Hello y'all! I had to edit this chapter without my beta...so there will most likely be a few mistakes! Sorry it took sooo incredibly long to update! I'm adapting my other story- "Concrete Angel" into my own novel, I'll keep you updated! I've also graduated! SO STOKED! Okay, okay back to the story.

Music for this Chapter: Stand in the Rain- Superchick; So Close- Jon McLaughlin; Terrified- Kara DioGuardi


It was weird having spare time after my classes. I could finish my homework without staying up past 12, watch TV and have dinner. I guess I would have to thank Tanya for that. Without her tripping expertise, I would still be working and dancing to my heart's content, I thought bitterly. As soon as I was out of the hospital, I tried to go to work like usual. Esme wouldn't have it. She told me that everything was going to be taken care of from now on. I hated being dependant on someone, even if it was Esme.

Being watched over by a motherly figure was a foreign concept to me. Obviously, I had a mother and a father- the contributors of my DNA, but I couldn't remember that feeling. Most people have that feeling- the feeling that no matter what their parents would love them, care for them and always be there. I used to have that feeling; my parents broke their promise when they died.

I could never blame my mother; cancer is hardly an intentional way to die. Everything just felt so sudden. All of a sudden, my healthy, happy, harebrained mother was diagnosed with an aggressive strain of cancer. In that instant, my life changed forever. She died quickly, a rare blessing with her disease. My father never recovered; joining her soon after she died.

Leaving me alone.

Shaking my head to clear my aggressively painful thoughts, I glanced at the clock. I was going to meet Edward at the rehearsal hall at 7:00. It was only 5:00. Not having anything else to do, I picked up my coat and boom box and made my way over to the rehearsal hall.

The rehearsal hall was an exact miniature of the performance hall. High ceiling, red puffy theatre chairs, and a hardwood stage; everything that made performing my favourite past time. Nothing could compare to the feeling and atmosphere created by the lights, the smell of bouquets of flowers resting an audience member's laps intended for loved ones, and the pitter-patter created by lithe dance steps as dancers and performers glided across the hardwood stage.

The entrance was at the back of the room, behind all of the seats. I sighed and made my way to the stage. This is where I had my dance audition to get into the school. Smiling at the memory, I sat on the piano bench in the centre of the stage.

That is when the idea hit me. Why should I have to just give up on dance, without trying? That wasn't me at all. It had been several months since my accident, and I could walk on my knee without help or too much pain. You can't say that you've failed until you've tried. I looked at my watch- I had an hour and a half. I had plenty of time.

Before I had left Edward in the hallway earlier that day, he had slipped me a copy of his composition. Smiling with my ingenious, I put the CD in the boom box, plugged it in and let the music play. The sweet notes filled the room. Instinctively I turned, and started singing my lyrics.

You're in my arms
And all the world is calm
The music playing on for only two
So close together
And when I'm with you
So close to feeling alive

As cheesy and ridiculous as it sounded, I imagined Edward's arms around me lovingly, whispering reassurances in my ear. All of my problems in my life could just fade away.

A life goes by
Romantic dreams will stop
So I bid mine goodbye and never knew
So close was waiting, waiting here with you
And now forever I know
All that I wanted to hold you
So close

So close to reaching that famous happy end
almost believing this was not pretend
and now you're beside me and look how far we've come
So far we are so close

How could I face the faceless days
If I should lose you now?
We're so close
To reaching that famous happy end
And almost believing this was not pretend
Let's go on dreaming for we know we are
So close
So close
And still so far

As I sang each lyric, I danced with all my heart. I fought back tears of pain, which slowly ebbed away. Once again, I was in my dancing bubble where nothing in the world- no matter how large the problem could get in my way. I didn't care; no one was ever going to see me anyways, much to my dismay. My knee still faintly throbbed, but I didn't fall, and the music inspired me. Maybe the teachers were right- my lyrics and his music fit perfectly. Almost like the way I wished I fit perfectly with Edward. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Edward hated me. The only reason he broke up with Tanya was because he didn't want his image tarnished. If he didn't like a tarnished image, he defiantly wouldn't want one filled with social pond scum like me.

Far too soon, the music ended. I ran over to the boom box, and put it on repeat. I started dancing again, this time working out a routine.

"What are you doing?" I jumped, and turned around, landing awkwardly on my butt as the realization that I had been caught sunk in. My face flamed with embarrassment and disappointment. Crap.

"What the hell?" I heard him mutter has he strode quickly and confidently towards me. I suddenly became aware of the pain erupting in my knee. I bit my lip, willing myself not to cry.

"What are you doing here?" I stuttered out, struggling to my feet. The idea that a dancer can still be clumsy ticked me off to no end. When I watched girls walk gracefully with high heels- knowing that they didn't spend hours every day for years being graceful and managed to walk gracefully...

You could say I was a little bitter.

"Umm, I came early to practice…are you okay? You look pale."

"I'm fine." I snapped, limping towards the piano bench, rubbing my knee to get rid of the pain as a mother would wipe off dirt from her child's face.

"I don't think so; you're not supposed to dance anymore." Edward's matter-of-fact tone irritated me. His statement was so final, as if he just expected me to close off a part of my life without a fight.

"Of so, if you broke all of your fingers, or seriously injured you hands and the doctors told you that you couldn't play the piano ever again you wouldn't fight back and try before closing off a part of your soul?" I asked bitterly, looking into his eyes.

"No," He stated once again with finality in his tone. My face burned with anger.

"Hypocrite." Edward stared at me with what I assumed was disbelief.

"You shouldn't dance; it will only make things worse." He all but ordered, as if he were my doctor. How DARE he tell ME what I can and can't do. I bit my tongue, the taste of blood making my grimace in disgust.

"Well, I'm pretty sure if you were in my shoes meaning, you were told that the one thing that made you who you are- the one thing that defined you and made you complete was suddenly ripped out of your life you'd fight like hell to take it back. Don't judge what you don't know or try to tell me otherwise, it's unbecoming." I spat out, still feeling the pain in my knee.

"I'm sorry." Edward's voice was resigned, which surprised me.

"What, no 'you couldn't dance anyway?' or 'you deserve it?'" I looked up, only to see Edward kneel in front of me and begin to rub my knee. Almost instantly the pain subsided.

"No one deserves what you had to go through." I felt tears well up in my eyes. Looking up to avoid the inevitable tracks in of my tears, I sniffled.

"Back to the performance..." I trailed off, hoping my voice was brisque and business like. Edward only looked at me, deep in thought.

"What?" I asked.

"Why don't we incorporate it into our performance? Oh and I heard you before, my music and your lyrics go together perfectly. Anyways, like I was saying you could plan a dance routine for our song." Edward stared at me earnestly; I looked deep into his eyes.

"I can't dance anymore Edward. That may have looked effortless, but it hurt like hell afterwards." I replied sadly.

"Let me help you." Edward was persistent.

"Why do you want to help me?" Edward looked at me sadly.

"Like I said, you deserve better treatment." I stared at him silently, willing his words to be true. I couldn't find fault or any hint that he was lying in his eyes.

"Well let's get started…why don't we work out the chorus, make it flow better." Edward said as he stood, only to sit next to me on the bench. I looked at him, waiting for the sweet notes to fill the room again.

He started to play, and nodded at me, cueing me to start singing. When we reached the chorus, he started singing too- in perfect harmony. It felt right. At the second verse, I stopped and let him continue. He looked at me and I nodded in encouragement. His voice was beautiful. The chorus arrived again, and I joined him but this time harmonizing. We finished the song.

"Wow." It was all I could say. The song was perfect. Just like the Adonis I'm sitting next to. I looked up at him. He was looking down at me, with a crooked grin on his face. I leaned closer to him, and he started to lean in closer to me. The perfect moment, with the perfect person. I sighed and closed my eyes praying that I hadn't fallen asleep on the couch again. Our lips were almost touching.

What was I doing? I opened my eyes and looked at his face. His eyes were closed. I pulled away, and to my great amusement-, he started kissing air. Despite the seriousness of the situation, I couldn't help but smirk. I looked back up from the ground and saw that he was staring at me with a puzzled look on his face. Apparently, Edward hadn't been rejected before. Before I could get caught in his green incoherency deathtraps, I looked down.

I refused to be another one of those girls that were charmed by Edward- even if he had treated them as if they were nothing beforehand. I couldn't forget everything he had said to me over the years. I deserved more than that.

"Um, Edward…we…need to um, start practicing if we expect to win this thing." My attempt of trying to rub the entire kissing air thing, and being rejected in his face came out as a weak response. Dang his entire presence. Dang. It. Edward seemed frozen, and then I heard his sweet melody begin to play. I started singing. This was going to be a long year.


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