Teen Story - Chapter 6 - Dance Away The Night

They arrived at the landing pad. Cheryl pulled down her sunglasses over her eyes from atop her head. Max had his wrap-around shades on and leather jacket but it was way too hot in this heat. So he took it off and he had a green tee underneath from his trip to Ibiza last year before he knew Cheryl. She was wearing a white tee and khaki shorts with green flip-flops.
She had her straw bag with orange handles. He had knee-length khaki shorts and black sandals. She had hair up. They headed for the beach before they would reach the hostel. They did not have to book in for another few hours. The sun, sky, sand and sea was so beautiful. The palm trees waved in the sun's light glow. They splashed about at the edge of the water, mucking around. Then Cheryl decided to lie down and sun bathe. Max helped her put the sun-screen on her back. She put on her straw hat and lay back to soak up the sun. Her sunnies covered her eyes from the rays as she lay there with her lids closed, letting the sun seep into them, she could feel it's warmth.
Max decided to get a drink at the bar. Yes, a beach bar!
He got a cocktail and sipped it, "Wow!" he exclaimed, it was very fruity and strong, it was not really that alcoholic tasting.
He decided to try out surfing. So he took aboard and signed up for some lessons, on a whim, that were just starting. He also wanted to show off to the brunette bargirl who was smiling at him and waving by wiggling her fingers.
Afterwards he told Cheryl about it.
"What?! I've got to do something then!" she lifted up her sunglasses from her face, she pulled off her fat.
Her eyes screwed up and she shaded them with her hand to protect them from the sun.
She wondered off to look at some posters on the outside wall of the community centre nearby in the middle of town.
Max ran after her, "Melanie!" he grabbed her arm, "You better be careful! Don't get too addicted to it, whatever you choose. Remember you haven't tried to do a sport since -"
"I know! Chill! Don't worry about me!"
One particular flyer caught her eye while she was scouring the board. It was orange. There were other coloured ones but this was bright, it stood out.
She ripped it from the board and carried it off with her.
"Cheryl!" Max followed, "Are you supposed to do that?" he seemed worried, trying to stop her from doing anything like this, anything new she wanted too.
She giggled.



They arrived at the hostel. The woman at the desk was very friendly. It was extremely late but there were still people outside smoking, laughing and chatting with each other. Leaning on the palm trees. Cheryl stared in wonder at the marble staircase inside the huge hall. It was so magnificent for a hostel. There were lots of different rooms down stares for hanging out in. A room were people could eat with computers that had coin operated internet connections. Upstairs you would walk along the stairs that turned to the right at the top and wondered down the hall that had a covering all the way over it of glass so you could look down on the beautiful gardens either side. People were laughing and eating off a barbecue. There were kids being pushed on the swings. They were all laughing, it was so friendly. Cheryl laughed and smiled, she was going to like it here. From here she could look down on the huge dining hall were everyone would meet up for meals. If she turned to the left once into the proper hall on that side she could enter the wash rooms. The women's ones had a mirror and sinks on parallel walls. When you looked into them you could see never ending copies of yourself and everything around you in either mirror.
If you turned the other way there was the rooms. Her room was quite near the beginning, after that there were a lot more halls and rooms but she did not need to go that far. Max room was across the hall from hers.
In the morning she was woken by music blasting out of the speakers in the corners of the ceilings in the halls. She smiled, coming out of her room in a gypsy skirt and camisole with blue, sparkly clogs. Her hair was long and wavy. She glowed as she clattered down the white, mixed marble. Her bangles jangled as she held the huge balustrade. Anyone who had not already been woken up by the music would be woken by Cheryl's clattering as she came. Max was waiting for her in the big dining hall. he had picked this place specially because he knew it would be a good family atmosphere with all the smiley families around them for her to eat in. She had never had a good family before Taylor and Max. He cared for her in this way and did whatever he could for her but Cheryl did not know this. He would never tell her.
She had a chocolate spread on some lovely bread and bright orange juice. She bounced up, kissed Max on the cheek, "Thank you!" and skipped away to start her day.
She went shopping in the Cuban market to get Max and Taylor some thank you presents for being there for her all this time. She entered a lot of lovely little shops and got chatting to the locals, awkwardly looking at her phrase book all the time. There were old women who owned shops and men who owned stalls. They were all surprisingly friendly besides what she had seen back home.



She got Taylor a top that had stringy bits at the bottom, was pink and had dolphins on. The stringy bit sounds naff but it was cool. She got Max a black and white cap that had La Habana written on it because that is what they called it and Havana was just how the tourists pronounced and spelt it.
She dropped them off at the hostel. She saw Taylor there. They had lunch together. Max was having his by the beach with the bargirl. Apparently she had come over to pick him up and she had giggled at his jokes that were not very funny all the way outside.
"Really?!" Cheryl felt a bit saddened by this.
They ate rolls together and chatted about what had happened so far. Cheryl gave Taylor the present.
"Oh thank you!"
"Sorry I couldn't wrap it first," she touched the back of her neck awkwardly.
"It's brilliant! I'll go try it on."
"You can use my room, gotta go! I've got dancing lessons!" she smiled.
"Wow! Have fun!" Taylor said.
When she arrived there were a lot of old people and adults there. She thought it must have been the class before hers and pulled at her collar.
"Is this the latin ballroom class?" she asked the one who looked like the leader.
"Yes and you are?"
"I'm Cheryl. I'm here to join today," she said unsurely but tried to seem confident.
"Great! Nice to add you to the group, Cheryl! We need more young people here. It can be fun for all ages."
She went through the whole class and had to dance with the teacher. It was so embarrassing! Everyone was old beside her and married or a couple.
She ran home. She met Taylor in her room.
"What's wrong?" Taylor asked as Cheryl cried.
"It was awful! They were all old!" she sobbed into her hands, Taylor handed her a hanky.
"There's nothing wrong with old people! I'm old besides you!" she pointed to herself, touching her collar bone with both hands.
"I know but I hated it! I had to dance with the teacher!" she put her head in her hands.
"Yikes, that's bad for a first lesson!" she frowned.