Carpe Diem

Electricity fills the air. Nervousness and awkward chatter competes with the desire to get dancing like oppositely charged magnets. Then, the instructor calls out that it's Girl's Choice--the reverse of what typically  happens. She heard the words, but somehow it didn't register because she is conditioned to having to wait for someone to choose her. It wouldn't be so bad except it's not like in Phys. Ed. class when someone gets picked last--they still get on a team. A few extra females, in this scenario, means you must start the dance rotations alone. Talk about demoralizing.

Being in a daze, she nearly missed this window of opportunity. Caught like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming Mack truck, she was. Stunned. No excuses about how sexist it is that guys always choose. Nothing to blame except not seizing the opportunity if she didn't have a dance partner.

Then, a flash of realization wakes her up. Girl's Choice. She looks around her to see that most people have paired up.

Hurry!

Dude, where is a guy?!

I do NOT want to dance by myself again!

[looks down disappointedly]

[sees the guy she had been talking with still sitting]

-- Steve, would you like to dance?

Nonchalantly, he says sure, not realizing how he rescued her from herself--not realizing how she had just seized the day.