Find all the parts of this story here.
Chapter 5: Firsts
Part 4: Sophie
The next morning dawned with a rather gray and dingy-looking sky, which did not bode well for Sophie’s Friday night plans. She checked the weather, then opened her Dragoness message group and let them know a final decision would be made by 3pm. She didn’t mind gray skies; it actually made a rather lovely foil for her upbeat dances. But she, and pretty much every dancer in her group, drew the line at rain.
Performance day. Sure, she had jitters. Who wouldn’t be nervous at the thought of spontaneously bursting into a very public dance? But these were the good kind of jitters borne of excitement and wonder. The two things that drove Sophie to enjoy this hobby so much were the thrill of the audience and the sheer joy of moving her body in time to great music. She’d love dancing at home on her own (and yes, she did it on a regular basis). She loved sharing that joy even more.
The day passed slower than molasses in January – one of Sophie’s new Wisconsin phrases. She’d had to ask what that meant, and one of her coworkers found a video of someone pouring warm molasses, then putting the bottle in the snow and trying to pour it an hour later. The molasses barely moved, and Sophie felt an instant connection to the anxious desire for something to happen far faster than it actually was.
Fridays were usually full of lighthearted fun and half-hearted progress. Today they were grinding towards deadlines on the city project, and Sophie spent most of the day holed up in a conference room debating between three options for the police department logo. This was a big deal, since it would appear on police cars and clothing for at least the next decade. Sophie wouldn’t admit it to her team in a million years, but she couldn’t stop wondering what Sam would think of each option. Nor could she stop getting lost in thoughts of their date.
Thankfully, the weather held at a nice cloudy but dry state, and would do so through their 6:20 performance time. She made sure to message the group with confirmation that they were still on and a reminder of what to wear.
At 4:30, the offices started clearing out. Sophie slipped home at 4:45, ate a small bowl of tuna salad, and changed into her outfit for the night. She had decided to not match this time. Usually, she liked everyone in the same clothes. It gave definition and cohesion to the group. But tonight they would wear a mix of colors and styles, whatever made them comfortable, because the song called for more individuality in Sophie’s mind.
By 6pm, she was finding a parking spot a block away from the movie theater. Williamson had one small theater with only one screen, so it was easy to choose a time between shows. Then she pulled on her masked and put up the hood of her sweatshirt to conceal the mask.
There was a no-parking zone in the front of the theater, and then a very wide patio-like space before the doors of the building. Sophie set her speaker on the ground near a pole in the corner of the patio. They would use about half of the space, leaving plenty of room for anyone who didn’t want to stop and enjoy the show.
Within five minutes, she saw her dancers arrive and find surreptitious ways to linger in the parking lot or on the patio. Gray and Amy sat on a bench as though enjoying the weather. Lee and Everett held hands and strolled slowly. Finally, the others appeared, and the digital clock on Sophie’s phone clicked to 6:19. Sophie was happy to see several dozen people coming out of and going into the movie theater.
With a steadying breath, Sophie set her phone next to the speaker, ready to press play. She pulled down her hood to show off the mask, then hit the button.
The music instantly filled the small space, drawing the attention of passersby. The rest of the dancers pulled on their masks and scurried into position, and then the fun began.
Sophie kept her mind on the movements while also keeping watch over her dancers. Out of the corner of her eye, she was gratified to see a few bystanders had pulled out cell phones to record the flash mob. A group of teens sang along and moved to the music. Even some of the theater employees came out to see what was going on.
Then she stopped looking and focused on feeling. The music flowed in her ears, through her heart, and out her limbs. She let herself absorb the lyrics, thoughts of larger-than-life dreams and the people who achieve them flitting through her mind.
As they neared the chorus, Sophie got into position for a lift. Sometimes they did pyramids, lifts, or throws, since Lee had also been a cheerleader and knew how to safely execute them. Sophie planted a foot in Gray’s intertwined fingers and a hand on his shoulder. Then she turned and put her other foot in Ryan’s hands and braced herself on his shoulder. Half a second later, she felt herself thrust into the air, and she straightened her legs as she rose.
Without warning, the world tilted, and Sophie felt herself falling backwards. What had happened? Somehow, Ryan had lost his grip, and down she went. Instinct had her putting her hands back, and she barely kept herself from crying out as most of her weight landed on her left hand. Pain arced up her arm, stabbing and throbbing.
When she looked up, everyone but her and Ryan had continued dancing. Ryan helped her up, looking concerned, confused, and maybe a little embarrassed. They finished the dance, Sophie signaling at the last minute to forgo the second lift they had planned. She couldn’t do it now, not with her hand hurting as much as it did.
Sophie completely missed the applause and cheers of the crowd at the end of the dance. It seemed like there was a direct line between the nerves near her wrist and her brain. The only thing she could focus on was pain.
“Hey, are you okay?” Oliver asked quietly as they started dispersing.
Sophie swallowed back her tears. “I’m fine. Just hurt my hand.” She tried to go for her speaker, but Oliver was in the way.
“Let me see,” he demanded.
“No, please. I just want to go home,” Sophie objected. Oliver had a determined look on his face, but Sophie wasn’t interested in help or company.
“Sophie, you’re being stubborn,” Oliver chastised.
“Oliver, please leave me alone.” Sophie spoke with as much firmness as she could muster. It must have been enough, because Oliver gave her a disapproving look but stepped away. She felt him watching her pick up her phone and speaker in her right hand, leaving her left tucked against her side.
Jesus, help me, she prayed. Every movement hurt. She could feel it swelling. She knew she needed to get to urgent care. Why she didn’t take Oliver up on his offer of help, she couldn’t say.
She silently made her way back to her car and awkwardly climbed in. Then she sat and stared at the steering wheel.
What had gone wrong? What did I do wrong? How had she fallen? She tried to replay the maneuver in her mind. She was pretty sure she hadn’t done anything wrong. Had Ryan faltered? He had been so solid in every practice.
Now she let the tears fall. I feel like such a baby. Jesus, I just want my mother. I need a hug.
Sam… She glanced at the clock. He should have just finished his shift.