I did ballet in the Netherlands. My ballet teacher was invited to a primary school to give a ballet class, to teach the boys about how delicate girls can be. I joined my teacher.
"We are here to teach you all about ballet, and in particular the boys, who at times forget how delicate girls are," my teacher said. "Girls aren't just externally delicate, but also internally. So you must be kind and sensitive to them. Especially when they're just little girls. The girl standing beside me is called Hannah. She follows ballet classes from me. And she'll show you how ballet is done in duos. Who wants to dance with her?"
There were 12 boys and all of them raised their hands. They were very excited about dancing with me, probably because they find me very pretty. Which made me feel uneasy. They're just perverted boys. They aren't actually interested in ballet.
Then, one boy suddenly appeared, walking to his class. And that boy was Sansula... "Why are you late?" My teacher asked.
"My bad!" He replied.
"Because you're late, you'll have to dance with the girl beside me."
"WHAT?!" He shouted, feeling flustered.
I thought that there were only 12 boys, because the 13th one came in late. I instantly found Sansula cute when I saw him. "Looks like you have to pair up with me," I smiled.
"R-right..." He blushed.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Sansula," he answered.
"I'm Hannah, it's nice to meet you!"
I extended my hand toward Sansula, my fingers delicate yet confident. The boy hesitated, his cheeks flushed a deep crimson as he glanced at the curious eyes of his classmates. It was clear that Sansula wasn't particularly fond of the idea of ballet—he found it awkward, especially when paired with a stranger like me, who was far too enthusiastic about it.
"Don't worry," I said, my voice light and reassuring. "It's not as bad as it looks. You just have to follow my lead. We have to demonstrate to your class how ballet is done."
Sansula gave a nervous nod, his hands fumbling as he placed one on my waist and took my hand in the other.
The teacher clapped her hands to start the music, and I couldn't help but notice how adorably flustered he looked. His movements were stiff and uncertain, as though his limbs were rebelling against the idea of grace.
I stifled a giggle. I found his embarrassment endearing, and his awkwardness only made me more determined to make him feel comfortable. "Relax, Sansula," I said softly. "It's just like walking, but... prettier."
"Easier said than done," he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the soft piano notes filling the room.
As we moved through the steps, I took the lead, guiding him gently but firmly. Despite his initial reluctance, Sansula began to mimic my movements, though his face remained a shade of pink that rivaled the ribbons on my ballet slippers. I couldn't help but smile at his effort, even if he looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
"You're doing great," I said, my eyes sparkling with encouragement. "See? Not so bad."
Sansula gave me a fleeting glance, his lips twitching into a shy smile before he quickly looked away. "If you say so," he mumbled, clearly still mortified by the whole situation.
My teacher then instructed all boys and girls to pair up and try to copy our movements.
By the end of the session, Sansula's movements were less rigid, though his face was still flushed. The other boys teased him, but I gave him a warm smile that seemed to quiet their laughter.
"Thanks for dancing with me," I said, my tone sincere. "You're not as bad as you think."
Sansula scratched the back of his neck, his eyes darting to the floor. "Uh... thanks, I guess."
As he walked away, I watched him with a small grin. He might have found the experience embarrassing, but to me, it was one of the most delightful dances I ever had.
"Let's dance again some time, Sansula!"
Sansula turned around, looking at me all embarrassed, before walking away quicker.