Dancing With Raven (The Young Shakespeareans Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

idea. As a classically trained actor, he was too different to blend in with this perfect, plastic lot. Fletcher and Felicia would have been a perfect addition. The only thing that might make the next few months bearable was his father’s promise to give him some sort of demon hunting assignment. What is he waiting for? Perhaps if he feigned a level of contentedness with school, he’d be given the assignment earlier.
    Blazes. It was ten minutes until his next class and he was a mess. In the bathroom, he splashed water on his face and dried his sweat with a paper towel. After he pulled on his shirt, he sped across campus toward the dance studio. Water from his wet hair moistened the collar of his shirt and dribbled down his back. Despite his haste, when he slipped into the dance studio, class had already begun. Fortunately, a distraction in the center of the floor prevented his tardiness from being noticed. A pop tune was playing over the speakers, and a smartly-clad couple was demonstrating a Latin ballroom dance.
    Raven glanced around; most of the girls were smiling and most of the boys were sullen, with their arms folded across their chest. If he was supposed to dance with a girl, he’d picked the wrong day to work out. He took a surreptitious sniff of his armpits. Did I remember to use deodorant this morning? Tori was in the class, to his dismay. Fantastic…perhaps I can do something else stupid to keep her amused. At least she was on the far side of the room at the moment, and couldn’t mock him for his body odor.
    After the couple finished the demonstration, the female instructor, Ms. Castor, announced the class would be learning several different Latin dances for the rest of the semester, beginning with the samba. The boy to his right muttered a colorful oath in protest, and Raven chuckled to himself.
    “I’m sorry…what’s your name?”
    Everyone turned around to stare, and he realized Ms. Castor was addressing him. Her lips were compressed into a thin line, and her partner looked annoyed too.
    “Raven.”
    “Well, Raven, you seem pleased at the idea of learning the samba.”
    Sarcasm dripped from her words, and Raven realized she thought the cursing had come from him. “Oh, um, that wasn’t—”
    She crooked a finger, beckoning him forward. “You can be my assistant today.”
    The woman clearly would brook no opposition. Can this day get any worse? With an inward sigh, Raven did the walk of shame to the front of the studio. The male instructor, Mr. Boone, stood next to him and demonstrated the natural basic samba movement. Raven imitated as best he could, but after several steps, Ms. Castor stopped him. “You’ve had ballroom dance lessons?”
    “No.”
    “Athletics, then? You don’t get great hip action like you’ve got without training of some sort.”
    His classmates tittered and hooted. Raven’s cheekbones burned with embarrassment.
    “I’ve studied karate and fencing.”
    “Well, I’m impressed.” She addressed the class. “Latin ballroom requires rhythm and exaggerated movements of the hips. As they say, don’t be shy, let ’em fly. Now let’s all practice the natural basic movement before Mr. Boone and I demonstrate the hold.”

    The beginning movement of the samba wasn’t difficult, but most of the non-dancers bounced up and down like zombies. Due to her training, Tori picked up the footwork right away. Although she practiced along with everyone else, her attention was actually on Raven. She didn’t know what he’d done to invite Ms. Castor’s ire, but she was glad of the result; she’d been able to stare at Raven’s reflection in the mirror all she liked and admire the rear view as well. The way he moved drew attention to his muscular legs and behind. Wouldn’t he look fine in a pair of tights! Tori felt ashamed of her earlier pique as she began to suspect Raven hadn’t snubbed her on purpose. He probably swings the other way and simply has no interest in girls. It