He didn’t even glance in my direction.
The Dance That Was Never Mine
The sound of his shoes on the polished floor felt louder than the music.
He stepped away from our sweetheart table, moving past me so close I could smell his cologne, but he didn’t meet my eyes. It was as if I were invisible. The bouquet in my hands suddenly felt heavy, and I realized I was holding my breath.
He crossed the space between our table and the long row where my family sat. Then he stopped in front of my sister.
Claire’s glass shook in her hand. For a second I thought she might drop it. Her eyes grew wide, and her shoulders stiffened. She looked like someone who had just heard their name in a way they never wanted to hear it.
People began to murmur.
I heard a woman near me whisper, “Oh my God, is this some kind of surprise?” Another guest laughed nervously, as if we were all part of an unusual but harmless performance.
Lucas extended his hand toward Claire.
“May I have this dance?” he asked, in a voice so gentle that if I hadn’t known better, I might have thought it was tender.
My mother’s smile faded, the corners of her mouth tightening.
My father’s jaw clenched so hard that I could see the muscle in his cheek move.
I stayed seated because my knees suddenly felt unsteady. My palm left a damp mark on the stems of my bouquet. A small voice inside me whispered that this wasn’t a joke. Another voice told me not to make a scene. Both fought for space in my chest.
Claire looked at me.
Her face had lost its color, and her lips parted like she wanted to speak but didn’t know how to form words. There was apology in her eyes, but also something like fear.
And then, very slowly, she put her hand in his.
The band, unsure of what else to do, started to play.
They moved to the center of the dance floor. Some of our guests clapped. Phones came out to record the moment, because people love anything that looks unusual and dramatic, especially if it doesn’t belong to them.
To them, it probably looked daring. Unexpected. A story to tell later.
To me, it felt like I was watching my own wedding drift out of my hands.
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