya, eager to get her into the action.
Mya hesitates, glancing down at her outfit. “No, no, I can’t dance, especially in this outfit,” she says, nervously shaking her head.
I laugh, shaking my head at her. “You can dance in anything, if you really want to,” I say with a smile.
She looks at me, then at the crowd. “I can’t dance,” she says softly, shrugging her shoulders.
“Come on.” I get up and grab her hands, pulling her up from her seat.
“I mean it, I’m a terrible dancer!” She laughs nervously as we walk toward the crowd.
“It’s okay, just have fun!” I say, my voice light and coaxing. “Come on, pull that skirt up a little higher, and let’s dance!”
Mya hesitates for a moment, but I can see the excitement bubbling underneath her nervousness. Slowly, she agrees, pulling the hem of her skirt just a little higher.
She laughs, the awkwardness melting away as she steps into them.
We’re soon part of the row—me, Mya, Mindy, and Greg all lined up, watching Miles and Riley’s backs as they dance ahead of us, showing us the steps to follow. The music swells and we start moving in unison.
The steps are basic at first, left step, right step, step behind, and then a quick shuffle to the side. The rhythm is infectious, and even though Mya’s not fully in sync with the rest of us, I can tell she’s enjoying herself. The awkwardness fades with every step.
She’s laughing, her feet lighter on the ground as she begins to pick up the rhythm. The tough, intimidating vibe she gives off fades into something more relaxed, more carefree. She looks like she’s having fun and it’s a side of her I haven’t seen before.
“Come on, Mya, you’ve got this!” Mindy shouts from beside me, her voice full of encouragement, as she throws in a few extra spins to show off.
Mya grins and picks up the pace, her moves becoming smoother, more confident. The crowd around us is still joining in, the floor filling up with dances.
We follow the line dance’s steps, a classic routine full of claps, spins, and toe-taps, and I find myself caught up in the rhythm, my body moving without thinking.
Mya’s now fully in it, her movements getting more fluid, and I can’t help but laugh as she throws herself into it, no longer worried about being perfect.
Miles spots us as he turns around, his eyes lighting up when he sees me, and the energy in the room shifts. The crowd is doing its own thing, people moving to the rhythm, some lost in their own little world, but for us it’s different.
Miles spins me around, his grip firm but playful, and I let out a laugh as I’m twirled around.
Riley, who’s never one to be left out, dances around us, her little feet moving in quick steps, trying to match our rhythm.
I reach out and scoop her up, lifting her into the air with ease as she squeals in delight. All three of us are now dancing together, the three of us tangled in a joyful, carefree moment, spinning, laughing, and completely caught up in the music.
It’s a perfect, beautiful mess; just us in this little bubble, forgetting everything else.
I glance over and spot my dad standing off to the side, his face softening as he watches us.
There’s a mix of pride and something deeper in his expression, maybe even a little disbelief.
I can imagine what he’s thinking. He’s watched me struggle, watched me battle through moments where I felt lost and broken, and yet here I am, laughing and dancing, surrounded by love.
The weight of that shift in me hits suddenly, how far I’ve come, how much I’ve healed.
It wasn’t just time, or the people around me, it was finding the strength to let go of the past and embrace the present, to realize that I can still feel joy, still feel whole.
And Miles, in his own quiet way, has been part of that.
He’s helped me see that there’s more to life than holding on to the pain.
I smile, my heart swelling as I wave at my dad. He raises his hand, a small, soft wave back at us.
The music keeps playing, the night continuing its rhythm, but for now, it’s just us three—dancing, laughing, and living in the moment.