"I'm not so sure, Vince. I think I might make a fool out of myself."
"Well, then you'll have an even better time laughing at yourself, won't you?" he answered, taking her by the arm and leading her out the door. He waited for the next song to start as they watched the group stomp and turn and slap their legs in unison. Everyone seemed to be smiling and laughing. But Clarke found herself feeling nervous and jittery like she never had before. It was something like stage fright. She looked over at Vince and felt her stomach do a flip. She realized she was nervous about Vince seeing her screw up, which felt strange. She'd never cared what a guy thought before, not like that.
As the next song came on, Vince motioned for her to follow him to the back of the line, finding a spot next to a couple of other people. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she began moving, watching Vince for cues. She copied his every move, trying to stay on the beat. Her heart was beating fast as she tried to keep up with everyone. She felt a rush of adrenaline as her body responded to the music almost without her thinking. The movements began to become automatic, and she found herself clapping and slapping as enthusiastically as everyone else.
"See, it's not so hard!" Vince called to her, and she nodded, continuing to move to the music. When the song was over, she was ready for more, deciding to stay out in the road with the others. She waited to hear what the next song would be and froze in front of Vince when a slow one came on. It was "To Make You Feel My Love" by Garth Brooks. Everyone was coupling up to dance or going back to the sidewalk and shops.
Vince held out his arms and cocked his head questioningly. Without giving another thought, Clarke just went along with it. She had agreed to try things his way, and she'd enjoyed it so far. Why not just run with it?
She felt her face get hot as he placed one hand in hers and the other on her waist. She put her arm on his shoulder and let him lead. The song was sweet, and she couldn't help but listen to the words. It was about a guy letting a girl he loved know that no matter how much she doubted him, he would always be there to prove to her all the things he'd do for her because he loved her. She wondered if those feelings actually existed in the world or if they were just pretty words that chemicals made you say when you felt lust for someone new.