The School Dance

by The Scholar

Susie Miller!

After Melvyn and Patterson, the name of the school bully, Susie and Miller were the two words I dreaded most hearing. Susie Miller was beautiful, I can't deny it - in fact she was stunning. She could have her pick of any boy in the school and they would follow her around like a puppy dog, hanging on her every word, her every demand, just because she could make them and because they would want to. To be seen with Susie Miller was a prize few would ever gain, but those who did would be ranked amongst the highest of living beings and I hated her very name.

Susie Miller, the words brought tears to my eyes as I recalled the enormous grin my best friend Simon had plastered across his face.

"Susie Miller?" I queried.

"Yeah, Susie Miller. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I guess, you just never said anything."

"Only asked her this morning."

I was sharing a bag of chips with my best friend Simon during our lunch break and he had taken the opportunity to tell me that he had asked Susie Miller to the school dance this coming Saturday.

"Is that where you were at break, with Susie Miller, asking her for a date?"

"Of course, though it was only luck."

"Luck?"

"Yeah, I mean, she was going with Mike McKenzie, but he's broken his leg on that skiing trip he went on, so that left the field clear."

"My God, would you jump into his grave so quick?"

"Strike while the iron's hot. I mean, I played it cool, sympathised with her about Mike, asked if she was still going, she shrugged a bit and I offered to take her, if she wanted to go and she said yes - a result, I think,"

"And that was all you had to do? Sympathise a bit about Mike and jump in before anyone else."

"Yeah, not bad, eh?"

"Jammy sod!"

"Just a knack I have, we can't all be as gifted."

"Now you're being boring."

"Do I detect a little of the green-eyed monster?"

"Do you hell! Susie Miller? Jesus, I wouldn't go out with that stuck up cow if she was the last girl on earth."

It was true - I wouldn't. Not because she was a bit stuck up, but because she wasn't my type. None of the girls were. And yes, I was jealous, but not of Simon, but of Susie. How dare she say yes to him? Okay, I couldn't very well take him, could I? But even so...

Simon was still filling me in the details and I wasn't paying that much attention. Susie this, Susie that, Susie the other - yawn!

"...and, as they say, Robert's is your father's brother."

"What?"

"Bob's your uncle, dummy."

"Yeah, whatever. Look, we'd best be getting back to school, lunch break is almost over."

"What about you?" asked Simon as I threw the chip wrapper into the litterbin and joined him in retrieving our bicycles from the ground.

"Me?"

"Yeah, who you taking?"

"Never gave it a thought," I said, which was perfectly true, I hadn't.

"Well get you skates on, you haven't got long. I heard Jenny Patterson hasn't got a date."

"Jenny Patterson! Jesus, Simon, give a guy a break."

"What?"

"What do you mean, what? Jenny Patterson, for crying out loud, is Melvyn Patterson's sister."

"I know."

"So what does that tell you?"

"I dunno - don't mess with the school bully's sister or he'll thump you?"

"Have you seen her?"

"Of course."

"Well then you will know that the whole family is interbred. I reckon she and Melvyn share the same brain cell, swap it about on alternate days. Jenny Patterson! Jesus, Simon, can't you come up with better than that?"

I was angry now and he was laughing, which made me even angrier.

"Lighten up, Paul. It was only a joke."

"Not bloody funny. It's alright for you, you've got Susie Miller," I almost spat those last two words, but Simon didn't even notice.

"Yeah, I know," he grinned in a self-satisfying way.

We cycled back to school and by the time we reached the bike sheds I felt calmer. It was hard to stay angry with Simon for long, as much as I wanted to. The school dance had been organised ages ago nearly everyone was going with someone - everyone, that is except me - Billy No Mates.

Lessons that afternoon were pretty much run of the mill and I spent most of them glancing round at the girls in them trying to figure out if I actually wanted to approach one and ask her to go to the dance. That was a pointless exercise. There wasn't a single girl in school I wanted to ask, let alone in any of my classes. There was nothing else for it I just wouldn't go.

I met up with Simon at the bike sheds after school. He was coming to my house to work on our maths homework - percentages. I hated maths. I hated school and I hated homework - my theory on homework was that if they couldn't teach you all they had to during school hours then that was their problem, not mine and I shouldn't have to work after school because of their incompetence. Needless to say, this theory didn't hold much water with either the teachers or my parents.

We sat in my bedroom going over the percentage problems that had been set for us.

"I'm bored with this," I said.

"Yeah, well, me too, but it has to be done. Come on, there isn't much left."

"We've been at it an hour already, it must be time for tea."

"Your Mum said she'd call us when it was ready, now come on, concentrate."

I tried, though it wasn't easy. I spent most of the time watching Simon, chewing on the end of his pencil, his hand absently running through his blonde hair, his eyes, blue and hypnotic screwed up as he tried to fathom out a problem on the page, his brow furrowing as he mentally tried to work it al out. Susie Miller didn't know how lucky she was.

"Paul, are you okay?"

"What?" I answered, his words bringing me back to reality. "Yeah, why?"

"I said, I think that's the answer."

"Oh, right, great!"

He shook his head and said, "Just copy it, for crying out loud."

I did. Surely it must be time for tea now.

"Did you get a date for Saturday?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"I'm not going."

"What do you mean, you're not going?"

"Just what I say - I'm not going."

"But you gotta go."

"Why?"

"Everyone's going."

"No they're not - I'm not!"

"I don't understand - I thought you wanted to go."

"I don't know what gave you that impression, I've never even mentioned the dance."

Simon was silent - too silent; I could see by his face that he had something on his mind.

"Why is it so important that I go?" I asked.

"It isn't!"

"Fine."

"Well, okay, perhaps it is."

"Well make up your mind."

"Look, this may sound a bit odd and I'm not too sure how to say it, but I ... oh, it doesn't matter."

"What doesn't?"

"Nothing, forget it."

"What am I supposed to forget? You haven't said anything, yet."

"Well, okay, but don't laugh, right."

I didn't promise either way.

"I need your help. It's a bit embarrassing, but I've got a bit of a problem."

"What problem?"

"The school dance."

"What about it?"

"Well, you know I've asked Susie Miller to go with me?"

"No! Really?"

"Don't be sarcastic, Paul, it doesn't become you."

"Sorry - I thought I did it quite well, myself."

"Oh, look, just forget it, okay?"

"Hey, don't get mad at me - I'm not the one who's asked Susie Miller to the school dance and suddenly realised I can't actually dance."

Simon spun to face me.

"How d'you know that?"

"Jesus, Simon, you've never been able to dance."

"That's why I need your help."

"Mine? How?"

"I want you to teach me."

I laughed.

"You promised not to laugh."

"No I didn't - I didn't commit myself either way. Only you could ask the most sought after girl in school to a dance and not be able to dance."

I was laughing uncontrollably now, which was a little unfortunate for Simon, as he was growing quite angry.

"Look, wise guy, all I need is to know a few moves - I've seen you, you're not bad, so I want your help, not your mockery, but if it's too hard for you, then forget it, forget I said anything."

"I'm sorry, Simon, bit you've got to admit, it is funny."

"Well, okay, maybe it is, but will you help me?"

"Okay, why not? What do you wanna know?"

This had Simon stumped. Actually, it had me stumped, too. I'd heard about these school dances - mostly disco or dance music, you know the sort of thing, lots of boom, boom, boom and people just wriggling around and shuffling from one foot to the other in an attempt at rhythm and failing miserably, but there were also the slow tunes, the ballads, the walk around in circles whilst gripping your partner close type stuff.

"So, where shall we start? I asked.

Simon shrugged

"Dunno, what do you think?"

"Can you actually move without treading on someone's feet?"

"Of course."

"Even when holding her close during a slow tune?"

"Oh?

"Right, then that's where we'll start, come on stand up."

I moved across to my stereo and searched through my CD collection until I found what I was looking for - Now That's What I Call A Boy Band. I selected a tune that was slow enough for us to dance to and started it playing.

"Right, then, come here."

Simon walked towards me and I outstretched my arms.

"What now?" he asked.

"Pretend I'm Susie Miller and hold me close, put your arms around my waist and we'll take it from there."

"I'm not sure about this."

"Do you want my help, or not?"

Simon nodded.

"Right then, come on, or the song will be finished."

Simon moved into my outstretched arms and I wrapped them around his back, feeling his arms wrap around my waist as I did. I began to move slowly, in time to the music and he followed my steps, treading on my feet as he did.

"Concentrate, Simon, that's the third time you've trod on me."

"Well, this isn't working, is it?" he said, angrily, pulling away from me

"It will - give it time - look, the next track is a slow number, too, so let's try again, okay?"

He nodded in agreement and as the first track ended, we waited for the second track to begin and again I wrapped my arms around him as he resumed his position.

As we danced, I moved myself closer into his body and he gripped me tighter, but not too tight. I lay my head on his shoulder and continued to move against his body. The rhythm was right and I guided him around my bedroom and he followed; only once did he tread on me throughout the whole song. I could feel him relax as we moved and I closed my eyes, allowing his embrace to hold me up as I felt the gentle power of his arms around me. I was in heaven - Susie Miller was very lucky indeed and I thanked God that Simon couldn't dance and needed my help.

All too soon the song ended and a more upbeat number began to play, as reluctant as I was to do so, I pulled away from Simon and headed to the CD player, quickly pushing the buttons to find another slow track.

"Very good," I encouraged, as the track began to play. "Let's try it again, only this time I'll follow you, okay?"

"Fine, whatever you think, only pause it for a minute will you, I want to take off my sweater, it's a bit hot in here."

I hit the pause button and watched as Simon removed his sweater and decided to do the same. When we were ready, I depressed pause and the music resumed. Again, Simon and I embraced and this time I let Simon lead.

I could feel the warmth of his body through his white cotton school shirt and I drew him closer to me and he put up no resistance. As we danced, I felt a stirring in my trousers and as I inhaled his sweet odour, I felt light headed, not wanting this moment to ever end. I followed his moves and we succeeded in getting through a whole track without any problems.

When the song ended, I expected Simon to pull away from me, but he didn't and as the next track began, he pulled me even closer to him and continued to move. He lead, I followed, the stirring in my trousers was almost painful and I hoped that Simon wouldn't be aware of it, but in my mind I couldn't possibly see how he couldn't be. I tried to take my mind off it, to relax, to enjoy the dance, to enjoy being embraced by the most beautiful boy in school - my best friend, the friend I had a secret desire for, the friend who moved his body into mine, his own hardness now rubbing against the front of my trousers - was it my imagination? No! Simon was excited by this closeness as I was, as I noticed when the song ended and he pulled back from me.

"Jesus, Paul, I never knew dancing could be so erotic."

"Me neither," I said. "Perhaps we ought to stop now - I think you'll master the slow stuff okay. We can try a few fast numbers if you want?"

"Maybe later. There's just one thing I want to practice right now."

"What's that?"

"The goodnight kiss."

"Paul, Simon, tea's ready," the voice of my Mother. Dear God, why now?

"Coming," I shouted.

"Well?" asked Simon

"Well what?"

"Will you teach me some dance moves, or not?"

"Yeah, after tea, okay? I've got a dance album somewhere with lots of up tempo stuff on it, should help, I guess."

We headed downstairs.