Confessions of a Teenage Broadway Star

16 » ❝Tango: Maureen❞

"When you're dancing her dance, you don't stand a chance."
- Tango: Maureen, Rent

CONFESSION NUMBER SIXTEEN: Scarlett didn't learn to tango with a french ambassador's daughter in her dorm room at Miss Porter's or at the Scarsdale Jewish Community Centre, but she learned to tango nonetheless. And she's starting to rethink her initial I'll-never-actually-use-this-in-real-life thoughts (thoughts which are usually only directed towards learning the recorder in third grade and occasional math skills) because Parker's about to put his dance lessons to the test.

        "You're not going to make me tap-dance, are you?"

        Parker grins. "No, I've got something much better in mind," he says.

        Scarlett arches a brow at him. "Something better than tap-dancing?" she questions. "Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?"

        "Oh, shut up - I think you're really going to like the request I made at the song booth," he persists, grinning mischievously at Scarlett in her red mask. "And besides, you just taught a girl the hand jive - I think you can handle some tap-dancing."

        "You saw that?" Scarlett's not really sure why she's blushing, but she figures that the dimmed lights will hide it anyways.

        "Mhm," Parker has a satisfied grin gracing his lips, "I guess you're a better dancer than you thought you were."

        "I guess I am," Scarlett agrees, partially because she knows that if she disagrees, Parker will only continue to persuade her, and partially because she's actually quite proud of herself for dancing as well as she did with Janie. "But I should really be giving you the credit - you were the one who taught me, after all," she points out.

        "I may have taught you how to dance, but you came up with the confidence all on your own," Parker counters, and Scarlett shrugs, laughing.

        "Fair point," she admits. "So, how come you're here with me? Shouldn't you be off somewhere dancing with Mackenna?" Scarlett can't help but ask, a curious look in her eyes.

        Parker shrugs. "She won't notice if I slip away for a little while - plus, I was kind of looking forward to dancing with you," he admits, and Scarlett smiles, taking his hand as he guides her out to the centre of the dance floor, the familiar opening beat of the next song filling their ears.

        Scarlett arches an eyebrow at her best friend. "While I am very impressed that you chose one of my favourite RENT songs, I'm not quite sure what it has to do with-" she begins, and then notices that Parker's taken off his suit jacket, and is extending his hand out to Scarlett just like Mark does to Joanne.

        "Oh no, there is no way on earth that you are making me do the tango-"

        Parker grins. "Aw, c'mon Scarlett! You were great when I taught you."

        "Flattery will get you nowhere when it comes to dance."

        Parker doesn't seem fazed, and she knows that he's just as stubborn and persistent as she is, and that there's no way he's going to let her leave the dance without tangoing with him (she's hoping it will make him forget about the tap-dancing, too). Instead of pleading more, though, he stares into her eyes, pulling the most hopeful and heart breaking puppy-dog face she's ever seen.

        Damn boys and their stupid puppy dog faces.

        Damn them and their stupid persuasion tactics.