Just Bust a Move

Homecoming story part2

Just Bust a move

"She said yes. She said yes!" I kept muttering under my breath walking out of public speaking.

I was genuinely surprised that Lilly had accepted my invitation to the homecoming dance. My nerves were a total wreck.

Throughout the next few classes, the only real thought that kept going through my head was:

"What did I just get myself into?"

This was literally my first date with a girl, even if it were as friends. It's homecoming and it's a formal event. What am I going to wear? What is she going to wear?

My head was just being cluttered with all kinds of questions. I really needed to take a breath and get some guidance from someone that might be familiar with these kinds of things.

I had to ask Victor.

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(Later at lunch)

Victor was sitting on top of the picnic table watching Bear and Boss playing a game of "Mercy". Both of them were in an intense power struggle with their fingers interlocking, growling and grunting as they were trying so hard to get the other to submit. The game was to inflict pain usually by twisting at the fingers, wrists or elbows.

This actually showed us just how strong Bear was they he was making Boss break a sweat.

"Victor! Dude!" I was running toward the island, breathing heavily until I finally collapsed onto the table next to him. "I... have...no idea...what the fuck... I am doing."

Victor adjusted his glasses before he let out a little laugh. "Jesus Christ. What'd you do now, wanker?"

He could tell I was very anxious about something.

"I...I asked Lilly to homecoming. And it's my first date."

I shrugged and put my hands out like I just served my situation on a platter.

He sighed and pressed the top of his bridge. "That's why I don't do homecoming or prom. That's where you fucked up." Victor nodded agreeing with his own words. "They are too extensive."

Victor stood up from the table no longer paying attention to Bear and Boss. "Listen, I like to keep it simple. Just going out there, doing something casual like a movie and being yourselves." He paused for a moment looking very pensive. "So, do you have any plans on how this is going to go."

I puckered my lips and shook my head. "No clue. Probably a nice restaurant and then to the homecoming dance."

"That's a Good start." Victor quickly snapped his fingers. "But can you dance? If you're going to homecoming, you better be dancing."

"Ummm. Not really. I do know how to pop'n'lock and do the Carlton dance." I started swinging my arms and hips like how Carlton dances from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. "Mostly just goofing around like a dork."

"Pinchi wey(fuckin idiot). That's because you are a dork." Victor shot quickly.

I sucked my teeth in offense to what he said and punched him on the arm.

Victor let out a roaring laugh. "Hey. Don't worry. Me and Boss will help you out after he finishes his little game with Homer over there."

Did he just refer to Bear as Homer?

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Once Boss was done, the 3 of us headed over to the practice field with a Discman player and a really small pair of speakers.

To be honest, the headphones I had at home were louder.

The August sun was shining down upon us as we stepped onto the crunchy patches of grass on the practice field. Small breezes of warm air would randomly cross our faces carrying small earthy notes from the fields nearby.

"When was the last time you actually danced?" Boss asked.

"At the 8th grade promotion and at my sister's quinceañera about 3 years ago."

Boss rolled his eyes and shook his head.

I was never one for dancing. I didn't really see a reason for it. And being Mexican with a huge family, there were plenty of Quinceañeras that had dancing, but I didn't really dance, it was mostly goofing around with my cousins.

"First things first, let's see what the man's got." Boss set up the CD player on the ground and started to play some pop music and gestured me to go ahead and start.

I looked around to see if anyone was actually watching us. "Really? C'mon guys, this is kind of embarrassing."

"If you're going to a dance, there's going to be people watching you. Get used to it. Just dance. Bust a move." Boss shouted.

Boss was already bobbing his head to the beat of the music.

I covered my face in embarrassment and just started to sway my body from side to side.

"C'mon, wey(idiot). You're looking all stiff. Loosen up." Victor heckled. "You're Latino. You're supposed to have rhythm. It's embarrassing to your people. What about that poppin'-n-lockin' you were talking about?"

I stopped and closed my eyes to take a few deep breaths. I then started to stretch and loosen up like I normally would during swim practice in the morning.

Listening to the rhythm of the music, I tried to pop-n-lock but it just wasn't hitting the same. I was used to doing it to 80s freestyle.

This was getting frustrating. What else was I supposed to do in a dance?

"Alright. Stop stop stop stop." Boss grabbed my shoulders. "Alfie...I was worried you were having a seizure or something. Just follow what I'm doing." He started to move me around to the rhythm like he was.

As he let go, I started to imitate the rocking motion Boss was doing. Victor started doing the same movement behind him.

"Alright. Start throwing some shoulders and arms into it." Victor started to add some flare to the rocking motion we were already doing. "Like this."

Ok, this is getting a little easier. Was this really it? A series of repetative patterns?

Boss suddenly added some fancy footwork, stepping side to side in a sequence. I was paying attention and following just like they were doing.

It was like playing 'Simon says'.

"Eyy. The boys dancing now." Victor complimented with a sense of pride.

My shoulders weren't stiff, I was relaxed, my steps were syncing up with the beat. Maybe I wouldn't totally embarrass myself at the dance after all.

*DING DING DING*

"Aww" I sulked.

Just as I was having fun and getting the hang of it, the stupid bell rang. We started to trek back to the island to get our things and make our way to the next class.

Boss walked beside me the entire way there.

"We'll work on few more things."

"Anything I can practice at home?" I asked.

"I don't know. Watch some music videos on MTV or BET. Get some ideas and copy what they do. You got some time, man."

"Sounds reasonable.(Even though I find watching music videos boring)"

We both put two fingers up to the center of our forehead like Goku did while performing his teleportation technique.

This was our way of saying bye.

"Deuces."Boss said as we went out separate ways.

I felt a bit more confident after the crash course. Those 2 really did help with getting some basic dance moves out of the way. Though I wasn't sure what this style dance was called.

I guess there's some research at home to be done.

For now—Dancing...CHECK!