Chapter 8:

That night, Say had to look for ways to choreograph a new routine in the ballroom hall of their mansion.

The De Plaza manse has two ballroom halls, the place that her father uses when he is having a party with his political colleagues is the larger and the newly built one - The Governor’s Hall.

However, her favorite place to practice is the smaller ballroom hall in the basement. The place has not been used much since a larger room was built on the 4th floor of the mansion. Since it was in the basement, no one could hear the loud music and no one was going to disturb her.

She was occupied with her steps when the big door of the hall opens. She didn’t even turn her back when someone steps in. She expects Aling Sabina to bring her snacks.

“Aling Sabina, thank you, you got me my snacks. “

"Hi. Just sending you the food my mother prepared. It's late, so I just took the job of sending it here."

Her heart leap when she heard a familiar manly voice. She quickly turned and saw Nick walking towards her.

"N-Nick ..." Her stomach feels like there was a butterfly when she heard his voice and now seeing his face again. The guy she didn't see for three days after the incident is here.

“Is that really your dinner? Donuts and juice? “

“Ahm yes. I ate earlier, at school. This was just a midnight snack. ”

“Okay. “

For minutes, Say was just staring at Nick. For the first time, she doesn’t know how to start a conversation with a guy.

“You seem to be busy, so I’ll just go.”

"W-wait!" She was looking for the right words to say.

Why do I seem to stutter in front of him? What is this butterfly in my stomach?

"H-have you eaten yet?" Was all she could ask.

“Yes.”

She didn't expect his answer is that short. Say waits for him to at least ask her something - anything to prolong the conversation. She could not understand herself why she seemed to want him to stay even for a moment with her.

“Ahm...H-how about a juice?”

“I’m okay, my Queen.” a hint of smile was on his face.

Everyone calls her Queen at her University. Queen Say or Queen Slay because she can easily make cheer chants to annoy the rival basketball team or their cheer rivals, so she was used to people calling her ‘Queen.’

Until Nick says it - and it sounds different. And come to think of it; it was her first to see him smile a little - a smile that added more to his handsome face.

“Ahm…Ah...well, how about your wound and bruises?”

“It’s healing. Thank you for the medicine kit.”

She smiled as she remembered the night after the accident, she went to Aling Sabina's quarters and left a medicine kit. She was too shy to even knock but was hoping Nick will see it and cleans his wounds.

“Ah...o-okay...”

“Alright, I’m leaving now so you can continue what you’re doing.”

“I didn’t see you for the last 3 nights in the gym...” she blurted fast.

"I am doing the morning shift again. Eloy, the gym cleaner at night, is back. ”

“I…I see.” Although Say is ashamed to admit it, she does not know why she expects him to show up every night in the gym, it seemed like she wanted to see him more than ever. It confuses her why would she feel that way? Why does she need to still see him when she was done giving her thanks and saying sorry as well? That was supposedly enough.

“Anything you’d like to ask more?” He was smiling softly while he asked her.

She smiled shyly. “That’s it... thanks for the food. I mean for sending it here. ”

“Okay. Gotta go. “

Nick was already at the door of the ballroom hall when she suddenly called him again, unaware that it was making Nick smiles a lot. Nick turned his back again.

“Nick!“

Say can't help but bow her head in shame. Nick might've thought she's now annoying him.

“Yes, my Queen?”

When she lifted her head to see an annoyed Nick, she instead saw him with an irrepressible smile in his handsome face. His hands were in the pockets of his blue faded jeans. Knowing that he wasn’t annoyed at her, it gave her sudden confidence to ask.

“Can you lift something heavy? “ She added a smile in her question, hoping it would work this time.

"What do you mean lift? What will I lift?"

“I ...ahm.. we lost a lifter-dancer in the squad. I'm still having a screening for the replacement. But I can't do choreography without a lifter. Our competition is also about 2 weeks to go."

“You want me to lift you?”

“Just lifting, no dancing. Unless you really can dance. I just want some substitute arms to lift me while I create new moves.”

“Okay.” He shrugged and gets closer to her again in the dance floor.

“Okay...what? “ She wasn’t expecting him to answer that quick. “You’re okay with it? That you’d lift me?”She broke into a beaming smile.

“I am not doing anything currently. Why not.”

She didn’t expect Nick to say yes. Because she remembered the first time she asked for his help, he refused strongly and she was embarrassed.

In a couple of minutes they were both on the dancefloor. Say told Nick to just lift her at the following part of the music; she didn’t expect that he can follow her rhythm. It was like a minute solo act supposedly but having him on the floor makes it easier.

And then the next two hours passed in a delightful blur.

***

He wasn’t supposed to stay that long.

He wasn’t supposed to enjoy the beautiful governor’s daughter’s company. He wasn’t supposed to hold her this close. But in those moments, he held and hugged her along with the dance steps she taught him. The song is fast from the CD player, but Nick feels like the music were slowing down while he is with her.

He slowly pulled her down when he heard the last part of the song ends. Holding on to her small waist, he carefully lowered Say. Now their faces are awfully just inches close.

“That was…good.” He heard her say.

Some of her loose hairs were covering her lips. Say pulled it off then smiled at him. Her white teeth show, and her two dimples appear on both sides of her cheek. Suddenly, Nick had to restrain himself from touching those cute dimples.

“Hey...I said it was good. You know how to dance, Nick.”

“No, I don’t”.He ventured with a grin.

“Yes you can!” She was beaming with her smiles.

“You just told me to lift you at some point of the music. It wasn’t dancing.”

“Come on Nick, you knew you had the rhythm.” She teased suggestively.

“It’s up to you what you want to think. I don’t dance, it’s my first time to do this thing. That’s it. “

“Fine, but i want you to know you can dance and if you want i can teach you more. “

Dimples ... when she laughs, it shows her deep dimples. I didn’t know she had two cute dimples. And she looked too... Pretty…

And then in a second, Say raised her hands and touched the old wound in his eyebrow.

“The wound in your eyebrow, it’s almost healed... “

She softly touched his scars and with that, her face becomes closer to her. "Now, there was a marked slant scar..."

There is sweat dripping down the side of her head... Her upturned nose is glistening with sweat too but her eyes... heck, her eyes are twinkling right now, the stars can’t even be compared to it. The Queen is really strikingly attractive, and she is…

He realized he was too engrossed looking at her beautiful face that he forgot he was actually with the Governor’s Daughter. He removed his gaze from Say's, took her hands away from his scars, and moved away a little.

“I…I think I’ll go now, Say. Do you still need anything from me?”

“Ha? Ah...okay...Will you be sleeping now?”

“I have an early job tomorrow at the bank.”

“I...I see. Goodnight then, Nick. Thank you for helping me. Will you come over here tonight for another practice? Just until we can find a new Lifter-dancer?”

“I will, if you want me to. “

“Promise to come here every night at 9?”

“I promise, my queen…”

Nick hurriedly turned his back and left Say - as if he was afraid of something. He realized, he is afraid of how she is making him feel something…