A/N: Hello everyone - I'm back again :)
It's been a very stressful few weeks, but now I'm practically done with school (just waiting for GRADUATION!) and am ready to continue writing. I also have some very good news to share - I've already gotten started on Chapters 3 and 5! They're not done yet, but I do have a good 1/3 - 1/2 of each finished, so an update should be coming soon. I have written a few small parts of Chapter 4, but it's nothing to celebrate lol.
So in your reviews, I've noticed a lot of people commenting about how mean Jake is or how mean they are to each other. Yes, I did intentionally write it that way - it wasn't a mistake. I thought it'd be a nice twist to have them really dislike each other (for real) instead of it being a 'cover up for their feelings' or whatever. Now, I'm giving you all a fair warning now - Jake and Miley are going to get pretty nasty with each other (...not that kind of nasty...) and there will be a few parts where things get really intense. If you have a problem with that, you don't have to read the story - I understand.
Uh...yeah, that's pretty much it...enjoy the chapter :)
Ms. Francine Jovanovich was one of the greatest ballroom dancers in the industry and was known for her capability of making a dancer out of anybody. She was a beautiful woman - long blonde hair, slender arms and legs, amazing torso – and was currently flirting blatantly with Robbie Ray Stewart.
Miley hated her already.
They were waiting for Jake Ryan to arrive for their first dance lesson and Ms. Jovanovich took the opportunity to bat her heavily made-up eyes at Miley's father while Miley glared hatefully from across the room. As if dancing with the biggest asshole in the universe was bad enough, now she had to witness her dance instructor make lovey-dovey eyes at her father. Miley snorted when Mr. Stewart laughed at one of Ms. Jovanovich's lame jokes.
He was obviously falling for her stupid flirting – and it was disgusting.
After a few minutes, Jake Ryan strutted into the dance studio wearing the worst possible outfit to dance in. Jeans, which would constrain his legs during dancing, and a multitude of layered shirts and jackets adorned his body and Miley couldn't help but roll her eyes. He looked completely ridiculous as he attempted to stretch his muscles in his tight-fitting clothes and she outright laughed at him when he lost his balance and fell over.
Noticing the commotion, Ms. Jovanovich ended her conversation with Mr. Stewart and turned to see Miley laughing uncontrollably while Jake glared at her from the floor. Seeing his choice of clothing, she grabbed a gym bag near the door and threw it at Jake, who's fast reflexes allowed him to catch the bag without blinking.
"Go change. I won't have you dance dressed like that. The next time it happens, be prepared to run laps – in jeans."
Not daring to challenge the cold face and hard tone, Jake silently exited the room with gym bag in hand. Miley watched smugly as he left, glad that someone had finally treated Jake the way he deserved to be treated – like a normal, spoiled little boy. She hated how everyone at school fell at his feet and practically worshiped the ground he stood on and she couldn't stand his obnoxious, self-centered attitude.
She remembered when she met Jake Ryan for the first time nearly eight months ago and scowled at the memory. Word had gotten around that the famous actor was to attend Seaview High School and the entire school was bubbling with excitement. Even Miley was eager to meet the star, thinking that since they had so much in common, they'd quickly become friends. When the day finally came, Jake Ryan burst through the school's main doors, surrounded by paparazzi. He flashed everyone his fake million-dollar smile and spent the day signing autographs and telling stories of his encounters with the rich and famous. No one in school learned a thing that day, except for how Jake Ryan had recently jumped off the edge of the Grand Canyon for his latest movie.
Miley watched the spectacle from afar, realizing that the star was nothing like her at all. He didn't come to Seaview to be normal like she did – he was there for publicity. He basked in the attention of his fellow students and didn't care if cameras followed him everywhere. He enjoyed the special treatment he got from every teacher, not once telling them that he'd rather be like everyone else and do the ten-page research paper instead of the two-page one. It was unfair that he be treated like a God while everyone else was treated like dirt, and Miley refused to follow the worshipers' footsteps. His pompous attitude pissed her off and there was no way in hell she was going to let him step all over her.
The day after his first appearance at Seaview, Miley pulled into the student parking lot only to see Jake Ryan's car parked in her assigned spot. Peeved, she rolled down her window and successfully got his attention away from his trunk. He smirked and, thinking she wanted his autograph, pulled out a signed picture as he approached her car. He lowered his face, leveling it with hers through the open window, and handed her the picture with his dazzling smile set in place.
"Here you go, Sweets. Don't lose that." He winked at her audaciously and turned to leave. Miley narrowed her eyes, fuming, and called him back.
"I don't want your damn autograph, you arrogant jerk. I want you to get the hell out of my parking spot!" Surprised, Jake elegantly raised an eyebrow and looked down his nose at her.
"And why, pray tell, should I do that? Don't you know who I am?" Miley attempted to keep her temper at bay, but it didn't work very well.
"Yeah, I know who you are, but that doesn't mean you should be treated any differently than any other person who takes my parking spot. There's no reason for you to get away with everything just because you were pretty enough to get your face plastered on TV. Now get the hell out of my parking spot!"
Jake, thinking he was the center of the universe, was shocked and angry that someone – a girl, nonetheless – didn't sway at his feet. The two broke into an argument over the parking spot and, when Miley realized that he wasn't going to move because he thought he was better than her, she took it upon herself to ram into the back of his car with her own, causing a large dent in his three-hundred thousand dollar car.
And that was how their intense rivalry came about. They were seen constantly fighting throughout school, sometimes on the verge of violence on Miley's part. They threw insults around with no remorse and after a while, it seemed almost natural for them to speak nastily to each other. The insults no longer hurt – they were so used them by now that they had no effect. Some people claimed that their rivalry was just a cover for the secret lustful feelings they harbored for one another, but Miley knew better than that. In reality, it all came down to her hatred of his self-absorbed, arrogant attitude and his hatred of her supposed self-righteousness.
Miley's thoughts broke when Jake entered the studio once more, this time dressed in comfortable sweatpants and a plain singlet. She chuckled lightly at the frown etched onto his face at having to look like a 'commoner'. He took a seat next to her on the floor, not looking her way once, and began a few stretching exercises. Miley, who had already finished her own, took the time to look over the annoying, obnoxious boy. High cheek bones, a well defined jaw, and a slightly rounded nose greeted her as her eyes roamed his face. His golden hair fell over his eyes as he leaned forward to stretch the various muscles in his back and Miley wondered what she'd think of his appearance if he wasn't such an awful person. She had to admit he was very handsome, but his personality permanently tainted her image of him. As her eyes slowly moved up his face, she was startled to find that he was watching her, a cool smirk plastered on his face.
"See something you like, Stewart? And all this time I thought you hated me. I should have known you were just like all the other girls, despite your silly attempts to make me think you didn't find me attractive." Miley grit her teeth, trying not to let her anger get the best of her once more.
"Please, Ryan, you honestly think I was checking you out? I was merely contemplating how many STDs you must have from all of the whores you've slept around with. Then again, you probably haven't been with many once word got around that you have no d–"
Just as Miley was about to finish her insult, Ms. Jovanovich re-entered the studio, her face serious and her hair tied into a severely tight bun atop her head. She barked for them to stand and get into position. Miley grimaced as Jake roughly grabbed her hand in his own and raised both of their arms level with their jaws. She rested her hand on his shoulder as he rested his on her waist, to which she narrowed her eyes and moved his hand high on her back. He gave her a fake pout, eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Aw, and here I thought you'd like me touching you there, seeing as how no one else ever would." Miley was very close to slapping him across the face, but she managed to restrain her self.
"Why you-" Once again, she was cut off by a bark from Ms. Jovanovich.
"Stop talking!" The two teenagers grumbled and looked away from each other, unable to stand each other's sight any longer. Ms. Jovanovich took a deep breath and began her lesson. "Now that we're ready – walk." Miley and Jake both turned and looked at her, bewildered expressions on their faces. "I said walk!"
Deciding that she wasn't kidding, Miley faced Jake and forcefully began shoving him backwards with large steps, causing him to stumble slightly. Ms. Jovanovich shook her head at the pair and stopped them.
"No, no – the male leads, Ms.Stewart. It's the woman's job to follow." Before Miley could respond, Jake decided to take the opportunity to rub the facts in Miley's face.
"Hear that, Stewart? It looks like you'll finally learn your place after this whole thing is over." Miley glared angrily at him while Ms. Jovanovich narrowed her eyes.
"The man proposes the step, Mr. Ryan, but it is the woman's choice to accept by following. To follow takes as much strength as to lead."
Ms. Jovanovich gave Miley a small smile, letting her know she was on her side. The smile soon disappeared, however, and the lesson resumed. She had the two practice walking once more and, after a few more insults were traded, they managed to get down the correct steps. Once the steps were memorized, the couple was taught to glide while moving, resulting in something that looked somewhat like a waltz. The movements were stiff and emotionless, much like the two teens, but it managed to resemble the basic form of the dance.
They danced for hours, only stopping when Miley accidentally stepped on Jake's feet, and the two were growing weary and frustrated with one another. When she stepped on him once more, he lost his temper and pinched her ass roughly. Squealing loudly, she wrenched herself from his grasp and stared at him, shocked and violated.
"What the hell, you pig!?" He sneered at her, quickly losing his patience.
"Well, maybe my hand wouldn't have 'slipped' if you didn't keep stepping on me with your clumsy-ass feet!" Outraged, she stepped up to him, chin held up defiantly.
"Keep your hands to yourself, pervert, before you regret it." He only smirked and looked down on her as if she were beneath him.
"Really? And what are you going to do if I don't, Stewart?"
He pinched her ass again, laughing at the look of rage and violation in her eyes. He couldn't help but notice that her ass actually felt quite nice, but quickly disposed of that thought when he realized that her teeth were bared and anger emanated around her. Snarling, she rammed her heel roughly into his foot, smiling innocently when he let loose a howl of pain.
"Oops, must be my 'clumsy feet'." Giving him one last sugar-coated smile, she waltzed out of the studio toward the locker room, leaving behind a gaping Ms. Jovanovich and an infuriated Jake Ryan in her wake. "Next time you touch me, I won't go so easy."
Jake's foot throbbed painfully, a reminder of what she'd done to him. It always seemed like he was the one constantly getting punished and he was sick of her getting away with everything. He would not back down and next time, he'd show her where her place was.
Jake glared after her, watching as her hips swayed teasingly back and forth during her exit. God, how he hated her...