As Jake took a refreshing sip of his water at last, he stretched out his leg from the tiring session. He was sweaty and exhausted, like he was after every time, but he felt better. Nearly always training for days a week was a lot of work, but he couldn't be happier than right there in that room, doing what he loved and what he was best at.

He'd never worked harder at anything in his life. It took strength, determination and commitment to do what he did and he was proud to say who he was.

Jake Peralta was a ballet dancer.

He had been since he was 14 years old. Now, at 26, he was one of the best in the state, with a soon to be shot at this years entrance to the Brooklyn Dance Academy. He wanted to study where all the greats had, so he could teach the next generation. But it wasn't going to happen unless he went to school.

"Jake." His teacher said, coming up to him as he threw on a jacket to leave. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure." He assumed it was for an upcoming performance. His group often did performances, along with Ginas other classes, but Jake was encouraged to do mostly competitions for the prize money and because he did well in competitive situations.

However Gina passed Jake some paper with a disappointed smile on her face. It was very unlike her. Gina was normally the most positive person Jake knew. Her style and methods may be strange, but Jake thought she was a genius in her own way. Her own crazy way.

"Look Jake, I've read this over. To get into the academy, you need more basic knowledge, or you won't even be considered for a place, let alone a scholarship. And this shows 0 knowledge." She explained.

"What?! But I'm the best ballet dancer around Gina, my record is perfect. I've never come less than 3rd place."

"Doesn't matter Jakey. They take one look at this." She gestured to his application. "And you're finished. They won't even let you take the exam. You need the brains, not just the moves." Jake slumped down on the bench.

"This is ridiculous." Jake was worried. His interview with the school, the exam and his performance piece was happening in just over a month. If he was prepared, then there was nothing he could do.

"Jake, I want you to reconsider your stance on doing a solo piece for your performance." Gina said.

"Gina, I'm flattered, but-" Gina cut him off by slapping his arm.

"Ew! Gross Peralta, not me, you moron. I'm talking about the only other member of my classes that's applying this year."

"Don't say it." He warned quickly. "Not her. Anybody but her." Jake shook his head vigorously.

"She's the best at the academic section Jake. You know you need to pass that exam, she can get you there."

"No way. She's the worst!" Jake whined.

They were referring to Amy Santiago. Fierce, passionate and an all-round pain in Jake's ass. She was in the class directly after Jake's normally, but she always turns up early and as a pass-time mocks everything that Jake does, or just gives him snide stares.

Jake and Amy had a long past of going head to head in almost every dance competition for ballet they'd ever entered, and now, both were applying for the same year at the academy. Jake loathed Amy, ever since she beat him at a competition months ago and mocked him. She was crazy competitive and sadly, was just as good as Jake.

It didn't help that Jake had had this huge crush on her for about 2 months, before he'd really gotten to know her. She used to turn up early to class and just watch. Her dark hair was always pulled back behind her face and she always looked so peaceful and beautiful. Jake had almost worked up the courage to ask her out before the competition, staying late after his class in hopes of having a conversation. But then she won and threw it in his face, and he immediately started to hate her and the mocking began. Although maybe he did it back. Just a little. Okay, a lot.

Of course he did it back. Jake still stayed late after his classes just to make sure he could get a couple little digs in before he left. But she started it.

"Doesn't matter. In exchange for a partnership for the performance, which you both desperately need, she's agreed to teach you the academic stuff." Jake groaned.

"How did you get her to agree to that?"

"Oh!" Gina laughed. "She doesn't know it's you! No, I just told her it was some idiot from my class."

"Good thinking, lying to get her to agree." Gina smiled sweetly to spare his feelings.

"Well she's gonna be here in a couple of mins to sort everything out. Remember Jakey, you need this. She'll be good for you. And all she wants in return is a little help with her dancing."

"What?!" Jake almost yelled, forcing Gina to slam her hands over her ears.

"What? She needs a little help with her dancing right now. She lacks what you have, passion. She's too...robotic at the moment. It's like she's read the manual on how to dance from a textbook. She needs some emotion in her pieces." Gina explained and Jake couldn't have been happier. "Here she is now, don't screw this up." Gina turned Jake towards the door and gave him a friendly pat on the bottom to gear him up. Amy's smile dropped the moment she spotted Jake.

"Gina what the hell?" She asked the second she got through the door. "I thought you said I was teaching a dancer, not a monkey."

"Oh ha ha. And I thought I was going to be helping a dancer, not a robot, but here we are." Jake teased, letting her know that Gina had informed him of why she needed help. Amy's cheeks flushed pink, shown clearly as her hair was pinned back like always.

"Gina, I didn't agree to this."

"Look Amy, you both need the help, and my life is too full and amazing to be wasting it teaching you stuff you could be teaching each other." Gina said, walking away from the both of them and leaving them to talk. They both remained silent for a few moments, although they weren't at all surprise by either Gina's comment or her callous attitude.

"Peralta." Amy said bluntly, nodding her head a little.

"Santiago."

"I didn't know you were applying for the academy." She said, trying to be as pleasant as she could be.

"I am. I didn't know you were." Jake said, looking down at his feet awkwardly.

"I am." They both paused. "Alright fine, Jake we clearly both need each other's help, so can't we just suck it up for a measly month. I need to get into that school Jake." Amy blurted out as quickly as she could.

"Same, but we can't stand each other, how are we going to work together?"

"Let's just put everything aside for the time being. Pretend we don't know each other?" She suggested and stuck out her delicate hand. Jake took it and shook it. Damn, for a dancer she had a surprisingly strong handshake.

"Fine."

So a deal was struck. Jake with his desperate need to learn about technique and history of dance, got 3 sessions a week in which he and Amy would meet at the library and she would teach him. Amy with her desperate need to improve the grace of her dance got 3 sessions a week in which Jake promised he'd make her show her passion for dance when she moved. Gina agreed through a quick text that they could drop down to one group session with her a week as they would be replacing it with time with each other. Although she expressed her concern that they may kill each other before the month was up.

The first meet up was the next day and they arranged to meet at the library. Jake wasn't embarrassed to admit he'd only been there twice before, and never to rent a book. It just wasn't his thing. He preferred to be on his feet, up and moving. Although he liked a good movie.

Amy was waiting by the door for him at 7pm. He stopped on the way to get a snack so ended up getting there a little late, and by the look on her face she was not pleased.

"Seriously Peralta?" She sighed.

"I'm only 8 minutes late." He pointed out. "It doesn't even look open." He said, gesturing to the library.

"That's because it's not." Amy reached into her pocket and pulled out a set of keys and quickly unlocked the door. "I wouldn't be seen with you in public."

"Oh ha ha." Jake said, a little stung if he was honest. He wasn't that bad.

"Just go on in. Light switches are on the left." He reached out and switched the lights on, carefully watching as they lit up each individual section of the library in turn. Peralta entered closely followed by Amy who quickly made herself at home. She removed her jacket and placed her bag on one of the tables.

"Shall we sit here, or would you be more comfortable in the childrens section?" Amy teased and Jake just pulled a face in return, sticking his tongue out. He sat down at the table, pulling out a tatty notebook and pen he'd been told to bring.

"Let's just get this over with." Amy said quickly, sitting herself down next to Jake.

"Look, Amy.." Jake swallowed and took a deep breath. "I understand this is very generous on your part. I wanna thank you. It's nice of you to take the time to teach me this stuff. I feel I'm getting the better end of the deal." Amy looked shocked. Jake's observed her face up close and noticed things he'd never seen before. Like the fact her eyelashes were very long, and her eyes were beautiful, brown and big. They were lovely. Jake shook his head slightly and looked away, ashamed to be looking at her like that. Like he used to.

"Oh." She said quietly. "Thank you." She nodded and tucked a strand of her hair from the side of her face automatically, even though it just fell lose again instantly.

"That's alright." She smiled and he couldn't help himself. "Huh. She can smile." He mocked, but it didn't seem so rude now. In fact, it seemed down right flirtatious. He wondered if she would notice or react. He wasn't sure what he wanted her to say in response.

"I can. So, can I ask, why do you even want to go to school? I mean, it doesn't exactly seem like your kind of thing." Jake considered lying, or not saying anything at all. But that didn't seem right. He moved in a little, facing her directly so he didn't seem rude.

"Well, when I was kid, I really wanted to take classes for dance but my mom couldn't afford it. I had to wait till I could get a paper round to get classes. I know loads of other kids with the same kind of problems, all living near me or attending my school and it just didn't seem fair. I want to teach kids dance for free, but no school works like that, and I can't get a grant to teach them without a degree myself. If I get a degree a bank or foundation could give me a loan, and I could fund raise for the rest and put my competition winnings toward it. So I have to go to school. It's everything I want." Jake's voice was hushed and a little husky. He didn't like talking about his childhood and sharing his dream wasn't a common occurrence for him.

Amy's mouth dropped open about an inch as he was telling her, she couldn't believe her ears. It was so...unlike Jake. Everything she knew about him was based on his cocky and obnoxious behavior at competitions and rehearsal. She couldn't imagine the possibility he was actually a nice person.

"How about you?" Jake asked, a little cheerier. Amy could tell he was uncomfortable talking about this kind of stuff. He'd clenched his knuckles as he was talking. Not in anger, he'd just tensed up.

"I'd like to teach dance and art history in a college. But I need a degree." She said simply. "I've always like the concepts and evolution of dance more than performing."

"But you're so good at performing." Jake pointed out and swore he saw Amy's cheeks redden slightly.

"Thank you." Amy said, surprised at his compliment.

"I mean, you'd have to be to come close to beating me." He went back to mocking her, and it was more familiar to the both of them. They stayed silent for a few moments, even though the unfamiliar eye contact remained. Jake noticed they were very close and for a moment, thought back to when he had a crush on Amy. Then, out of absolute ignorance of the current situation that Jake moved forward slightly, causing Amy to jump up like she'd been electrocuted. He panicked, not knowing what he'd been thinking.

She realised he'd hardly moved but it brought up memories of her stupid childish crush on Peralta which was way, way in the past. But the amount of times she'd imagined a situation very similar to this made her jump to conclusions.

The motion paired with Jake was far too familiar to Amy, but only from her imagination. She couldn't help the fact she was childish with crushes. It was a weak spot for her.

It had started when Rosa, another dancer had convinced her to come along to an all male competition in which Jake was participating in. Word of his talent had spread around the classes. A male dancer of his age with the amount of skill he supposedly had was a big gossip item.

Amy had spent the competition staring at him. The way he moved, his toned body and his passion and creativity with his dance. Everything about him attracted Amy, even I'd she hadn't spoken to him yet.

He won the competition but Amy couldn't work up the courage to congratulate him.

So she'd turned up 5 minutes earlier for her session at dance class the next day, hoping to talk to him then. She knew he was in the class after her, so she figured it couldn't be that hard.

She watched him dance and pack away, waiting patiently in the corner but didn't say a word. Eventually, she just came to see him and fantasize. Amy hadn't acted this way ever before but she knew she was behaving like she had a school girl style crush.

Under the advice of Rosa who'd seen how Amy was behaving, Amy signed up for a competition Jake was also participating in so she would get a chance to talk to him. So far he'd only smiled at her but which Amy took that to be a good sign. She was hopeful.

Then she won the competition and he was such a sore loser. He practically sulked the entire time and Amy felt confident enough to tease him a little. But he acted like a dick and she decided she in fact disliked this man very strongly. And apparently he decided the same about her.

She still turned up early for her classes. It was good for her, and he seemed to like mocking her and Amy wasn't about to back down. She felt foolish. Besides, as much as she hated to admit it, she actually learnt from watching him dance, and she still liked to see him move. There was just something about it.

Their rivalry grew with every competition they both participated in. They were pretty much always first and second, and it was always close but Amy always had this nagging feeling that he was better than her and it drove her insane.

"I thought we'd started with the positions that you know." Amy said, as confident as she could. She realized how bad that sounded by the childish look on Peralta's face. "Dance! Dance positions. I thought we could start with dance positions that you know. You'll have to talk about them for your practical, and write about them for your exam."

"Okay okay okay." Jake recited, leaning back in his chair.

"So, which ones do you know?" Amy pushed, trying to remain as collective and calm as she could.

"None." He frowned. "Wait! I know first."

"Which is?"

"The one where you point your toes?" Amy groaned and put her hands over her face. It was so much worse than she'd thought.

"We've got so much work to do Peralta."

Hey there! Thanks for reading, I hope you've enjoyed it so far. The school is fictional btw, even if there is a Brooklyn Dance Academy so it's not accurate, but please just go with it! I promise I'll be introducing all of the main B99 characters alone the way too and some in a way you won't be expecting!

Feedback is appreciated and always loved, it's good to get an idea of what you think. A new chapter will be up shortly!