Saving Me

Eva drove them to a little coffee shop and he bought her a protein smoothie and a muffin. He bought himself a smoothie four muffins. Giving an attractive grin at her lifted brow. “I’m a growing man, need sustenance.” She nodded loftily and they got back in the car, headed for the rink. Attached to the rink were a series of dance studios. Eva led the way to one back in a corner, different from the one he’s first seen her in. Adrian was already there talking to a slender woman. Gabriel guessed she was in her fifties from the amount of red lipstick and perfume she wore. She was Spanish maybe Italian, hard to tell. “Good morning.” She purred in a sophisticate voice. “Hello.” Eva greeted with a smile. Adrian was looking at both of them with a conspiratorial look on his face. ‘Oh great.’ Eva thought. ‘He knows.’ He gave them a pleasant smile. “Eva, Gabe this is Mrs. London. She’ll be teaching you Latin and ballroom dance.” She smiled wider and clapped her hands. “Please call me Elise. Now, Adrian tells me Evangeline that you take ballet and have had some training in classic ballroom, yes?” “Eva,” She corrected. “And yes ma’am I have.” Elise nodded and turned to Gabriel. “And Gabriel, you’ve taken nothing but ballet as well.” Gabriel nodded affirmative. “Well let’s get started, Eva, do you have the appropriate foot wear?” Eva nodded. “Yes Miss Elise, I’ll be just a minute.” Eva walked to the edge of the room and dropped her bag. She unzipped it and pulled forth some gold heels and a pair of little shorts.

Gabriel turned away as she took off her pants not wanting to embarrass himself, and caught Adrian staring at him with a smirk on his face. But it turned out that she had been wearing leggings underneath. She pulled on the little shorts and stepped into the heels, strapping them on she gave a satisfied humph and joined him. Typical dancer style to have her leggings pulled up to mid calf. Gabriel thought. “We will begin with a waltz. The beat is in three four time. It will go one, two, up on your toes. Eva and I will demonstrate.” Elise held her arms out for Eva and the younger woman smiled. “Who’s leading?” Elise returned the smile, taking the joke in stride. “I shall lead. Now, ready? Good, and one, two up on your toes. Again. Very good.” Eva and Elise moved around the room and Gabriel nodded when asked if he understood. “I think so.” Eva stood in front of him and winked as Elise arranged their arms. “Gabriel, hold your elbows up, good like that. Eva turn you head, so.” Elise moved Eva’s head until she was looking over Gabriel’s shoulder but at a side angle. Gabriel looked in the mirror to memorize the pose and smiled. They looked elegant together, perfectly sized in height, in form. In everything. “Now move slowly, one, two up, up. Down. One, two up, up down. Good! You learn fast Gabriel.”

Gabriel turned his head to smile down at Elise. “I think my mother showed me how to do this actually. Said I might need it, I remember now because I thought it was the most unmanly thing to do at the ripe old age of four.” Elise smiled with a twinkle in her eye. “And you are how old now?” “Twenty eight.” The dance instructor nodded. “And now you think of it as…?” He looked down at Eva. “Must have skills for the job.” She laughed at him. “Yes, yes they are. Let’s move around the floor alright. Adrian darling, come dance with me.” Adrian bowed low from the waist. “Of course Madame.” Elise stepped into Adrian ’s arms and nodded to the other pair. “Now then, to execute a turn it is the same as a Pad-a-buraeux like so.” She and Adrian demonstrated and Gabriel tired it, flowing into the turn with Eva effortlessly. “Wonderful, now start with a box pattern. Gabriel you move forward first, then to the side, back, the other side and front again. Like so.” Again she showed him and then Gabriel tried finding it rather easy. “Now then music and we will begin in earnest.” She switched on the music and Michael Bublé’s voice filled the studio singing I’ve got you under my skin. Gabe and Eva shared a smile and began to revolve around the room. The world fell away and for him there was only Eva and the music.

Elise stopped dancing and watched the other couple in shock. “ Adrian ,” She murmured. “Look how beautiful they are, how graceful, they move as one. As though they had been dancing for years together.” Adrian nodded. “I know, wait until you move into the tango, they’ll blow your socks off.” Elise watched them revolving around the room and began to see the beauty that surrounded them; it was ethereal. They came close and swooped away again, and Elise smiled when Gabriel grew bold and added a spin into their movements. Eva laughed, whirling away gracefully and returning to his waiting arms. The song ended and Elise clapped proudly. Breaking the spell that held the young couple enthralled. “Oh wonderful, just wonderful! Lets try something faster.” And for the next two hours Elise taught the two the sensual art of Latin dance.

Eva was having so much fun, learning something new about Gabriel. He was a wonderful dancer, and when he took her in his arms the floor fell away and they danced together on clouds. Elise gave them a routine to work with and they practiced it with out music for a half hour until she felt they had it. “Now for the music children. If you miss a step keep going, feel the beats of the music hear the words and give yourself up to the song. And have fun.”

Eva knew exactly what Elise meant, knew what to do. But was unprepared for the words of the song. She recognized it immediately, and laughed in delight. “Five, six, five six seven eight.” Elise counted and off they went. Eva leaned back on one leg, trusting Gabriel to keep a firm grip on her hand. She drew her knee up and extended her arm behind her.

‘I could feel it from the start, couldn’t stand to be apart. Something ‘bout you caught my eye, something moved me deep inside.’

Gabriel grinned and realized what Elise had meant by have fun. This was great. He pulled Eva into a fast spin and pressed his hand against hers, and she turned her head to the side sharply as the stepped back and forward. Moving sensually with a sultry smile on her face.

‘I don’t know what you did boy but you had it and I’ve been hooked ever since. Told my mother my brother my sister and my friends. All the others, my lovers past and present tense. That every time I see you everything starts making sense.’

They salsaed, tangoed, twisted and turned. Moved back and forth across the room and even added some things in between. Shocking Elise and Adrian both so much that their mouths were hanging open. They never missed a beat or a step for that matter.

‘Aint no other man can stand up next to you aint no other man on the planet knows what you do. You’re the kind of guy a girl finds once in a blue moon. You’ve got soul, you got class. You got style, you’re bad ass. Aint no other man it’s true. Aint no other man but you. Never thought I’d be alright, no no no till you came and changed my life. Yeah yeah yeah. What was cloudy no is clear, you’re the light that I needed. You got what I want boy, and I want it so keep on giving it up. Tell your mother, your brother, you sister and your friends, all the others your lovers, better not be present tense. Cause I want every one to know that you are mine and no one else’s. Aint no other man can stand up next to you aint no other man on the planet knows what you do. You’re the kind of guy a girl finds once in a blue moon. You’ve got soul, you got class. You got style, you’re bad ass. Aint no other man it’s true. Aint no other man but you. Aint no other, aint no other lover. I need no other. Aint no other man but you. You are there when I’m a mess, talk me down from every fuss give me strength boy you’re the best. You are the only one who’s passed every test. Aint no other man can stand up next to you aint no other man on the planet knows what you do. You’re the kind of guy a girl finds once in a blue moon. You’ve got soul, you got class. You got style, you’re bad ass. Aint no other man it’s true. Aint no other man but you!’

They ended with a strong pose; Eva’s back drawn against his chest with his arms around her. One splayed down across her hips the other up over her breasts, his hand resting on her left shoulder. Eva’s hands were hooked behind his neck with her head tilted up to look at him. Both were breathing hard and grinning from ear to ear. “Yowza!” Adrian whooped. And they parted easily. Elise was staring at them with wide owlish eyes. “I’ve never seen a pair better suited, it’s near unbelievable. I think the floor is on fire.” She stated calmly fanning herself. Eva shrugged modestly with a smoky far away look in her eyes that only Gabriel saw. “ Adrian may I help choreograph with you?” Elise asked, still dazed. Adrian looked delighted. “Absolutely! That would be wonderful.”

Gabriel spoke up then. “I actually have an idea for the long program, free skate.” All eyes turned to him and he pulled his I-pod from his bag, along with two bottles of water. He unscrewed one and handed it to Eva. “Thank you.” She said taking the water from him like a diamond. He inclined his head to her and held the ear-buds out to Adrian and Elise. He scrolled down to the song and watched the two begin to sway. “I like it.” Elise said smiling at Eva who was waiting her turn patiently.

Adrian grinned and nodded his agreement. “And another for the technical.” He played them another song and saw the wheels in their heads turning. He was playing them the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Requiem. “Both are excellent choices.” Elise said and held her ear-bud out to Eva. “You listen and see what you think.” Adrian gave her his as well. Eva put them in and nodded to Gabriel. He played the Requiem first and saw her eyes close, the story unfolding. The three waited on edge until the song ended and Eva opened her eyes. There was a power that lurked there, in her mind where she created her vision. And Gabriel felt it as she raised her face to him. “It’s perfect. Not the usual classical music and…” She searched for the word. “Dominating.”
Gabriel smiled at her and shrugged. “I had a weird dream the other night, and this song kind of came to mind.” At the word Dream Eva’s eyes sharpened and he nodded slightly. He pushed play and Eva was swept away into her head again. He knew the moment she heard that first chime, because she breathed in and the air around her pulsed. Literally pulsed as she was sucked into the song.

All three of them were riveted on Eva, felt the pull as she sank deeper into the music. They strained to hear the music so they might catch a glimmer of what she was seeing. Again Gabriel knew when she heard the little chime, because her eyes snapped open and fire glimmered there, and oh God, his stomach hit the floor. Tears. She hated it. She smiled slowly then and sniffled. “Wow.” Gabriel breathed hesitantly. She looked at Adrian and Elise and nodded. “I want that one.” There was a collective sigh. “You like it then?” Gabriel asked hopefully. “It’s perfect.” Eva said and turned to chastely kiss his cheek. “Thank you.” She murmured. Adrian looked around at the little group. “I missed something.” He said with a frown. Elise laughed, a smooth sound, like water over rocks. She extended both her hands to Eva. “The Desert Rose.” It his Adrian finally and he was grinning once more. “Ah ha. Gottcha. God this is going to be freaking amazing! Gold here we come.” He punched his hand in the air.

Eva sighed and in a long suffering tone said. “Sectionals first, then Nationals, and then Internationals Adrian, remember?” Adrian pshawed and waved a hand. “Not a problem. But we’re saving that song for the Internationals. God we have so much work to do, and in four months. Christ! Alright. You all are going to practically live here so lets get to it folks. Eva I want you to come up with another long program song, just as good but a step down from Desert Rose. And I want you to make up some story line for Desert Rose.” Eva shook her head. “No, Gabriel picked the song, it’s his story.” Gabriel swallowed when Adrian pinned him to the spot, an unholy light in his blue eyes. “Excellent idea. Get hopping kids. Skates on the ice in twenty minutes.”