Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ I saw you dancing in the gym... ❯ The Dance ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story, unfortunately :( Digimon belongs to Fox Kids and Toei, and I don't own the copyright to Sand and Water (by the fantastic Beth Nielsen Chapman) or American Pie (by the incredible Don McLean)

In fact it's just as well I don't own Digimon, or it'd be on faaaaar too late after the watershed...

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I walk slowly along the beach, the wind striving to pluck my clothes from me and whirl them away across the dunes. The sun is bright, the sky is blue, and yet the wind is cold. Everything is making for a perfect day - the sea is picture-postcard photogenic, the breakers sweep majestically across the golden sand, and yet the wind is cold.

Something springs into my mind - a song I once heard, years ago. I start singing, acapella - I never could stay in tune for more than three notes in a row, and as a boy I dislike singing when anyone's within earshot, but here, who was going to hear me?

"All alone, I didn't like the feeling
All alone, I sat and cried
All alone, I had to find some meaning
In the centre of the pain I felt inside

All alone, I came into this world
All alone, I will someday die
Solid stone is just sand and water, baby
Sand and water, and a million years gone by"

"Bit melancholy, aren't you?"
I turn at the familiar bantering tone. What're they doing here? How on earth did they follow me?
They stand there, his blonde hair contrasting sharply with her dark. Her long hair sweeps around them both, flickering over both their faces as she pillows her head on his shoulder. They look so ethereal, especially together, when they form this perfect contrast.
The entire impression dissolves, of course, as soon as they open their mouths. Somehow, they can't resist teasing me, even though they know I hate it.
"C'mon," he grins, "sing us something more lively."
"You know I can't sing," I return, hoping they'll give up and leave me alone if I refuse enough.
Of course, it never happens that way.
"But we just heard you," she counters. Honestly, I'm powerless against a combined assault. They can go on like this for hours, and I usually crumble after just a few minutes.
"I don't do lively," I remind them hopelessly, already knowing I'm beaten. "It's just not what I...do."
"Well, at least sing something more cheerful than that piece of mush," he smiles. There's a colder blast of wind, and they pull closer together, sharing warmth, him shielding her from the worst of this odd weather.
I turn round - I can never sing in front of an audience. Come to that, I can't sing without one either, but they won't let me alone until I at least try.
I start into the first few bars of 'In Demand', my all-time favourite song, then realise belatedly that several of the notes are beyond my reach. I falter, desperately trying to think of something else.
Her favourite song? No, 'Dreams' doesn't really suit an acapella setting.
How about his favourite song? I could probably manage that one...

I don't want to sing the full version - it's six verses with the refrain in between each one, for heaven's sake - so I switch to the version I like best.

"A long, long time ago, I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile"

I see her freeze, every line of her body locking as though someone had flicked a switch. She turns towards me and gives me an almost imperceptible shake of her head, her dark eyes cold and shot through with something - some hardness that I can't define and can't understand. I can't stop now, though - he's already recognised the song, and a glimmer of a smile twitches at his mouth.

"And I knew that if I had my chance
I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while

Did you write the book of love
and do you have faith in God above
if the Bible tells you so?
Now do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?"

She turns, taking her hand from around his waist and her head from his shoulder, and walks off, back down the beach towards the cottage. He half-turns towards her, but hesitates for just one second too long, and she's slipped away before he can stop her. He stands there, indecisive, not sure whether to go after her or stay.

I don't miss a single beat - it's my favourite part of the song. I know I'm singing flat, and the wind's stealing what little breath I have away, but what the hell.

"Well I know that you're in love with him
'cause I saw you dancing in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm-n-blues
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
with a pink carnation and a pickup truck
but I knew that I was out of luck
The day the music died"

Suddenly he goes white, all colour draining from his face, like someone just hit him. Realisation hits me at exactly the same moment - I know now why she stormed off.
He turns again, as if to go after her, but something in him checks, and he turns back, a sad half-smile playing around his mouth.
He takes a breath, and his voice joins mine, as we sing the chorus together.

"I started singing
Bye bye miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry
Them good old boys were drinking whisky and rye
and singing this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die"

As we finish the chorus he moves in close, puts one arm around my waist and takes my hand with the other. I automatically put my free hand on his shoulder, and then we're dancing slowly as his voice leads me into the next verse. I almost stop singing - his voice is so beautiful, and he was always such a better singer than I could ever be.

"I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
And I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play"

He moves in even closer, wrapping both arms around my waist and pulling me towards him. He kisses me, lightly and gently, and my world spins around me as we move together.

"And in the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire the most
The Father, Son and Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died"

I know the song's almost over, and I can't bear to think of him letting me go at the end of it. He's so warm, and my arms tighten around him in rebellion at the thought of ever letting this perfection go. I rest my head on his shoulder and let him carry on singing alone, his clear voice not even wobbling as he soars into the chorus for the last time.

"And they were singing
Bye bye miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry
Them good old boys were drinking whisky and rye
and singing this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Bye bye miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry
Them good old boys were drinking whisky and rye
and singing this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die"

The last note dies away, and I look up at him, into those beautiful blue eyes amidst the windswept blonde hair. He kisses me again, so gently and tenderly, and I push towards him, not letting it stop. Everything draws up into this kiss - the only sound is that of the soft noises he makes as I kiss him, the only feeling is that of his warm lips against mine and his warm body against me. The touch of his hair against my face, the taste of his breath and his delicious scent...

I come up for air, panting. He looks at me with that lopsided grin that I love, and I giggle sheepishly.
"She's not going to be happy about this," I manage.
"I know."
"I knew there was someone watching us that day," I babble, trying to fill the silence. Why did I have to choose that song? Because it was perfect, that's why...

He and I both know what I'm talking about. Just before the last school dance, I asked him if he'd go with me, as my date. It took all my courage, and months of agonising, before I finally asked him. He'd been a little surprised, and I couldn't blame him. Then he told me he wasn't ready to answer that yet, but would I come back after school, to the gym, and ask him again?
I went back after school, only to find the gym lights off, and the gym itself in complete darkness. I flicked the lights on and saw...
Him. Standing there with a CD player next to him, wearing his best suit and looking absolutely stunning. He gave me a single red rose and told me that he didn't want to share the experience with anyone.
I blinked at him for a second, and then caught on when he put the CD player on. His favourite song, of course, American Pie. He pulled me close and we danced to the entire track.
It was too short, of course, and as it finished we heard someone crying, very softly. I went to find out who it was, but they were gone before I could find them.

And now we knew. It had been her. We knew, too, why she'd walked off - it had been exactly like the song said. I knew I was in love with him, and we danced together in the gym, kicking off our shoes so as to make as little noise as possible. He taught me how to dance real slow - not to mention real close - that night.
She'd liked him for a long time - they even went to the cinema together occasionally - but he always made sure she realised it was just as friends. She always seemed determined to make it more, but he managed to stop her just in time.
As for me - we'd agreed to keep it buried for a while, worried about what other people (especially our parents) would say. But out here, for once it didn't matter. And I knew, the minute we got back home, I was going to tell everyone, shout it from the rooftops.
For now, I was content to whisper it.

"Ashiteru, Yamato. I love you."
"Ashiteru, Taichi. I love you too."