Log: Bike forgivings
Who: Mike and Brittany
When:Monday after
Where: Dance studio
What: Apologies
Mike had been hovering by the doors for quite some time now. He was pacing the length of the doorway, trying to convince himself to walk inside and talk to Brittany and apologize. But, obviously, he hadn’t found the courage to do so. He just stood there, watching her dance.
She was amazing. Like, really amazing. She had been amazing at the recital too, having turned a two-person number into a one-person performance. If it weren’t for the obvious lag where she just stood there, looking backstage, it would have been believable, that the final act was all about her. But it wasn’t and he was sure everybody knew. Everybody, including his parents, although his dad made no mention about it during dinner and his mom was talking about his Wai Gong and an upcoming visit to the mainland during winter break.
He stopped pacing, took a deep breath and took a step inside the studio. So far, so good. He took another step and another and another until he was just a few feet away from Brittany. “Um, hey.”
Bailey had been right. It was better to dance out her feelings. Her body moved fast and hard, dipping and twirling, pushing her muscles to the point of aching in a good way. There was nothing else in the world but her body and the music.No fighting, no anger, no disappointment. It just was.
Then she heard a voice and at first she was angry that someone even bothered her, and it just grew bigger and into disappointment when she realized who it was. Brittany gave a small frown as she stopped and looked at him. “Hey Mike.”
Mike bit his lip, trying to figure out what to say. He wondered if she’d appreciate it if he said he was sorry. He know he typed those words a lot on her journal. He glanced down at the gift bag he was holding. It was something he brought on a whim. He thought, after all he did, he should at least bring her something. “I...I just wanted to say sorry. And, I got you an I’m sorry gift.” With that, he thrust the bag into her hands and stepped back. “I’ll let you get back to your dancing now.”
Brittany blinked as she looked at Mike as he thrusted the gift into her hands. She could stay angry, but he looked just as upset as she was. “Mike.... just, just tell me why.” She asked as she took the bag from him. “Why did you leave?”
“I...my parents...they don’t know. About me dancing. About dance team. About the performance,” Mike sighed. “They would have been so disappointed. And I can’t have that. I just can’t.”
“Why did you agree to dance then?”Brittany shook her head at him. It just didn't make sense to her at all. If he was so worried about it, why did he agree to dance with her in the first place? “You shouldn't be ashamed of it. It’s beautiful.”
“Because it would make you and me happy. Because I thought I could do it,’ he mumbled, looking down at his shoes. Talking about it with Brittany made him feel even worse about what he did.
Brittany sighed and leaned back against the wall. “Then why not do it if it makes you happy? We had so much fun together and I think everyone would’ve really liked it!”
“I didn’t want them to know!” Mike didn’t mean to raise his voice. Frustration was getting better of him. He sighed and apologized for the outburst.
Brittany moved so she was now shoulder to shoulder with Mike. “Why didn't you want them to know? You’re amazing Mike. I don't know why you’d want to hide it.”
“If they knew, they’ll make me stop.” He didn’t want that at all. “Did you know? I’m afraid to dance outside of my bedroom, Brittany. It’s that bad.”
That was a terrible thought. Not being able to dance whenever you wanted to? Brittany wanted to cry at the idea. Immediately she hugged Mike tightly. “Nooooo you cant stop!’”
Mike hugged her back just as tightly. “I won’t. But only if they never know. And that would mean I can’t really dance if they’re watching and stuff.”
Britt looked up at him and frowned again. “But that’s not fair. They should love you and love what you love. Your dancing is amazing and can do all sorts of things like make people feel stuff. They should be proud of that.”
“I wish it was that easy. But it’s not.” There wasn’t anything he could do about it.
“Why not? What will your family do if they find out? They might be upset first, but just think of how beautiful they will think your dancing is.” She nudged her shoulder against his gently.
“They might send me to...military school or something.” He didn’t really know what his dad would do but he knew it would be very unpleasant.
“Then wait... until college where you can do whatever you want. I’ll keep dancing with you until then.” She offered with a small smile. Brittany cared about her friends deeply and she could feel the love of dance Mike had.
“My dad wants me to be a doctor...” Mike trailed off. It was nice of Brittany to try to cheer him up but really, there was nothing he can do. Dancing wasn’t an option for him, ever.
“But what about what you want Mike? This life is your’s, not your dad’s. It’s important that you’re happy.” She reached out her hand to his and squeezed it gently.
Mike hadn’t thought about that. Not really. All his life, there were certain expectations he had to meet. Mostly, it all revolved around getting good grades and always obeying his parents. It made him happy, doing those things. But dancing made him happier. “I dunno, Brittany...I really don’t.”
Brittany hugged him again. She was pretty sure he did know, but it wasn't the answer he should have. “Well then, think about it and until then we can keep dancing, but no more making plans only to back out. You can just tell me next time.”
“Yeah...thanks,” Mike pulled back a bit and gave her a smile. “So we’re okay?”
Brittany crossed her arms and thought about it for a minute. “Hmmm Only if you watch an episode of My Little Ponies with me. You can learn from it.” She smiled at him.
Mike struggled to not make a face at Brittany’s suggestion. My Little Ponies? Really The again, he was talking to Brittany. He nodded and gave her a huge grin. “Yeah, sure. I’m cool with that.” Okay, that was mostly a lie but he figured he better just suck it up. He owed her after all.
She giggled and hugged him tightly. “I have it all saved on my computer! I’ll see if Santana can set it up so we can watch it in the common room. “ It was good not to be upset at Mike anymore. She liked him and liked dancing with him. “There’s one other thing you have to do too for me to forgive you.”
He was glad to hear Brittany laugh. It made him feel not as bad. It meant they were okay. Well, mostly okay since he still had to fulfill his end of the bargain. “Okay, what is it?” He hoped it was nothing too bad.
She held out her hand to him with a smile. “ You owe me a dance.”
“Just us?”
“Do you see anyone else?” She looked around and then leaned over. “Lord Tubbington doesn't count. He’s very good at keeping secrets.... Even if he’s nosy.”
“Um, okay.” Mike was sure he didn’t see a cat anywhere. He just smiled and took her hand. He bowed, laying a kiss on top before swooping her into position. “Shall we?”
Brittany smiled and moved so she could dance with him, happy that she at least got to dance, even if it was a little late.
When:Monday after
Where: Dance studio
What: Apologies
Mike had been hovering by the doors for quite some time now. He was pacing the length of the doorway, trying to convince himself to walk inside and talk to Brittany and apologize. But, obviously, he hadn’t found the courage to do so. He just stood there, watching her dance.
She was amazing. Like, really amazing. She had been amazing at the recital too, having turned a two-person number into a one-person performance. If it weren’t for the obvious lag where she just stood there, looking backstage, it would have been believable, that the final act was all about her. But it wasn’t and he was sure everybody knew. Everybody, including his parents, although his dad made no mention about it during dinner and his mom was talking about his Wai Gong and an upcoming visit to the mainland during winter break.
He stopped pacing, took a deep breath and took a step inside the studio. So far, so good. He took another step and another and another until he was just a few feet away from Brittany. “Um, hey.”
Bailey had been right. It was better to dance out her feelings. Her body moved fast and hard, dipping and twirling, pushing her muscles to the point of aching in a good way. There was nothing else in the world but her body and the music.No fighting, no anger, no disappointment. It just was.
Then she heard a voice and at first she was angry that someone even bothered her, and it just grew bigger and into disappointment when she realized who it was. Brittany gave a small frown as she stopped and looked at him. “Hey Mike.”
Mike bit his lip, trying to figure out what to say. He wondered if she’d appreciate it if he said he was sorry. He know he typed those words a lot on her journal. He glanced down at the gift bag he was holding. It was something he brought on a whim. He thought, after all he did, he should at least bring her something. “I...I just wanted to say sorry. And, I got you an I’m sorry gift.” With that, he thrust the bag into her hands and stepped back. “I’ll let you get back to your dancing now.”
Brittany blinked as she looked at Mike as he thrusted the gift into her hands. She could stay angry, but he looked just as upset as she was. “Mike.... just, just tell me why.” She asked as she took the bag from him. “Why did you leave?”
“I...my parents...they don’t know. About me dancing. About dance team. About the performance,” Mike sighed. “They would have been so disappointed. And I can’t have that. I just can’t.”
“Why did you agree to dance then?”Brittany shook her head at him. It just didn't make sense to her at all. If he was so worried about it, why did he agree to dance with her in the first place? “You shouldn't be ashamed of it. It’s beautiful.”
“Because it would make you and me happy. Because I thought I could do it,’ he mumbled, looking down at his shoes. Talking about it with Brittany made him feel even worse about what he did.
Brittany sighed and leaned back against the wall. “Then why not do it if it makes you happy? We had so much fun together and I think everyone would’ve really liked it!”
“I didn’t want them to know!” Mike didn’t mean to raise his voice. Frustration was getting better of him. He sighed and apologized for the outburst.
Brittany moved so she was now shoulder to shoulder with Mike. “Why didn't you want them to know? You’re amazing Mike. I don't know why you’d want to hide it.”
“If they knew, they’ll make me stop.” He didn’t want that at all. “Did you know? I’m afraid to dance outside of my bedroom, Brittany. It’s that bad.”
That was a terrible thought. Not being able to dance whenever you wanted to? Brittany wanted to cry at the idea. Immediately she hugged Mike tightly. “Nooooo you cant stop!’”
Mike hugged her back just as tightly. “I won’t. But only if they never know. And that would mean I can’t really dance if they’re watching and stuff.”
Britt looked up at him and frowned again. “But that’s not fair. They should love you and love what you love. Your dancing is amazing and can do all sorts of things like make people feel stuff. They should be proud of that.”
“I wish it was that easy. But it’s not.” There wasn’t anything he could do about it.
“Why not? What will your family do if they find out? They might be upset first, but just think of how beautiful they will think your dancing is.” She nudged her shoulder against his gently.
“They might send me to...military school or something.” He didn’t really know what his dad would do but he knew it would be very unpleasant.
“Then wait... until college where you can do whatever you want. I’ll keep dancing with you until then.” She offered with a small smile. Brittany cared about her friends deeply and she could feel the love of dance Mike had.
“My dad wants me to be a doctor...” Mike trailed off. It was nice of Brittany to try to cheer him up but really, there was nothing he can do. Dancing wasn’t an option for him, ever.
“But what about what you want Mike? This life is your’s, not your dad’s. It’s important that you’re happy.” She reached out her hand to his and squeezed it gently.
Mike hadn’t thought about that. Not really. All his life, there were certain expectations he had to meet. Mostly, it all revolved around getting good grades and always obeying his parents. It made him happy, doing those things. But dancing made him happier. “I dunno, Brittany...I really don’t.”
Brittany hugged him again. She was pretty sure he did know, but it wasn't the answer he should have. “Well then, think about it and until then we can keep dancing, but no more making plans only to back out. You can just tell me next time.”
“Yeah...thanks,” Mike pulled back a bit and gave her a smile. “So we’re okay?”
Brittany crossed her arms and thought about it for a minute. “Hmmm Only if you watch an episode of My Little Ponies with me. You can learn from it.” She smiled at him.
Mike struggled to not make a face at Brittany’s suggestion. My Little Ponies? Really The again, he was talking to Brittany. He nodded and gave her a huge grin. “Yeah, sure. I’m cool with that.” Okay, that was mostly a lie but he figured he better just suck it up. He owed her after all.
She giggled and hugged him tightly. “I have it all saved on my computer! I’ll see if Santana can set it up so we can watch it in the common room. “ It was good not to be upset at Mike anymore. She liked him and liked dancing with him. “There’s one other thing you have to do too for me to forgive you.”
He was glad to hear Brittany laugh. It made him feel not as bad. It meant they were okay. Well, mostly okay since he still had to fulfill his end of the bargain. “Okay, what is it?” He hoped it was nothing too bad.
She held out her hand to him with a smile. “ You owe me a dance.”
“Just us?”
“Do you see anyone else?” She looked around and then leaned over. “Lord Tubbington doesn't count. He’s very good at keeping secrets.... Even if he’s nosy.”
“Um, okay.” Mike was sure he didn’t see a cat anywhere. He just smiled and took her hand. He bowed, laying a kiss on top before swooping her into position. “Shall we?”
Brittany smiled and moved so she could dance with him, happy that she at least got to dance, even if it was a little late.