In the coming days, Anna and Stacy had a surprised visit by Steve, Stacy's brother.
"I was just in the neighborhood!" He said.
Stacy was astounded because her brother had never visited her unannounced and those announced ones were not many.
"I thought you are going to be out of town for a while." Stacy said.
"The plan is changed. I have some work at the head quarter, so I didn't get to go after all."
Stacy smiled intelligently. She was suspicious that her brother's surprised visit had something to do with Anna.
"What do you say if I take you two out for dinner tonight."
Anna knew that her silent was so irrational that it could arise suspicion; therefore, she said:
"Thank you for inviting me, too. You two go ahead. I have to study."
Steve frowned which was could be mistaken as a twisted smile. It would not be hidden from either woman.
"We all go, Anna. Come on." Stacy said with excitement.
Anna flushed like a rose. This new sensation was startling her. She was not familiar to it all.
In the frosty winter path, they walked to Steve's car which was parked off campus. Anna wanted to sit in the back, but Stacy pushed her in a funny way. "You sit in the front." Anna glanced at Steve's dynamic eyes and noticed a smile in his face. "Maybe Stacy knew about this sudden visit." She thought. Steve drove the car for over half an hour which seemed to Anna like eternity. "Time is the wrap of life." She thought quietly. She looked at the transparent moon above the earth. There was something mystical about that night. She was feeling a strange thrill inside her which made her unable to participate in their conversation. First she had to discover what was that new feeling in her before she would be able to get involved in their talks. However, in the midst of that confusion, she could hear that Stacy and Steve were talking about Stacy's former boyfriend.
"I am so glad that you got rid of that jerk. He had nothing in common with you." He said in a trenchant tone.
"I am, too. It was hard but I did it. He still calls me occasionally."
Anna sank into her thought. Stacy had never told her about this. "I guess she takes her time to trust me completely. I have no secrets from her. She knows everything about me." Anna said that in her speaking mind.
"Are you dating anyone now?"He said jubilantly. He always had a happy aura.
"No, I am not ready and besides all my courses this semester are hard and I want to finish school so bad that I can taste it. I am already behind Anna, being two years older than her. I want to catch up with her." Stacy said jokingly and then continued: "How about you? Are you dating anyone?"
"Nobody in particular. Sometimes..." Then he added: "Here we are. This is my favorite Italian Restaurant. They have a piano player. He is fantastic."
He stopped the car in front of the door. Before they got out of the car, Stacy said: "No wonder you like this place; it is so close to your home." Steve gave his car key to one of the man there and they got out of the car. Anna learned then that Steve lived in Arlington, Virginia, not that far from them.
In the restaurant, after they were seated, he ordered the usual drink for the girls (white wine) and whisky for himself. Then he walked to the man at the piano and talked to him for a while. It seemed to Anna that everybody knew him. Wine soon affected Anna and she finally relaxed. Suddenly piano thundered and then slowly it was this soft melody, a music Anna had heard before. In fact, she had heard it in Stacy's parents. They had it on tape. She recalled that moment.
"Oh, I love this music. It's beautiful."
"Everybody loves it." Stacy's father had said.
"Stacy, we need to buy this tape."
The next day Steve had come home with a tape in his hand.
"Anna, I bought this tape for you since you like it so much."
There were few couples dancing to that soft, slow music. Steve turned to both girls.
"Oh, I am dying to dance. Which of you want to dance with me?"
Anna was shocked. She positively knew that Steve had asked the pianist to play that music.
"Anna, why don't you dance with Steve. I got my period today and don't feel that hot."
Anna thought how easily women talk about a Private matter like period in front of others. "Oh, no. I don't know how to dance. I've never danced." She was telling the truth.
"It's very easy. You don't have to do anything. Just follow my lead." Steve was almost begging.
Anna felt somewhat obligated to dance. They walked to the dance floor. Steve practically showed her where her hands had to be:
"You right hand on my left shoulder. Your left hand on my back."
Anna could feel his warmth. All other couples were dancing very close, almost intimately close. They moved slowly to the center, and gradually their distance became less. It seemed as though they were folded together. Anna felt a desperate anxiety to release herself from his strong embrace and at the same time, she wanted to stay close to him. It was like a fierce battle within her. Her head was reaching his shoulder and she had difficulty to keep herself of being so close to him. His hand on her back was strong and manly. This was Anna's first dance.
To Be Continued
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