I'm going to dedicate this chappie to... mango22! Whoo! Thank you! (:

Finally.

Oh. It was only Mme. Noelle.

"Hallo, Mazzie. I see you turned up," Mme. Noelle smiled her crinkly smile at me.

My heart slowly went back to normal speed. Feeling a little disappointed, I returned a smile back at her.

"Yeahp. Here I am."

"Well, I just popped in to remind yooh that zee recital is next week and that yooh have to get Derreeck prepared for eet."

I nodded. "Sure. I had finished teaching him the sequence before I, um, had my break.

"Yez, yez. Just touch heem up a beet becauze he was looking a leetle rusty thee last time I checked on him,"

I nodded again. I was feeling like those little bobble head toys. "Sure."

"Okays, Mazzie. I knew I could count on yooh." Mme. Noelle smiled at me and walked out of the pink room.

I exhaled and started to stretch again. Feeling warmed up, I slid down into the front splits and leaned towards my right leg, stretching my leg muscles.

"I see you're still flexible after not dancing for a week,"

I straightened up and turned my body around, still in the splits. My waist cricked and I winced at the jolt of pain. I flipped my left leg around so I was facing the door and crossed my legs.

"I was still dancing," I retorted "just not with you,"

Derrick smiled and knelt down so he was level with me.

"I'll tell you a little secret," Derrick whispered to me. I could smell his deodorant mixed with sweat and fabric softener. Yum.

"Yeah?" I breathed.

"I accidentally on purpose tripped Gina over when she was trying to teach me a random twirly thing. So now she's crippled." Derrick smiled his delicious smile at me.

"And?" I asked, trying to sound all nonchalant.

"Well, I figured that if Gina somehow became crippled or sick, you would come back to tutor me. And I was right."

"Why would you want me to come back?" I asked, my voice coming out all strangled.

"Because I missed you." Derrick answered simply.

We stared at each other until he lowered his eyes down past my nose and placed themselves at my lips. He leaned in closer, closer, closer, our noses nearly touching. Then...

"Excuse me, do you kn-ahhhh,"

The door flew open and a frazzled looking lady appeared with a little girl dressed in a pink tutu clutching onto her hands. Derrick and I flew apart as we heard the door bang against the wall. I cursed at the lady in my head.

"Yes?" I said, in my most professional voice as I stood up and straightened my leotard up.

"Ahhh, well, I was just wondering where the uh," the lady rummaged her free hand around her oversized handbag and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper "violet room is."

I nodded, the bobble head feeling coming back. "I'll take you to the room."

I turned to Derrick who was still sitting on the floor. "I'll be right back."

"Okay," he nodded, sounding almost sad.

We stared at each other for a while until I heard a small cough. I snapped out of my trance and hurried past her, feeling my cheeks colour.

"Right. Well, just follow me."

I took her to the violet room in record time. She had to basically run to catch up with me.

"Here you are," I told the lady.

She thanked me, sounding a little pissed. I saw that the lesson had already started.

"Anytime," I smiled at her before I rushed off back to the rose room.

The door was still opened when I got back but Derrick had gotten off the floor and was leaning against the barre with his Air Forces splayed near the door. I smiled as his lean figure walked towards me.

"So," Derrick murmured as he slipped his arms around my waist "let's go back to where we left off..."

We leaned in once again and he gently closed his eyes, his eyelashes brushing the top of his cheekbones when...

The door flew open. Again.

"Aw shit," Derrick cursed under his breath as we parted. This time, Mme. Noelle stood in the doorframe.

"Ah, I zee that Deereck iz here," Mme. Noelle said, completely oblivious to how close we were. She held a pink slip of paper.

"I just needed to geeve yooh thees," Mme. Noelle strode towards me and placed the pink slip in my hand. It was a programme.

"Yooh are invited to see zee performance next Thursday." Mme. Noelle turned around and strode back towards the door. Before she walked out, she turned around and faced Derrick.

"Oh and Deereck? Zere eez a practeece tomorrow at 3.30 'teel 4.30 in zee auditorium."

"But I've g-"

"Uh uh. No buts. See yooh tomorrow."

She walked out of the room and left Derrick gaping after her. I stifled back a laugh.

"I've got soccer practice! State championship's next Thursday!"

"And so is the recital," I grinned.

"Argh! You're supposed to be on my side," Derrick grumbled.

"Whatever. Come closer to the barre. We need to go over your routine. I presume Gina did nothing with you?"

Derrick shook his head. "The only thing she did was try to hook up with me."

For the next half an hour, we retouched on the routine. It was a pretty simple routine and he hardly needed any work on it.

After the lesson, I got changed in the changing rooms. As I walked out of the changing room, I saw that Derrick was waiting for me. I smiled at him as he stood up to greet me.

"When's your ride coming?" Derrick asked as he slipped his arm around my waist.

"Soon," I answered as I glanced at my phone screen.

"Why don't you text your chauffeur that you have a ride and come with me?" Derrick motioned his head towards a sleek black Porsche.

"Wow." My mouth flew open, making me look totally gormless.

"I like a girl who shows emotion," Derrick chuckled. He turned around and faced me, blocking my view of his car, leaned in and kissed me softly on my cold lips. I sighed inwardly as his lips finally, FINALLY touched mine.

We stayed there for a while, our bodies pressed on each other and his hands entwined in my hair. Finally, we pulled back for air. As I leaned in for a second one, he stopped me.

"I have to get one thing straight. Who did you find out from that Alicia was the one who kissed me first?' Derrick asked.

"Layne. It was Layne." I said, sounding a tad impatient.

"Oh, I love that girl," Derrick chuckled. I grinned, leaned in and kissed him again.

"Mmm, not as much as that though," Derrick said throatily. He picked me up and carried me to his Porsche. I squealed as my legs lifted off the ground.

He opened the passenger's good with ease and gently slid me onto the plush black leather seat. He closed the door and got into the driver's seat on the other side. He buckled himself up and turned the engine on. The car revved into life.

"And now, we ride." Derrick winked at me as he threw my dance bag to the back seat. I smiled and the car motioned forward, and drove off into the sunset.

Well, not really. Saying that just sounded cool.

What happens at the recital? Read on to find out... (:

SkyexHIGH