The following week, Regina was starting to notice that Alan was talking to her more. He would hold little conversations with her in the hallway in between classes, during lunch, and at the end of the school day. It was getting so obvious that they just wanted to be around only each other, she and Bernice moved to the Titan table to mask it. The thing she wasn’t expecting was for him to ask her to come with him to a party Blue was having after the game. They dedicated it to Rev who had been injured in the game.

The party was a mixture of people. Blacks and whites dancing and having a good time. Regina was happy that the first party she went to in her new town was a good one. She had to stop herself from laughing whenever she saw Alan dance. She would never tell him, but she was cringing at how bad he was off rhythm when the Titans warmed up with soul. She swore to herself that she would fix that.

“Are you having fun, Regina?” Alan asked her as they danced.

“Hell yeah, I’m having fun. I haven’t been to a party like this in a long time. Thank you.”

“No problem.” he said a he continued dancing and Regina couldn’t hold in her laughter any longer. She didn’t know what he did to make her laugh, but she did. “What?”

“Nothing…” she said as she tried to stifle her laugh and continue dancing.

“It’s my dancing, isn’t it.” he said with a laugh as he danced more and she simply nodded.

“I’m sorry…I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing with you.”

“Yeah…sure…” he said as he laughed. “That statement would be a lot more convincing if I was actually laughing.” he said as he stared at her.

“You’re not that bad, actually. At least you’re not as bad a Gerry.” she said looking over at Julius trying to teach Gerry to dance. He was horribly off rhythm. “You have a little rhythm. It’s white boy rhythm, but you have rhythm.”

“Thanks, I feel a lot better after that.” he said sarcastically as he danced and she just laughed. He was cute in his half-way rhythm less way.

The song changed to a slow song and Alan and Regina stood there awkwardly not sure of what to do. They were seeing people pair up, and neither of them were interracial. Just then, they saw Sunshine dance with a black girl and she took that as a sign. There was no way he could get out of dancing with her to that song, now.

“We could still dance if you want…” she said as she stared at him.

“Okay…” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped her hands around the back of his neck. They sway to the music feeling eyes on them, and she knew people were staring at Ronnie and the girl he was dancing with also. “So, how am I, now?”

“You’re actually a better slow dancer.” she said loving the way he was holding her. He knew how to hold a girl tight without squeezing the air out of her. She saw the size of his arms and saw the average size biceps. He wasn’t as big as Julius or Gerry or any of the other guys on the team. In fact, she was wondering how a skinny guy like him made the team in the first place. He seemed to be interest in football, true, but he didn’t quite fit right in the sport.

“Thanks” he said with a smile. Her eyes traveled over his face stopping at his wonderful blue eyes, then to his lips. She wondered if he felt the same way about her features. She started to wonder if he admired her big lips, her brown eyes…her brown skin. “You know I don’t have to tell you want a great dancer you are.”

“I know…” she said in smug tone knowing that she was a lot better than him.

Her gaze moved to his neck and her arm, and she noticed the difference in their skin complexions. The paleness of his skin was intensified in contrast with her brown skin and she began to wonder if she was making a mistake in pursuing a relationship with him. His father hated blacks and she knew he would kill him if he found out his son was friendly towards blacks and, more importantly, a black girl.

“Regina, are you okay? You stopped dancing. Are you sure I’m not that bad?”

“Yeah…I’m sure. Sorry, I kind of blanked out for a minute.”

“What’s wrong?” he said with a concerned look on his face. She looked down to the floor as she pulled away from him. “Regina?” he said in confusion.

“I can’t do this, Alan…” she said as she went through the crowd of people as the music changed and he went after her. She stopped on the front porch and sat down on the steps. She tried to stop herself from crying. She swore to herself that she would never cry over him.

“Regina, what’s wrong? Talk to me…” he said as he stood behind her, but she wouldn’t look at him. She couldn’t turn around and see the white face she was falling for not knowing if he felt the same way because she wasn’t as white as he was. “Regina…” he said as he sat down next to her. She turned her head away from him.

“I like you, Alan…a lot. I know being your girlfriend wouldn’t please your dad too much, and I wouldn’t mind being your secret girlfriend…that is…if you felt the same way.”

“I do. I’ve been thinking the exact same thing. I know my dad would kill me if he found out about you, but that’s his problem. I know we’re different, but we can make this work.”

“Alan…there’s no easy way to say this, and I still have that Yankee bluntness in me, so here goes. You’re white, and I’m black. The only thing that’s starting to bring people together is football, but they still wouldn’t like the idea of you and me dating. Their stomachs would turn at the thought of you and I kissing.”

“You want to kiss me?” he said, jokingly, and she knew he was trying to lighten the mood.

“I’m serious, Alan. And, yes, I do want to kiss you, but that’s not the point.” she said staring at his lips as they twisted into a grin. “Can you honestly tell me you’re ready for that?”

“Regina, I don’t care if my dad murders me for talking to you. I still want to date you. You’re smart and pretty and interesting and funny…”

“Okay, I get it. Listen, I’m not going to pretend to not be offended if you want to hide me from your dad, but I understand. I know you’re not ashamed of liking me…are you?”

“No. Are you ashamed of liking me?” he said as he looked at her.

“Nope. I like who I like and I don’t apologize for it.”

“So, your dad won’t have a problem with us dating?”

“I would be lying if I said he was going to be completely okay with this, but it wouldn’t bother him that much…at least, I hope not. I’ve never tested that limit.” she said with a chuckle.

“Well, we’ll just have to find out, won’t we?” he said as he wrapped an arm around her. She leaned in and planted and soft kiss on his lips. She was so unsure in her kiss, but she had to test the water. She had to see what would happen if she kissed him. Pulling back, she waited for a response. “Wow…” he said with a strange look on his face.

“What that a good wow or a bad wow?” she asked not wanting to know the answer.

“What do you think?” he said as he leaned in a kissed her back. The force behind his kiss was enough to make her weak in the knees. She was glad she was already sitting down.

“I think you’re a better kisser than you are a dancer.” she said with a playful smirk as they laughed. “Let’s get back inside.” she said and they went inside and enjoyed the rest of the party.