Time After Time

Well honky-tonk baby - get on the floor

All the cats are yelling - they're shouting for more.
They began with a very energetic lunge, which despite her words, made Jill's eyes sparkle in anticipation of more. They stepped together, hip purposely knocking against hip. He moved behind her, his hips still rolling and pulled her quick down into his arms, holding her tight as her arms instinctively flew around his neck and she tried to look at ease. As he brought her to her feet again, she placed her elbow lazily on his shoulder as his other arm came up her back and they stepped forward in rhythm.
My baby likes to rock

My baby likes to roll
She span in front of him and her elbow came against his other shoulder, beginning to step forward again in time.
My baby does the chicken

And she does the stroll.
They turned in against each other, both Dennis' hands now against Sharon's hips, and she grinned as he rolled his shoulders forwards, twisting his torso against hers and forcing her to lean back. She simulated his action brilliantly.
Well shake it

Yeah shake it

Yeah shake it

Everybody shake it

Shake it at the high school hop.
They straightened their backs quickly, meeting each other's chest again. Dennis brought his hands firmly back against her hips, almost able to hear the contact with her skin as the words continued to blare.
Well sock hop baby

Roll up her crazy jeans
He stamped his foot hard against the floor, Sharon turning the other way and doing the same before they brought their feet together again.
Gonna rock to the music

Gonna dig the scene.

Shimmy to the left

Cha cha to the right.
They shimmied to the left and kicked to the right.
We're gonna do the stomp til broad daylight.

Well shake it

Yeah shake it

Yeah shake it

Everybody shake it

Shake it at the high school hop.
Sharon went down to the floor barely thinking as she gazed up at Dennis, mezmerized by the action of his hips.
We're gonna alley-oop on Blueberry Hill

Party with Lucille - won't be standing still.
She came up again in a moment, pressed hard against her partner, his leg wound around hers as his hips came against her again, grinding and making her quiver.
She followed him, stepping just a fraction behind him and let him lift her arm into the air before they moved forward. Oh she so knew that had be not been part of it, he'd have scoffed and called it naff - but he was here and he was loving it! She couldn't help but smile as he pushed out into a spin under his arms, again and again and again.
Hand jive, baby, do the stomp with me

A calypso; do the slop - gonna bop with Mister Lee.
Again, she barely felt him lift her she felt so wonderfully light-headed; feeling only the rush of cool air against her face. As he turned however, he made a sound that made her realise that her Stiletto heel against his stomach must have been quite uncomfortable and she quickly came to the floor again, immediately going back as he came forwards, the chorus sounding out.
Well shake it

Yeah shake it

Yeah shake it

Everybody sha-
But Jill jumped up and cut it off, clapping furiously. Simon didn't say anything, looking astounded, but luckily Jill had the words for them both.
"That was.... incredible! Are you sure you've never danced before?"
Having just recovered their breath, Dennis and Sharon assured her "no" and then began to laugh with each other, not caring for their flushed faces, only for the buzz they had re-obtained.
Their hands still clasped together, they just stared, shaking their heads, humoured and hardly believing what they had just achieved.
"God, that was-" she pushed out breathlessly. "I don't know.... it was-"
"Fantastic?" Dennis offered, wiping his glistening forehead with the back of his hand.
Laughing still, Sharon nodded and stepped up against his chest, listening to the beat in her ear as he wrapped his arms tight around her.
"I've never seen anything like it." Jill cried, dumbfounded, and turning to gauge her partner's reaction. "Si?"
"Me neither." he answered honestly, mouth still slightly agape. "But if we can get that out of these two.... well, then I'd say we're alright to go with it during the second half wouldn't you?"








They were alright to go with anything in the second half as far as Sharon was concerned, it was the first half that was worrying her. The people had filed in and Simon was addressing them all before she even realised what was happening, so content to have Dennis rocking her gently against him. She hadn't thought to move back even as Vicki came into the room. There was no reason to, of course - she saw nothing wrong with it, it was nice to see them growing close at long last. So Sharon didn't move an inch, Dennis' thumb going idly up and down the same spot on her arm. God, it felt so good.
That was until she registered Simon's words floating over the crowd towards her. "A lot of dances, both Latin & Ballroom are about love. Not just about.... but how you show it... the hold... the steps.... and, yes, the expression. But that's not any good if you're not comfortable with it. I know you didn't come here as life partners.... so you must learn to be comfortable. You all did very well with the rumba.... but Jill and I would still like some reassurance, so sorry lads, we're going to subject you to some intolerable slush."



Nudging Sharon, Dennis said softly, "Hey. Ready?"
Slowly she lifted her head, slipping her hand through his and feeling her back go that little bit more rigid as her eyes met his. They drew her in again, deeper than ever. So deep, she felt dangerously out of her depth as they swayed.
Every now and then, I get a little bit nervous that the best of the years have gone by

Turn around

Every now and then, I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes

Turn around, bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turn around, bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turn around.



His eyes drifted slowly across her face taking in the details, quizzicially as if he were waiting, pushing her out by pressing against the hand he clasped.
And she realised, slowly, painfully; that it was back - that tiny teasing smile in the right hand corner of his mouth. He was testing her. And this time she wouldn't fail, she would not shatter her moment.
She turned, coming back against his chest, quite deliberately. She closed her eyes, needing to blot out the image that seemed to have been burnt onto the inside of her eyelids. His arm came against her waist, his skin burning against hers. Again, he did not think before resting his cheek next to hers. He needed to be close to her, that was all, and he needed to be as close to as much of her as he could possibly be.
The outline of her lips was mere inches away from his ear lobe, her every breath tickling him. Gradually, he heard the words he could see her lips moved to.
Every now and then, I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wild

Turn around

Every now and then I get a little bit helpless and I'm lying like a child in your arms
She turned back and was met by those eyes - and a sob she hadn't known was there almost leapt from her throat, tears prickling. Dennis obviously saw the change in her face because his arms came up against hers, steadying her.
"Sharon?"
Every now and then I get a little bit angry and I know I've got to get out and cry

Turn around

Every now and then, I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes
"I'm sorry" she gasped desperately, "I have to get out of here!"



"Sharon!"
He rushed after her and caught her by the elbow half way across the corridor. She whirled round, in such panic that she almost caught him across the face with a hand heavily laden with jewellery.
"Sharon, look at you.... you're shaking.... what is it?"



"Please.... just.... just go back."
Turn around, bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turn around, bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

"No. Not when it's obvious you need me."
"Need you...." she echoed gently.
I need you now tonight

And I need you more than ever
Pressing her head against his stomach, she clung on, letting him know she wanted him to hold her, before she dissolved into tears.
"Oh... oh Sharon..."
And if you'll only hold me tight

We'll be holding on forever

And we'll only be making it right

Cos we'll never be wrong together

We can take it to the end of the line.

Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time.

I don't know what to do; I'm always in the dark.
"That's fantastic.... you.... there.... yeah.... brilliant!" Simon cried out, his voice rolling out into the corridor.
"Oh God..." Sharon whimpered. "I wish I...."
"Wish what?" Dennis whispered into her hair.
I really need you tonight

Forever's gonna start tonight

Forever's gonna start tonight
She didn't answer him, but he felt her lips move through the fibres of his shirt.
Once upon a time, I was falling in love

And now I'm only falling apart

There's nothing I can do

A total eclipse of the heart
"Sharon.... please?"
Sighing, her warm breath dancing across his chest, she lifted her head heavily, rushing her thumb lovingly across his jaw. His stomach jolted. He remembered this well. He didn't want to go through it again, and yet, gazing at her tear-stained face, there was nothing that told him to step back and save himself from that moment. Nothing at all.
Turn around, bright eyes

Turn around, bright eyes

Turn around

Every now and then I know you'll never be the boy you always wanted to be

Turn around

But every now and then I know you'll always be the only boy who wanted me the way that I am.
She let her lips follow the path of her thumb, kissing him lightly. Not wanting to open her eyes, she did so as slowly as she could. But she couldn't mistake his stunned expression.
"We just can't do this can we darlin'?" She shook her head sadly, stepping back from him and dropping his hands. "We just can't."



He'd let her walk off from him. She didn't go far. He followed her out and watched, resting against the wall as she ducked under the railing and stepped into the playground, the bark crunching underneath her feet. Steadying the tyre swing she reached first, she sat heavily upon it, kicking weakly off the ground, resting her head against one of the rusty chains she held.
If he strained, he could hear her, singing the same words to herself over and over again. "Once upon a time, I was falling in love and now I'm only falling apart." He thought understood what she was telling herself, but he scarcely believed it. Pressing his foot up against the wall, he rifled in the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his crumpled packet of cigarettes, sparking up and sucking the murky poisons in deep.
Drawing it back, he looked at his hand, unable to hold the smouldering stick steady. He was shaking almost as badly as Sharon had been.
"Dennis?"
He flicked the cigarette away regretfully and brought his foot back down to the floor, following her calling of his name expectantly. Limboing under the railing, and hearing his back click, he wandered over, taking up the swing next to Sharon, straddling it and gazing at her around the chain.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"You know what for."
He shrugged. "S'pose I do. But you don't have to keep apologising."
"Yes I do. Just then... I was a mess-"
"Do you... er... do you want me to tell me what that was?"
She looked at him as he said that, in a way she'd never looked at him before; she looked shy.
"I.... I was unfair to you.... behaving the way I did."
"When?"
"The other day.... when I asked you to-"
"Ah." he said slowly, understanding. "It's alright. Wasn't as if I minded was it?"
She laughed, pawing the ground. "No. No, it wasn't."
And they fell silent for a moment, swinging and creaking.
But then more words burst from Sharon's throat before she could stop them, shattering the comforting silence.
"Did.... Did you mind.... just now...?"
He blinked at her. "What?"
"I think you heard me."
He cringed, bowing his head, screwing his eyes up tight and sighing. "Oh Sharon, please.... not again...."
"Again? What...?"
"Yes Sharon - again. Please, just stop doing this to me."
"I don't underst-"
"Yes you do!" he cried, curling his fist in exasperation. "You know I didn't mind. You knew I wouldn't stop you, cos you knew it's what I wanted...."
She watched him, shaking her head slowly. "It was-? No, I... did it because I wanted-"
"Because you wanted to. Yeah, I know Sharon, you always do. It's only afterwards you change your mind, and I'm sorry darlin', but it's always too late by then, and I can't be blamed for that. Sharon.... I- oh, it doesn't matter."
She took in his words and then uncomfortably brought her gaze away from his face, wiping her eyes. "I guess I deserved that."
He nodded guiltily "You're right - we can't do this."
And he got up and walked away, and with every step waited to hear her call out his name. But she didn't.



Dennis sat brooding on his bed, playing rock records he couldn't even abide for no reason than to play them full blast and maybe drive out some of the thoughts whirring round in his aching head. But even they didn't want him to forget her. He recalled the questions he heard in the music, somewhere in a long forgotten memory, and spoke the reply to the still air around him.
"On a hot summer night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?"

"Will he offer me his mouth?"

"Yes."

"Will he offer me his hunger?"

"Yes."

"Will he starve without me?"

"Yes!"

"And does he love me?"

"Yes!"

"On a hot summer night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?"

"Yes."

"I bet you say that to all the boys!"
Dennis laughed scornfully, scared how true that statement was as he heard it leave his bitter lips. He felt so pathetic, sat there, answering the music but there was nothing else for him to do while he was in the house alone. So he began to murmur the words, with a painful sincerity.
When I listen to your heart, I hear the whole world turning

I see the shooting stars, falling through your trembling hands

You were licking your lips, your lipstick shining

And I was dying just to ask for a taste.

We were lying together in a silver lining

By the light of the moon

You know there's not another moment

Not another moment

Not another moment to waste.
"Thought I'd find you here."
"Jesus!" he yelled, jumping a mile out of his skin and trying to regain composure as he saw her stood expectantly against the door. "What do you want?"
"I thought that was obvious." Sharon replied nervously, bringing her knees up against the bed and sitting opposite from him.
He immediately swung his legs to the floor and got up, pacing around the bed. "Do you think that's funny?"
She chose not to answer him, perhaps not knowing how, and instead looked towards the CD player, taking in the words filling the room with an approving smile.
"Do you think.... maybe...? Maybe.... we should talk?"