John - Spring Swing

[seeyousoonthen]

It had sounded like so much fun and although she was no expert Savannah had decided she needed to join in with the Spring Swing competition. She just needed to find a partner. She knew Jack could dance but he was in charge and she had a feeling it wasn't exactly Logan's thing. She stood at the bulletin board, deep in thought, and then she saw someone come down the hall. She brightened immediately when she saw John. He'd lived for so long- surely he would know how to swing.

"Oh, John! Just who I want to see. Would you do this with me, pretty please? Would you be my dance partner?" she asked hopefully, her hands clasped in front of her face as she implored him to say yes with just her bright, round eyes.

Comments

[seeyousoonthen]

She twirled and felt light doing it and then there she was, right back in his hold, closer than before. He was so much taller that she had to tilt her head back to look up at him and doing so gave her the funny sensation that she was falling backward.

"Well aren't we just a pair of wonderful, wonderful people," she said happily. "If we can figure out how to dance we'll just be the best ones in the competition."

[iliketodruitt]

"I already know that I'm going to have a wonderful time, which is more than enough to have me looking forward to it," he said, equally pleased with how much he was enjoying himself.

He didn't quite think that he was a wonderful person, that was going too far. But he knew that he'd never convince Savannah of the fact and he didn't want to argue with her, especially not now.

[seeyousoonthen]

She felt light on her feet and she kept her eyes up on his face. Her feet seemed to do just what they were supposed to do. But the song began to fade and end and she wondered if anything else would come on so they could keep practicing.

"I think it's going to be jus-" she started, but her words cut off abruptly. Out the corner of her eye she saw a flash of Carolina blue, the shape of a boy, a bright red solo cup...

But when she turned her head sharply to the side there was no one there. It was enough to make her stumble and crash into John as her concentration was totally destroyed.

"Oh!" she gasped. "I'm so sorry, John."

[iliketodruitt]

"Savannah, what's wrong?" he asked, frowning, holding her close to keep her from falling down. They had been dancing just fine when all of a sudden she looked the other way and almost fell over.

"Are you alright?"

[seeyousoonthen]

"It's nothing. I'm fine. I am," she fibbed, not wanting to burden John with the story...she didn't want to tell anyone. She wanted it to go away.

But unaccustomed as she was to lying it was obvious to anyone with eyes that she was shaken. She held John and little tighter and moved in just a little closer, seeking comfort from contact until the vision passed.

"I'm really fine. I just...tripped."

[iliketodruitt]

John could tell that she was lying, but he wasn't going to press the issue at the moment. Instead he just let her cling a bit tighter to him, drawing whatever comfort she could. She was certainly shaken and if she needed a moment to gather herself, he certainly wouldn't refuse.

"It's fine, take a moment to gather your composure."

[seeyousoonthen]

Savannah took a deep breath and did just that. It was, in some ways, heartening that she knew at least Dave was seeing things too, but it didn't make it any easier any time she caught a glimpse of Scott. Cold dread and real fear raced through her blood and she was on edge wondering why. What cruel joke of island antics could be making him appear? Was it some foreshadowing...would he be arriving shortly? Oh, she truly hoped not.

"I'm better," she said after a minute. Part of her wanted to confess but the bigger part wanted it to go away and keeping quiet was better than delving into the reason why the very sight of him disturbed her so.

"This song is no good," she said, noting the fine song they'd been dancing to had changed to something more like what she heard at Chris Miles's parties with the heavy bass and driving rhythm.

[iliketodruitt]

"Yes, I don't think we'll be doing much 'bumping and grinding' at the competition," he said with a chuckle, hoping to lighten the mood. Perhaps later, he would ask her what exactly it was that had bothered her, but for the moment he would focus on the dancing.

"If we don't get very many songs soon, I'll be sure to see if I can find any recordings on the island that will suffice. I'm sure that be they records or iPods I can find a way for us to listen to them while practicing."

[seeyousoonthen]

"I know that Jack and Logan have a record player and lots of big band records. That's what Jack likes," she offered, sure that if she asked she could borrow it. It was funny how she thought of the pair as family, even though she hardly saw them anymore now that the baby was born and they spent all their time doing that. Savannah had her own life- work and friends and now dancing. She couldn't imagine having to raise a child.

[iliketodruitt]

"Well, then we have no excuse not to get together again to practice," he said with a nod.

Really, it would be nice to have an excuse to see her again. John knew that he didn't have to have one, that she would be pleased to see him for any reason, but he still wasn't entirely comfortable visiting someone "just because". Until then, he could find small excuses to visit people.