Dance with me
Ocean sat next to Constance at a party, feeling pretty out of place.
It was Mischa’s party, to welcome a friend of his from Ukraine, apparently, and Ocean was there because everyone was. The whole choir, and apparently half of the school.
Parties weren’t a good time for someone like her, who didn’t smoke or drink or dance, at least not in the way these people danced. It was borderline pornographic and it was disgusting to see.
Ricky and Penny were drinking and signing at each other in a corner, Constance was talking to some stranger, and Noel and Mischa were already drunk as hell on the dance floor, Noel bringing out all his best moves and Mischa hyping him up.
Ocean thanked God there was no karaoke machine, or the choir would really be embarrassing themselves.
Someone walked past, smoking a vape, and the smell of it made Ocean splutter coughing. She hated it here, and she needed fresh air, so she tapped Constance’s shoulder and told her she was headed outside, then left out the back door to the garden.
It was quiet out there, and the air was surprisingly clear, probably because people were smoking inside. Usually, Ocean would go off lecturing anyone who did that, but she’d usually yell at anyone who was doing anything she saw in there.
And then Mischa would either throw her out or throw up on her, and she really didn’t want that to happen. The choir would be mad at her if she ruined the party, especially since it was for a friend of Mischa’s.
A friend who Ocean was still yet to meet, and she was starting to question if she even existed.
Ocean took a deep breath of fresh air and walked out past the edge of the house, where there was a small wooden bench.
And that’s when she realised she wasn’t alone.
There was a girl sitting there, looking down at her phone. She had an elaborate hairstyle with flowers braided into it, and her dress was beautiful, patterned with flowers and very out of place at a party like this. She looked more dressed for a traditional garden party, and she seemed like she’d fit right in somewhere like that. The slight smile on her lips was beautiful, and she didn’t look to be wearing makeup, but Ocean thought she had to be. No one could naturally be that radiant, right?
It was late at night, and Ocean could barely see, but it was like this girl had her own kind of light shining from her, and it was intimidating.
But Ocean was never one to turn down a challenge.
“Hi,” Ocean said, sitting down next to her on the bench. The girl looked up and offered Ocean a polite smile. “What’re you doing out here?”
So far, so good.
“It’s a bit much in there,” the girl said, and Ocean immediately picked up on her accent. It was like Mischa’s, but better. When she spoke, it sounded elegant. Beautiful. If Mischa’s voice was strong and aggressive, this girl’s was gentle, calm. Just hearing it made Ocean feel a million times better.
“When Mischa said he was throwing me a party, I thought he meant something a bit more like the parties I used to go to in Ukraine,” She sighed. “He had other ideas. I’m Talia, by the way.”
Oh, so this was Mischa’s friend. The one the party was for. Talia. The name suited her perfectly.
“I’m Ocean,” Ocean introduced herself. “Your English is better than Mischa’s.”
“Ocean,” Talia repeated. “Beautiful name for a beautiful girl.” Ocean felt herself blushing. Had this girl really just called her beautiful? “And I have been studying English longer that Mischa. I’d argue I care more about grammar than he does, too.”
That was probably true, Ocean thought. Anyone cared more about grammar than Mischa did. He really didn’t have a frick to give about things like that.
“What kind of parties did you used to have in Ukraine?” Ocean asked, eager to keep this girl talking. She looked almost ethereal in the moonlight, and Ocean had never felt so drawn to someone in her life.
“We used to dance,” Talia smiled dreamily, as if she was looking back on a memory. “But not like that. Real dancing. Like, you know,” Talia swished her skirt awkwardly.
“I don’t know,” Ocean stated honestly. She knew nothing about Ukraine outside of what Mischa had told her, and now she swore to do research when she got home.
This would be fun. She loved a new project.
“Here,” Talia said, standing up and holding a hand out to Ocean. “I’ll show you. Teach you, if you’d like. Mischa said you like to learn.”
“Mischa talked about me?” Ocean asked, taking Talia’s hand without hesitation. The hesitation came when it was time to let go. Fighting against Talia’s magnetic pull was difficult, and Ocean couldn’t understand why. She’d never felt like this before.
“Mostly not good things,” Talia laughed, and Ocean made a mental note to yell at Mischa later. “But you seem nice, so maybe he was wrong about you. Now, copy me.”
Talia moved slowly, demonstrating dance moves with a grace and elegance that Ocean envied. She was a pretty okay dancer, but Talia had something. Something that couldn’t be taught.
Passion, maybe?
No matter what it was, Ocean picked up quick, and before long they were dancing and laughing and talking together in the garden, listening to music playing from Talia’s phone.
As it turns out, Ocean didn’t hate all of the company Mischa kept.
Talia was an enchanting dancer, but in a way that made you want to join in. They moved on from just what Talia had taught, and they started spinning and twirling each other, laughing.
It wasn’t until Talia wound her hands around Ocean’s waist and she felt her heart stop that she realised that they must’ve been here for hours. But she didn’t care.
If someone had needed her, they would’ve come looking. And she was glad they hadn’t.
She could feel how close Talia was to her as they swayed together, and she felt her trying to get her breath back from all the dancing. Ocean should try too, but she knew it was hopeless with her heart racing like this.
Talia had her spellbound, and she had no idea why, or how, but she was helpless to fight it.
Then, one of Mischa’s awful rap songs started blasting from Talia’s phone.
And just when Ocean was starting to think she was perfect.
“Shit, Mischa!” Talia yelped, running to silence her phone. “It’s almost three in the morning! How did we lose track of time?”
Ocean rushed over to the bench to retrieve her phone. Forty missed texts, fifteen missed calls, and the choir group chat had been blowing up. It was really like the world had stopped while Talia was here, and she’d missed everything.
“I should probably get back inside,” Talia smiled.
“Mischa’s either passed out with Noel looking after him, or it’s the other way around,” Ocean told her. “Either way, he’ll be alright, don’t worry. If the worst comes to the worst, my friend Constance is in there, and she’s pretty responsible.”
“I know,” Talia nodded. “But I should still go back. It’s supposed to be my party, even though it didn’t feel like much of one until you got here.”
Ocean felt herself blushing, but she suddenly registered the music still homing from the house. The party was still raging, she’d just almost forgotten about it.
Because she was having a way better time outside.
“You know,” Talia smiled softly, stepping closer to Ocean. “In Ukraine, it’s common to kiss friends goodbye.”
“And are we friends?” Ocean asked hopefully.
“If you’d like to be?” Talia offered, and Ocean nodded.
“Good,” Talia stated. She placed one hand on the side of Ocean’s face and leaned in, and Ocean caught her lips.
At first, Talia seemed surprised, but she kissed her back. She tasted like sunlight and cherry gum and rose water, and Ocean felt her heart racing as she realised this is what she’d wanted to do all night. This felt so right. It was stupid, and it made no sense, and they barely knew each other, and Ocean knew she’d overthink it later, but right now, this made sense to her.
It was like it was the only logical way the night could end, even though it was illogical in every way.
After a few seconds, Talia pulled away and laughed shyly.
“I meant a kiss on the cheek,” she giggled, and Ocean realised she had BADLY misinterpreted this. Talia put a hand on her cheek to kiss the other, and Ocean had gone in for a kiss. Well, that was mortifying.
“But I’m not complaining,” Talia smiled. A soft blush was dusting her cheeks, and Ocean was confident that her own face was fully tomato red.
“Can I get your phone number?” Talia asked. The sound of her voice was musical, and her accent was beautiful. Is this what Noel thought when Mischa talked? It couldn’t be. Mischa didn’t have any of Talia’s loveliness.
Ocean was still lost for words, but she held out her phone for Talia to make herself a contact. A few seconds later, she handed it back.
“Text me later, please,” she requested, and Ocean nodded.
“I will,” she promised, a promise she knew she’d keep.
“Then I’ll see you, Ocean,” Talia said, waving Ocean goodbye as she disappeared back into the house, into the party.
And Ocean sat back on Mischa’s garden bench.
What the frick had just happened?