jem carstairs will be the light at your side (mizpah) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2014-08-02 16:41:00
Who: Jem Carstairs and Tessa Grey What: Dancing after Dinner When: Backdated: Saturday, July 5th. Evening Where: The Atomic Ballroom Rating/Warnings: Family Friendly Status: Complete!
True to his word, once Jem was settled in the condo, he’d called Tessa and they’d decided on a date to go out for dinner and dancing then Jem had done a little research to figure out the best places to go. He hadn’t told Will where he was going or with who, because he hadn’t want too many questions asked, especially the one about whether or not this was a date, because Jem didn’t know the answer to that one. Plus, part of him simply didn’t want Will to know he was going out with Tessa. He would likely tell his friend afterwards, but for now he wanted this to be between himself and Tessa.
Considering he didn’t have a car yet, Jem had gotten a cab to Tessa’s apartment then they had continued on to the restaurant. Once at the restaurant, they had enjoyed a nice dinner and were now getting into a cab to head to the club he had researched for some dancing, “Did you enjoy dinner?” He asked once they were both in the cab and he had told the driver where to go.
“I did, James, very much so,” Tessa smiled across at him from her side of the taxi, her hands folded on her handbag on her lap. She had wanted to sit next to him as they drove, but it didn’t feel right. Their relationship was a friendship and friends didn’t think about sitting next to friends, feeling their warmth pressed against themselves and wishing he might take her hand. “Thank you so much for organising tonight. Although I have to say that I’m most intrigued about where we’re heading to now,” she tried to pry some more information from him about their evening.
Jem smiled and glanced over at Tessa, “I’m glad you’ve had a good time so far,” He liked when she called him James, because it felt like something that was just between the two of them. So few people actually called him that anymore aside from teachers or on formal paperwork, “And you’ll find out soon enough.” He hoped that the place he’d found would be what she had been thinking about when she’d suggested dinner and dancing.
“I always have a good time with you,” Tessa told him genuinely. “It doesn’t mean I can’t wheedle you for more information,” she grinned, reaching over to playfully poke him in the arm. “Where are we going James?” she asked with a teasing tone in her voice and a smile on her lips.
As Tessa poked him in the arm, a small smile spread across his lips and he glanced down briefly, his dark hair falling into his eyes for a moment before he looked over at her, “Oh alright. It’s called the Atomic Ballroom. They have dance lessons and things, so I signed us up for a ballroom dancing class tonight.” It was a one time thing, but he thought she would enjoy it.
Tessa looked up at him, wonder filling her expression as he told her what he had planned for them. “James, that sounds like the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me,” she old him quietly, a small smile on her face. She dared to reach over then and took hold of his hand, squeezing it gently. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart,” she told him genuinely as the taxi driver pulled up to the kerb. “Are we here?” she asked excitedly, trying to see out of the taxi’s grubby windows.
As she spoke and squeezed his hand, Jem smiled, dropping his head for a moment to stare at their linked hands then brought his attention back up to Tessa, happy that she was so excited about what he had planned, “Don’t thank me yet. I may step all over your feet.” Jem had never really danced before and was worried about his lack of ability. Glancing out the window, he nodded, “We are.” He pulled cash out of his wallet and handed it to the driver then opened the door and got out, holding his hand out to help Tessa once he was on his feet, on the curb. “Shall we?”
Tessa grinned up at him excitedly and placed her hand in his, allowing him to help her out of the car. Once she was stood on the pavement next to him she suddenly felt nervous. "Don't worry, my feet will be fine...it's yours I'm more worried about," she admitted as she brushed her skirt out. "I've not danced like this before," she admitted with an excited smile.
Jem smiled as he helped her out of the cab then closed the door so they were standing alone on the curb, “I’m sure you’ll be better than me no matter what.” Taking hold of Tessa’s hand again, Jem turned towards the door of the dance studio and led the way inside. Once inside they were greeted by a woman who asked if they were there for a lesson and Jem told her that he had signed them up earlier in the week and they were instructed on where to stand until the lesson began.
Tessa clutched Jem’s hand and leaned in to speak to him after they stood where the woman told them to. “This is so exciting!” she smiled, then in her excitement, leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek.
Jem was still smiling as Tessa squeezed his hand and not realizing that she was leaning in to kiss his cheek, he turned his head and instead of his cheek she wound up getting his lips. Of course Jem had thought about kissing Tessa a few times, but when he thought about it, it didn’t happen accidentally and lasted longer than a second, which was how long this particular kiss lasted, because Jem was so shocked that he pulled away, dark eyes wide, “I...I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were…” He could feel his cheeks flushing slightly.
Tessa’s eyebrows shot up as their lips connected, but she didn’t pull away from him immediately. It was only when Jem pulled away from her that she looked up at his blushing face that she realised he hadn’t intended to kiss her. But his reaction to it was promising at least, if the colour in his cheeks was anything to go by. “Jem...I…” she stumbled over the words, trying to keep a hold on herself and not just pull him back to her straight away.
Thankfully, she was saved from making a spectacle of herself by the tutor coming back to them and ushering them onto the dance floor. The rest of the lesson was filled with awkward glances and apologies for any stepping on feet, but it was enjoyable and she loved the feeling of being in Jem’s arms despite it not stopping her thinking about kissing him again. The lesson ended and they thanked the tutor politely before making a quiet exit from the hall, Tessa’s hand on his arm.
It wasn’t that Jem didn’t want to kiss Tessa, but not like that. Not accidently. If and when he kissed Tessa, he wanted it to be at the right time and while they had been having a good night so far, that wasn’t the right time. Despite the fact that they had been saved from having to talk about the kiss by the instructor, Jem worried the entire time about what to say to Tessa once they were finished. By the end he was enjoying himself so much that he almost forgot about the kiss until they were leaving, but unless Tessa brought it up, he wasn’t going to, “Did you have a good time?” He asked as they headed outside.
Tessa looked up from where she’d been lost in thought. “Very much, thank you,” she replied with a smile. “How are you feeling?” she asked, wondering how that much exertion would have affected him.
Jem smiled as she confirmed that she’d had a good time, “I’m glad.” He hadn’t been sure about the dance lesson, if that was anything like what she’d had in mind when she’d brought up dinner and dancing, but the fact that she’d been so excited about it assured that he’d done a good job, “I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” He did feel a little tired and would probably go right to bed when he got home after taking some Yin Fen, but he wasn’t too tired that he would collapse right then and there or anything, “I should call a cab to take us home.”
“Ok, if you’re sure you’re all right,” Tessa looked him over carefully, gently squeezing his arm. “Although that would be an amusing tale to regale Will with. That I wore you out after our night out together,” she joked naughtily as he hailed a cab.
Jem laughed as a cab pulled over at the curb and he gave Tessa an impressed look before opening the door for her, “That would be a pretty amusing story. Of course then he’d probably want to see us dance.” Once inside the cab, Jem gave the driver Tessa’s address. He would make sure that she got home first then continue on to his place.
"We could show him," Tessa shrugged as she settled herself in the back of the car. "At least you can get an iratze from him when I disfigure your feet from stomping on them," she laughed.
“But then we’ll never hear the end of it,” Jem sat back as the cab started moving, “He’ll expect us to dance for him whenever he feels like it.” He may have only known Will for a couple of months, but it was like he’d known him for years. “Now is that what you really want?”
“A reason to dance with you? Of course! Even in front of Will,” Tessa grinned at him, meaning it genuinely.