What a Shortstop Does Ch. 06-10

"Oh, yeah, well, I stopped to say hi before rehearsal. Speaking of which, I've gotta run, Sar." She rose from the chair. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Ye- yes! And I'll pick you up, I have my car on campus now."

"Great!" Ro gave Sarah a peck on the cheek and scooped up her dance bag on the way out, waving at David and Carly.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Carly descended on Sarah.

"Fuck! Why didn't you warn me?! Or put like, a sock on the door or something? We could have gone to David's for a while."

"Is that something people actually do?"

Carly said, "Yes." While David answered, "No."

"It's fine, we were just...hanging out. She really does have rehearsal tonight."

"'Hanging out' is that what the kids are calling it these days?"

"Shut up, David."

They all laughed.

"Okay, but we should really come up with a system. Come on, I've got, like, five more bags in the car. Help unload and I'll share my snacks!"

Sarah laughed and slipped on some shoes to follow Carly down.

Chapter 10: A Real Date

Monday night Sarah ducked out of the locker room as soon as practice ended and booked it to her room to shower and change. She chose dark jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and her favorite leather jacket. David once called it her Indiana Jones look, but maybe Ro would be into that. She brushed her hair and pulled it into a low ponytail. Mascara and lip gloss were all she could manage on her own, but she didn't want a full face of makeup when she usually went natural anyway. Pulling on a pair of short, brown boots and snatching her wallet and keys off the dresser, she slipped out of her dorm. She remembered to leave the door unlocked for Carly as she was going to the cafeteria with the rest of the team and still hadn't learned to carry her keys.

She parked outside of Ro's apartment building and bounded the flight of stairs up to the second floor apartment where Ro and her roommate lived. Her knock was cut short by the door opening easily.

"Hi," Ro breathed as she pulled the door inward and smiled. She was beautiful. Her natural spiral curls were tied back in a short braid that fell over one shoulder. The dress she had on was off-white with a cotton, flowy feel that dropped to mid thigh. Boots that came up over the tops of her knees met the few inches of flesh showing below the dress. She had a green velvet jacket thrown over the whole outfit, making her eyes pop with the color.

"Hey," Sarah responded a bit late, realizing she'd been staring. "Ready?"

"Yes." Ro threaded their fingers together and stepped out the doorway with Sarah. There was a moment of tightness in Sarah's chest as she went to open the car door for Ro. She hoped the other woman didn't find it cheesy. Ro just smiled and thanked her quietly.

"So, where are we going?" Ro asked as Sarah put the car in drive.

"Um, well, it's called The Round Up."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah, so, they um...they have line dancing lessons on weeknights and like, good food. I thought maybe we could deal with the country music for a dance?"

"Sarah, that sounds great. Are you going to dance with me?"

"If you'll let me," Sarah slid her gaze sideways and gave Ro a crooked smile.

"Of course!"

They sat in the restaurant for dinner. It was quiet in the dining area for the most part, but they could hear chatter and glasses clinking in the room where the bar and dancefloor were held. They talked as they ate. Ro explained the latest Nutcracker casting drama where a dancer who'd been a contender for the Sugarplum Fairy got handed a flower chorus role due to some rude comments about one of the instructors. Sarah assumed it was like when Coach made them run laps around the diamond when they got mouthy and Ro agreed it was probably similar. Their food was good and the waitress kind enough to pop back in only when needed. Sarah paid and they made their way to the bar room.

Sarah, still underage, got two black x's on her hands before being allowed in.

"Ugh, can't wait to be 21. These stupid marks always stay for days."

"When is your birthday?" Ro asked, taking one of her hands.

"January. So close. I'm going to go nuts. Get into every place around campus that wouldn't let me in before. Then get thrown out of a few, hopefully." She flashed a toothy grin at Ro.

The other woman laughed, "Okay, sounds like fun. I'll nurse you back to health when you kill your liver then."

Sarah gave her an odd smile. She liked the idea of Ro talking about things they'd do months from now.

"Alright folks! Gather up. We're starting the first lesson here. Beginners, up front!" The short woman with the red cowboy boots and a hat to match marched around the floor pulling guys from the bar and shooing couples out ahead of her. Ro slipped her jacket off and draped it over a chair near the dancefloor. The way her shoulders shimmied bare was downright sexy. Sarah found herself picturing her in her bed as Sarah slipped her bra off her.

"Come on, Sarah! Get to the front with me." Ro giggled, noticing her distracted gaze.

What followed was one of the best and strangest activities Sarah had ever participated in. The red cowboy boots led the way through the steps to the first dance. Simple, she said, perfect for beginners. Well, Sarah wasn't sure, but there had to be a step below beginner, right? Of course Ro picked it up easily. She laughed while she danced and laughed with Sarah when she went the wrong way and bumped into her. The small crowd on the dancefloor was kind and there seemed to be more than one beginner among them. The ones who knew what they were doing spaced themselves around the perimeter and pointed out the correct directions as they moved between each wall. The music was fast and pushed them through the repetitive steps. Sarah had it, mostly, by the end of the second time through the song.

"Okay, we're going to learn one more tonight! A partner dance, so pair up!" The instructor again pulled people to the floor, stood them by each other and shoved them into place. She approached Sarah and Ro, pointing at a guy in all black and black cowboy boots to their left. "Rodney can dance with you, hun." She gestured to Ro.

"Oh, thanks, no, I have my partner." She wrapped an arm around Sarah's waist, tightly. Sarah felt her ears turn red.

"Got it," the woman, to her credit, only widened her eyes incrementally before turning to the rest of the floor. "All right, get in a circle! Come on, Charlene, you know what a circle is, right?" The group laughed good-naturedly.

"Here we go! Gentlemen, uh," her eyes flickered to Ro and Sarah, "Well, whoever's leading, left foot first!" Thankfully, Ro took the lead for the dance and directed Sarah where to go, when to turn, and kept her from bumping into the other couples. This dance was significantly harder, but more fun since Sarah got to hold Ro.

When the lessons were done, the music kicked up into a wider variety of country songs. Sarah and Ro got some water at the bar and sat at a table near the floor to watch the regulars dance to songs they knew. As the second one began, Ro watched intently for a minute, then leaned to Sarah, "I think I can do this one."

"What?"

"Do you mind?" Ro's eyes sparkled.

"Of course not, I'll sit here enjoying the view!"

"Thanks!" Ro gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then bounded to the dancefloor. True to her word, she could do the dance after just watching it those few seconds. Then another song played and Ro watched the dancer in front of her, picking up the steps, the turns, the stomps easily. She smiled at Sarah and laughed as the dance picked up speed and she missed a step.

Ro danced through several songs, always watching a dancer near her do the steps once or twice then jumping in easily. Sarah couldn't even keep track of the different ways to turn from her chair, it amazed her as Ro picked it up as easily as walking. Her dress swirled as she turned and Sarah's heart caught every time she saw more thigh or how Ro's arms wound gracefully and free under the white spaghetti straps. Eventually, she collapsed into Sarah's lap and stole the rest of her water.

"This was great! Sorry for ditching you for a bit there."

"I'm glad you're having fun. I like watching you. You're good, I mean, I expected you would be."

"Thanks," she leaned in to plant a kiss on Sarah's lips. "It's a nice change of pace from ballet right now. I didn't think line dancing could be like this. How did you even know about this place?"

"Carly dragged me here last year for the lessons. We were both terrible, but the people were so nice we had a good time."

"It was a really good date idea."

"Not bad for my first real one, right?"

"This is your first date?" Ro's eyes went wide and she choked on the water she was chugging.

"Yeah, well, like, date date." Sarah turned pink. "I went to winter formal with a date, but that doesn't really count because there was no dinner and it was in the high school gym. I don't think it can count as a date if you've also sweated through gym classes in the same room."

"No, it probably doesn't," Ro said quietly. She was looking rather intensely into Sarah's eyes. "Want to take me home?"

"Yes, if you're ready," Sarah picked up Ro's coat for her and slid it over her shoulders. They clasped hands and waved at the instructor on their way out as Sarah slipped some cash into the tip jar that sat by her instruction books.

"Have a good night, girls. Thanks for comin' out."

Ro snickered at the unintended double meaning until Sarah dragged her out the door.

As Sarah parked to drop Ro off at her apartment, Ro leaned over to kiss her. Her lips tasted like salt and a hint of the minty chapstick she used.

"I had a great time with you tonight. Thank you for letting me be your first date."

"You're welcome. Thanks for saying yes." A hand reached up to trace along Sarah's jaw and wound into her hair. Ro pulled her face to her's, hungrily. Tongue slipped into tongue and their hands found firmer grips on one another.

"My roommate's inside," Ro eventually said as they came up for air.

"That's okay. We can- we should call it a night."

"Right," there was no disappointment in Ro's voice, but she seemed to be searching Sarah's face, waiting for something. Finally, she spoke again, "Do you want to be my girlfriend? Like, officially?"

"Yes." Sarah's answer was firm and didn't betray the way her heart soared.

"Good." Ro dipped back in to place a solid kiss on the middle of Sarah's mouth.

"Good," Sarah said quietly.

"I'll call you tomorrow when I get a break in rehearsal."

"Okay, have a great night."

Ro cocked her head as she reached for the car door handle, "I just did." And she leaned in to give Sarah one more insistent kiss before slipping out the door. Sarah watched her walk to her apartment, conscious of the fact that she should have walked her to her door, but glad she didn't have to stand just yet as she was sure her legs were made of some kind of jelly at the moment.

She had a girlfriend.

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