Isle of Enchantment Read Free Page A

laughed.
    Tomas was standing in the corner but I could see he was moving his body to the beat. Tomas can be a little shy and afraid to try things that might involve contact with a girl. Dad and I kept dancing and he laughed to me, “I can’t believe you’ll still dance with your old dad. I was afraid you were too cool for that.”
    Dad spun me around and that’s when I saw her. A small dark-haired girl was standing next to Tomas, whispering in his ear. Tomas was blushing. She took his hand and led him to the dance floor.
    â€œWould you look at your brother? He’s dancingwith a girl,” Dad grinned.
    Tomas stumbled around the dance floor at first. He couldn’t even find the beat of the music. The girl held his hands and showed him how to move his feet and hips. He bumped into the other dancers and muttered a few “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Tomas looked nervous and very sweaty. But the girl smiled as she taught Tomas how to salsa.
    â€œMay I have this dance,” Mom asked as she stepped between me and Dad.
    â€œYes, please,” I answered as I handed Dad off to Mom. I wanted to watch Tomas dance with a mystery girl and that was hard to do while I was dancing with Dad. I moved off to the corner so Tomas would not catch me watching him.
    After three or four songs, Tomas started to get better. He stayed with the beat most of the time and he wasn’t bumping into every other dancer on the floor. He began to look like he was having some fun.
    Then his mystery girl leaned into him, placed her hands on his cheeks, and planted a kiss on his face. Tomas lost the beat and skidded into his dancing partner. He looked surprised. The girl ran off.
    Tomas rushed off the dance floor in the opposite direction. I dashed after him.
    â€œTomas, hey, wait up,” I called.
    Tomas was outside in the fresh air by the time I caught up to him.
    â€œWhat happened in there, little bro?” I asked.
    â€œI don’t know. One minute I’m learning how to dance, the next I get kissed.” Tomas was embarrassed.
    I laughed, “You act like you’ve never been kissed.”
    â€œI haven’t,” Tomas confessed.
    â€œSeriously?” I asked.
    â€œSeriously,” he answered.
    Wow. Tomas’s first real kiss was with a total stranger. Tomas shrugged sheepishly. “Maybe I am cuter in Puerto Rico than I am in the United States?”
    I shook my head.
    â€œNope. Don’t think so.” Who am I to lie to the boy?
    â€œIt must be your stunning dance moves,” I told Tomas. He looked like he believed me.
    A shadow moved behind Tomas. I motioned to him to be quiet. The shadowy figure came closer. Under the lamplight, I recognized the girl from the dance floor.
    â€œTomas, someone’s looking for you,” I sang.
    Tomas turned around and jumped back, startled. The girl came closer to us.
    â€œHola,” she said. “Tomas, you can’t leave without giving me your phone number.”
    Even though it was dark outside, I could see the blush rising in Tomas’s cheeks.
    â€œUh, yeah, sure,” Tomas stammered.
    The girl handed him her phone and he typed his contact information.
    â€œAren’t you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?” I said.
    Tomas looked embarrassed and confused.
    â€œCarmen, this is my twin sister, Marisol.” Tomas paused and motioned to me. “Marisol, this is my friend Carmen.”
    I stuck my hand up, waved, and offered a polite, “Nice to meet you.”
    Carmen did the same.
    â€œWould you like to see real, traditional dancing?”Carmen asked.
    â€œSure,” Tomas agreed to anything.
    â€œCome on,” Carmen said, pulling Tomas by the hand. I trailed behind.
    Carmen twisted and turned through the city streets until we came to a small restaurant.
    â€œHere we are. Real Spanish dancing. Take a peek,” Carmen said as she swung open the doors. We walked inside.
    The restaurant was