The Auburn Pokè Girl: Part 2.

Smack-talking with a hot babe gamer.

Based on a post  by a u guy86, in 3 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time.

“Dude, you won’t believe what happened today,” Michael called out as he arrived back at his apartment.

“What’s up?” Antonio asked from the sofa.

“You know the girl from the basketball games?”

“That hot little trainer? Yeah?”

“She’s a member of the A U Pokémon League!”

“Are you serious?! Wha… what happened? Did you talk to her?” he asked.

“Yeah, we played a couple of games. She’s good; maybe the best I’ve ever played against,” Michael replied.

“That’s all? You just… played video games?” Antonio wondered, cocking his eyebrow.

“I, uh, might have also gotten her to agree to come to the Valentine’s Day dance with me,” Michael admitted.

“That’s what I’m talking’ about!” Antonio cheered, fist-bumping Michael. “You got a big day tomorrow. You ready for this?”

“To be honest… no, I’m not.”

“Whatchya mean?”

“Dude, I’ve never been on a real date before, let alone had an actual girlfriend!” Michael replied. “I don’t know the first thing about women!”

Grinning, Antonio said, “Don’t you worry; I got your back.”

“Yeah, says my gay roommate,” Michael teased.

“Not cool, dude. Here I am, trying to help you out, and you gotta go and question my sexuality!” Antonio fired back with a laugh. “But in all seriousness, if you doubt which way I swing… you could always ask Allison Smallwood.”

“You and Allison Smallwood?”

“You bet your ass! We’ll be at the dance tomorrow.”

“Lucky bastard…” Michael grumbled.

“Hey, I’ve seen that trainer you’ve been pining over. You ain’t got nothing’ to be jealous of! Her name’s Ashley, right?”

“Yeah, but how’d you know?”

“Allison told me,” Antonio said. “I was trying’ to gather information in case you needed a stronger shove to chat her up.”

“I take it back. You’re not a lucky bastard, you’re a sneaky bastard!”

“Damn straight! Now, let’s get you ready for your big date. Take a seat, my man.” As Michael plopped down in the chair across from him, Antonio continued, “Now, the first rule to remember is that she’s in charge. Anything she says ‘no’ to or isn’t comfortable with, that’s what goes. Understand?”

“Easy enough.”

“Good. But remember, even though she’s in charge, she’ll still want you to take the lead sometimes. The most attractive thing to most women is confidence. Not cockiness, but confidence.”

“Knew there was a catch,” Michael sighed.

“Don’t do that, man. That’s exactly what I’m talking’ about. The minute you get down on yourself just ‘cause you think you’re not good enough, that’s when the girl will pick up on it. As cliché as it sounds, you have to just be you. You don’t want to go too over the top with your personality, or she’ll think you’re compensating for something, but you don’t wanna stifle your personality either, or she won’t get to know the real you. Worst case, she’ll think you don’t like her. But if you just act like you and be confident in that, everything else will fall into place. Trust me.”

“I’m assuming I need to open doors and everything like that?”

“Definitely start out that way, yeah,” Antonio answered. “Now, it’s entirely possible she may not like that, particularly if she’s strong and independent. If she reacts negatively, don’t panic. Just explain that you were taught to do those things as a sign of respect and good manners. That ought to be enough, but if she’s still not keen on it, don’t force the issue.”

“Ok, but… what if she wants me to hold her hand or… kiss her? How am I supposed to know and not fuck it up?”

“As far as holding her hand, it’s a dance. That means you two will be in close proximity all night; handholding is gonna happen on its own, so don’t stress over it. Now, as for kissing, you have to read the signs.”

“The signs?” Michael asked.

“Damn, ain’t you ever seen Hitch? Will Smith wrote the book on reading signs!”

“Dude, you know I can’t stand romantic comedies!” Michael laughed.

“With your luck, Ashley will feel the same way,” Antonio chuckled. “Anyway, the signs. If she’s smiling and maybe laughing at everything you two do together, that’s a sign she’s into you. If she finds any excuse in the world to touch you or take your arm, that’s a sign she’s into you. If you two find yourselves alone and she’s in no hurry to go back to where there’s more people, that’s a sign she’s into you. If you’re at her door and she fumbling with her keys, in no hurry to let the date end, that’s a sign she’s into you. And finally, if there’s a long silence where she maintains eye contact with you the whole time, that’s a full on signal she probably wants you to kiss her.”

“Probably?”

“Yeah, probably. There’s never any guarantee, especially when it comes to the fairer sex. The first kiss is always built on taking a chance. Keep in mind, the chance may not come tomorrow night, and that’s ok. That doesn’t mean she’s not into you, it may just mean she plays things close to the vest.”

“Fair enough. But what do I do if I get the signal? Just kiss her?”

“Naw, dude. You gotta use the 90/10 rule.”

“90/10 rule?”

Antonio sighed. “Man, this would be so much easier if you had seen Hitch. The 90/10 rule is simple: you have to go 90% of the way towards your first kiss with her, but make her come the last 10%. For example, imagine that long silence where she maintains eye contact the whole time. You maintain eye contact, too. That’s 20%. You smile, maybe laugh. That’s 20%. You put your hand on her arm. That’s 20%. You start to lean in closer. That’s 20%. Your faces are almost touching, and you stop. That’s 10%. She’s got to come the last 10%. The point of all that is to make your intentions clear while still giving her plenty of opportunity to pull back if she wants, and if she does, that’s ok.”

“Easy for you to say…”

“Again, stop that. Some gals play things conservatively to start with on account of being burned in the past. Nothing’ wrong with that, you just have to show that you’re trustworthy before she starts to open up. It certainly doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you if that were to happen.”

“Guess that’s true.”

“Now, for the final piece of the puzzle. Whatchya gonna wear tomorrow?”

Michael’s face twisted in panic. “I have no fucking clue!” he realized.

“No sweat! You’re looking at a master of the threads,” Antonio boasted. “You got a suit?”

“Just a black one I use for interviews and presentations.”

“Lemme see.”

Dressed to kill.

Michael led the way into his closet and pulled out his black suit and white dress shirt. Antonio looked them over for a moment before tossing them on the bed.

“This’ll work. Got a tie?” he asked Michael.

“Yeah,” Michael replied, pulling out a striped red and white tie.

Antonio snorted a bit. “Good enough for a job interview, but not even close for a Valentine’s Day date.”

“Ok, what about a black tie?”

“A black tie with a black suit?! You gonna look like a damn Mormon, man! Put the suit on; I’ll be right back.” Antonio returned a couple minutes later with a few of his own neckties in hand. “The black suit and white shirt is a staple of any man’s wardrobe because of its incredible versatility. The tie is the most crucial aspect of this versatility. It’s the accent that allows the suit to send any message you want it to.”

“You are so obsessed,” Michael chuckled.

“I’ll choose to ignore your continued condescension,” Antonio shot back. Holding up a pale orange tie to Michael’s neck, he shook his head, saying, “Nah, you’re definitely not a pastels kind of guy. Whatchya think of this one?”

Examining the wine colored tie with a starburst pattern, Michael replied, “Too loud for my tastes.”

“No problem. Let’s see… ah ha! This is it!” Antonio held up a solid royal blue tie to Michael’s neck.

“Hmm… not bad,” Michael admitted.

“Not bad? Dude, this one is perfect for you! Goes great with your skin tone and the suit color, plus it sends the right message: confidence. It’s a strong color, but the lack of pattern makes sure it’s not too loud or trendy. It’s classic, just like you, my man. Here, put it on.”

As Michael fumbled a bit in front of his floor mirror, he asked, “What knot do you think I should use? Half Windsor?”

“Nah, a full Windsor is almost always best,” Antonio replied. “Symmetrical and confident, but not too over the top. A half Windsor can come off as sloppy.”

Michael took a few seconds to remember the steps for a full Windsor in his head before tying the knot around his neck. When he was finished, he had to admit he was impressed with the final product.

“Damn… I’d do me.”

“And who knows? Ashley may feel the same way,” Antonio grinned.

Michael took several deep breaths as he ascended the stairs in Ashley’s apartment building. Antonio had done everything he could think of to make sure he was prepared yesterday, but Michael was still a nervous wreck. There was something special about this girl, and he did not want to screw it up. With a trembling hand, he reached forward and knocked on the door to apartment 2B.

“Yes?” came a voice from the other side.

“I’m Michael Goldman, here to pick up Ashley.”

“That’s right! Hold on a sec.”

A moment later, the door swung open, revealing a slim redhead with a pixie haircut. Dressed in a tank top and gym shorts, she had a hint of makeup on that seemed to indicate she was getting ready for Valentine’s Day, too.

“Hey! I’m Liz, Ashley’s roommate,” she said, extending her hand with a bubbly smile.

“Michael. Nice to meet you,” he replied, shaking her hand.

“Make yourself comfortable; Ashley should be ready in a little bit,” Liz said.

“No problem. Take your time.”

Liz adjourned to one of the back bedrooms to check on Ashley, finding her seated in front of the vanity. Her hair had been dried after her shower, but she still wore a towel wrapped around her body. She seemed lost and befuddled as she perused her makeup selection.

“Your guy’s here,” Liz giggled. “He’s cute! I’d totally be all over him… ya know, if I weren’t a lesbian.”

“Hands off, he’s mine!” Ashley laughed.

“You ok? You look lost.”

“Yeah, I just have no idea what to use. I want to make the right impression.”

“May I?” Taking a seat next to Ashley on the bench, Liz continued, “To be honest, you don’t need much. The point of makeup is to accentuate your best features, but much more than that just starts to look clownish. Here, a little bit of eyeliner… there, that’s perfect. Just add a touch of lip gloss and you’re good!”

“That’s it? What if he’s not impressed?” Ashley worried.

“Jesus, I’ve never seen you this worried about a date! He must have really gotten to you yesterday,” Liz giggled. “Don’t worry; if he’s the kind of guy I suspect he is, then he’ll enjoy every moment with you no matter how much makeup you use. Seriously, he gonna be speechless, girl.”

“If you say so. Thanks for letting me borrow your dress, by the way. Lord knows I don’t have anything to wear for something like this.”

“My pleasure! Gay or straight, I’m still a girl who likes wearing pretty things!”

“If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you were just as bad as all those sorostitutes,” Ashley deadpanned.

Hugging her friend, Liz said, “Oh, I won’t be home ‘til after lunch tomorrow, so you two can have the place to yourselves.”

“Liz! I just met the guy yesterday! I have no intention of sleeping with him!”

“I know, but I don’t want the lack of somewhere private to hamper your date tonight. Should the opportunity present itself, you two have somewhere to come after the dance, that’s all. No pressure.”

Rolling her eyes, Ashley realized her roommate was only trying to be considerate and helpful. “Thanks.”

“Welcome. All right, you finish getting ready. There’s a cutie outside waiting on you!” Liz replied, bouncing up to her feet.

Michael fidgeted on the sofa, nervous as all hell as he waited for Ashley. He had expected to wait like this; Antonio made sure of that. Still, talking about the wait and experiencing it are two completely different things. A moment later, he heard the door open and snapped to attention, seeing Liz enter the living room.

“She’s almost ready, just a minute or two more.”

“No problem.” Remembering a suggestion Antonio had given him, Michael asked, “Hey, Liz… what’s Ashley’s favorite song?”

Eying him, she asked, “Why do you want to know?”

“I, uh, had the idea of surprising her by requesting it at some point tonight,” Michael admitted.

A wide grin soon spread across Liz’s face. “That’s a great idea. She’s got lots of favorites, but the top one is probably Welcome to the Black Parade.”

“My Chemical Romance. She’s got good taste,” Michael remarked.

“In music, at least,” Liz smirked. “We’ll see after tonight how her taste in men is.”

Before Michael could respond, Ashley’s bedroom door creaked open to reveal his date for the evening. She wore a red A-line halter-top dress that extended down to about her knees. Though the dress flared out at the skirt, the top half hugged her form nicely, displaying her flat stomach and the curvature of her tits. The sleeveless top exposed a tattoo of a shooting star on her left shoulder. His eyes soon drifted up to her face, which was the most adorable thing he had ever seen in his life. To Michael, the fact that she wore so little makeup made her even more attractive. Her strawberry blonde hair had been straightened and now hung down past her shoulders; a headband with a small flower on top completed the ensemble. Of course, her bangs were still side swept over her right eye, which Michael surmised was part of her signature look.

“Well?” Ashley asked nervously, giving a little twirl.

“You look incredible,” Michael managed through his own nerves.

“Thanks,” Ashley replied, walking over to him. “You clean up nice, yourself.”

“Ok, smile!” Liz said, snapping a few pictures of them.

“Dammit, Liz! You know I hate having my picture taken!” Ashley laughed.

“I’m sorry, I don’t recall giving you a choice in the matter,” Liz replied, sticking her tongue out at her roommate. Handing her a wrap that matched the dress, Liz said, “Oh, you’ll need this. It’s a bit cool out there.

“Thanks, Mom,” Ashley smirked as she rolled her eyes. “Ready to go?”

“Definitely,” Michael grinned.

“You kids have fun!” Liz called out, causing Ashley to flip her off before closing the door behind her.

“So, yeah… that’s Liz, my lesbian roommate,” Ashley sighed as they started their walk towards campus.

“I like her,” Michael replied.

“Of course you do! She’s gorgeous!” Ashley teased.

“Not what I meant, but yes, she’s quite the looker. But more than that, she seems like a great friend.”

“Yeah, I guess she kind of is. Just don’t tell her that.”

“So, tell me about Ashley?” Michael asked. “Where you from, where you’re going, and all that?”

“Well, my family lives about thirty minutes south of here. My original plan after high school was to learn the body art business, but Dad pushed me to try and find a path to college. Nobody in our family has ever gone to college, but he knew I had the capability if I would work for it. Since I had helped out with injuries on the sports teams at my high school, I decided to look into the sports medicine program at Auburn. Once I got a scholarship as a student trainer, the rest was history!”

“That’s awesome,” Michael said. “I know college isn’t for everyone, but I’m glad your dad pushed you.”

“I am, too. I’m definitely in a better place than I would have been.”

“Any siblings?”

“Two older sisters. One’s a beautician in my hometown, the other moved down to Mobile with her husband,” Ashley replied.

“Nice. You mentioned your dad. What about your mom?”

Ashley grimaced at this. “Mom ran off with some guy when I was six…”

Michael cursed himself for bringing up the topic. “I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“It’s fine,” Ashley said, linking her arm in his. “It just helped me learn what family really is. In spite of everything, Dad never got down or blamed us for anything. Hell, he never even said a bad thing about Mom.”

“He sounds like a great guy.”

“The only male I’ve met that I know I can trust,” Ashley agreed. “Now, what about you? What’s your story?”

“Me? I grew up in Dunwoody. It’s a suburb just north of Atlanta. As I’m sure you guessed from my last name and my nose, yes, I’m Jewish!” he laughed.

“I had wondered if that was the case,” Ashley grinned.

“There’s not much way to hide it. Pale complexion, the nose, and dark curly hair… I’m pretty stereotypical.”

“Nothing wrong with that. You are who you are, so own it!”

Huh. Maybe Antonio was on to something?

Shaking his thoughts away, Michael focused back in on his date. “Anyway, I grew up in a pretty normal family, if there is such a thing. Only child, went to synagogue every Saturday, annoying yet loving parents…”

“Sounds better than what I had,” Ashley agreed with a smile.

“Eh, you seem to have turned out just fine. In spite of everything, your dad still wants the best for you.”

“Yeah,” she said wistfully, realizing she actually had a pretty good family in spite of her life circumstances. “So, what brought you to Auburn all the way from Atlanta?”

“Family school. I’m a second generation Tiger. Both parents went and met here, plus my aunt and uncle, then their two daughters…”

“Indoctrinated from birth much?” Ashley teased.

“Wait… we talking college or are we back to Judaism?” Michael replied, eliciting another laugh from Ashley. “But yeah, very much brainwashed in favor of Auburn. When I was little, I used to think that all kids went to Elementary School, then Middle School, then High School, and then Auburn.”

They walked along for a few moments in comfortable silence before Ashley said, “It’s awesome that you can laugh at yourself. I try to do that, but I don’t always succeed.”

Michael shrugged. “I’m a walking talking caricature, so why not admit it? Makes it impossible to get offended, I’ll tell ya that.”

“You don’t get offended by anything?”

“Not really.”

“Not even a topic that hits close to home?” Ashley wondered.

“Depends,” Michael replied. “Take Hitler, for example. Evil man, and I hope there’s never another like him, but I’m glad he existed. If he hadn’t, my grandparents would never have fled Germany and met on the voyage to America, falling in love and eventually having my dad. If not for Hitler, I’m never born, plain and simple. Perspective.”

“That’s a great way to think about it,” Ashley said, becoming more impressed with this guy by the second. “So, are we walking because today is Saturday? No working on the Sabbath?”

“Nah, we’re walking because we’re poor college students who have to beg for gas money,” he remarked. “But that’s only something the more conservative branches of Judaism practice. My family is part of Reformed Judaism. Basically, we aren’t supposed to work on the Sabbath, but individuals have to determine on their own what constitutes ‘work’. For example, yard work might be considered a chore for one person, so they refrain from it, but it may be a relaxing means of recreation for someone else, so they do it.”

“That makes sense,” Ashley nodded. “That’s so cool that your faith is such a natural part of your life. Like, you don’t even have to think about it; it’s just like breathing. To be honest, I kinda wish I had something like that…”

“You guys never went to church growing up?”

Ashley shook her head. “Mom was a big Bible thumper for the short time I remember of her, but then she ran off with some C E O type. At least, that’s what my big sisters say. Dad never could bear to bring us to church after that. I think it reminded him too much of the things he used to love doing with Mom. And as big as she was on religion, I guess that pretty much turned me off to the concept. Of course, then I see you, mature and strong in your faith without all the pompous arrogance…”

“Makes you think, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Good! When done right, religion is supposed to make you think.”

Ashley smiled at this, leaning a bit closer to Michael as they walked. She was now finding out that there was far more to him than met the eye. Beneath his nerdy exterior was a deep, contemplative man with an incredible amount of maturity and perspective. The fact that he could discuss Hitler so calmly was impressive in and of itself; hell, Ashley doubted she would be able to keep her cool on anything regarding Hitler were she in Michael’s position. Combine that with the way he discussed his faith, calm and thoughtful without actively trying to convert her lest she burn for eternity, and she began to question many of her own preconceived notions. Might there actually be people of strong faith that were different from her mom? In spite of her mom’s hypocrisy, Michael was beginning to convince her that it was possible.

“Hey, you ok?” Michael asked, nudging her in the side.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m great,” Ashley replied, holding his arm a little tighter.

By now, they had arrived at the student union building on campus. Ashley hesitated a bit when Michael held the door for her, as she wasn’t used to that sort of gentlemanly behavior, but accepted without protest. Liz had reminded her that such actions weren’t meant to belittle her but rather were a man’s way of focusing his attention on his date, provided they weren’t forced. As Liz had said, sometimes it’s the smallest actions that tell you the most about a person. Ashley chuckled inwardly at realizing that her lesbian roomie understood men better than she did. Michael then took her wrap as Antonio had instructed and handed it to the coat checker. Again, Ashley was surprised by his old-school manners, though she was growing fond of them. Michael had to mentally slap himself to keep from staring at Ashley’s gorgeous body, instead keeping his eyes on hers, where they belonged.

They made their way into the large common room, finding the party already in full swing. At least two dozen couples were on the dance floor, and at least that many milled around the tables situated on the walls. Ashley was pleased to see that, despite it being Valentine’s Day, the atmosphere was fun and casual, rather than stuffy. The DJ was currently playing Walk the Moon’s Shut Up and Dance. As they hadn’t eaten, Michael suggested they check out what food was available, to which Ashley readily agreed. They spent a half hour grazing on the various finger foods and appetizers. No alcohol was served, being that the dance was an official university event, but that suited them just fine. The last thing Michael wanted was to give Ashley the impression that he was trying to get her drunk, and Ashley had no intentions of drinking on a first date.

“Ashley! You came!” came a squeal.

Turning, Ashley saw her friend from the basketball team approaching in a form-hugging navy blue party dress.

“Allie! How are ya, girl?”

“I’m great, and even better now that I know you decided to come,” Allison grinned. “What changed?”

“I… got asked by someone,” Ashley admitted, blushing a bit. “Allie, this is Michael. Michael, you of course know who Allison Smallwood is.”

“Of course. Michael Goldman,” he replied, shaking her hand. “I’m one of the photographers for The Plainsman.”

“Fantastic! Glad you got our girl to loosen up and have some fun tonight!” Allison agreed.

“Yeah. I’m just glad she said yes,” Michael remarked, glancing at Ashley, who was still blushing.

“Hey! No stealing’ my date, dude!”

Seeing his roommate walking over, Michael shot back, “Not my fault if you can’t keep her, Antonio!” After greeting him with a fist bump, Michael said, “Ashley, this is my roommate, Antonio.”

“Good to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Antonio said with a grin. “Glad our boy finally asked you out. He’s only been pining over you for a few months!”

“Dude, you’re full of shit,” Michael remarked.

“Oh, you shoulda heard some of the awful poetry he’d stay up late and write!” Antonio continued.

“Look at that, Ashley. You see all the smoke coming out of his ass?” Michael replied, eliciting a giggle from Ashley.

“Antonio, behave,” Allison whispered into his ear. “That is, if you know what’s best for you…”

Antonio cooled a bit at this, picking up on the obvious innuendo in Allison’s sultry voice. He and Michael stepped aside for a few minutes to pick up some Cokes for their dates. Meanwhile, Allison was still excited at seeing Ashley there with an actual date.

“Girl, your date is super cute!” she said once the guys were out of earshot.

“Yeah, he is, isn’t he?” Ashley agreed. “He’s got the sexy nerd vibe going on, which is right up my alley. Of course, your guy’s kinda gorgeous, too.”

“Yeah, Antonio’s a lot of fun,” Allison said. “Dunno how long it’ll last, but it’s a hell of a ride while it does.” Biting her lower lip, she asked, “So, what changed your mind? Last I heard, you were bitching about not being caught dead with all these ‘sorostitutes and fratdaddies’, right?”

Ashley shrugged. “Part of it was the reason Michael wanted to come. His high school prom was cancelled, and just wants to know what it’s like. And the way he treated me when we first met, no prejudices or putdowns, I found myself wanting to get to know him better. So, against my better judgment, I said yes.”

“Wow. That’s quite a change in attitude,” Allison observed.

“Yeah… I’m not sure why, but I’m having more fun than I ever thought I would.”

“I know why: Michael.”

“I mean… he’s a fantastic guy, but can one person change an entire event? Especially one that I’d otherwise never be caught dead at?” Ashley wondered.

Allison rolled her eyes a bit. “Girl, this is something you’ve got to learn. When you’re with the right person, it doesn’t matter what the event or activity is. Being with someone that you connect with makes anything more fun and enjoyable.”

“Hmm… I guess Michael is pretty special. It only makes sense he’d make an otherwise insufferable event more bearable,” Ashley agreed.

Getting a twinkle in her eye, Allison asked, “So, just how special is he?”

“What are you getting at?” Ashley replied warily.

Allison leaned close and continued, “You gonna sleep with him?”

“Absolutely not!” Ashley laughed. “You know me. I don’t just hop into bed with any guy I meet. It’s brought me nothing but trouble in the past.”

“I know, and I respect that about you,” Allison smiled. “Still, Michael does seem different from most guys, in a good way.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“All I’m saying is… if there’s a connection there, don’t ignore it. He might turn out to be everything you’ve been looking for.”

“Seriously? Bullshit happily-ever-after dreams? You know I don’t fall for those,” Ashley huffed.

“Yeah, and I also know you’d never want to come to a dance like this. All the same, here you are,” Allison giggled. “I’m not telling you to sleep with him. All I’m saying is I don’t want the right guy for you to slip away just because you were too focused on playing it safe. Keep your heart open; that’s all I ask.”

“Yes, Dr. Phil,” Ashley retorted, sticking her tongue out at Allison.

By now, the guys had returned with the Cokes. After a few sips, Allison took Antonio’s hand and dragged him onto the dance floor. Ashley was content to hang on the sidelines with Michael for a bit longer, until she heard the distinct opening chords of the next song.

“Wait… is that?”

“Welcome to the Black Parade,” Michael replied with a grin. “I requested it.”

Ashley’s jaw dropped. “How the hell did you know to request this song?!”

“How else? I asked Liz!”

“You sneaky bastard!” Ashley laughed, punching his shoulder. “Come on, get out here, mister.”

Grabbing Michael’s arm, Ashley had brought him onto the dance floor just as the frantic second half of the song was about to start. Still, Ashley wasn’t exactly a dancer and only planned on doing some head banging to her favorite song… maybe even find an excuse to get close to Michael along the way. Michael, on the other hand, had other plans.

Unknown to anyone else, Michael had learned the art of swing dancing from his cousin, Esther. Before prom was cancelled, Michael had no luck at all finding a date to go with him. His plan had been to learn to dance in secret, then find someone willing to dance with him at prom, whereupon he would let loose. He figured that at least some of the girls there would be lining up to dance with him after that, and it might have worked had prom gone on as planned. He had kept this a secret for three years, but now, it was time to finally let loose.

Taking Ashley’s hand, he winked and said, “I’ll lead.”

Before Ashley could even think to ask what he meant, she felt his firm yet comforting grasp pulling her closer to him. She had no chance at all of containing her surprise at this change, going with Michael as much as possible. Despite the innate flashiness of swing dancing, he kept his moves relatively simple, making sure his steps would either be easy for Ashley to follow or require almost no reaction on her part. As Michael spun her around, Ashley’s eyes lit up with sheer delight. A lesser woman might be frightened off or intimidated by this display, but not Ashley. She recognized that he was showing her a part of himself that very few would ever get to see. That sort of confidence was such a turn-on for her, and she could definitely feel her panties getting a little damp. All too soon, the song ended, and Michael slowed to let Ashley catch her breath. Unsurprisingly, a circle had formed around them, and the onlookers gave a round of applause for Michael’s impromptu show.

“Holy shit… where did you learn to do that?!” Ashley laughed, still panting from the experience.

“My cousin, Esther,” Michael replied, explaining his plan for his high school prom.

“Huh… that’s a hell of a plan. It probably would’ve worked, too,” Ashley remarked. “Seems to be working now.”

Michael looked around and saw a surprising number of attractive young women inching closer, their eyes begging him to dance with them. With a wry grin, he took Ashley’s hand and spun her close to him once more.

“Too bad for them. Tonight, I’m only dancing with you.”

Ashley snorted a bit at this. “Oh my god, you’re so cheesy.”

“Hey, if it works!”

As the next song was more moderately paced, Michael helped Ashley pick up on the basic steps of swing dancing. She was a fast learner, and found that she enjoyed it quite a lot. By the end of the song, she was able to follow and anticipate his actions with little difficulty. It was then, of course, that the moment Michael had dreaded arrived: the slow number. As the sounds of Berlin’s Take My Breath Away filled the room, Ashley instinctively moved in close and slipped her arms around Michael’s neck.

“You’re not getting away from me, mister. Not after those last two songs,” she whispered with a smile.

“I… sorry, I’m just… really bad at slow dancing,” Michael stuttered.

Ashley cocked her eyebrow at this. Michael seemed like a completely different person than the man of confidence he had been mere moments ago.

“Your cousin didn’t teach you?” she asked.

“No… must have slipped our minds,” he replied, silently cursing himself.

“Well, I don’t think there’s much to it,” Ashley said patiently. “Here, put your hands on my waist. See? Easy.”

Ashley took the lead from there, not dancing so much as rocking back and forth with Michael as they slowly spun in a circle. To the outside observer, it may have looked like they were at a middle school dance, but she didn’t care. She was having the time of her life, and it was all because of Michael; the last thing she wanted was for a slow number to take away his confidence. Soon, they developed a steady rhythm, and Michael began to relax.

“Not so bad, is it?” Ashley giggled.

“Guess not,” Michael sighed.

“So, can I ask how you’re so good at swing dancing if slow dancing terrifies you?”

“Swing dancing is basically a science. Kinda like Pokémon, it’s all about following your cues and keeping to your plan. But slow dancing is… intimidating. It naturally brings about more emotional intimacy, which makes me terrified I’m gonna screw something up. Plus, I’m more likely to crush a girl’s toes while slow dancing than anything else.”

With a sweet smile, Ashley replied, “You aren’t screwing it up with me.”

Michael didn’t know what to say to this, so he played it safe and said nothing at all. Still, even he couldn’t miss the signs. Ashley was leaning in very close to him, maintaining eye contact the entire time. Everything he did seemed to make her smile, and he could even feel her running her fingers through the back of his short curly hair. It seemed like Antonio was right: she was into him. But what if he was wrong? If he tried to kiss her and she reacted negatively, the results could be nothing short of disastrous. Still, Antonio’s words replayed over and over in Michael’s head.

The first kiss is always built on taking a chance.

Knowing it was now or never, the ever-conservative Michael decided he had to take the chance. He made sure to remind himself of the 90/10 rule, then began to make his move. First, he maintained eye contact with Ashley, giving a little smile the whole time. Ashley responded positively to this, so he continued by moving one of his hands to caress the small of her back through her dress. She gave no hint of disapproval, and even began to run her fingers through his hair a bit more obviously. Drawing her closer as they swayed, Michael soon felt her perky tits pressing against him. He did have the presence of mind to shift his pelvis a bit so as not to scare her with his obvious erection. Their faces drew closer by the second; he could feel her hot breath on his chin. Still, she didn’t pull away or balk in the slightest. Closing his eyes, Michael leaned is face closer, making sure to stop just short of her lips.

Antonio’s advice worked to perfection. Ashley was completely mesmerized by Michael. She knew the entire time what he was up to, and had secretly been hoping he might try to kiss her. Thankfully, her subtle hint of running her fingers through his hair seemed to have gotten the message across. Then, when he stopped millimeters short of kissing her, she knew he was giving her every chance to back out of it. That tiny action made her melt in his arms. She knew Michael was different, but now she saw just how different he was from all the guys she had dated in the past. He was into her, but still afforded her every opportunity to gracefully exit the situation if she so desired. To her, it was a no-brainer.

Ashley leaned forward and closed the remaining distance between her and Michael, at last pressing her lips against his. The feeling was electric. To them, it was as if the entire world around them had ceased to exist. There were no other dancers around them, no distractions to ruin the moment, and they barely even noticed the music playing. All they cared about was savoring their first kiss, one that both would later describe as the best first kiss imaginable. It was quite simple, without any tongue to speak of, but the tension and atmosphere made it incredibly sensual all the same. At last, they separated after around thirty seconds.

“Wow,” Ashley breathed.

“Uh huh,” Michael mumbled, still in a daze himself.

They continued to dance for a couple more slow numbers, thankful that the DJ was maintaining a rhythm with his song selections. All the while, Ashley giggled nervously, enjoying every second of her time with Michael. Eventually, she had worked her way even closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder as they danced. She couldn’t explain how Michael had managed to penetrate her usual defenses so quickly, but Ashley couldn’t deny that she was falling for him. Feeling his arms around her made her feel safer than she had ever felt before in her life. In that moment, she made her decision.

“Hey… you wanna get out of here?” she whispered, kissing Michael on the cheek.

“If that’s what you’d like,” he replied nervously, unsure if this was a good or bad sign.

“Yeah, I’ve just had about enough of people for one day,” Ashley giggled. “You, by the way, aren’t people. I haven’t had near enough of you.”

To be continued in part 3. Based on a post by a u guy86, in 3 parts for Sex Stories.