DANCING ON MY OWN (Charlie Puth)

E I G H T

"MIA JANE! I SWEAR IF YOU TICKLE ME ONE MORE TIME WE WILL FIST FIGHT!" Charlie swats at my hands while I giggle at his attempt of using my middle name as a threat. 

"What are you, my mom? Besides, maybe you shouldn't be so ticklish." I giggle as I tickle his ribs once again. He takes off running down the sidewalk.

"WELL I CAN'T FUCKING HELP IT!" He screams with a smile on his face.

After my laughter subsides I jog to catch up with him, and he immediately tries to move away from me. "I won't tickle you anymore, I promise."

"Pinky promise?" He asks with an extended pinky finger.

"Pinky promise." I say as I twist my pinky together with his.

We walk for about 30 seconds without saying anything. I glimpse over at Charlie and study his features. His cheeks are bright red from struggling against my tickles, his brown mop of hair falls in every direction. He somehow has a killer jawline while still having a boyish face. Then I notice that damn eyebrow again. The one that has attracted my attention since day one. I realize that I've never asked him about it. Is it acceptable of me to ask him? Surely he won't mind... screw it.

"Charlie?"

"What's up?" He nudges me with his elbow.

"Can I ask about what happened to your eyebrow?" I cautiously inquire.

"Yeah, sure! I got bit by a dog when I was really little."

"Oh my gosh! That must have been traumatizing!" I exclaim. 

"Just  a little bit." He laughs. "It was like, the sweetest dog too." 

"That's insane."

"I mean, I understand why the dog did it. My face is just way  too yummy to resist." He shrugs his shoulders and keeps a straight face. 

"Okay, whatever stupid." I laugh.

We continue talking, and Charlie launches into the full story about his eyebrow until we reach our destination: My secret ballroom. It's been about a week since I first showed it to Charlie, and he has offered to come "help" me every single day after classes. We have also been talking non-stop during class and through texts. I would like to say that my friend count has definitely moved up, Charlie is even like a best friend, if that's even possible after just a few weeks. 

We quickly slip through the maintenance door, after checking to be sure no one is watching. The setting sun has created a dimly lit, grand and glorious ballroom. Our shoes squeak across the gorgeous patterns of the floor as we playfully push each other. 

"I think we should try it with music today." I wiggle my eyebrows at Charlie. 

I can literally hear his gulp. "That sounds like a terrible idea." He says with a shy smile. 

"The only way to get better is through trial and error. First you must try, even if you mess up horribly. That's the only way to get better." I explain to him.

"Okay, but I'm not the one who needs to get better." He says. I shove his shoulder, but he just laughs and crosses his arms over his chest, patiently waiting as I stretch out my muscles the same way I've been taught to do my whole dance career. 

"So, uhm, Shawn and I are having this party... well it's not really a party, it's more like a get together, on Saturday, and I was wondering if you wanted to come and hang out?" He scratches at the back of his neck nervously. 

"That sounds like a lot of fun! Of course I'll come over." I tell him, genuinely excited to actually go hang out with people and have fun. 

"Okay, cool. I think Shawn already invited Camila, so at least you'll have some one you actually like there, instead of just me and Shawn." He tells me.