Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 7:39 am
From Loathe To Love Part 10
Nothing was to be said for either of them, during the first few minutes of their slow dancing. They were still trying to get the feel of one another at that moment. Both wanted to see how the other radiated a personal spark on the dance floor. It was because dancing required a certain amount of intimacy between a man and a woman, to make their chemistry look half-real. And nothing else would require more chemistry at the moment, than their pumped up lie.
It was Liz who spoke first. “So, Max, you seem to be used to this kind of dancing,” she observed. He was actually rather graceful a dancer for someone who didn’t dance for a living. “Are you a closet obsessed-dancer, or something?”
Max raised an eyebrow. “No. But why should a dancer be in the closet?” he asked with curiosity.
“Then you are a closet dancer!” Liz pointed out smugly.
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. You indicated it.”
“No. I just asked why, -of all things, dancers would have to be closeted. -And I did not indicate anything,” he shot back.
“Well, in response to your question: Isn’t everything closeted nowadays?” she asked.
“Point taken,” Max laughed. “You see Eileen, over there?” he asked, angling around so that Liz could get a clear view of Mrs. Wilkes who was now having a conversation with another guest. “She tells us that her husband is away doing business, but I suspect that they haven’t been living in so much peace together. Marriage on the rocks, so to speak.”
“Oh my! Did you talk to her husband about it?” Liz said quickly. “You have to help them make up…-You idiot! I bet you’ve been talking the guy into getting a divorce! You are a horrible influence on your fellowmen!” she babbled.
“Calm down,” Max said. He had the sudden urge to shake her, and prove her wrong. She was just so babbly. Although her babbling had its endearing qualities too. “I haven’t been talking to any of them. Obviously! Otherwise, they’d have known about you, don’t you think?!”
“I’m worried!” Liz said defensively. “Everywhere I go, I hear about once happy couples being on the verge of a split! It’s just too upsetting!”
“Let me guess,” Max smirked. “Everywhere means you have a habit of reading tabloids, when you chance upon them on the many, many newsstands on the streets…”
Liz looked mortified. Seeing her reaction was quite amusing, so Max decided to continue. “Is it the Nick & Jess rumors, or the Brad & Jen break-up?”
“I,-”
“But don’t be too sad. I heard that Nick & Jess are doing great,” he pressed on.
“Hey! Shut up!” Liz said finally finding her voice. “I don’t obsessively read those things! I just get to read them once in a while. –When Maria brings them over, or when the inside story looks interesting enough…-and why am I telling you this?”
“Oh right. I’m invading your privacy. I’m sorry, but I thought that there was trust between us. Y’know, seeing as we’re about to get married,” he joked.
Liz narrowed her eyes. “Don’t take it to heart, Romeo. After all, how could I possibly commit like that to someone whom I’ve only known for two weeks?”
“Love at first sight, my dearest love,” he chuckled.
“Haha.” Liz hissed sarcastically. “Oh, but why do you know so much about those tabloid issues?” she challenged. “You could be reading tabloids yourself.”
“I have a sister,” Max explained. “She’s single, but not the type to go out clubbing ‘till two in the morning on the weekends. A homebody.”
“Actually, you remind me of her,” he added. And he regretted it immediately afterwards. Liz couldn’t be any more different from Isabel. They had very different kinds of presences that struck him.
“You say that as if we are boring. I can go clubbing whenever I want. And I’m sure your sister can, too. It’s just that we’d rather do something else.” Liz protested indignantly.
“That’s what my sister says too.” Max teased. “And ‘something else’ happens to be a copy of the tabloid closest to your reach.”
“Then you’ve probably lost your chance to marry me,” Liz whispered jokingly. “How dare you compare me to your sister…I’m calling this relationship off right after all this dancing. I’m gonna get on that stage, and tell your friends. I can never love a man who thinks of me as he thinks of his sister,” she said dramatically.
“So I guess I’d better keep you dancing,” he replied laughing. “And let me warn you, I could definitely keep this up. –Just so I could see you squirm.” He smiled slyly.
“You wouldn’t!” Liz said weakly. Dancing was fun and all, but she just didn’t know how many more moves she could pull without being faced with a step that she wasn’t familiar with.
Max nodded and continued to smile in a falsely menacing way.
“Be warned, Max Evans: I might be forced to step on your toes, if you come through with that threat,” Liz smiled cunningly back. “And if you remember how much pain you faced with that smarty-pants ‘two weeks’ answer, then you’ll know how much more it will hurt, now that I’m standing up, and feeling rather vindictive.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you were feeling threatened by the dancing monster. I’m starting to think that you can’t handle dancing with such a talented man such as myself.”
“Ah, and you decide to mock me. Ha, what a petty way to try to save yourself from the embarrassment of coming only second to me. Poor Max, beaten by a girl,” Liz laughed. “Don’t worry, in such cases as this, men usually recover. Your ego will grow back. Eventually.”
“A dare! -And a mighty easy one and in my favor, at that. I won’t back down. But out of gentlemanly grace, let me give you the chance to back out and I might actually consider not rubbing your chicken-ness in, every chance I get.”
“You’re full of it. Has anyone ever told you that? Probably not. But I won’t back down. I’m going to teach you a lesson, you smug jerk. Bring it on!”
“You have a wild side. I love that in a woman. I can’t just have them pining for me, they have to have something else. Something special.”
“You are not very likely to win me over,” Liz sneered, -though only meaning what she said half-heartedly. “Smug men aren’t my type.”
“And women who have a thing for bondage aren’t exactly my cup of tea,” he quipped. “And you’re obviously sadistic that way.”
Liz was caught off-guard for a moment. “You call being whipped into shape, sadistic? How pathetic of you. You are merely being tutored by a helping hand on humility.”
“Says the one who obsesses over celebrity tabloid stories. Besides, I can’t ever envision you being a teacher of some sort. Or at least, not a very competent one,” Max said looking thoughtful. “Wait a second, is this one of those bondage things of yours? Are you imaging bizarre sex-related things right now? Let me guess, I’ve been a very naughty student. And you’ve come to discipline me with your pointy stilettos. You even named them Mr. Pointykins. Boo-hoo, I am so terrified, I think I peed my pants,” he said with a thick amount of sarcasm.
An old couple that happened to be waltzing past apparently heard what Max had said, and they gave him a very dirty look. Liz tried to hold back the fit of laughter that bubbled up inside her. And Max had enough decency to blush.
After the couple was finally out of earshot, Max’s color returned to normal. “Enough with the talking. Let’s see how much you really suck at dancing.”
“Put a lid on it, your highness, the Prince of Pant-peeing.”
“Pant-peeing? Is that an island off the coast of You’ll-loooze?”
By this time, another song had already started. And it was much more upbeat than the last song. It was a song that was especially for the purpose of salsa.
“Well what do you know, salsa music!” exclaimed Max happily. “Prepare to be beaten to a pulp, Liz Parker.”
“Prepare to meet your doom in dancing,” Liz replied.
They started off with some basic moving and swiveling around, their eyes capturing one another’s in a challenging stare. And then things started heating up, when Max leaned in for a haircomb. He had taken hold of both of Liz’s hands and used them to run through her hair with her own fingers. And as he did this, he got into a really close position and was able to get the smell of Liz into his senses. And it was the sweetest thing that had ever flooded his whole entire senses that it took all of his sanity to keep his eye contact with Liz, and not shut his eyes in pleasure so as to bask in her scent.
She had this unexplainable combination of scents that described her whole being that would take forever to pinpoint one by one. Yet, Max could identify a few notes of rose, lilies, and a cross between vanilla and the scent of coconut flavored chocolate. It was a scent that reminded him of both a well-kept garden at “home”, and the sweet smelling tropical island air. It took over all of what he knew with its own whimsical sparkle of magic, and he had only the impulse of getting closer on his mind, all other thoughts had already faded away unconsciously. And closer he tried to get.
He took a step forward with the intention of cupping Liz’s face and performing a dip. -All the while, his eyes still glued on hers, but somehow, his features had visibly softened as Liz, alone, noticed. But as he inched closer, time seemed to move slower, and as moments ticked on, Liz felt herself softening under their locked stare. She wanted to look away, but something about Max was just so unconsciously good, that she felt her inhibitions dissipate. And as she felt her body going limp, from under her and assuming that she would fall, she moved her right leg forward to support herself. –Only to be dipped by Max, all of a sudden.
Time returned to a normal pace, and she felt her leg slip out from under her, -just as she had managed to take one step forward with it. She tried to regain balance by using her feet to steady herself, but was only rendered in pain by slipping again with a painful twist to her ankle.
If it weren’t for Max realizing immediately what had just happened and catching her before she fell further, Liz would have made an audible thump on the wooden floor. -And not to mention, worse damage to her ankle.
Liz let out a tiny gasp. The pain came almost as soon as Max caught her. It felt as if her ankle was being electrocuted at a very grisly high-voltage power. Her face contorted into a look of shock and pain.
Max tried to steady her. All the while asking, “Are you okay?” Liz did not respond, but was trying to stand properly. The task seemed impossible, though. Having heels on did not help much.
Max’s concern grew as he watched her trying to take a few steps, but was looking more and more pained every time. After observing her attempts a few seconds more, he had had to put his foot down on watching her suffer.
“Let me help you,” he said gently.
Liz held her arms out, expecting him to try to help her walk by letting her lean onto him for support. Instead, what happened was that Max had bended over and carried her, putting one hand on her back, and the other somewhere under her knees. She stared at him in surprise. –And so did a lot of the other people in the room with them.
As in the diner, neither had noticed the people watching them at all.
Max sought for the nearest place he could carry Liz to sit. He brought her over to the bar.
Whilst helping her sit on a stool, he couldn’t help but notice the odd look on her face. It was not of pain, but of something else.
Liz was extremely bewildered, and her face had shown it. –Though Max was not aware that it was an expression of bewilderment on her face. She was so caught up at staring at him that she had slipped. She was a person who seldom messed up in front of anyone, and here she was, with a twisted ankle. She had berated herself on the spot.
“You think you could walk with that?” Max asked, sitting on the stool next to her.
“I’m not so sure,” Liz replied while trying to reach her ankle. It proved to be lots of trouble, since the stool was a rather high one.
Max rushed to the rescue, getting off of his seat and kneeling in front of her. He gingerly touched her ankle, and tried to feel around for the area where it hurt her. Liz winced a few times and indicated where the pain was sharpest.
To help soothe the ache on her foot, Max quickly undid her shoe, and leveled her foot flat. He did the same with the other foot. And only after being assured that Liz was feeling much better, did he sit back down beside her.
They both decided to sit the rest of the dancing out, and got drinks instead.
“I think I deserve a rematch,” Liz said after a few sips of her champagne. She wanted to hide her shame with a bit of humor instead.
“Did you hit your head somewhere along the line?” Max chortled. “Let me remind you that you have just slipped and hurt your ankle.”
“I am aware of that. But I still think that the winner is yet to be proven.”
“Agreed,” said Max as he raised his glass. Liz followed, and they toasted ‘To no one winning!’
“So how do you feel about chocolate fondue?” Max asked.
TBC
Nothing was to be said for either of them, during the first few minutes of their slow dancing. They were still trying to get the feel of one another at that moment. Both wanted to see how the other radiated a personal spark on the dance floor. It was because dancing required a certain amount of intimacy between a man and a woman, to make their chemistry look half-real. And nothing else would require more chemistry at the moment, than their pumped up lie.
It was Liz who spoke first. “So, Max, you seem to be used to this kind of dancing,” she observed. He was actually rather graceful a dancer for someone who didn’t dance for a living. “Are you a closet obsessed-dancer, or something?”
Max raised an eyebrow. “No. But why should a dancer be in the closet?” he asked with curiosity.
“Then you are a closet dancer!” Liz pointed out smugly.
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. You indicated it.”
“No. I just asked why, -of all things, dancers would have to be closeted. -And I did not indicate anything,” he shot back.
“Well, in response to your question: Isn’t everything closeted nowadays?” she asked.
“Point taken,” Max laughed. “You see Eileen, over there?” he asked, angling around so that Liz could get a clear view of Mrs. Wilkes who was now having a conversation with another guest. “She tells us that her husband is away doing business, but I suspect that they haven’t been living in so much peace together. Marriage on the rocks, so to speak.”
“Oh my! Did you talk to her husband about it?” Liz said quickly. “You have to help them make up…-You idiot! I bet you’ve been talking the guy into getting a divorce! You are a horrible influence on your fellowmen!” she babbled.
“Calm down,” Max said. He had the sudden urge to shake her, and prove her wrong. She was just so babbly. Although her babbling had its endearing qualities too. “I haven’t been talking to any of them. Obviously! Otherwise, they’d have known about you, don’t you think?!”
“I’m worried!” Liz said defensively. “Everywhere I go, I hear about once happy couples being on the verge of a split! It’s just too upsetting!”
“Let me guess,” Max smirked. “Everywhere means you have a habit of reading tabloids, when you chance upon them on the many, many newsstands on the streets…”
Liz looked mortified. Seeing her reaction was quite amusing, so Max decided to continue. “Is it the Nick & Jess rumors, or the Brad & Jen break-up?”
“I,-”
“But don’t be too sad. I heard that Nick & Jess are doing great,” he pressed on.
“Hey! Shut up!” Liz said finally finding her voice. “I don’t obsessively read those things! I just get to read them once in a while. –When Maria brings them over, or when the inside story looks interesting enough…-and why am I telling you this?”
“Oh right. I’m invading your privacy. I’m sorry, but I thought that there was trust between us. Y’know, seeing as we’re about to get married,” he joked.
Liz narrowed her eyes. “Don’t take it to heart, Romeo. After all, how could I possibly commit like that to someone whom I’ve only known for two weeks?”
“Love at first sight, my dearest love,” he chuckled.
“Haha.” Liz hissed sarcastically. “Oh, but why do you know so much about those tabloid issues?” she challenged. “You could be reading tabloids yourself.”
“I have a sister,” Max explained. “She’s single, but not the type to go out clubbing ‘till two in the morning on the weekends. A homebody.”
“Actually, you remind me of her,” he added. And he regretted it immediately afterwards. Liz couldn’t be any more different from Isabel. They had very different kinds of presences that struck him.
“You say that as if we are boring. I can go clubbing whenever I want. And I’m sure your sister can, too. It’s just that we’d rather do something else.” Liz protested indignantly.
“That’s what my sister says too.” Max teased. “And ‘something else’ happens to be a copy of the tabloid closest to your reach.”
“Then you’ve probably lost your chance to marry me,” Liz whispered jokingly. “How dare you compare me to your sister…I’m calling this relationship off right after all this dancing. I’m gonna get on that stage, and tell your friends. I can never love a man who thinks of me as he thinks of his sister,” she said dramatically.
“So I guess I’d better keep you dancing,” he replied laughing. “And let me warn you, I could definitely keep this up. –Just so I could see you squirm.” He smiled slyly.
“You wouldn’t!” Liz said weakly. Dancing was fun and all, but she just didn’t know how many more moves she could pull without being faced with a step that she wasn’t familiar with.
Max nodded and continued to smile in a falsely menacing way.
“Be warned, Max Evans: I might be forced to step on your toes, if you come through with that threat,” Liz smiled cunningly back. “And if you remember how much pain you faced with that smarty-pants ‘two weeks’ answer, then you’ll know how much more it will hurt, now that I’m standing up, and feeling rather vindictive.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you were feeling threatened by the dancing monster. I’m starting to think that you can’t handle dancing with such a talented man such as myself.”
“Ah, and you decide to mock me. Ha, what a petty way to try to save yourself from the embarrassment of coming only second to me. Poor Max, beaten by a girl,” Liz laughed. “Don’t worry, in such cases as this, men usually recover. Your ego will grow back. Eventually.”
“A dare! -And a mighty easy one and in my favor, at that. I won’t back down. But out of gentlemanly grace, let me give you the chance to back out and I might actually consider not rubbing your chicken-ness in, every chance I get.”
“You’re full of it. Has anyone ever told you that? Probably not. But I won’t back down. I’m going to teach you a lesson, you smug jerk. Bring it on!”
“You have a wild side. I love that in a woman. I can’t just have them pining for me, they have to have something else. Something special.”
“You are not very likely to win me over,” Liz sneered, -though only meaning what she said half-heartedly. “Smug men aren’t my type.”
“And women who have a thing for bondage aren’t exactly my cup of tea,” he quipped. “And you’re obviously sadistic that way.”
Liz was caught off-guard for a moment. “You call being whipped into shape, sadistic? How pathetic of you. You are merely being tutored by a helping hand on humility.”
“Says the one who obsesses over celebrity tabloid stories. Besides, I can’t ever envision you being a teacher of some sort. Or at least, not a very competent one,” Max said looking thoughtful. “Wait a second, is this one of those bondage things of yours? Are you imaging bizarre sex-related things right now? Let me guess, I’ve been a very naughty student. And you’ve come to discipline me with your pointy stilettos. You even named them Mr. Pointykins. Boo-hoo, I am so terrified, I think I peed my pants,” he said with a thick amount of sarcasm.
An old couple that happened to be waltzing past apparently heard what Max had said, and they gave him a very dirty look. Liz tried to hold back the fit of laughter that bubbled up inside her. And Max had enough decency to blush.
After the couple was finally out of earshot, Max’s color returned to normal. “Enough with the talking. Let’s see how much you really suck at dancing.”
“Put a lid on it, your highness, the Prince of Pant-peeing.”
“Pant-peeing? Is that an island off the coast of You’ll-loooze?”
By this time, another song had already started. And it was much more upbeat than the last song. It was a song that was especially for the purpose of salsa.
“Well what do you know, salsa music!” exclaimed Max happily. “Prepare to be beaten to a pulp, Liz Parker.”
“Prepare to meet your doom in dancing,” Liz replied.
They started off with some basic moving and swiveling around, their eyes capturing one another’s in a challenging stare. And then things started heating up, when Max leaned in for a haircomb. He had taken hold of both of Liz’s hands and used them to run through her hair with her own fingers. And as he did this, he got into a really close position and was able to get the smell of Liz into his senses. And it was the sweetest thing that had ever flooded his whole entire senses that it took all of his sanity to keep his eye contact with Liz, and not shut his eyes in pleasure so as to bask in her scent.
She had this unexplainable combination of scents that described her whole being that would take forever to pinpoint one by one. Yet, Max could identify a few notes of rose, lilies, and a cross between vanilla and the scent of coconut flavored chocolate. It was a scent that reminded him of both a well-kept garden at “home”, and the sweet smelling tropical island air. It took over all of what he knew with its own whimsical sparkle of magic, and he had only the impulse of getting closer on his mind, all other thoughts had already faded away unconsciously. And closer he tried to get.
He took a step forward with the intention of cupping Liz’s face and performing a dip. -All the while, his eyes still glued on hers, but somehow, his features had visibly softened as Liz, alone, noticed. But as he inched closer, time seemed to move slower, and as moments ticked on, Liz felt herself softening under their locked stare. She wanted to look away, but something about Max was just so unconsciously good, that she felt her inhibitions dissipate. And as she felt her body going limp, from under her and assuming that she would fall, she moved her right leg forward to support herself. –Only to be dipped by Max, all of a sudden.
Time returned to a normal pace, and she felt her leg slip out from under her, -just as she had managed to take one step forward with it. She tried to regain balance by using her feet to steady herself, but was only rendered in pain by slipping again with a painful twist to her ankle.
If it weren’t for Max realizing immediately what had just happened and catching her before she fell further, Liz would have made an audible thump on the wooden floor. -And not to mention, worse damage to her ankle.
Liz let out a tiny gasp. The pain came almost as soon as Max caught her. It felt as if her ankle was being electrocuted at a very grisly high-voltage power. Her face contorted into a look of shock and pain.
Max tried to steady her. All the while asking, “Are you okay?” Liz did not respond, but was trying to stand properly. The task seemed impossible, though. Having heels on did not help much.
Max’s concern grew as he watched her trying to take a few steps, but was looking more and more pained every time. After observing her attempts a few seconds more, he had had to put his foot down on watching her suffer.
“Let me help you,” he said gently.
Liz held her arms out, expecting him to try to help her walk by letting her lean onto him for support. Instead, what happened was that Max had bended over and carried her, putting one hand on her back, and the other somewhere under her knees. She stared at him in surprise. –And so did a lot of the other people in the room with them.
As in the diner, neither had noticed the people watching them at all.
Max sought for the nearest place he could carry Liz to sit. He brought her over to the bar.
Whilst helping her sit on a stool, he couldn’t help but notice the odd look on her face. It was not of pain, but of something else.
Liz was extremely bewildered, and her face had shown it. –Though Max was not aware that it was an expression of bewilderment on her face. She was so caught up at staring at him that she had slipped. She was a person who seldom messed up in front of anyone, and here she was, with a twisted ankle. She had berated herself on the spot.
“You think you could walk with that?” Max asked, sitting on the stool next to her.
“I’m not so sure,” Liz replied while trying to reach her ankle. It proved to be lots of trouble, since the stool was a rather high one.
Max rushed to the rescue, getting off of his seat and kneeling in front of her. He gingerly touched her ankle, and tried to feel around for the area where it hurt her. Liz winced a few times and indicated where the pain was sharpest.
To help soothe the ache on her foot, Max quickly undid her shoe, and leveled her foot flat. He did the same with the other foot. And only after being assured that Liz was feeling much better, did he sit back down beside her.
They both decided to sit the rest of the dancing out, and got drinks instead.
“I think I deserve a rematch,” Liz said after a few sips of her champagne. She wanted to hide her shame with a bit of humor instead.
“Did you hit your head somewhere along the line?” Max chortled. “Let me remind you that you have just slipped and hurt your ankle.”
“I am aware of that. But I still think that the winner is yet to be proven.”
“Agreed,” said Max as he raised his glass. Liz followed, and they toasted ‘To no one winning!’
“So how do you feel about chocolate fondue?” Max asked.
TBC