Dianne Lambert was awkward but congenial. She didn’t care much for small talk, which made relationships harder to come by. She felt alone, but not unliked. As the yearbook editor at Palomino High School, she had a lot of acquaintances. She now stood alone by the punch table at the last dance of her senior year. She was friendly to the people greeting her, but also enjoyed the safety of social insulation. Jenny made her rounds, dancing by Dianne with a small and friendly wave. Dianne had no enemies, many distant friends, and no boyfriend for as long as anyone could remember. There was one boy she had been close to in her neighborhood that few people knew about, but he was killed in a bicycle accident when they were both 7 years old.
Since then, she had failed attempts at first dates and near misses on friendships, but nothing special. More than alone, she sensed that she was different, meant for isolation. She manned the punch bowl and kept her distance, friendly but mostly aloof.She was trying her best to avoid eye contact when she noticed a guy on the other side of the gym. It was dark, but she sensed he was looking at her. She watched for a while, through the swirling movements of dancers, as this lone person just stared at the ground. Occasionally he would lift his eyes long enough to catch her gaze.
Something quirky about this boy caught her off guard. Nobody noticed him, but he didn’t seem phased by it. She could sense a little shy grin, and she somehow let her guard down long enough to feel a tinge of emotion. In very uncharacteristic manner, she marched through the crowd to the guy in the shadows and stretched out a hand.
“Hi, I’m Dianne, nice to meet you.” She couldn’t believe the words slipping through her lips. She was actually making the first move.
“I know you; you don’t have to tell me your name.” His voice was kind, not weak but soft. “I mean, you are the editor of the yearbook and I see the great things you do here for your friends.”
“So, what’s your name?” She twisted to a shy pose.
“Dance.”
“Ummm, ok, that’s an odd name.” She laughed. “What’s your REAL name?”
“Care to dance?” He repeated, lifting his hand in an invitation.
“Ummm, yes, sure. You should be honored you know, I haven’t danced for a very long time with anyone.” She surrendered an authentic smile.
As he took her hand, she felt electricity, for the first time… possibly ever. As if it were on cue, a slow and soulful song began to play. It was too slow, she thought, for a first dance. Awkward at first. It obviously didn’t stay that way. She never noticed it happening, but she found her head on his shoulder by the chorus of the song.
“You dance beautifully”, he whispered in her ear. She just smiled and swayed.
“So you have danced before, somewhere? Nobody just dances so well without some experience.” He seemed so curious.
“Only once, sadly.”
“Wow, amazing.” He grinned, happy seemingly about his conquest.
“And it wasn’t recent, it was a long time ago. A friend and I were dancing in a make-believe palace.” She smiled shyly.
“That sounds kinda like Disney to me”.
“Well, you asked.” She made no apology “I made this little boy pretend to be a prince, and dance with me at a magnificent ball.” They continued to sway to the song, lost on the background of their thoughts.
“Well, how appropriate, you look like a princess to me.” He held her close and spun slowly to the song.
“Well, you know, when a girl is 6 or 7, she still had cooties or something…. Not really the height of romance! But, he was sweet.” She sounded a more serious tone and choked up a bit.
“What is it, you don’t have to talk about it, it’s ok.” He patted her back gently.
“He got hit by a car while riding his bike home from our dance.” She buried her head into his chest. “He didn’t make it.”
He sensed her sadness and just danced with her, hoping to dip and sway safely through her emotions. Her curious friends could tell someone had finally broken through her shell. He leaned in and put his lips to her ear. She so hated the comfortless words people had dished out to her over the years, and she prepared herself for more. She sensed herself pulling the walls back in close. Until he spoke.
“You were beautiful in that little blue and yellow dress, and you are as beautiful today.” He continued to sway as her arms eased and she pushed her face to his chest.
“What? What are you saying?”
He continued to dance and whisper “It wasn’t your fault, Dianne. That was the most wonderful dance in the world, and it wasn’t your fault that I had to leave.”
“What are you saying? Are you trying to freak me out, is this a joke?”
He just continued to dance with her. She sobbed in his arms. When the song ended, they slowly came to a stop. She lifted her eyes and as his face came into the light, she realized it was the boy she has danced with as a child.
“I begged for one last dance with you, and He said it was ok.”
Her face grew pale as she crumpled into his arms. Everyone gathered around and the light seemed to grow to a spotlight.
“It’s time to live Dianne, to live the life YOU are supposed to live. You are the most amazing person on earth to me. I want to spend forever with you.”
She melted, and melted down, looking up into his innocent and pure eyes. He leaned slowly, his hands now holding her tear-drenched cheeks. He softly kissed her forehead and she dropped fully into his grasp. As she did, she continued to fall toward the floor. As she looked up, the sky opened in a brilliant white and she could hear his voice. “I love you Dianne” Then again, but in a deeper voice “I love you Dianne.” And then once more, except in her mom’s voice “I love you, Dianne!” It was then her eyes opened wide and she found herself on a bed.
“What did you say mom?” She sensed her mom nearby.
“I didn’t say anything honey, you were dreaming.” Her room was lit in bright lights, pink and frilly.
“Pink and Frilly?” she thought. She looked around, this was her childhood room. She glanced in a mirror.
“Here’s your little play dress you wanted me to find.” Her mom looked younger. It took a while for her to shake off this notion that she had dreamed she were a high schooler. Then her mom lifted the little dress, a blue and yellow Snow White costume.
“Brian’s mom called, dear. She said you guys were supposed to meet for a, how did she put it, a grand ball this afternoon. Did you want me to tell her it’s ok for him to come over?”
“No, no mom, Please, no!” Her plea was intense.
“Well, what in the world has gotten into you? I though you loved that little boy. Why on earth would you not want to play with him today?”
“Because Mom, I do lov… ummm, like that boy, and I would rather play with him tomorrow, and the day after and the day after that.” She hugged her pillow and fell back to her bed.
“Well, you got your reasons.” Her mom shook her head as she walked around the bed. “But if you ask me, it sounds like some little lady is already planning her prom date.”
“Oh mom, don’t be silly.” She sank under her covers in a rush of smiles and giggles and held her pillow tight.