DANCING ON THE EDGE

I was sitting peacefully in my room doing my homework when my best friend Clyde enters the room.

"Don't you have a homecoming party dance to plan?"

"I am not going to dance in front of the whole school," I say with a grin and a fake smile.

"You're not going to participate, then?"

"of course not."

He then rolls his eyes at me and lays down on my bed.

Just when my mother enters and starts talking to Clyde.

The next day as I enter my school, I see banners posters of the upcoming dance party everywhere, which annoys me a little, but I continue to walk without tearing any of them for being so annoying and ignoring everybody practicing in the hallway and just when I am about to make it to my class, I see her, Cathy, the most famous girl of our school, beautiful, elegant, sweet and also the best dancer in our school. She had won all the competitions in our school and nobody was as good as her. I almost get lost at the angelic sight of her dancing like a goddess, but my thoughts are disturbed by the period bell which makes me realize I have a class now so I force myself and take my eyes off her.

Almost the whole week goes by with people trying to convince me to participate in the dance and all the teams short of members asking me to volunteer which I refuse to until I get irritated by this and stop going to school for the rest of the week and decide to stay at home.

The day after the party, the school hallway was a chaos,with people yelling at each other and practicing with their partners.

How can people dance in front of the whole school like that? I thought to myself.

I see all the pairs rehearsing with costumes and I giggle seeing all the guys in costumes looking weirdly funny.

I felt so good about not participating and not having to wear these funny costumes. I was excited to see how Cathy would look in the red dress other girls were wearing and my eyes were desperately searching for her when my best friend comes from behind and places his hand on my shoulder, which startles me but when I look at him I almost cry from laughing seeing how funny he looks in the costume.

He grins, rolls his eyes at me, and leaves for the final practice.

I sit at a table alone and enjoy seeing other people’s misery of dancing in these hilarious costumes.

As the party starts everyone seems somewhat relaxed from the party lights and the light music, but the tension between the air from the competition could still be felt.

I was enjoying sitting at my table alone and watching people from afar when I hear a scream...Cathy’s scream

I immediately look for her in the crowd until I see her, sitting on the floor her eyes full of tears falling down her red cheeks, squeezing her ankle with both her hands.

I run towards her to make sure she is okay, and for the first time our eyes meet, I look at her beautiful face and realize how flawless she looks even when she’s crying, and in a split second I realize that I have to help her and without even thinking, I pick her up in my arms. She looks surprised but doesn’t oppose my action of picking her up.

she cries all the way to the medical room.

as we reach the medical room and the doctor comes to check up on her she holds my hand and says “We will lose the competition if you don’t find my replacement, I don’t think I can dance now” still crying

I take her face in my hands and say” don’t worry I will, but you please take care of yourself and leave the rest to me” Even though I had no idea what I was going to do.

I come to the party area once again to see that the competition will be starting soon and realize I don't have much time to find a replacement as I promised Cathy.

I start asking everyone I see at the party to try to find if they are not participating and interested in taking Cathy's place but no one volunteers to know that it would be an on-the-spot performance.

My heart sinks thinking how Cathy will feel when she gets to know I couldn’t find a replacement even though I promised her.

I sit at the table and tears start to fall from my eyes without even realizing I was so affected by the thought of Cathy being sad. I knew I liked her but it was only today that I realized that not only did I like her but I also care for her deeply and it wasn’t just infatuation but real feelings which were making me so sad.

As I sink my head into my hands and start crying I feel a hand on my shoulder, Clyde’s hand.

He pats me on the shoulder and says

“I know this might be a bad idea and you probably won't agree to it but maybe you can replace her since you haven’t participated in any of the dances?”

As soon as I hear him, I start sweating at the thought of dancing in front of the whole school but I knew I had to do it, for Cathy.

I immediately rush into the costume and makeup room and change into the hilarious outfit which I made fun of earlier and now I am wearing it.

I didn’t even know the dance and I knew it was going to be a disaster but I had to try my best not to disappoint Cathy.

I finally makes it backstage without returning and taking off this weird costume.

I see the people from the stage as the curtain is lifted a little when the other teams enter the stage and almost have a panic attack but Clyde confronts me and says it’s going be to okay.

As our turn comes, I enter the stage not knowing what to do, and as the light falls on my face and as I hear the music I freeze for a second.

The people start to look at me, cheering, I start to dance without thinking about anyone and remembering Cathy's face with tears in her eyes, I start to understand her passion for dancing just by being on stage and seeing all the people cheering for me. I understand the power of music which takes over me and I start grooving in no time.

That is when I hear people hooting and clapping which boosts my confidence more and I start to feel free and dance as if no one is watching and before I realise the time is up.

As we wait for the results, I know even if we don't win today I feel happy with what I did on the stage, I know that I will not regret making this decision of being the replacement for cathy.

But to mine and everyone's surprise the results came in our favor!

We had won the first place. It was a proud moment for me and the other team members. The first thing I remembered after the news of our victory was Cathy. I run to her in excitement to tell her the news, and as I reach there shes already smiling and I see it on her face that she knows we won. She walks as fast as she can with her sprained ankle to hug me and whispers in my ear" thank you Cole, you were the star of the show."

And I knew in that moment, that this was my happy ending.