Utopia (9): Interrupted by a dance

First... if anyone still reads my stories... I wanna apologize for such a long pause. I started to work on some UT2004 project (game, mapping) and it completely engulfed me for a time being. However - I don't wanna give up with my Utopia! Because there is still a lot of talks waiting for Gavin (and not only him) plus there are some tickling situations in his future too I guess. :-) Don't expect another part very soon, but for now - here's that ninth.

- "Well, Paul..." I'm starting another round of questions. "That privacy stuff..."
- "Oh no," Caren interrupted me with a smile, "stop it for a while. I know you have the whole ocean of questions, just... wanna dance now?"
Now that surprised me a little although I'm pretty satisfied with the music that is playing here. I just couldn't realize that the music was intended for dance. "Dance?"
- "Yeah, now we have some space to dance there," she pointed out to the tiled floor space obviously dedicated for dance - I just didn't notice it so far. "You can about our privacy later. Maybe even in more private ... or intimate? ...situation."
I really don't know what to say to that later... suggestion? So I'm just asking: "It's kinda empty, don't you think?"
- "Ah," she tittered, "that your 'kinda' word... c'mon if you're not scared."
- "I'm not so scared," replied I firmly.
- "You see... I don't know how... or if our new Gavin likes to dance?"
- "I don't know your styles, but we can try it."

Music was far from familiar however they obviously know what the electric guitar is and all the instruments were similar to us. It was joy-full rhythmic tune with a lot of syncopated drums and percussion. If I should pick up the style from our world - it would be funky - and that was very good option for dance in my case. On our way to the dance-floor I have to clarify few things.
- "Are we suppose to dance together or solo?"
- "You can choose actually."
- "Ok, but how would we dance if I were old Gavin?"
- "In that case... but you're not obviously," she's looking to my eyes for a while as we stopped on the dance floor. "Look, Gav, I hardly can act like you're different person because I can't simply switch my mind when I see Gavin. Whatever... you know. I know what I've learned when you said that news to me. But I can't ... act like that just because I know it. I can't explain it to you but I feel with you like before. I just don't want to do everything like before - give it a while ... while I can see the difference." She shook her head. "If there is any... but there must be I guess. At least in your knowledge. Now... dance as you want. You can dance with me, I have absolutely no problem with you. You can dance solo, we used to do that so because you loved to express yourself on you own from time to time." It really looked like dreamy smile what gleamed through her face. "However... dance. :-)"
- "I'm..." I don't know what to say... or how. "Thank you - for your direct answer."
- "I use to answer directly. Most people here do."
- "So... can I ask anything when needed?"
- "Absolutely! :-) Now dance at last." And she spin herself into the rhythm. I started with my moves tuned down a little just to watch Caren for a while before I adapt.

I was quite surprised how many things were similar like in our world. When I realized that our worlds started to diverge 90 years before I could expect much bigger differences in all that new stuff. Computers, their environments (we'd call it operating system) and interface was a little bit different - not to mention that mouse and keyboard is not that dominant interface like in our world - but it was no problem to adapt after a while. And other differences was even more subtle. Modern music instruments - fairly the same like ours. Cars... still dominating here - like in our world. Architecture - well, nothing that would really surprise me.
Perhaps I expected some bizarre dance features by Caren - like you can see in some funny pseudo-sci-fi series. Now I'm a bit disappointed but I also start to feel more comfortable when I see that Caren's move was quite normal from my perspective. I had to laugh a little about my mislead expectations.
- "What?" she asked. I repeated my ideas to her and she had to laugh with me for a second. "Don't expect now me to dance crazily just to satisfy your silly ideas. :-)"
- "I like this much more, don't worry," I assured her.

And so we are dancing both on our own and I'm trying to adapt to Caren's move. Sometimes she's pressing me (without actual touch - that makes it even more tense for me) and I'm going back and sometimes we switch our roles - everything is like I already experienced except all those little facts. Like being in other world with a girl I've never seen before - yet we act like two people who suppose to know each other for...
- "For how long do we know each other?" asked I. I like that the music is not too loud and we can communicate without shouting to each other.
- "I came to company two years ago while you were there already ... about another two years before. Then we met for the first time."
- "And we're working together?"
- "We're in the same office and we're working in pair quite a lot... depends on the task."
- "In pair?"
- "Yeah, pair programming... quite a popular approach."
- "Ah, we have a few methodologies for software development with pair programming idea too. Although they are considered ... let's say extreme."
Caren giggled: "Well, I like things that are a little extreme... at least in this case. There is a lot of socializing in it plus we're productive a lot too. Great combination."
- "Indeed..."

We're dancing on for a while when Caren suddenly stops in of her back-walk figure - and I collide with her unexpectedly.
- "Ah!" she actually points to speaker like nothing happened. "This one is slow one." They mixed songs quite seamlessly although I could recognize one from another after a while of course.
- "You know them?" asked I.
- "Of course! Grieves is one of my favourites!"
- "Grieves... like grieve?"
- "Well... that name doesn't fit, that's right... however - don't you mind some close dance?"
- "Well... definitely not," I have to snicker. "I could hardly refuse it convincingly. :-)"
- "Right," she put her arms around my neck and I wrapped my arms around her waist.

- "I hope you don't mind talking," started I after a few turn-arounds without a word.
- "I have a feeling that you're stressing too much about what I mind or not. ;-) Don't worry, Gav, you can hardly worsen it with talking and hardly worsen it being quiet. Of course, you COULD possibly go bad saying something reeeaaaally wrong, but somehow I don't expect this. And I can handle a lot when it comes down to talk."
- "Great. :-) I feel relief hearing this... sometimes I just take things maybe too serious. Like I could mess up anything with any step, still worrying. Plus I don't actually know you and I don't want to start wrong in your case. Not only because you're my workmate but also ... you know ... fine woman. Maybe someone can quit that later fact, I just never can when it comes down to pretty face - however it can sound."
- "Hm... I don't know if you expect me to be surprised - I'm just a bit surprised that you mention it explicitly. It's quite unusual - although it's nice when you put it in this way. You know - I know I'm a woman - and I wanna be treated as such. I mean - I don't need hot touches all the time - and especially not from everyone. Or... hm, I don't know why I started with hot touches... let's just say a light flirt... even words only. But now I'm out of work, I'm dancing with a man I like... or at least his body ;-) sorry for putting it this way - but you're reminding me that thing all the time too. :-) And I'm not sure if I exactly want you to press on me... but I feel comfortable just to chat about it. Really."
- "I simply don't know if I wanna believe in all this - it sounds too easy with you. :-)"
- "Maybe it shouldn't be tough..."
- "I mean talking in the first place now."
- "That was what I was talking about, of course! :-)"
I actually wanted to talk about the other things too - but this was good intro to the topic that came to my mind when I asked her about that talking as we got closer. And that was dancing itself. For me dancing with someone is more than just performing some moves in a close proximity of other person. I heard people saying "it's just the dance". I guess it's just another thing I overrate in some of its aspects, but for me dance is always something more. And I was curious if Caren will be another "it's just the dance" person.
Although I have already serious doubts about it.