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Chapter 2

Beth pulled her Pointe shoes on making sure the elastic bands were on correctly then tied up the laces. She knew that her feet would be ripped apart by the time she was done with rehearsal but her new shoes had to be broken in. Her first day had been fun and she was happy that she wasn't a part of the wait staff this year. Unlike last summer she didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn.

Beth stood on tiptoe as high as she could without going on Pointe and bounced on her feet. She sucked in her breath feeling pain shoot through her feet from the sores she already had. In the back of her mind she considered putting on her performance shoes; which were Gaynor Minden since she didn't have to break them in. Her feet had taken a real beating this year and the pain was sometimes too hard to work through.

Stepping up to the barre, Beth rose through her demi pointe till she was en pointe in fifth position. She stood there for a minute hoping to get used to the weight being on her feet and still pulling some of her weight off her bad leg. The pain became too intense and she fell out of position.

"That's a beautiful move. It seems you have been practicing," she heard him say sarcastically.

Parker swept into the room carrying a pair of shoes and his dance bag on his shoulder and she felt like she was back at school. It had been hard keeping her secret about her leg but she was determined that no one know about her disadvantage. Not only was she years behind when she started but her knee gave out when too much pressure was applied to it. It didn't happen all the time but after hours of practice her knee would remind her how uncomfortable it felt.

"Lets just get this over with," she snapped. The last thing she wanted to do was practice with Parker. In the studio beside the one they were in, Trent was giving a private lesson. How she wished she could be with him. He didn't judge her like the students at the Academy did.

Beth strolled over to the stereo and plugged her ipod in, turning it to the song they would be performing to at the fall showcase. The music started and they moved together but anyone could see that they weren't in sync. Beth moved to the edge of the floor before getting ready for the lift. It was the hardest part for her since she had to jump off and her knee would sometimes protest to the activity.

Beth took off towards Parker and jumped but before she got in his arms she knew she hadn't gotten enough air for him. He grabbed her in an awkward position and she fell towards the floor. Parker caught her and placed her back on her feet. "Come on Beth. Focus."

"I am focused. Maybe you should just do your job."

"Don't even think of blaming this on me."

Beth went back to the stereo and started the song from the beginning. They went through the motions until they got to the lift and she failed to jump high enough again.

"What is going on with you today? This lift is usually no problem."

"Nothings wrong with me. Do it again." This time when she reached the lift she got enough air and they made it through.

At the end of their practice she sat down and pulled her shoes off to see her feet bleeding. It seemed like every sore she had on her feet had reopened.

"You should rest your feet for a few days," Parker commented.

"Wouldn't that be perfect for you. Then maybe I could fall more behind and they will kick me out."

Parker shook his head looking perturbed by her statement. "I was just trying to help."

"Help? All you want is to switch partners." Beth rose to her feet and shoved her shoes in her bag. She wanted out of there as fast as she could. Dealing with Parker was never an easy thing and he was trying her patience.

"Okay, yes, I want to switch partners. I don't see what the recruiter saw in you. Do you even want this because you seem miserable all the time?"

Beth grabbed the barre and squeezed trying to keep her anger at bay. In the mirror she could see herself and she wondered if he was right. There were dark circles under her eyes and her body was tight from all the stress she was under. The last thing she wanted to do was show Parker her weakness. Without another word Parker walked out the door leaving her behind to contemplate what he had said. He was just like the other students at the Academy. They all wanted to know why she was there. It was obvious to them that she was years behind in her training. If she put in as much effort as she had this past year she may catch up by her senior year.

That afternoon Beth and Trent were laid out on their spot beside the lake. They hadn't said much to each other in the last hour but she liked that about them. It wasn't an awkward silence but more of a calm that had settled between them. Honestly, she was thinking about all the things that had happened between Parker and her at practice.

Beth took a deep breath to calm her nerves when she felt Trent take her hand in his. "You want to talk about it," he asked.

Beth smiled, appreciating the fact that she didn't have to say a word for him to know that something was wrong. He wasn't dense like some of the other guys she knew. "Not really. I'm just glad to finally be here. I thought this summer would never come."

Trent kissed her hand and he smiled back showing off his dimples. "Me either. After I came to visit you I wasn't sure I wanted to go back home. My home is with you."

Beth felt a lump in her throat wondering if she should talk to him about all that had been happening. She also wanted to know where they stood after spending ten months apart. "Are we serious, Trent?"

Trent turned to her," what do you mean?"

"I mean if I asked you to move in with me after the summer, would you?"

Trent rolled to his side and propped his head on his hand. "That is a big step. Are you sure?"

Beth nodded. "Did I tell you that I'm opening up a new studio in September?"

"No, that's great."

"Well, I'm going to need some new instructors," she lowered her eyes knowing that he wasn't going to take this very well.

Trent got to his feet and turned away from her. She could see his shoulders sag and knew they were about to get into the same fight they had when he had visited. "I already told you that I'm not ready to become a full time instructor. I have years left before that becomes my only option and I don't want to waste them."

"So, what you're saying is, you don't want to put your career on hold to be with me?"

Trent ran his hands through his hair turning back to her. "Lets say I do move in with you. What then? You are in school perfecting your craft while I let mine slip away?"

"You're right. I'm sorry," she said.

Trent pulled her into his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder. His arms were strong and it made her feel safe. After all the problems she had she needed to feel secure. "The summer has just begun. We have plenty of time to figure things out."

She wished she believed that but this conversation felt more like the first nail in their coffin. If he wasn't willing to be with her where did that leave them? She could always leave school. Parker would enjoy that thoroughly. This would also give her an excuse to drop out.

"How has practice been going with Parker," he asked.

"Fantastic," she answered deadpan.

"That good, huh?"

"I don't know how to deal with him. We just drive each other up the wall."

Trent laughed," I truly believe you guys are just hiding your deep seeded love for each other underneath all that hostility."

Beth stuck her tongue out at him. "The day I find any love for that guy will be the day pigs fly."

"Why don't you guys get along?"

"You mean other than the fact that he is arrogant and thinks the world revolves around him? I don't know." Beth thought back to the day Parker had dropped her while trying to show off for Missy. Lucky for him he didn't have to try real hard to be a great dancer. From the moment she saw him dance she knew he was a natural. His body was graceful and every move he made came from the soul.

What had prompted Mr. Kennedy to put them together? Beth, even though she was far from an oaf, was nowhere near the best dancer in the class. Shouldn't Parker have been partnered with one of the better dancers? Silently she hoped that she hadn't stifled his training.

"He seemed like a nice guy when I met him."

"You like everybody. Unless you were in direct competition with him and then you would see what I see."

Trent cupped her face in his hands and kissed her sending sparks of electricity throughout her body. This is what she had missed and this was the reason she wanted him to come home with her. Unbeknownst to him she had already gotten her apartment ready for him to move in. Even her dresser had been cleaned out to make room for him.

"I think we should take this to my cabin," he said trailing his lips along her neck. "I want you in my bed again."

"I thought you would never ask."

As they took off for his cabin she felt the stress fall on her chest. There were few days when she didn't feel like she was being choked from the pressure she was under. Tomorrow would bring back her feelings of not being good enough and having to deal with Parker. It seemed as if the whole world was against her.