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Chapter 10

February 7th

Katrina packed her kit-bag extra carefully that morning, lucky scrunchie, lucky tights, thee pairs of pointes, best leotard. She took a few calming breaths. Its just another audition Katy, you're only the junior soloist, there's no pressure… Her audition wasn't until ten and the waiting about in her empty apartment was killing her.Her thoughts drifted back to what Daniel Kline had said on her first day about seeing her "grow as a dancer" and about her job not being permanent. It was obvious he wanted to be impressed. That thought was enough to get Katrina heaving over the toiled brown for the third time that morning.

The last few days had been almost ridiculously stressful, but exciting at the same time. Her and Vlad's partnership had really gelled and they had the audition piece down pat, unfortunately so did everyone else- competition was going to be fierce. There had also been the matter of the half-time show they'd performed last night, the practices for that had left her dead on her feet for the last few days but, as Sonja had predicted, the pay was good. She'd been able to pay all her bills up front, her landlord gave her a very suspicious look when she paid him in cash.

As she locked up the house he though back on last night's performance, the roar of the crowd, the beat of the music, it was nice to dance without having a boss to impress, to do something that they'd all had a hand in choreographing. She smiled to herself, may have also been other perks of the job. The ruggedly handsome man who had guided her to the tunnel entrance when she'd gotten separated from her group was still at the forefront of her mind. His crooked smile, dark grey eyes, tattoos… stop it Katy she remonstrated herself, realizing that she had spent a whole minute standing with her key in the lock.

Once safely the bus to work she let her mind wander again. She wondered if she'd ever get to meet Tommy again, he said he lived in Pittsburgh and worked in an MMA gym. She wondered if it would be weird to Google him, there couldn't be that many dedicated MMA gyms in Pittsburgh. No, she decided after a moment, that's definitely weird.

The last time Katrina had had a relationship, a real one with promises and flowers sent on Valentine's Day she had been eighteen. Since then a sorry parade of men had straggled through her life most of them lasting only a night, some the whole weekend and once a whole winter. It was the job she reasoned to herself, late nights, antisocial hours, cracked toenails, strict diets, most men got tired of her pretty quickly. Also, sharing an apartment with Casey hadn't helped; Casey's bedroom eyes and long blonde hair drew men's gaze like moths to the flame. Katrina had realized early on that there was only so long a man was going to stick around if there was a "better deal" down the hall. She huffed audibly, she had bigger fish to fry today. Today she had an audition to rock.

Getting out at her stop, Katrina noticed a crowd of dancers milling around the entrance to the studio. Vlad was amongst them and Katrina tapped him on the shoulder in greeting.

"Hi"

"Hey" Vlad ran a hand over his close-cropped hair, up close he looked ill.

"Are you okay?" she asked, steering him through the entrance to the studio.

"Yeah…" he answered vaguely, not looing at her.

Katrina squared her shoulders and planted herself in his way as he tried to wander off to the men's locker rooms. "What is it Vlad? What's with you today?"

He looked at her, surprised "Didn't you hear the news?" she was about to speak when he cut her off "Of course not otherwise you wouldn't be asking… anyway, Lauren arrived with Daniel Kline this morning- got out of his car. Its so obvious that they're together or something… anyway, some of the dancers have said that they're not going to audition at all."

"Sonja?"

"Yeah" he shook his head.

"Wow… I'll talk to her, maybe me and Danni can bring her around."

"Maybe, I just don't want her to leave - you know how emotional she gets, might do something she regrets…"

"Yeah I understand, we'll talk to her. But you- get ready for this audition. We're rocking it yeah?"

"Yeah. Rocking it." Vlad managed a half smile at Katrina's pep talk and turned down the hallway.

Katrina found Danni in the changing rooms smoothing down Sonja who was near purple with rage. Neither noticed when Katrina came and sat next to them. She let Danni finish the "don't throw your career away for nothing" speech she was giving, nodding in all the right moments and making approving sounds when Danni hit upon a particularly good point. Katrina felt selfish even admitting it to herself but she couldn't help but be annoyed with Sonja. Couldn't she just keep her problems to herself, just this once? Why did she have to go causing trouble on audition day, disrupting everyone else's preparation just so that she could have her temper tantrum? She took a deep breath and turned to Sonja with a smile.

"Do you really want to let Lauren win?" she asked.

Sonja starred at her, tears clinging to her eyelashes "she's already won Katy, that's what's so unfair."

"No, she hasn't won, if you really want that role you have to be prepared to go and get it. Play dirty- just like she does."

"Play dirty?" asked Sonja and Danni together in synchrony.

"Yeah. Go out there, rock your audition with Trev, and then… go and talk to Daniel, voice your concerns like an adult. And don't be afraid to dress up a little"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Daniel is a lady's man, he likes to think that we fancy him. So, flatter his ego… you never know where it might get you."

"Ego, okay…" murmured Sonja, wiping ruined makeup off her face and fixing her bun. "Okay. Thanks guys."

"You ready?" asked Danni, noticing Katrina packing up to go.

"Yeah" she replied with a false smile, her insides felt as if they were in a blender, "My number is almost up."

"Ooh don't say that, its bad luck!" gasped Danni, crossing herself. "I'll say a Hail Mary for you while you're in there." Katrina smiled at her to show thanks and nodded to Sonja who was reapplying makeup with a determined zeal and seemed not to notice.

Nearing the soloist studio's entrance, Katrina saw that her number was indeed nearly up and she hastened to stretch and warm up, cursing herself for being late out of the house that morning and cursing Sonja's amateur dramatics all the more.

Minutes passed, the shivering string music of the audition dance poured from the speakers again and again as pair after pair of dancers took to the stage. Fully warmed up, Katrina sought Vlad in the crowd. He was leaning against a far wall in deep conversation with Mark. As she approached Vlad's eyes snapped up to meet hers.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"It was fine, she's dancing, but Lauren would do well to avoid her. Where is she by the way?"

"I don't know, no one's seen her but she should be here soon, She's dancing with Mark."

"Oh, right." They lapsed into silence, watching the dancers though the glass pane in the studio door. Lacy and her partner Oliver were performing the duet with a fluidity and passion that spoke of Lacy's modern dance experience and Oliver's obvious crush on her.

"They're making a splash," noted Mark cricking his neck.

"Yeah, its pretty saucy." Smiled Katrina, stretching out her back at the barre, they didn't have long now, only a few more couples to go. Vlad had hurried off to talk to Sonja who had just come in, her make-up reapplied to perfection and game-face firmly on.

Mark continued to watch Lacy and Oliver until the end of their routine, whilst Katrina began the task of wrapping up her toes and ankles. The familiar routine reminded her of the fighters from last night. She could imagine them waiting in their own dressing rooms, taping up sore knuckles, psyching themselves up to meet an opponent. The whole team had stayed to watch the fight, the larger fighter, Rampage Jackson, slowly wearing down the other man until finally catching him in a chokehold that offered no escape. The brutality of the sport hadn't shocked Katrina as much a people's obvious enjoyment at such brutality, simulated violence wasn't really for her, she'd experienced enough of the real thing to last a lifetime.

Images of the man from last night swam momentarily before her eyes, a crooked smile, tattoos etched onto sculpted arms… I obviously need a boyfriend, this fantasizing is getting out of hand, she thought to herself, shaking her head to clear it of any further thoughts of muscle-bound men.

Vlad reappeared in front of her, and offered her and hand to help her up.

"Its time" he said, voice a little shaky.

"Okay. Let's go." She replied, none to steady herself.

As they entered the room, Katrina's field of vision seemed to narrow, blotting out the people ranged along the walls of the studio. For a moment she could see Daniel and Dorian and Madame B at a table against the far wall and then everything was dark and still. It took a moment after the music had started to realize that she had not yet shut her eyes. She did so in the heartbeat before Vlad touched her hand and the dance began. Dancing with your eyes shut is not like dancing in the light, your partner is not another person to be accommodated, and the music is not another entity separate from yourself. All parts of the dance have the same origin, and the same impetus, Katrina barely heard the music but she felt it deep within her, suddenly she wasn't acting a part but experiencing the real thing. She felt Vlad's hands under her back and let herself bend, as though in an enchanted sleep, almost to the floor. Her muscled engaging and disengaging to hold a pose one moment and flop lifelessly the next. As the music quivered to its climax and Sleeping Beauty awoke from her slumber Katrina leapt into Vlad's outstretched arms and in that moment she imagined them to be the arms of her handsome stranger.

It was over, the shivering string music fading from the speakers. Daniel and the rest clapped politely from their table, Katrina's vision had cleared enough to see them, color slowly refilling her world. Vlad, ever the gentleman, opened the door of the studio and ushered her out.

"What did you think?" He asked her.

"I should be asking you, I've ha my eyes shut they whole time" she joked, giggling nervously. Behind them Sonja and Trev were entering the studio, she waved encouragingly and Sonja nodded back.

"I think it went okay, you were really good, rocked the acting and you told me that was your weakest bit." Vlad was saying.

"Yeah, I think it went okay as well… we really have to hang around here all day to wait for the results?"

"Yeah, no class, just auditions for today." He replied, running a hand though his buzz-cut.

"Okay, I might go for a walk or something…" she realized that Vlad was looking at her closely, almost expectantly. "You were awesome by the way, great lifts."

"Thanks" his expression cleared.

They went their separate ways both promising to be back for four when the roles would be announced. Vlad went back to the studio where Sonja was coming out of her audition, Katrina didn't stick around to see how it had gone. She was feeling selfish again, rushing off without stopping to talk to her best friend, she vowed to make up for it later; maybe she'd bring Sonja a coffee or something, just to lift her spirits. By the time she'd made it back in to the changing rooms she was chastising herself again; stop being pathetic Katy! What would Casey say if she saw you acting like a little doormat, pull yourself together and get changed without having some kind of guilt complex about it.

She huffed to herself, pulling off her tights and inspecting herself in on of the dressing room's many mirrors. Her thighs were looking a little bigger than normal; she twisted around to get a view from the back. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted someone sitting on the far side of the dressing room, behind the lockers, fear, surely irrational, rippled over her skin.

"Who's there?" she asked, trying to sound brave.

No one answered but she was sure that she'd seen someone sitting there. Abandoning her search for thigh fat she tiptoed over and peaked into the recess behind the lockers. It was Lauren, the girl glared back at her like a cornered ally cat.

"What?" she asked.

"Are you umm … okay?" ventured Katrina.

"I'm fine." Lauren replied, her argument was made somewhat less strong by the recent tear-tracks outlined in mascara down her cheeks.

"Really?" Katrina didn't mean to sound skeptical but it must have sounded like that to Lauren because suddenly the girl rounded on her, enraged.

"Come to laugh at the slutty girl have you?" she hissed.

"What? No!" Karina backed up a few paces at the venom in Lauren's voice.

"Sure. Everyone's been looking toady, trying to find out why I came to work in Daniel's car- peering in the windows of his office like they're going to snap pictures of us having sex. Disgusting." She collapsed back onto the bench, all the fight drained out of her.

"And are they going to find what they're looking for?" Katrina asked, too curious to be quiet.

Lauren looked her up and down for a moment. "We're in love. He says he loves me." Her chin lifted, eyes flashing.

"Well that's good… are you going to audition today?" Katrina tried to steer the conversation into safer waters.

"I will, with Mark." Lauren sighed. "Its going to be perfect… I could be Snow White." She looked Katrina dead in the eye, "I just want people to believe that I earned it."

"Well… the only way to do that, is to earn it. People will see." Lauren looked skeptical, "People will see, even Sonja." Lauren nodded, her eyes a little bright then headed into the bathroom where Katrina heard the sound of the faucet running. She turned back to the mirrors and began to pull off her tights, folding them up and pulling on her street clothes. Lauren reentered the dressing room just as she was at the door, the girl offered her the smallest of smiles and Katrina returned it.

Katrina looked at her watch; she still had hours to kill. The auditions went on until late in the afternoon, every dancer getting a shot at the roles of nymphs, dryads and royalty. She decided to sit herself down for another coffee.

It was strange being out in the city all alone, usually Danni, Sonja or someone would tag along, on their days off the other dancers had been inducting Katrina into the wonders of Pittsburgh culture, they'd been to a number of many of the clubs and bars; "blowing off steam" Mark called it. But today everyone was too wound up and stressed out to be good company, no doubt Vlad and Sonja would be either bickering or making out. Danni tried to put on a brave face but Katrina had seen her coming out of her audition as she left the studios and she was pretty sure the girl was on the verge of tears. It was better to wait alone for the news, no good them all sitting around speculating over the decision and picking apart their performances. The hours slipped by as she wandered from shop to shop, distractedly looking at clothes and shoes, frustrating shop-keepers by trying everything on and buying nothing. Eventually she headed for the bus stop to take her back to Liberty Avenue, heart already starting to race.

By the time Katrina reached the doors of the studios her pulse was throwing its self against her skin, the pressure starting to build up behind her eyes. She stopped for a moment, breathing in the fresh February air, calming herself before pushing open the doors and entering. The first thing she noticed was a huge crowd of dancers around the receptionist. Mrs. Lawrence was looking more harassed than usual, her red lips pursing.

"No. For the last time, the list goes up when it goes up, and not before four o'clock! So now shoo, scat, go away!" She swatted at the people nearest with a stapler and the dancers scattered before they could be further verbally abused. Katrina followed the crowd, giving the receptionist's desk a wide berth.

The clock ticked slowly down to four, the dressing room was silent although packed with people. Most girls were feigning nonchalance, texting boyfriends, or painting their nails. Katrina however had spotted Danni sniffling in a corner and wordlessly joined Sonja in handing her tissues and rubbing her back. According to Sonja she'd been crying ever since she'd left her audition. Dorian Toulouse, the visiting choreographer had started laughing half way though as she'd fluffed a jump, after that the whole thing was just a lost cause. Poor Danni's French-flag manicured hands were still shaking.

Someone poked their head around the door, from her position at the back Katrina could just make out a mass of dark, curly hair. It was Lacy, her normally tanned skin almost milk-white.

"It's up!" she stage whispered and then vanished back around the door to avoid being trampled by the hoards of dancers.

"Should we go?" Sonja asked the others, hanging back from jointing the crowd of girls fighting to get into the hallway.

"Sure." Said Danni, a resigned look upon her face, "I may as well see just how bad the damage is…"

"I can't believe he actually laughed in your audition." Katrina said as they joined the back of the line for the door. "I mean, that's rude."

"It sure is" agreed Sonja.

Because this production of Snow White relied so heavily on a small cast of main dancers it had been decided that two dancers would be cast in every main role, each cast performing on alternate nights. This offered everyone a double shot at the best roles. As the nervous trio approached the list pinned to the wall outside the director's office they ran headlong into a seething mass of people; some celebrating, some commiserating and all in the way. Vlad was near the front and reached back to pull Sonja and the others through the mass of people. Being so much smaller than most people Katrina had to hang on tightly to Danni's arm to avoid being swept away in the crush. Before Katrina had even got a chance to glimpse the list it's self Danni threw herself into her arms with a sob before dashing off weeping openly. Christ almighty! Thought Katrina, as she dove through the crowd again hoping for a better look. And then she saw it.

Katrina Christensen- The Deer (1) (Snow White alternate 2)

Whoa. Katrina spent a long minute rooted to the spot with shock. A solo and an alternate role? A huge grin spread spread its self over her face. Before fighting her way back thorough the throngs of dancers she took a moment to scan the list for familiar names, she was ashamed to say that she still didn't know the names of everyone in the company. There, Mark was one of the two Princes, Katrina knew he and Lauren had had a stunning audition. A tidal shift in the crowd pushed Katrina off her prime spot and she found herself on the outskirts of the group. She didn't wait to talk to anyone else, keen to keep this moment of joy all to herself. She waltzed off down the corridor, feet barely touching the ground, she had her own solo and an alternate role for the main part! Katrina was under no illusion that she would actually get to dance Snow White in front of an audience but, one could dream.

Dark was gathering on the way to the bus stop soon it would be night, eager not to be out too long after dark, Katrina hurried home, not stopping to talk to anyone outside the dance center. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Lauren getting into a dark sedan an expression of triumph on her usually impassive face.

It was fully dusk by the time Katrina arrived home, few people were about on the streets but the thumping baseline of a house-party reverberated though the night air from one of the apartment blocks. She enjoyed the short walk from the bus stop, down the long Oakland Avenue, shaded with trees. The air was chilly, clouds of steam rising in front of her as she breathed.

As she came within view of her apartment building Katrina saw a car pulled up outside, someone had been unpacking boxes onto the street. Maybe they're moving in she though idly, pulling out her keychain as she approached.

The car pulled away, leaving the lone person with their boxes on the side of the road. He stepped under a streetlamp, the orange light leaching the color from his red Tap out Crew t-shirt and all of a sudden, Katrina knew who he was.

"You want some help?" she asked masking her surprise and drawing level with the man who was struggling to open the front door with two boxes balanced in his hands.

"Sure" he replied gruffly, throwing her a cursory glance. He almost dropped both boxes on the double take. "Say, haven't I seen you before?" He looked at her properly now.

"From last night?" Katrina asked unlocking the door and standing aside to let him in. He didn't move.

"Yeah at the tournament." Tommy pointedly stood back to let her go first through the door and, getting the hint, she stepped inside.

"So you're Tommy?" she asked once they were both safely in the bright lights of the foyer.

"Yep. And you're Katrina, right?" Under the lights Katrina could see that the t-shirt he was wearing was several sizes too small for him, it hugged every inch of his torso as if it were painted on. She tried not to stare.

"And you're really moving in here?" she asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked, a slight quirk to his lips now.

"I just…can't hardly believe it. Weird coincidence right?"

"I guess it's a small world." Tommy said, pushing the lift call button.

"Very small." Katrina was tempted to pinch herself to make sure she was awake. She was afraid that the stress of the auditions might have kicked her already active imagination into overdrive. The pinch hurt, she was definitely not dreaming.

There was an awkward silence in the lift until the third floor where Tommy made to get out. On some crazy impulse Katrina reached out a hand to stop him.

"Is that all your stuff?" she asked. He looked at her, surprised.

"Yeah? Why?"

"Well how about you come up for a coffee- when you're done unpacking." She asked, trying to sound more confident than she felt.

He flashed her a lop-sided grin and stepped out of the lift. "What's your number?"

"37."

"I'll see you there."

Katrina fell onto the couch in a daze as she reached her own apartment but after sixty seconds of immobility she leapt up. Dashing up to her bedroom, such as it was, she stripped off her worn sweater and picked a burgundy camisole from the draws. Jamming that over her head she scurried back down the tiny staircase and into the bathroom. Good she looked a mess. She quickly brushed her hair, applied a slick of lip gloss and mascara before remembering that she hadn't brushed her teeth and having to apply the lip gloss all over again. Not that anything was going to happen, but it still had to be done.

After a once-over in the mirror she headed to her tiny kitchenette where she set to tidying with a fervor her mother would have been proud of.

Just as she'd managed to throw the last of the dirty dishes into the washing machine, someone knocked on the door and she jumped about a foot in the air.

Be cool Katy she reminded herself as she took a calming breath. He's just a guy… a hot guy… really hot guy… but just a guy. With one last deep breath she unlocked the safety chain and opened the door.

A/N Sorry for the wait guys, this chapter was sooo hard to write but in the end I had to stop obsessing over it and just post it, so here it is, hope you like it!