Trevon Carter

I carefully set the dozen red roses under the seat. I was playing it safe with the roses tonight, but that way it would be perfectly clear to everyone how much Arthur meant to me. Arthur got me a ticket for Saturday's performance, but I also bought myself a ticket for the Friday night performance. I wanted to surprise him, but I also wanted to see him dance as much as possible. I got me an aisle seat so I had to stand several times as others maneuvered to the middle seats. I didn't mind.

Finally, the lights dimmed. A woman came out on stage and introduced herself as a professor of the dance department. She greeted the audience warmly and then went behind the curtain. There was a moment of silence before music began to play and the curtain opened. The freshmen did the opening performance. After their performance, smaller groups performed. It was only the freshmen and sophomores tonight. The juniors and seniors would perform the following week.

About halfway through, Alice and Samantha danced. It was a beautiful dance and they were graceful, but they weren't the reason I was there. Waiting through all these performances for Arthur to appear was almost torture. The dancers were good and I did like watching them, but they weren't my Arthur.

Several more performances came and went. It was nearing the end of the performance. My breath caught in the back of my throat when Arthur came on stage. He was beautiful and he was all mine. Except Danny was beside him, touching him. I had to remind myself that Danny was representing me and my love for Arthur as they danced in each other's arms. They leaped high and in sync. They took turns lifting each other, holding each other. Their expressions were lovely as they gazed at each other. Arthur was exquisite when he danced, as he extended his arms in graceful arcs, as his powerful legs lifted him into the air, as time seemed to slow during his jumps. No one could be as perfect as he was.

The music perfectly accented his movements, from the soft movements of his fingers, to the power of his calves, to the loving expression on his handsome face. It was perfect. I wanted time to stop so I could watch him forever. I pictured myself up there as Danny, holding Arthur as Danny was, having Arthur hold me like he was holding Danny. How I wished in those moments that I wasn't the clumsy, ungraceful clutz that I was.

The music stopped with Arthur and Danny holding each other in a sweet embrace staring at each other lovingly. The audience clapped loudly as they exited the stage. I was left feeling hollow now that my Arthur was no longer dancing. My arms twitched with the need to hold him. I looked around at the audience clapping and realized I had been too stunned to join in. I clapped along with the rest of the crowd.

Arthur came back on stage during the last of the performance with the rest of the sophomores. He, Danny and the other handful of men, lifted the women and danced across the stage in graceful arcs. There was a time when he lifted Alice, another time when he lifted Samantha, and then other girls I didn't know, but I could only see him. I didn't understand how the others in the audience could see anyone else other than Arthur. He was too captivating.

The performance ended. The lights came back on and I had to move let others out of the aisle. I retrieved my roses and waited near the hallway that held the dressing rooms.

Dancers slowly started to come out. I didn't recognize most of them, but if I happened to make eye contact with them, I told them they did a great job. In reality, I couldn't remember most of their performances.

Danny paused when he saw me and then he smiled. He quickly made his way over to me. "Good choice," he indicated the red roses, "much better than a yellow rose."

"Well unlike with Alice, I have no intention of breaking up with Arthur."

Danny's smile grew wider with my proclamation. "How did I do?" Danny asked. "Did I do an adequate job representing your love for Arthur?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Yes," I said. "Thank you."

"I am so relieved to hear that. I worried you might get jealous even though Arthur said you didn't really get jealous."

"That's not exactly true," I said. "I can get jealous, but you are straight and representing me so I'm not jealous of you. You are straight, right?"

"Definitely," he said. "I'm surprised to see you tonight. Arthur said he got you a ticket for tomorrow's performance."

"He did. I bought a ticket for tonight's performance. I want to see him dance as much as possible."

"You're a good boyfriend," Danny said. "Does he know you're here? He didn't mention you being here."

"I didn't tell him I was coming," I said. "Is he going to come out soon?"

"Probably not. He's busy talking and doesn't know you're here. Hold on. I'll go get him. I won't tell him you're here though. I want to see his surprised face."

Danny retreated back down the hall and went into one of the rooms. Alice came out from the room across from him. I froze. I looked behind me wondering if I should just leave and then come back, but I wanted to see Arthur. Besides, Alice had already seen me.

"Hi," she said.

"Hello," I said.

"Red roses, huh?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Arthur's lucky."

"What is it?" Arthur's voice crossed the hall as Danny pulled him out of the room. "I'm talking to people." Danny pointed to me.

Arthur's eyes landed on me and he smiled grandly. A smile that made my insides mush. His smile faded slightly when he saw Alice next to me. His eyes flicked back to me. He practically skipped down the hall and threw his arms around my neck. My arms circled around his waist. I was careful not to crush the roses.

"What are you doing here, sweetie?" he asked. "I thought you were coming tomorrow." He pulled back to look into my eyes.

"I wanted to see you dance both nights," I said. I handed him the roses.

He hugged them to his chest. "I love them," he said. "And I love you."

Since I had broken up with Alice, she had always managed to maintain a calm expression around me. Arthur told me she gave him dirty looks, but I hadn't really seen it for myself until that moment. She looked like she wanted to claw his eyes out, rip out his tongue and kill him. I didn't like it. Not at all.

I maneuvered to place myself between him and her with my back to Alice.

"I love you," I said to Arthur and closed the distance to kiss him. It wasn't a chaste kiss either. I wanted Alice to know that Arthur was mine and I loved him.

Arthur made a little noise. I wasn't sure if it was from surprise or pleasure from the kiss. Maybe both. I backed him up against the wall and kissed him fiercer. My tongue slid into his mouth and his danced with mine. This time he moaned in pleasure. His arms wrapped around my neck, the roses hit my back. He pulled me even deeper into the kiss.

I pulled away and gently touched my forehead to his. Once he caught his breath he said quietly, "People are watching."

I glanced around the hallway. Samantha had come out and now stood by Danny. They both had smiles on their faces as if they had just won some great award. Other dancers were in the hall, but I didn't know them and didn't care what they thought. Alice looked like she was going to throw up.

"I know," I said to Arthur and kissed him again. He sighed in contentment as I kissed him hard. I pulled away from the kiss and leaned in so my lips were close to his ear. "Let's go home," I whispered.

"Yes," he said. I took his hand and started to lead him away, but he stopped me after a few steps.

"I forgot my things," he said. "Stay here." He motioned with his arms to emphasize me not to move. He handed me the roses and then ran back into the room.

Alice stared at me blankly. I started to feel a little guilty. It probably wasn't very tactful to kiss my current boyfriend in front of my ex girlfriend. "You did well tonight," I offered even though I didn't mean it.

"Thank you," she said without any emotion. "I should go." She walked as if in a daze back into the room she had exited. Samantha looked at Danny for a moment and then followed Alice without saying anything.

"Let's go," Arthur said as he came bouncing back out of the room. I took his hand and led him out.

"You were beautiful tonight," I said. "I love watching you dance."

He nudged me shyly with his arm. "I can't believe you came tonight. You just make me fall in love with you more and more each day."

"Good," I said. "Because I fall in love with you more each day."