Dancing in Circles (Circles Trilogy) (2 page)

The conversation paused while the waitress served their order.

Jennifer checked her cell phone. "Details please. Tricia goes first then you." She pointed a pink polished fingernail at Francine.

Tricia signalled the end of her success story by popping her eyebrows up and down and smiling. Francine wrinkled her nose and sniffed. "I don't think Trish'll be going on her date."

Julie nodded while sipping her Diet Coke.

"Why not?" Gossip queen Jennifer's senses tingled.

Francine pulled herself up tall. "He's not one of us. He's Shore."

"Ooh, a bad boy." Tricia's cheeks flushed.

"Tricia, get your head back here on planet reality." Francine glared at her. "He's not worth it. He'll just get you into a car, do you, then dump you. Excuse my crudeness. Guys like him don't care. Their brains and hearts are in their pants."

Tricia's eyes glazed over. "Sounds hot. He seems dangerous. I don't mean in the physical sense. I mean dangerous in the back of a parked car." She giggled and sipped her drink.

"I have to go. I've got class." Julie swallowed the last of her drink.

"Still dancing?" Jennifer shook her head. "How can anybody do the same thing for twelve years?"

Julie laughed and waved goodbye.

***

Julie kept secrets.

She couldn't discuss her deepest secrets with friends, as they were too concerned with their own lives. But, she didn't let that stop her from dreaming.

She loved everything about dance, especially the discipline, both of the mind and the body. Many nights, she dreamed of performing on grand stages in romantic cities like Paris and New York. She understood the sweat-filled hours and sacrifices it took to be a professional dancer.

However, dreams never concern themselves with reality. They're the fluff that keeps a person's soul alive. Julie's dream was to dance. It was one of her secrets.

With school and dance class finished, Julie escaped to her sanctuary – her bedroom. Posters decorated her walls. Not of teenage heartthrobs, instead, pictures of ballerinas in tutus and scenes from ballets adorned her room. Centred between two large, bumped-out windows was a rose and white lace canopy bed, where in her dreams, she danced.

Eventually morning came and the realities of life returned. But for a while, she listened to the music of the orchestra, and felt the grip of her partner as he lifted her high above the stage. In her sleep, Julie smiled.

***

At school, the next day, the gossip lines hummed about what happened in Mr. Parks' class. The consensus of the student body was, since Robert was not from the wealth and privilege of Westland, he should be expelled.

Biology was first period. The only one late for class was Robert. Two minutes after the bell, he entered.

"Sleep in?" The teacher held out his hand.

"I wish." Robert handed him a bunch of papers.

"Get caught up?"

"On everythin' but sleep." Robert made his way to his seat, ignoring the threatening glances of his classmates. He wasn't worried. He'd put up with worse things than these Westlanders could throw at him.

Mr. Parks settled the class, and continued his lecture on Plant Systematics. Seventy-five minutes later, the class exited. Several male students bumped into Robert. He clenched his jaw, struggling to keep his temper under control.

"You." An index finger was pointed into his face.

Robert looked past it at the unknown student.

The classmate used his finger to punctuate each word. "You and me. Outside. Now."

"Ya got a problem?"

"Yea and it's you. I hear Shore guys are tough. Prove it. Meet me outside."

Robert heaved a disgusted sigh. "Lead on, Macduff."

"What?"

"It's a line from Shakespeare. You know, the dead guy we study in English."

The student's brow wrinkled, he shrugged, motioned to his friends and walked away.

More to himself than anyone, Robert said, "Guess he don't like Shakespeare." A whiff of Julie's perfume snagged his attention. He turned and tilted his head in the direction of his opponent. "What's his problem?"

"Tricia."

Robert rubbed his forehead. His assumption was right.

"You don't have to fight him, you know." Julie brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Sooner or later I gotta. If I don't settle this now, it'll just get worse. Although, I'd rather get some sleep." With a resigned sigh, he followed the crowd out of the building.

Julie wandered along behind him, puzzled by her action. He was Shore. What did she care about his kind?

A group of Westland students collected in the student parking lot, semi circling the challenger. Many had their cell phones set to record the event. With luck, Stephan's trouncing of the North Shore punk would be on YouTube by lunchtime.

Robert stood before his opponent. "Common courtesy demands that we introduce ourselves." He extended his hand. "Robert Holiday. And you are?"

"Stephan." He cast his gaze up and down Robert and sneered.

Ok, so not only are ya an idiot for tryin' to take me on, you're a f'in' jerk too.
"So what's your problem with me?" Robert lowered his unshaken hand.

"You asked Tricia to the dance."

"Yea, so?" Robert stood with his weight resting on one hip, and his thumbs hooked into his pockets.

"She was going with me." Stephan glared at his opponent.

Robert checked his distance. "So a guy from Shore jacked your girl. Ooh, that's gotta sting that Westland pride. But, as they say, may the best man win."

Fists swinging, Stephan dove at Robert, who ducked the punch. Again, Stephen went at him. Robert sidestepped this punch, but edged himself too close to Stephan's ring of supporters. Two football team members grabbed his arms, pinning them behind him.

Stephan grinned. "I'll show you who's the best man. North Shore garbage." He swung. His fist caught Robert on the jaw line. Stephan threw a couple of punches at Robert's face and stomach before Robert untangled himself from his captors.

The two fighters stood facing each other, daring the other to move. Stephan arrogantly confident. Robert wary the crowd was more opposed to him than curious. Stephan swung. Robert caught the fist and twisted it behind Stephan's back. Stephan dropped to his knees, letting out a moan as Robert applied pressure to his elbow joint.

"Any of your friends charge us, and I break your arm." Robert checked if anyone moved closer. "Now that you're all calmer, we can talk. I can't fight you here. You'll get your wrist slapped." He pointed at his chest. "I'll get expelled. Durin' school hours, on school property, I won't fight. After school, across the street in the park - you and me. If ya don't show...." Robert exerted more force to the elbow, released it, glanced over at Stephan's teammates then left.

Julie entered the school and walked in the direction of her calculus classroom. Robert leaned over a drinking fountain. He sipped some water, rinsed his mouth then spit it back into the bowl. The water was tinted red. She stopped next to him. "You're bleeding."

"Yea, he got in a good one. Split my lip on my tooth. Guess no kissin' for a bit." He started to grin, but winced instead.

Julie squeezed her books against her chest - academic protection. "You had no intentions of fighting, did you? You were going to talk your way out until his bullheaded friends joined in."

Robert didn't reply. He was too lost in the light glistening off her hair, and the soft scent of her perfume.

Julie hesitated. "I didn't expect you to do that."

He rubbed his chin.
Do what?
"Oh, ya expected me to fight, 'cause I'm Shore?"

"Yes. You people are always fighting and causing trouble. You're supposed to be tough, macho studs."

"The stud part's right." He grinned.

A shiver scurried up her spine. "You know, there are two sides of you."

"As far as I know, I'm an original."

To keep from giggling, Julie took a deep breath. "After calculus, can we go somewhere? Have lunch and talk."

"Why?" That wasn't what he wanted to say. In reality, he wanted to run down the hall shouting, "YES!", but he so knew that wouldn't look cool.

"Because I asked?"
Because the words just came out of my mouth.

"Guess so. Where?"

He said yes.
"Not here. I don't want to be—"

"Seen with me?"

"No, that's not it." She stepped back a pace, relieving the tension his presence caused in her. "I find you an enigma. I'd like to chat."

"Well, you're arousin' my curiosity. What do Westland girls, with a body like yours, eat for lunch? Ya don't look like the cheeseburger and fries type."

"Lunch Box isn't far. It has a great salad bar." She looked away, knowing her cheeks flushed bright pink.

"Ya ever been on a bike?"

Julie shook her head.

"There's only one in the parkin' lot. Meet ya after class."

When the end of calculus bell rang, Julie and Robert exited without a glance in the other's direction. Julie wanted to keep their lunch date secret, and she hoped Robert understood. She chewed her lip as she looked around the parking lot. What was she doing riding off on a motorcycle with a guy from North Shore? What was it about this man that attracted her so? Was that it? She thought of him as a man, not another of the immature boys she went to school with?

He stepped beside her and handed her a black helmet. "Here, ya wear it. I only got one. You're gonna have to show me the way." He adjusted her chinstrap then steadied his bike as she climbed on.

She gave him directions to the restaurant then paused. Not ever having been on a motorcycle before Julie guessed she had two choices: keep steady by wrapping her arms around him, but that seemed too forward, or fall off which was stupid.

With a roar, the bike surged ahead. Julie decided being bold was better than dead. She squeezed his waist and buried her face into his back
. Please don't let me die. I want to go back to school this afternoon.

Robert glanced at Julie's arms, gripping tightly around his waist. He chuckled. "Don't worry. I won't let anythin' happen to ya."

She peeked out twice. Once at a stoplight and the second time as the vibration of the engine ceased. The restaurant's sign was a welcome sight.

Lunch Box was an upscale restaurant with skylights and green plants scattered throughout. "Menus or salad bar?" A hostess escorted them to a booth.

"Where I eat, the menu's on the wall." He hunched his shoulders. "A cheeseburger and fries is fine." He slid into a seat on the opposite side from Julie.

She leaned across the table. "This is a vegetarian restaurant."

"I don't eat vegetables. I eat meat. Didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to eat vegetables."

"Try a salad. It's good for you. A burger and fries are so full of fat." She rolled her eyes. "You can eat and eat until you're full." Sliding out of her seat, Julie led him to the salad bar and handed him a plate.

Robert examined the ingredients. "I ain't sure what half of this is."

"Experiment."

He placed a pile of lettuce, carrots and radishes on his plate.

Julie shook her head. "That's experimenting?" She dropped a couple of strange looking brown things beside his radishes.

When they returned to their booth, their waitress was waiting. "What can I get for drinks?"

"Lemonade, please." Julie settled into her seat.

Robert put his plate on the table and sat.
Do places like this even have a liquor licence?
"I'll have the same." He stared at his meal. "If I die eatin' this I'm comin' back to haunt ya."

Julie chuckled. "Get caught up on all your homework?"

"Gawd, I hope so. Between school, homework and work, I've got about six hours sleep this past week." He rubbed his face.

"Did you hear the rumours about you and Mr. Parks?"

Robert scrunched his brow as he eyed something hanging off the end of his fork. "What's this?"

"An oriental mushroom."

"Ain't that brave." He pushed the mushrooms aside. "Yea, I supposedly swore at Parks and threatened him."

She waved her drink at him. "And you pulled a knife on him."

"I must really be tired 'cause I don't remember none of that." Taking a bite of a carrot, Robert looked down at his meal.
You've got the prettiest eyes, like chocolate ice cream. Stop talkin' about bio. I'd rather talk about you
.

Julie scooped up a forkful of salad.
Your eyes. They're so intense. They don't look at me. They look inside me.
"What happened after school yesterday?"

"I said sorry for losin' my temper, and he apologised for judgin' me too quickly. When my assignment wasn't done, he figured I was bein' belligerent or somethin'." Robert finished his first plate of salad and went back for seconds. "It could take a person a long time to get full eatin' this stuff." He gulped the last of his drink. "I think ya called me a name. An enigma."