Chapter Nineteen - Cameron

Cameron considered going straight home after school. He really didn’t want to see Amanda. He had tried to show her he was better than she gave him credit for, but he could rescue her from three snowstorms and clean up her spilled milk every day for the next year and he doubted it would do any good.

As much as Amanda’s words had hurt him, though, he needed to be at that rehearsal. Swimming was the only thing he had going for him, and he couldn’t mess up his chances of being reinstated on the team. And he certainly couldn’t give Rodney the satisfaction of being team captain for the rest of the year.

A note on the drama room door said they were meeting on the stage. He slipped in through the side door and stood in the shadows as the rest of that day’s actors filtered in.

“Gather round,” Mr. Kent said, walking up the stage steps on the opposite side. “We have a lot to get through today, and no time to waste.” When it was apparent that not many were listening to him, Mr. Kent placed two fingers in his mouth and a high, shrill whistle startled them into silence. “That’s better. We are lucky to have Mrs. Jones, the dance teacher, here to choreograph the dance where Scrooge and Belle meet.” His gaze roamed over the stage. “Here’s my Belle,” he said, pointing to where Amanda stood hidden behind another girl. “Now, where’s my young Scrooge?”

“Right here,” Cameron said, stepping into the light where Mr. Kent would be able to see him.

Amanda’s head whipped toward him.

“Wonderful,” Mr. Kent said, seeming pleased that Cameron had actually shown up. “Come on, then,” he said, motioning for Cameron to move closer. “I need you center stage, you know.” He raised a hand toward Mrs. Jones. “Take it away.”

Cameron had never been much of a dancer, which was now apparent to everyone in rehearsal. He tried to follow the steps Mrs. Jones taught them. It was a simple waltz, but his feet insisted on stepping when they shouldn’t, in the opposite direction to where they were meant to be. Thankfully Theresa wasn’t at this rehearsal. If she saw how pathetic he was, she’d insist on him practicing at home with her, and there was no way that was going to happen.

Finally, the dance teacher took Cameron aside. “I’m going to move on with the ensemble. Take a break and I’ll work with you and Amanda separately in about fifteen minutes, okay?”

Cameron gave a small nod, and then disappeared out the side door and into the hallway. He was trying—he really was—but he wasn’t any good at this kind of thing. Why couldn’t have Principal Howell and Mr. Kent just listened to him? Instead, they’d placed him where he would look like an idiot in front of the whole school. No, more like the whole town, since everyone always showed up to the high school plays.

He spun toward the wall and punched it with his fist, which didn’t do much for his frustrations and only made his hand hurt.

“You okay?”

He turned to see Amanda holding an open water bottle. She looked perfect and poised, not at all flustered. Of course, she’d been able to waltz flawlessly her first time. It looked more like she was floating than dancing, and Mrs. Jones had even asked everyone to stop and watch Amanda as an example of what they should be doing.

“I’m fine,” he said, looking away. Why couldn’t she just leave him alone?

When he glanced back to see if she’d left, he saw she hadn’t. Instead, she’d set her bottle down and taken a few steps toward him. “You’re fighting too hard,” she said, before extending her hand toward him.

Cameron stared at it, not understanding what she wanted.

“Let me help you,” she said.

“I don’t want your help.”

Amanda’s arm dropped back to her side. “Because of what you heard in the cafeteria today.”

There she went again, saying it how it was.

“I’d hate to make you dance with someone as self-centered as myself. If I get too good, I might steal your spotlight.” He couldn’t hide the bitterness he felt.

Amanda didn’t appear offended, though. “I deserved that.” She hesitated before offering him her hand again. “If you’ll let me help you, I promise to explain what happened.”

Cameron doubted there was anything she could say that would make things better. He liked Amanda. A lot. He could admit that now. But it was apparent she didn’t return his feelings, and nothing he did would ever change her low opinion of him. That being said, he did need help, and would prefer to not trip over his own feet on opening night.

“Okay.” His fingers hovered over hers, before he allowed his hand to rest in hers. He hadn’t been prepared for the way her touch would affect him. Cameron’s breath caught and it was suddenly hard to breathe.

When his gaze found Amanda’s, she was staring at him, as if she might be experiencing something similar. She quickly shook it off, however, and took on a businesslike demeanor. “You’ve been practicing the waltz by yourself, trying to get the steps right,” she said. “But this dance…it’s about connection. You and your dance partner move as one, gliding from place to place.” She tugged on his hand, drawing him closer. “I think you’d get it easier if you were dancing with another person.”

“Like you.”

She nodded. “Yes. I will be your dance partner in the play, after all.” Amanda’s touch was light as she took Cameron’s right hand and placed it on her back. She pulled him in even closer as she held his left hand out to the side. There was no longer any space between them, and his anxiety took hold. He felt warm and lightheaded.

“Are you sure this is how it goes?” he whispered.

“Uh-huh,” Amanda said, but she didn’t sound as commanding as she had a moment before. “Move with me.” She took a step forward, forcing Cameron to step back. “Good. Now to the side.”

Cameron followed her lead and realized she had been right. It was much easier with a partner. Of course, she was leading and he was pretty sure that was supposed to be his job, but this was a good start. At least he was moving his feet in the right directions.

“We can even add a little turn so we are moving in a circle around the room,” Amanda said.

Cameron found he didn’t even need to focus on his feet anymore. He and Amanda were moving together, and even the slightest pull told him exactly where she was going next. He’d never felt this connected to a person before. After several minutes of waltzing around the school hallway, he felt impulsive, and he sent her into a spin, before pulling her back in. The spontaneous move must have caught Amanda off guard, because when she returned to him, she spun straight into his chest.

“I’m sorry. I thought I’d try something different,” Cameron said, frustrated with himself for ruining the good thing they had going.

But Amanda didn’t seem mad. Instead, she looked up at him, a smile playing on her lips. “Technically there isn’t that kind of spinning in the waltz, but it shows you are becoming more comfortable with dancing. That’s good.” Her eyes seemed to be searching his, and Cameron’s pulse raced. He tightened his arm around her, loving the feel of her against his chest. Cameron hoped there would be many more dance rehearsals in their future.

But still—there was that one thing nagging at him. “You said you would explain. About earlier.”

Amanda held his gaze. “There had been a misunderstanding with Sandra. She thought I was mad that—” For once, she didn’t say things outright. Her cheeks flushed and she seemed to be having a hard time finding the right words, or at least saying them. “She had been checking you out when you were cleaning up the milk, and I was annoyed. But she thought it was because I didn’t like you. I decided to let her think that, rather than tell her the truth.”

Cameron bent his head so he could see into Amanda’s eyes better. He needed to know if she was for real, or if this was just a way to placate him. “And what is the truth?” he asked, his voice low.

This time, Amanda’s gaze did drop. “That…” She paused, and then the words came out in a rush. “That I wasn’t annoyed. I was jealous.”

Cameron placed a finger under Amanda’s chin and tilted her head back up. “You didn’t want her to know.”

“That I liked you? No. Not unless there was something to tell.”

“I think we could arrange that,” Cameron said. He dipped his head low until his lips hovered over hers, but then stopped. He watched her, his eyes questioning. They’d come this far at Amanda’s house, but then both agreed this would be a terrible idea. Cameron didn’t want to read things wrong and scare her off. “Is this okay?”

Amanda’s eyes never wavered as she gave a small nod. As she did so, her lips brushed his. A shiver ran through his nerves.

As he placed his lips on hers, she removed her hand from his and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her closer as she deepened the kiss. Their lips moved in sync, as if they were now dancing.

Someone cleared their throat, and Cameron shot back.

Mrs. Jones stood next to the stage door. “I’m ready for you now, but if you would like to continue…practicing…” She gave them an amused smile.

“Um…no, I think we’re good,” Amanda said, hurrying away and through the stage door. Her face was bright red, and it seemed she could no longer look at him.

Cameron wouldn’t mind ‘practicing’ a bit more, but he supposed he could wait.