So You Think You Can Dance Teaser

“Back straight, Bella,” I said as we glided across the hardwood floor. She was off today and crabby. We were rehearsing our foxtrot and it was not gelling together. When she accidently stomped on my foot with her heel, I grabbed her hips. “Bella, what’s going on?”

“The pressure,” she muttered, limping over to the edge of the studio. She picked up a water bottle and chugged it. “And all of the rehearsals. I’m hurting and …” Tears splashed onto her cheeks and she slid down the wall. I shot a look to the producer. They cut the video and slipped out of the rehearsal space. As soon as the door closed, I was on the floor and Bella was in my arms. She lost it, sobbing and clinging to my t-shirt. “I’m trying my best, Edward, but I’m so tired. My leg is killing me and this dance with Alice is … it’s horrible. It requires so much trust and I don’t trust her.”

“What is it about the dance?”  I asked. Bella reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She showed me a video of a rehearsal. It wasn’t the difficulty, but the possibility of Alice doing further damage to Bella’s knee. “Have you spoken to Sonya about this?”

“She’s aware of my concerns with Alice and so far, things have been fine, but it doesn’t stop my fear that Alice is going to fuck me up,” Bella hissed.

I kissed her temple, holding her tightly. “Look, we have to finish this rehearsal, pretty girl. I need to teach you the rest of the choreography. I was not expecting to choreograph a foxtrot, but when Louis Van Amstel had to have his appendix out, I was forced to come up with something. So, let’s at least get the rest of the choreography learned and then we’ll get out of here. I’m taking you home with me.”

“But, I have a rehearsal with Jacob tonight,” Bella whispered. “Not filmed, but yeah … we want to make sure our contemporary piece is up to snuff since we’re both contemporary dancers.”

“No. You don’t,” I said, shooting a text to Jacob using Bella’s phone. “Ha! He agreed. He’s going to spend time with the physical therapist. You all have been working yourselves to the bone.”

“Okay,” she nodded. “I think you’re right.”

“No thinking … I am right,” I snorted. “Now, can we finish this?”

“Let me just wash my face and then yes,” she replied. I stood up, helping her to her feet. Bella ducked out and I got the camera crew back into the studio. We finished going over the dance for our foxtrot. Bella was still moving stiffly, but I knew it was due to physical exhaustion and her knee bothering her. After the producer removed our microphones, I packed up our bags and led Bella down to my car.