Dance In The Rain

• Chelsea Drinkald, Grade 12
• Short Story
• 2016

I stood on the verandha of the little country house in my formal dress and looked out into the rain.
"Would you care to dance?" Blake requested politely, playing the part of a gentleman perfectly.
"But its raining" I protested not entirely sure where this was going. “I know you love to dance in the rain” he said calmly and my excuses left me.
Delicately I placed my hand in his outstretched one and we walked outside hand in hand. As we made it to the middle of their front yard on the grass he bowed to me and I curtsied, the movement still feeling strange and foreign.
Then regaining my balance as eloquently as I could he put one hand in mine and placed the other behind my back in between my shoulder blades to support me.
I wrapped my free hand around his waist as he pulled us close. His heart was beating rapidly and for a sudden moment I felt an urge to lean my head upon his chest.
Slowly he led me around the grassy field our feet moving in unison. We danced backwards and forwards, twirling and spinning around in a large circle. He kept a tight hold on me at all times then in one fluid motion he stopped and dipped me backwards over his knee.
In that moment time seemed to freeze, the rain appeared to stop and nothing else mattered but him. He returned my gaze with an equally intense one and then while still holding me steady he leant forwards and delicately pecked my lips.
I fought a mad blush that threatened to overtake my face in that moment but he only grinned and pulled me back up again to stand beside him.
Then, with a sudden burst of inspiration I pulled away from him, and ignoring his quiet protests I took a few steps backwards and with a cheeky glimmer in my eyes I looked straight at Blake.
"Catch me" I said simply and then watched as a ripple of shock flirted across his face before composing into a serious look as he steadied himself.
"Always" he said, his smile lighting up the air around him despite the rain, he looked so handsome standing there in the pouring rain.
Steeling myself I picked up my feet, skipped the first step and then ran at him. At the last minute I leapt up. Throwing my arms out to the sides and pointing my toes out behind me, I let out a sigh of relief as I felt his hands settle nicely around my hips and holding me strong.
But he continued the movement, throwing me up and twisting me so that when he caught me again I was upside down, staring straight up into the rain.
I arched my back and relished the feeling, as if I was flying whilst Blake slowly turned both of us around and around in a small circle. Then, making it feel so effortless, he flipped me over and down so I landed in his arms bridal style.
Unwillingly he lowered me to the ground still holding me steady and we continued to dance.
I burned every detail into my memory so that I would never forget a single thing. How he looked, how we danced, the rain in the trees, the look upon his face, my overwhelming happiness.
Finally he swung me close for the last time and it was there we froze. One leg on the ground in between his legs, and the other hooked around his waist, holding us close together.
I could see the wisps of white in the rain as we both stood panting heavily from exertion. I could see his chest rising up and down and his breath was hot upon my forehead.
Slowly I lifted my head up to meet his eyes and was instantly lost in the intensity of the gaze he was giving me.