(Author’s note: I haven’t been posting much this month. It is December, after all, and I’ve been busy with the holidays. Regardless, I couldn’t let the season pass by without giving all of you, True Believers, a little gift. So, here’s a Christmas-themed flash fiction for your enjoyment. As you can see, I can write things other than weird speculative fiction. đ Merry Christmas!)
The Christmas Dance
By Nathan Marchand
I canât believe Iâm here, I tell myself as I enter the natural history museumâs doors.
A rambunctious crowd of well-dressed people flows through the entry with me. Some of the guys are wearing Santa hats that clash with their fancy suits. âItâs Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmasâ belts from the huge speakers at the center of the makeshift dance floor under the full-sized whale skeleton suspended from the high ceiling. With deer-like grace, a few couples are already practicing their dance moves. The smell of cookies and hot cocoa is in the air.
I should be with family, not at someâŚgala, ball, whatever, on Christmas Eve!
Seeing the practicing couples reminds me why I hesitated to come. Iâve only been dancing for a few months and only knew a few styles, some of which I got mixed up, much to my embarrassment. Worst of all, I didnât have a steady partner.
My stomach ties itself in a knot as I hit an invisible wall. I start to turn backâwhen I see my reason for coming.
Kara.
She stands at the edge of the dance floor about twenty feet away. Her long strawberry blonde hair hangs over her shoulder in an intricate braid. Her holly-green dress hugs all the right curves of her petite figure while its knee-length skirt all but demands to twirl. White open-toe shoes make her look an inch or two taller and as poised as ever.
She turns and sees me.
My face burns.
She waves at me.
My feet are too heavy to run.
Suddenly, someone brushes me aside as he walks past, jolting me from the trance.
âNice suit, Ethan!â scoffs a familiar voice. âWhereâd you get it? Goodwill?â
I glance back and see Jimmy snickering at me. Heâs wearing a black suit and tie that probably cost more than my car. I canât believe I used to be friends with that jerk. As usual, seeing him leaves me torn between running away and punching him. He smirks at this and starts mingling with the girls.
He always has to rub in what a charmer he is.
The emcee welcomes everyone and plays âJingle Bell Rock.â I look for Kara, but sheâs already on the floor with another guy. It never fails. Sheâs popular at ballroom dance parties.
I sigh as I lean back against the wall. Jimmy runs by me, leading some poor girlâthe first of his many conquests, I assumeâby the hand onto the floor. He smirks at me again as they partner-up. I feel like Iâve been stabbed.
The night wears on. I dance with a few girls, but they never seem excited to be with me. Is it because Iâm a novice or ugly? Or an ugly novice? I look for Kara after each song, but no sooner does she step off the floor does another guy ask her to dance. Even the Flash wouldnât be fast enough to catch her! All the while, Jimmy goes from one girl to next, charming them onto the floor. He dances as smoothly as he talks. The entire night Iâm never sure if Iâm red with anger or green with envy.
I look at my watch. Only ten minutes left. Another song starts playing. Whereâs Kara?
I glance over my shoulder and see her standing by herself at the food table, sipping cocoa.
I take a deep breath to steel my nerves. Itâs now or never.
I cut through the crowd. She sees me coming and grins. I swallow hard and keep walking. She puts her cup on the table and folds her hands as I approach.
I suddenly find myself within armâs reach of her. I can smell her lavender perfume. Her emerald eyes meet mine.
âKaraâŚâ
âYes?â
Jimmy swoops in, grabs Karaâs hand, and leads her away, saying, âLetâs dance!â
Just like that, sheâs gone.
I look back at the dance floor. Kara is looking over Jimmyâs shoulder as they foxtrot to âBaby, Itâs Cold Outside.â (Am I the only one who thinks that song is kinda creepy?). Kara smiles awkwardly, her eyes pleading for a rescue.
Clenching my fists, I turn to leave.
I stop.
âNo,â I say to myself. âI wonât let that punk steal another girl from me!â
With newfound courage swelling in my chest, I storm onto the dance floor and march toward them, maneuvering between couples. I tap Jimmy on the shoulder. He glares at me, but I donât care.
âMay I cut in?â
Before he can say, âNo,â Kara jumps from his arms and into mine.
Instinctively, we start foxtrotting.
A few seconds later, my courage wanes as I realize Iâm dancing with the prettiest girl in the room. My palms are so sweaty, I fear my hands will slip from Karaâs grasp.
The song ends. My arms fall out of frame. âTh-thanks.â
I drop my gaze and step awayâbut Kara grabs my arm.
âThis is the last song,â she says, âand I owe you a full dance.â
I shove the words out: âUhâŚsure.â
She beams.
Iâm breathless.
âAll I want for Christmas is Youâ starts playing. We swing dance to it. Iâm so flabbergasted, I can barely do the basic steps and only remember to let Kara turn a few times. Her billowing skirt looks like a blossoming flower each time. She never stops smiling.
The song ends all too soon.
âThank you for the dance,â Kara says.
I nod. Then I sigh and walk away. The fantasy is over. The clockâs striking midnight.
âWait!â calls Kara.
I glance back as she rushes toward me. My stomach twists so much, it looks like her hair braid.
âI have a gift for you,â she says, reaching into her dress and producing a card. She takes my hand, puts the card in it, and folds my fingers onto it. âMerry Christmas!â she adds, gazing at me for several long seconds.
She walks past me.
Iâm a frozen statue as people clear the floor, but eventually I look at the card.
Itâs her phone number!
I turn around just in time to see Kara walk off the floor and wink at me.
My mouth curls into a smile.
I know what Iâm doing for New Yearâs Eve.