Versus

Emma and Aala apprehensively returned to their circle of peers. The group and the agreed-upon comment that was delivered to them about Axel made the girls very nervous. What delayed him? If it hadn’t been a big deal, why did the lady feel the need to ask others? Was he really on his way?

The girls reached the group just before the music resumed. Emma noticed a glance from Aala who thought that the timing of the music was very coincidental as well.

A second dance had begun and still no Axel. Emma understood the importance and ceremonial significance of the ceremony, but not if Axel was hurt. She just wanted to see that he was ok. He had become an inseparable friend. In the short months here, he had proven that he was reliable. A little quiet, a little slow to explain things maybe, but definitely reliable. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he might need her, and here she was dancing around a room. That made her more eager to see him by the second.

Then he walked in.

“Aala.” She nearly yelled to her friend to look his way.

Dean McAlvey was by his side. Something was up. He was patting Axel’s back and he looked like he wanted to do much more. Perhaps shake his hand or hug him even. The dean looked at him with admiration. It was strange indeed. The pat that he gave Axel’s shoulder was controlled. He was trying to make things look normal. “So, what wasn’t normal,” Emma thought?

Emma watched Axel’s every move. He was looking around…until his eyes met hers. Then his search was over. He gave her a thumbs-up, low, by his side. Not to draw too much attention to himself. He was so subtle and humble. She wanted him to be the opposite of that right now. She wanted him to yell something across the gym to tell her what it was that had her panicked this entire time. But instead, she smiled at him. The Dean was walking over to the microphone, “Without further ado, the last dance.”

The music abruptly ended, and the DJ began following the instructions, spoken to him by a nearby adult.

Axel joined the group in the circle. He kept looking at Emma. It was a kind stare but obviously full of telepathy that she just wasn’t deciphering. He just smiled again to let her know it was ok. That was all that she understood.

The music began and Emma had a hard time concentrating. She was calculating how soon Axel would reach her. She tried to be polite to the other boys as she danced with each of them. But they held zero interest to her. She was clearly distracted. Aala kept watching him too. She understood something was disciplined about Axel’s behavior. She had also become quite close with him.

Finally, Axel reached Emma. She placed her hands in his and their eyes froze. “I’m dying here.”

“It’s ok. Sorry I worried you.”

“Worried me. You had me scared to death.” She finished while he circled her.

She was bending her head awkwardly to not lose sight of him during the dance movement.

“What happened?”

“I’ll tell you after the match.”

“Please don’t make me wait!” she pleaded.

He glanced towards Dean McAlvey, almost secretly. He looked as though he might try to tell her something more, but it was time for him to move partners.

He gave Emma an apologetic half smile.

He was now dancing with Aala.

Emma watched them as best she could while not ruining the moment for her present dance partner. She knew how to dance fairly well, though you wouldn’t know it from her current demonstration. She told herself to calm down and enjoy the moment. Axel was ok.

Aala looked surprised when Emma looked at her. This now piqued her curiosity. Did he tell her something that he hadn’t told Emma?

“Concentrate on this.” She demanded of herself. “It could be nothing and you’re ruining the dance. Get into the moment.”

She continued to relax as Axel danced with the next several girls and he looked as though he had settled into the moment himself.

The song ended.

Emma’s heart began racing. The very large circle of elegantly attired young adults stood frighteningly still. Everyone looked around with obvious trepidation. Everyone knew what was next.

The dean again approached the mic, “Ladies, please remove your gloves.”

Chaperones returned to the young ladies they had been assisting throughout the preparation period and placed the blindfolds on the girls. They then placed the gloves in bags with their names already written on them.

Emma listened intently as things were going on around the room as she no longer could see what was happening. It was disorienting. There was some movement, shuffling of feet.

During their earlier limo rides, different chaperones made announcements regarding the night’s event. One had explained the blindfolding. That the boys would switch places, out of order to keep everything a surprise. She remembered this detail, “OK, that explains all the shuffling,” She thought.

When a match occurred, they would know by seeing the Simulance, the other realm as explained to Emma, and they were to quietly step out of the dance formation and head towards a chaperone who would lead them out of the gym. The girl was allowed, only then, to remove her blindfold.

Now, Emma had to dance and wait. She hoped to make a match tonight but was one of the few who wouldn’t be disappointed if they didn’t. She didn’t know anything about it yet anyway. It could wait if need be. She only felt awkward about what the “match” relationship really meant. As she stood waiting for the music to begin, she realized that she would be ok with a little more time….if need be.

Suddenly her heart took a leap out of her body as the music began.

Someone touched her hands. She couldn’t help but flinch slightly. It was a natural reflex.

“Sorry!” She mouthed with an embarrassed smile. To someone.

Her partner effortlessly led her around the dance floor. It was much easier than she had imagined. As she danced, she realized that nothing was happening with this partner. It was just like dancing with gloves before. Except slightly more intimate. It wasn’t often that she held a guy’s hands.

“No match.” She thought to herself. She almost forgot the moves as she tried to hear any sounds that might indicate that matches were made, and students were leaving the dance floor. She had to concentrate, or she’d forget the moves.

She thought to herself that the dance was pretty ingenious. The dancing evidently required attention. Her mind was less on worrying and more on performing the current task. “So clever.” She thought. She began to pay less attention to sounds and more to her current partner, after partner, after partner.

The dance ended. She tried to remember how many boys she had danced with during this first song. She couldn’t remember, though it seemed like a lot.

The group paused with the silence of the song change. The partner in front of her remained holding her hands. She wished she could see who he was, he had soft hands. They were warm and gentle. It felt nice. Her mind was spinning a mile a minute. She wondered if a boy would come up to her in a few days, “Hey, I was the one during the break with the soft hands.” She almost giggled at her ridiculous idea.

Her mind didn’t rest. The pause allowed too much time to think.

Was there another ploy to all of this? The boys got to secretly hold every girls’ hands and remember what it felt like. Did they form some new reverence for the girls with the innocence in it all? No judgments passed. Just a kind touch and dance with a group who were now sharing a magical experience together. Would there be bonds with this group now that no one would ever understand unless they had been through it? Would boys pass certain girls in the hall and remember which one danced well or felt comfortable in his arms? Would this spark a relationship or two? So many thoughts flooded her mind.

The music began again. Her partner started the first move. He clearly wasn’t a match. She had been holding his hands during the long pause between songs. She, as did most of the other girls, impatiently waited for the next partner to move to her. The next partner took her hands.

She was beginning to smile. She realized that she loved this style of dancing. She felt like her favorite character, Elizabeth, strong and playful while performing the choreographed dance. She didn’t want this to be the only time. She wondered if it could ever be this much fun again. In this moment, everyone could be themselves. You can’t see if the boy is scared or if he misses a step. The girl didn’t know if the cutest guy in school just held her hand for the first time. “We could wear blindfolds again, I would anyway.” She thought. Then she wondered if the boys could be made to even do this again. She hoped so. But figured that was unlikely.

She heard a gasp and began to reach for her blindfold but stopped. That was such a natural instinct. “There’s another one.” She thought.

Over half of the students in the room had found their match. It was such an exciting experience for them. Chaperons helped with their tasks as laid out beforehand. Now, only time would tell who could possibly be left in the remaining group.

She had to force herself to enjoy the dance with, what had to be, the other half (or so) of the boys left. They deserved that from her. Especially if one of them was her future match. She put her smile back on and tried to ignore any sounds that may occur around her again.

The song playing now had to be her favorite. Her hand was passed to the next partner. This partner took her hand in a slightly different way than the others. His hold wasn’t timid or slow. This one held her hand to express something to her. He had her. He wanted to dance with her. She didn’t need to see…to see that.

His other hand found its place on her waist to guide her. She felt his fingers shift ever so lightly and then….it was almost instant!

It was as though a fog had dissipated. One minute she was seeing nothing, then pure, crisp clarity. Her vision seemed to go out or in or, she wasn’t sure. It was as though the blindfold was removed, she could see the room, but the students weren’t there. Around the gym stood angelic people. Men and women alike. Absolutely stunning. She couldn’t help but stare and almost forgot what was happening. “Beautiful!” The word softly slipped from her mouth.

“I know!” He whispered as he moved her cautiously away from the other dancers and stood still with her out of the way. He remained holding her hand but used his other one to remove her blindfold. He was gentle to not pull a few strands of hair that had gotten intertwined.

She wasn’t sure how long her other hand had been over her mouth, but he leaned forward to slowly pull her hand down. Still, never letting go of her other hand.

The room and everyone in it had merged. She could see another room but with additional people in it. It seemed as though she looked through a window. She could see through it but could still see things behind her…at the same time. It was so much more complex than her mind could wrap around. Life was happening in the alternate view. A life that would go unseen by most. She could see these beautiful people standing alongside the other chaperones now. The chaperones were the only ones here before. Now, the most elegant being ever imagined was waving at Emma from amongst that same group. Emma waved back to her.

Emma’s wave signified that she was indeed seeing the full-blooded Galen. The chaperones and Galen alike began to mimic applause without making a sound. Smiles were shared and hugs were given as the older group remembered what that moment had been for them, so long ago.

“How is this even possible?” He whispered to her.

“What?” She said more in shock than asking.

“That it’s you?” He said as he pulled softly on her hand to guide her in the direction of the chaperone motioning for them at the gym exit.

The two were led towards the banquet hall. Neither realized that their hold was never broken.

“Do you need a minute?” The chaperone asked.

“Maybe?” Emma said or asked….she wasn’t sure which.

The chaperone smiled and walked into the room to join the other matches.

The two were finally alone.

“I never could’ve imagined what I just saw.” She hesitated. “And you’ve seen this before?” She knew the answer, but it all seemed so impossible.

“Yes.”

“Is it always this amazing?”

“Every time!” The words flowed from the biggest smile as he meticulously breathed in her excitement.

It was all so overwhelming. She put her hand over her mouth again. She felt a bit in shock. His smile softened as he pulled her hand, which he was still holding, and wrapped her in a hug with his other arm. The other hand, still not letting go. He was careful to not let the Simulance escape her. He didn’t want her thrill to falter.

The two took a deep breath and wondered what awaited them in the other room. Would it be a celebration of the same magnitude as they felt? Other matches this excited. They hoped so.

They stared at each other, eyes wider than ever as he respectfully opened the door and held it for Emma.

The banquet hall was over half full of paired students. Every time the door opened it was another cheering session from the room. The group, growing by the minute, screamed and clapped for each new pair that entered.

Every head in the room was turned facing the opening door. They watched as Emma entered the room. Breaths were held. Gasps resonated. Her hand was behind her, still holding the hand of someone that they couldn’t see.