Chapter 6: A Scene Sweeter Than Candy
I opened my eyes to a beautifully portrait-like face. Nia's features were so delicate, they took my breath away. I couldn't help but jump up, full of energy, from the overwhelming happiness I felt.
Nia looked at me in surprise, questioning the current situation. "W-what happened, Johann?"
I simply replied, "Oh, nothing much... I just feel so much energy in my body, and I have to get it out somehow."
She listened intently and replied, "Ah, is that so..."
Then, I took her hand. It was so soft that it made me wonder if it was her hand or an extremely soft sponge. But that was besides the point. As I said, I took her hand and drew her into a dance.
She looked at me with curiosity, then asked, "Johann, what exactly are you trying to do?"
I replied with an energetic smile, "Dance, of course."
I walked forward, arching my back slightly, and looked her in the eye. "Will you dance with this energetic Johann to calm him down, young Miss Nia?"
A grin tucked at the corners of both our mouths. Nia's eyes sparkled with amusement, and she replied with a cheeky expression, "If it shall help the good sir, Johann, then indeed I shall accept the dance."
As we danced, the world around us melted away. Our feet moved in perfect harmony, our laughter intertwining like the threads of a rich tapestry. I felt carefree, unshackled from the weights that normally held me down.
I was sweating, but my heart was beating wildly. It felt nice to let loose. I kept holding her hand, looking at her, and said, "_Wew_, that was so exhilarating...! Thank you, Nia, for doing so much for me."
She gave me a small, cheerful chuckle and said, "No need to thank me, I actually enjoy being around you."
Her cheeks turned a slight red, making me happy. I didn't want us to part ways just yet, so I asked, "Hey, I heard there's a great café nearby; we could go get some smoothies?"
Nia's expression turned serious, and she said, "What? No, why would I ever go with you? I hardly know you."
I was taken aback, confused about the current situation. Wasn't everything going well? What was going well? I hadn't been with a girl before, so I didn't know when things were going well. Did I do too little? Or too much? What's happening? What should I do?
A voice broke through my constant contemplation, saying, "JOHANN, I WAS JOKING, I WAS JOKING."
Nia's laughter filled the air, and I exhaled hard, relieved. "Jesus...! Nia, you scared the joy out of me. But I never took you for the jokey type, though."
Nia smiled warmly, and we continued our day together. We walked to the café, still holding hands, and the conversation flowed effortlessly. We didn't even notice how much time had passed. It had gotten quite dark, so I decided to walk Nia home.
As we reached her house, we exchanged pleasant goodbyes. "Nia, I had a great day today, which doesn't happen often, and all thanks to you."
"I'm glad I wasn't the only one having fun, then," she replied in a warm tone.
I apologized for causing her trouble, "And sorry for making you miss a day of school; I'll make it up to you... how about tomorrow?"
Nia's face turned a plump red, and she grinned. "Tomorrow, then. Goodnight, Johann."
I watched her small back retreating into the house, feeling as happy as a child who had just received a handful of sweets.
"Goodnight, then, Nia," I said, smiling to myself as I walked home.