The Partner She Didn't Pick

When Tegan's gym teacher announced the folk dance unit, she assumed she would end up paired with one of her friends. That was usually how partners worked out in that class. Instead, the list went up alphabetically, and she found her name next to Ronan's. He was a boy she had exchanged maybe ten words with in three years of school.

Ketika guru olahraga Tegan mengumumkan unit tari rakyat, ia mengira akan berpasangan dengan salah satu temannya. Biasanya begitulah cara pasangan terbentuk di kelas itu. Namun daftarnya ditempel menurut abjad, dan namanya berada di samping nama Ronan. Anak laki-laki itu hanya pernah ia ajak bicara mungkin sepuluh kata selama tiga tahun bersekolah.

"This is going to be painful," she muttered to her friend Hazel, not quietly enough.

"Ini bakal menyiksa," gumamnya kepada temannya, Hazel, dengan suara yang kurang pelan.

"For both of you, probably," Hazel said, not even looking up from her phone.

"Untuk kalian berdua, mungkin," kata Hazel tanpa mengalihkan pandangan dari ponselnya.

Ronan turned out to be a surprisingly patient partner, which annoyed Tegan slightly, since she had already decided to dislike the whole arrangement. He counted the steps under his breath, correcting his own footwork more often than hers, and never once complained when she stepped on him.

Ronan ternyata pasangan yang sangat sabar, yang sedikit menjengkelkan Tegan, karena ia sudah telanjur memutuskan tidak menyukai seluruh pengaturan itu. Ronan menghitung langkah dengan berbisik, lebih sering membetulkan gerakan kakinya sendiri daripada kaki Tegan, dan tak pernah sekali pun mengeluh ketika kakinya terinjak.

"You don't have to be nice about this," she told him after the third rehearsal, half joking.

"Kamu tidak perlu bersikap baik soal ini," katanya kepada Ronan setelah latihan ketiga, setengah bercanda.

"I'm not being nice," Ronan said. "I actually don't mind the class. My sister's a dancer. I grew up with this music playing constantly at home."

"Aku bukan bersikap baik," kata Ronan. "Aku memang tidak keberatan dengan kelas ini. Kakakku penari. Aku tumbuh dengan musik seperti ini yang selalu diputar di rumah."

That explained the ease with which he moved, something Tegan hadn't expected and found herself watching more than the steps required.

Itu menjelaskan betapa luwesnya ia bergerak, sesuatu yang tak Tegan sangka dan ia dapati dirinya perhatikan lebih lama daripada yang dibutuhkan langkah-langkah itu.

By the second week, their conversations had started to wander beyond counting beats. She learned he was applying to an art program out of state, something he hadn't told most people yet. He worried it would sound like he was trying to impress someone.

Memasuki minggu kedua, obrolan mereka mulai melantur melampaui hitungan ketukan. Ia tahu bahwa Ronan sedang mendaftar ke sebuah program seni di luar negara bagian, sesuatu yang belum ia ceritakan kepada kebanyakan orang. Ronan khawatir hal itu akan terdengar seperti usaha untuk membuat seseorang terkesan.

"I wasn't trying to impress you," he added quickly, then looked instantly embarrassed by how that sounded.

"Aku bukan sedang berusaha membuatmu terkesan," tambahnya cepat-cepat, lalu langsung tampak malu mendengar ucapannya sendiri.

"I know," Tegan said, smiling despite herself. "But it worked anyway."

"Aku tahu," kata Tegan, tersenyum meski tidak ingin. "Tapi tetap berhasil."

The unit ended with a small showcase for parents. Afterward, waiting for rides in the school parking lot, Ronan asked if she wanted to get something to eat, not as partners, just as themselves.

Unit itu ditutup dengan pertunjukan kecil untuk para orang tua. Sesudahnya, saat menunggu jemputan di tempat parkir sekolah, Ronan bertanya apakah Tegan mau makan sesuatu, bukan sebagai pasangan, hanya sebagai diri mereka sendiri.

Tegan had spent three years barely noticing he existed. She still wasn't sure how that had changed so quickly, but she said yes before she could talk herself into overthinking it.

Tegan sudah tiga tahun nyaris tak menyadari keberadaan Ronan. Ia masih belum yakin bagaimana hal itu bisa berubah begitu cepat, tetapi ia mengiyakan sebelum sempat meyakinkan dirinya untuk berpikir berlebihan.