"Want to talk about it?" asked Lloyd after that extra-strong punch I threw at him.

I knew my ever-reliable and loyal office bestie would rather get a facial and his nails done at the spa on the ground floor but he obliged when I invited him to an impromptu after-work sparring session at the office gym.

"Nope," I replied as I kept jabbing away at his boxing pads.

It has been days since that maddening outing with Lucas, Ayen and Chad yet I was still fuming. A few minutes after I left, Ayen called to apologize for her behavior and asked where I was. I lied and told her my boss called for a last-minute assignment.

"Just tell me what's bothering you instead of trying to break my jaw," Lloyd said as he grimaced in pain.

"Sorry," I said when I realized I was killing him.

"Is this still about that blind date with... what's his name again, Lucas?"

I answered with a combination of hard punches. Hook-straight-jab!

"Lucas... turns out to be an acquaintance from high school," I said, throwing jabs with extra force. "I saw him again last weekend when I accompanied Ayen to the florist and the designer."

"Oh, you mean this Lucas character is a ghost from the past? Interesting! Does Ayen know?"

"Of course not. She'll keep pestering me if she finds out her fiancé's cousin is my first love."

"First love! The plot thickens! Ouch, watch it."

I stopped punching. I never liked sharing my thoughts, especially when I was in a bad mood, but Lloyd can read my mind. He's one of the rare individuals whom you immediately trust and the only person I could confide in at work. It didn't hurt that it was easy to share feminine stuff with him.

I sighed and recounted my two horrible encounters with Lucas.

"He still has that effect on you," Lloyd remarked, motioning me to start punching again.

"He's despicable, arrogant and mean! He thinks women couldn't resist him even if he does something detestable."

Lloyd laughed. "I once went on a blind date with a guy who acted as if I was lucky he was sitting in front of me. It hurt my ego, but I let it go. I didn't like him anyway."

I widened my eyes at him.

"Are you kidding me? You think I'm angry with Lucas because he's not giving me attention?" I retorted as I started punching furiously. "I shouldn't have gone on that date in the first place. Men are scum."

"Say it, girl," Lloyd teased, before turning serious. "Cara, I think you're disappointed that he's not the man you expected him to be. Your judgment of guys is whack because of your douche of an ex-boyfriend."

Lloyd was right. I was angry with Lucas because he was not the guy I had a crush on way back when. Anger also became my default defense against getting hurt. But why was Lucas being weird? I wasn't expecting him to smile at me the way he did with that beauty queen or the designer's assistant, but he could at least be normal!

"You've been out of the dating world for too long, honey. Just chill, okay? You're overreacting," Lloyd said.

I sighed and gave him a look.

"Fine," I almost grumbled as I started hitting the boxing pads again.

***

I'd always known Ayen was capable of making outrageous requests. But I wasn't ready for this.

"You've got to be shitting me," I exclaimed when she insisted I join her and Chad for dancing lessons that weekend.

"Oh, Cara. You know I hate dancing. And I'm too shy to go there alone," Ayen pleaded.

"Chad will be there!"

"He hates the idea. He only agreed when I said friends will be joining us," she explained. "Please, Cara. I don't want to look like a waddling duck on the dance floor at my own wedding."

God, I wished she and Chad would just elope so I'd be spared of all this.

***

I got to the dance studio early and felt like an outcast in a roomful of couples. A few minutes later, Ayen and Chad arrived--with Lucas. Of course.

You wouldn't be in this ridiculous position if you just tell Ayen about that latest disastrous encounter, my conscience lectured me. But it was too late. There was no point to act immature in front of this numbskull.

"I am so glad you and Lucas are okay now," Ayen said as she greeted me with a hug. "Chad doesn't want anyone else see him dance. But I had to bring Lucas as your partner and Chad relented. I was worried you'd still be mad at Lucas."

I didn't bother to correct her. She looked excited and nervous that I didn't want to add to the anxiety.

The dance instructor arrived a few minutes later so we partnered up. Lucas seemed at ease all of a sudden. Still quiet and reserved but I got none of the anxious vibe of days past. There were a few pleasantries and introductions before the instructor started teaching us ballroom dancing basics.

"Now face your partners," she told the group.

I forced myself to turn towards Lucas. He didn't say anything, but gave me a tiny, friendly smile.

Wow, that was a shocker.

I averted my eyes and studied what the instructor and her partner were doing. I placed my left hand on Lucas' broad shoulder, then he clasped my right hand. He then put his right hand on my waist delicately. A third person could still fit between us with the way we distanced ourselves from each other.

The instructor started adjusting some of the couples' positions and asked Lucas to pull me closer when she reached us. Lucas did as told until I could feel his breathing on my forehead. I, on the other hand, held my breath for a moment, aware of how close he was.

"Now on my signal, I want you to do as we do," the instructor bellowed, turning to her partner. "Now one, two, three, four. One, two, three, four..."

I took up ballroom dancing so I was already familiar with the steps. I glanced at Ayen and Chad, who were laughing at how awful they were doing.

One, two, three, four. One, two three, four...

"You're good at this," Lucas said.

I was surprised that he's finally talking. I felt my cheeks getting hotter with embarrassment.

"I spent one semester in college doing this," I explained.

"Good for you. I spent three summers dancing like this when I was younger."

Stunned that he actually shared something about himself, I forced a smile as we glided on the dance floor, matching our steps gracefully. Lucas pulled me closer until I could feel his heart beating faster. Our eyes met as we got carried away by the rhythm. His eyes were so warm and just as captivating as the first time I saw them when we were teenagers. I instinctively gazed at his strawberry-red lips and I suddenly remembered how, back then, I wished he'd be my first kiss.

"I'm so sorry for how I had acted, Cara," he said. The way he said my name lingered in my mind for a bit.

"I didn't mean to hurt or disrespect you," he went on, guilt showing on his face. "I was arrogant, tactless and too angry with Chad for setting me up on a blind date at the last minute. I didn't consider your feelings."

"Ayen forced me to go on that date, too, but I tried to be nice," I said as Lucas guided me through a turn before I spun back in his arms.

"I realize what a jerk I was. It wasn't in my nature to act like that, to tell you honestly."

I didn't respond as I looked down on my toes while we repeated the steps.

"Will you forgive me?" he asked.

I glanced up at him and studied his face. How could I say no to those eyes?

"Now, here is your model couple!" the beaming instructor said. I quickly pulled away from Lucas, looked around and realized all the other couples had already stopped dancing. I saw Ayen smiling wickedly as she whispered to Chad, making me blush on the spot.

"I love the energy that both of you have," the instructor added as she wrapped her arms around me and Lucas. "You both are oozing with so much passion! You'll take the dance floor by storm on your wedding day."

Before I could protest, the instructor started clapping her hands and told us to practice for a few more minutes before she taught us a new sequence.

Lucas took my hand again. We didn't say a word for a moment, until I couldn't hold my laughter any longer.

"What's funny?" he asked, smiling.

"That was embarrassing," I said in between fits of laughter.

"I was busy apologizing."

"I got caught up in the moment."

His eyes sparkled with interest and asked, "Does that mean you've forgiven me?"

I just gave him a big smile.

"You're not so bad, after all," I said.

He chuckled with relief as he spun me around again and took me back in his arms. He stared at me for a minute, grinning.

"You're far from what I expected either."