It doesn't have to be a fantasy.

Perfection isn't too fun, I say.

Not like that, at least.

Too easy.

It doesn't have to fit expectation.

I'd rather it didn't, actually.

How do I know it's this and not something else?

It just

is.

A simple promise.

"Even if we aren't together, I'm still yours."

"Nothing will change that."

It doesn't need to be anything more.

It just has to be enough for us.

It's perfect.

It was a typical Sunday night. Lots of people surrounding the center of the giant salon;

some chatting, others dancing, but most of them enjoying the band playing, a smooth

jazz melody in the background.

She was there, on the stage, swinging softly to the rhythm of the song. In a minute or so,

as soon as the bridge ended, it would be time to lift her tone once more. Observing the

scene around her, enjoying the present in a calm that the mind only knows at its ease, the

moment continued to pass in front of her. As if life was nothing more than a gentle

whisper of the wind, just waiting its turn to be taken somewhere else soon to never

return. But as her eyes moved into every corner of the room, silently wondering for

something that only her heart alone knew what it was. She suddenly stops, her body and

soul both realizing and secretly smiling at the thought that she had finally found what,

or better who, she was longing for.

And right there, standing in the left corner of the dancefloor, leaning against the wall,

was him. When their eyes meet, it was as if magic itself had invaded their sight and

everything around them had suddenly stopped moving, as if nothing else mattered more

than their gaze into each other ́s souls. In fact, for a brief moment, it did.

He was looking as serious and quiet as always, a lonely river in the middle of an

overflowing crowd. But only she knew the pain and sadness being hidden behind that

impassive aura. Only she knew the scars that shed his heart once as if she herself had

caused them. And maybe, only she knew the kind soul and fierce spirit that layed down

under his almost unbreakable armor.

And for what felt like an everlasting eternity, dipping into her thoughts and most

personal emotions, she forgot how to breathe. And she also wondered, if even for a

minute, she had caused the same feeling on him too.

Their connection was broken by the sudden beat of a drum, temporarily freeing her from

the spell cast by her own feelings in which she was trapped and reminding her of the

main (but not only) reason she was there tonight.

The band changed the soft ballad to a vivid melody that fulfilled the whole ballroom. In

pairs, trios and groups, the folks that were once irregular distributed through the place

soon started to reach the center of the dancefloor in an excited manner that only the joy

of a party can bring. It didn ́t take long for her to join her happy spectators and soon

being also cherished by the whole display of the scene.

Her sweet yet solid voice echoed through the place as couples of lovers, friends and

families were gathering along the song in an energizing and somehow hamornic

symphony. Forgetting off the boundaries she once imposed upon herself in fear of

reproach of others, she started to dance and twist and swing and whirl or whatever else

the rhythm of the song commanded her feet to while not escaping the memory of catching

her breath so she wouldn ́t lose or forget to sing the chant.

He, of whom she had almost completely forgot as she was drawn by the immersiveness

of that singular moment of happiness, could not help but smile at the scene he was

witnessing. Her laugh penetrated his heart and there built a home with no way out. If

only he could open that same door through which she had entered, a door which he

always thought that he had locked it so well and in such unreachable way, and yet

everytime she always found her way in somehow. And now he couldn ́t cast her out

anymore, even though he had already tried countless times. A part of his mind taught him

that was better off this way, another part of him still wanted her presence in there

forever.

Trembling and out of breath, yet with a genuine grin scupeld at her face, she tried putting

herself back into balance as the song had at much ended without her even realizing. With

a small gesture followed by something that was more and less of a smile for her

teammates, she left the stage and followed to the spot her heart was unconsciously

reaching for.

She let out a giggle when she ended up bumping into him while spinning around in a

peculiar hangover caused by the act of singing and dancing nonstop for a long period of

time. She then giggled again shortly this time while looking at his face, waiting for a

reprehension that her childish behavior mind have asked for without her meaning to. But

instead, she found him with a one-sided smile on his face, gently switching his head

sideways as if he was just laughing it off (and indeed, he was, as he had found her attitude

adorable, even though he would not admit it to himself) and pointing with his chin

towards the dancefloor and to the couples moving to a slow-moving song, implying an

unspoken dance request.

Even though she felt dizzy after rocking throughout the entire stage just a few minutes

ago, she merrily accepted with a smile that could light up the entire world in case the sun

ever stopped shining one day.

He placed his hands or her waist and she did the same thing, but on his shoulder and

hand instead. As they started moving, a little bit afraid, a little bit clumsy and maybe even

a little bit awkward, one by one, her step matched his and they danced in a sequence that

only they knew.

Soon enough, the steps became spins and the spins became slips, brought them closer as

they were ever before. Without a warning, she placed her head into his chest, eaggering

to feel his heartbeat while feeling the safety of his arms wrapped around her in a tender

way. She thought with herself that that was her favorite place in the entire world.

An anxious thought wandered through her head, threatening the just acquired peace.

What if he didn ́t feel the same way? What if she was wrong? What if this all was a dream

that she was just holding out for to long? What if she was the only one looking? What if

he wasn ́t looking back?

These depreciative thoughts seemed somehow to be perceiveid by her partner, that with

a gentle touch, lifted her chin with a soft smile that could melt all her insecurities away.

And when their eyes meet, she knew that he was looking at her too.