2 Dancing With A Friend

The night air was cold, and the clouds were blocking the moon. Joan was walking to find Steve and thought she should try the bar where he frequents. "Steve!" Joan says as she finally finds Steve. Steve turns around, fully knowing whose voice that was. "Hey, you. What have you been doing?" Steve asks, winking at her.

Joan looked at Steve with eyes that shout love. Everyone who has ever been around the two can tell. "Just went for a walk," Joan answered, trying to hide that she was searching for him.

"All alone? You know crazy people come out at night." Steve said as he smirked at her. She loved that smirk. It just did something for her, like that smirk was hers. "Hey, bub! I couldn't find you." She says to him as she punches his shoulder. Steve laughs and smiles. "Well, I'm here now. You wanna keep walking?" Steve asks.

"Sure. So, what's the theme for tonight's stroll?" she questioned. Steve looked at her and chuckled. "I met this girl." You could tell at this point that Joan was embarrassed. "Isn't that like our hero? Did you sweep her off her feet?" she tried to hide her face.

"Hero, huh? And, yes, I did. I played, we danced, and I left on a question." He answered as they walked past an old lamp post. "Smooth. What is she like?" Joan asked. Steve scratches his head. "She was beautiful, blond..." Joan quickly interrupts, "Oh, let me guess... Flirty, great dancer, baby blue eyes. Am I close?"

Steve cocks his head and smirks. "Not at all. She does have baby blue eyes, but flirty, no. She was amazing." Joan stops walking and looks Steve in the eyes. "Listen, she is just another dame." Steve stops and starts to rub her shoulders in an attempt to get her to relax. "I promise she will not take your place. No one could." Joan smiles and then begins to walk again.

"You remember how we met?" Joan asked. "You bet I do." A silence fell upon the both of them as the wind blew a chill towards them. "My father was throwing one of his parties, and of course, he was playing." Joan laughs at the notion of his father. "I was talking to some ladies in the corner when you walked in. You were breathtaking that night with your presence; you shined when you walked into the room." Steve stops and looks at Joan in approval. Joan shakes her head. "No. Good try, though. We met one time before that." Steve started to look confused. "When?"

"It was a winter day on the Cape. My father had a summer house. Your father was gonna play a show. I, being a girl of culture, asked my father to go and see him play. We took our seats, and you were standing on stage, and I waved, you walked over and kissed me on the cheek." Tears started to roll down her cheek at this moment. "That was the day we met."

Steve looked at Joan and put that same smirk on his face. "How do you remember that?" She looked at him and tried to match his smirk with a smoldering smile. Joan tries to change the subject quickly, "It doesn't matter. So, about this dance, how was it?"

"Why don't we go back to the bar? I'll buy you a drink." Steve answered. Joan looks at Steve hesitantly. "Really?" Steve looked over in Joan's direction. "Yeah, why not? I need to push you around the dance floor." Joan grins at hearing that notion. "You have a lot of dance partners."

"Yeah, but you are my favorite." Joan blushes. "So, what do you say?" Steve asks. Joan considers the invitation. "Just for a while. Under one condition." She says. "What is that?" Steve continues fishing for information. "You have to introduce me to the other girl," Joan says and smiles. Steve looks at her and returns her smile with his famous smirk. "If she is there, I will point her out to you." Joan shakes her head again at Steve. "I want to meet her," she said. "Fine, I will introduce you. Why so interested?" Steve questioned. "I want to know what it takes to win your affection," Joan answered. They both started walking towards the bar that Steve had just left.

Steve laughs and shakes his head this time. "You already have my affection." Joan looks at him and ponders what to say next. "That's different." she finally got out of her mouth. "How?" Steve asked back. They both walked in sync beside each other. If you were there, you could feel some sort of sexual tension. "It always has been. I don't know how or why, but it is." Joan looked sad, saying the words that burned on her lips.

The night was dark, with almost no stars, cloudy. They walked in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Steve smirked and pushed his hair back out of his face. "So, I've missed you," he said. Joan looked frustrated at the mention of it. "Always like you to say that at the end of the conversation." Silence fell upon them again. Steve's smirk fell off of his face, and he looked down at his feet. "I've missed you too." she continued. "I'm sorry, you know?" Steve fished at her emotions. Steve knew how to play Joan's emotions very well. Joan shakes her head, but this in a yes motion. "I know." is all she says.

Steve looks at her and wonders if he should keep pushing. "So, do you forgive me?" he asks. Joan looks over at him and smiles. "I'm still here, aren't I?" she quickly answers back. He loves the way she talked to him.

They walk up to the big oak door of the bar. It seems that fewer people were here now. Steve opens the door and motions for her to go first. "Here we are," he says as she walks in. Steve walks in, waving at Don over at the bar. Joan pulls out a stool and sits. "Back so soon?" Don asks Steve. Steve smiles and chuckles, "I need to show this lady a good time." Steve says as he pulls out a stool next to Joan. Don moves his attention over to Joan, who is sitting, looking around the bar. "Can I get you anything, pretty lady?" Don says. Steve leans over and whispers in Joan's ear, "I think he likes you."

Joan had a big smile on his face. "Vodka tonic, please," Joan answered. "Ah, a lady of taste," Don says as he goes to fetch the drink. There was Don's natural ability to use his words to his advantage. "Since when do you drink Vodka?" Steve asks Joan. Joan smiles and sighs. "There is a lot you don't know about me." Joan answers. "Well, I guess I better learn," Steve says, using his similar ability to use his words to his advantage.

Whilst the conversation is going on, Julianne walks up and taps Steve on the shoulder. "How about you buying me a drink?" Steve turns around and stands up. "Julianne, this is my good friend, Joan. Joan, this is Julianne," Steve says, never taking his attention away from Julianne. Joan waved at Julianne. "So, what about that drink?" Julianne asks. "Don, I need two vodka tonics and a scotch, please," Steve said as he motioned towards Don. "You got it," Don said as he looked over at Joan. Joan turned and looked at Julianne. "Julianne, what do you do?" she asked, trying to interrogate her. Julianne still had her sight fixed on Steve. ��I'm an actress," she answered back without thinking about it. "Any movies?" Joan quickly asked without losing a breath. Julianne quickly turns her attention to Joan and stares her down. "Just one, ages ago," she says. Steve quickly interrupts, "I'm sure she was amazing." Steve then takes a drink of his scotch. Julianne turns to look at Steve. "How about another dance?" she says, hoping the answer is yes.

"Sorry, I told you one dance a night," Steve says and then looks over to Joan. "But, I do owe this pretty thing a dance." Steve takes Joan's hand and leads her to the dance floor. Joan's hand was sweaty, and she had a smile on her face that one could barely see through the smoke.

"That girl is a breath of fresh air," Don says as he watches her walk away with Steve. "Pick your jaw off the floor," Julianne says without looking at Don. "Do I detect jealousy?" he says. Julianne then turns around and glares at Don. "He is going to be mine. Look at him, the mystery of it all." Julianne explains. "You know, he played for you. The first time you saw him, that was to get your attention." Don tells her. Julianne puts a big smile on her face. It was one of joy and plotting, a devilish grin. "Then who is that girl?" she questioned. "I don't know, but I want to find out," Don says while he watches them both dance.

The barroom floor seemed sticky, and no one was using it. The two stood there holding each other close. If you didn't know the relationship they both shared. You would think they were some form of lovers. "She's a floozy." Joan beckons. Steve shakes his head and smirks. "What? No, she's not." Steve defends. They both laugh and look at each other. "Yes. She doesn't like you." Joan breaks the laughter up. "Oh, no?" Steve questions. "No, she likes the situation you put yourself in." Joan doesn't lose a breath in answering. "Which is?" Steve pushes for the answer.

Joan looks at Steve, knowing full well he knows what she means. "The sensitive piano player who is gonna match her bullshit," Joan explains. "Joan, what language!" Steve smiles and gives her the wink and smoldering smirk that she so loves. The song ends, and they both stop dancing. The barroom stops spinning. The piano starts up again, and another classic starts playing. They both start dancing again. "Let's get back to our drinks." Steve notions to Joan. "We are in the middle of a song." Joan states. Steve looks at her and throws his head back. "We have a thousand more tunes to dance for the night. Let's go drink!" Steve informs her. Joan looks at Steve, and shyly smiles. "What about your one dance a night rule?" she questions him. "That doesn't apply to you, kid. Only to the dames, I chase." Steve says as he winks at her. Joan then loses her smile, and all of a sudden has a feeling of hurt. "You never chased me?" Joan asks.

Steve looks at Joan, and he seems confused. "No. You and I just clicked. Friends forever." Steve said as he smiled at her. Joan frowned and looked down at the floor. She needed to get away from the dance floor. "What about that drink?" she said, hoping he was still thirsty. "Finally!" Steve says.

"Another gin and tonic." Joan motions for Don. Don stops what he is doing and looks at her. "Yes, mam," Don says. "How's the business here tonight?" Steve asks Don as he sips on a freshly served scotch. Don looks over at Steve and smiles. "It's been pretty busy," Don says as he turns back to Joan. "Hey, want to get out of here?" Don asks Joan with a smirk, much like Steve's, on his face. Joan shockingly looks at Don. "Who is going to serve the drinks?" she asked. "My shift just ended. I'm going for a walk; want to go?" Don asks in the hopes that she will accept.

Joan looks over at Steve to see if she could get an answer from his reaction. Steve was sitting there, laughing with Julianne and touching her arm. "Sure!" Joan accepts Don's offer. Don winks at her and walks to the back to his stuff. Julianne notices that Don leaves and follows him to the back. "Look at you, kid, getting a date," Steve says as he nudges her side. Joan shakes her head. "Such an idiot," she says. "What is it? What did I do?" Steve questions back at her. Joan stands up and starts walking out. "Nothing. You never do anything wrong. You're Steven." Joan fades away out the door. Steve sits at the bar, somewhat dumbfounded by what just happened.

Don was just making his way to the back to get his coat when he heard someone. "Don, you seem to know this man. How do I get him?" Julianne asks for Don's advice. "Dame, you are interested in a piano player?" Don asks her as he gets to the counter. "I' ain't no dame. I'm a skirt." Julianne mimics Steve's words. Don rolls his eyes and chuckles. "I bet he tossed you that line. You really want to know?" Don says as Julianne shakes her head, accepting. "Well, play his game, be mysterious. Challenge his wits with questions." Don explains. "Don, I love him. My soul aches for his touch. That moment I heard his music and turned my to see, I fell hard." she says as she walks back to the bar.

Don walks out to meet Joan on the street. "Hey, mam," Don says as he waves at her. "Hello. So, maybe I should just walk home." Joan says in a low sad voice. Don shakes his head and disagrees with the notion. "No!" he proclaims. Joan looks confused and intrigued all at the same time. "No?" she questions back. "Yeah, no. Being a young gentleman, you should not let a young lady, yourself, be alone at night. I shall walk you home." Don says as he winks at her. Joan looks up and smiles at him. For the first time in the last couple of years, Joan felt free from the shackles of something she couldn't explain.