Chapter 29: Why We Dance

BPOV

You know how I thought this week was going to be a long one? Well, I was wrong. It went by so fast that I was almost surprised when I woke up and it was Friday morning. The day of the showcase.

I jumped out of bed and made my way to get something to eat when I ran into Alice.

"Aren't you just so excited for today, Bella?" she exclaimed happily.

I laughed at her enthusiasm and nodded my head. "Yes, Alice, I am. But, why are you so excited? You're not even in it!"

"I know, but I get to see you and Edward dance together for real! Have you realized that I've never seen the two of you dance?" she said. This made me think for a moment. Had we never danced in front of anybody else?

"Hmm, I guess you will tonight then," I said with a smile. I turned around and went back to my room to get changed for the day.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on my door. I went to and got it since Alice was nowhere to be seen. I was expecting it to be Edward, but I was shocked when I saw who it really was.

"Bella?" the person asked. It was a voice I recognized, but didn't like. Tanya.

"What?" I asked her sharply. Yes, I was being a little mean to her and all but I still didn't like her for what she had done to try to get Edward and I to break up.

"I know that I have no reason to be here but I just wanted to-" she started but was cut off by me.

"Yeah, you're right. You have no reason to be here, so you may go now," I said, starting to close the door.

"I- I just wanted to say that I am sorry for what I've done in the past and how I-" I cut her off again.

"Are you seriously apologizing to me?" I asked her. She shook her head slightly, looking truly sorry.

"Yes, I am Bella. Because I now know that I had no right to do what I did. But, I am seriously trying to get better and be nicer to people. Especially you," she said. I sighed and looked away.

Is this really happening? I asked myself.

"Look, Tanya," I started, "I accept your apology but you can't possibly think that I will automatically start trusting you."

She shook her head. "Yeah, I understand that. I just want to get on better terms with you," she said with a weak smile.

I smiled back and walked up to her with my hand out for her to shake. "Truce?" I asked.

"Truce," she answered.

**OWA**

I could hear the mumbling of the people in the audience as they came in to take their seats. I gulped, hoping that my nerves would go down with the saliva. I had known that I was going to be nervous, but that hadn't actually kicked in until I had gotten backstage and into my first outfit.

"Bella, it's going to be okay," Edward said from beside me.

I looked up at him with wide eyes. "How do you know, Edward? What if I blank out and forget a step? Or what if I see all those people out there who are expecting me to be great and I'm not! What if-" I was stopped by Edward, who had put his hand on my mouth.

"Bella, breathe," he said, moving his hands to the side of my face.

"There are scouts out there Edward. Scouts that could determine my whole future, everything I've worked for," I said in a soft voice looking him right in the eye.

"I know," he said with a smile, "and they can make you go further."

I gulped again and looked around back stage, out of nervousness. "You think I can do this?" I asked looking back at Edward.

He scoffed. "I know you can do this," he said.

I took a deep breath and smiled. "Okay," I said, calming down slightly.

"Gather around everybody!" Mr. Molona yelled backstage. "I have to lecture you before you go on stage!"

We all groaned in unison but still made our way to the center of the backstage dressing room.

"Okay guys, this is it," he said, "This is what we've been preparing for for the past few months. Now, I want all of you to go out there with these thoughts in your head… you all dance because it's something you can connect to. For some of you, it's how you let people know who you really are while for others it makes you feel like something you aren't. One move can change everything, it makes people see the truth, and bring people together. This is why we dance." Mr. Molona's speech gave me the chills, in a good way. What he said was totally true and I loved it.

"Now, that's my speech for today and I won't lecture you anymore. Just go out there and dance for your life!" he exclaimed. "Oh, and remember that there are scouts out there, so you do want to impress. But don't let that get to your head, never dance to impress, only express."

We all made our way to our respective spots backstage behind the curtain and waiting for the cue of the music to come. I felt the adrenaline go through my veins when Adara told us to get to our spots on the stage.

The music started up from the speakers and I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. When the curtains were finally all the way up I had to force myself to look away from the audience. I pushed everything else out of my mind as I got in my beginning pose next to Edward and waited for my cue.

Take me, take me outta here it makes me
Feel so, feel so na, na, nana na
Baby, baby here we all crazy
You don't have to worry na, na nana na

As Edward spun me back in from the turn he brought me closer to him and waited for the line where he was supposed to dip me. I put my leg around his waist as we went along with the lyrics of the song.

So follow me down
Out of this town
Girl you're moving way too slow
So follow me down, I'll show you around
There's a place we gotta go

The crowed hollered as I got back up from my dip and I smiled triumphantly. They had no idea what was coming next. Quickly, all of the girls broke away from our partners by pushing off of their chests. As the chorus started, the girl and boys split up onto different sides of the stage. The girls started to do shanay(shin-ay) turns and quickly blended them into split jumps. It was a little bit harder to land in heels than it was in dance shoes, but I didn't let that stop my flow.

Follow me, follow me
Fa la-la-la-la
Fa la-la-la-la

Follow me, follow me

Fa la-la-la-la

Fa la-la-la-la

We turned back towards the guys to find them stalking towards us. As they came up to us we all tried to run away from then but this only made it easier for them to grab our waists. We all tried to fight back in our way but it was obvious the guys weren't having that. This was where our cannon for this song started.

Dancing, walking clock keeps on talking
They sing, they sing la la-la-la-la
Gentlemen and ladies, animals and babies
We sing, we sing na na na-na-na

All at different times, the guys pick us up in a motion that put us over their shoulder. We were doing this in groups of two so we had to be synchronized with our partner. When I was on Edward's shoulder, I kicked my legs over top of me like Adara and Mr. Molona had showed us and felt my feet hit the ground.

Once everyone was on the ground, the girls broke away from the boys while all ran ahead of us and did flips. The crowd cheered as us girls ran to meet up with the guys on the other side of the stage. We had to run pretty fast because at the end of the song, Mr. Molona re-mixed it so there was a sudden stop and we all would crash into our partners.

So follow me down
Out of this town
Girl you're moving way too slow
So follow me down, I'll show you around

There's a place we gotta go

Follow me, follow me
Fa la-la-la-la
Fa la-la-la-la

The music stopped as soon as we hit our last pose. The lights went down, telling us it was time to go back stage and change into our next outfit. I quickly ran into the girl's dressing room and changed into my gray dress for the modern dance. This was the dance I had choreographed so I was more nervous than ever to actually perform it. I was happy that I was able to watch it on playback during rehearsals because it made me feel more confident about it. After everyone was dressed, we all ran out to the side stage and waited for our cue in the song to go out.

"Everyone," I heard Adara say as we waited, "I just want to let you guys know that you're doing an awesome job!"

"Thanks," we all chorused.

"Go get 'em Bella," she said to me.

I smiled and nodded in her direction before heading out to the stage.

I really liked this dance because it was like it had two different personalities. When the music is fast the "character" is angry and wishes things were better in their life and when the music slows down its like the character is surrendering and trying to find out what is going on their life.

In any other world
You could tell the difference
And let it all unfurl
Into broken remnants
Smile like you mean it
And let yourself let go

We all slowly broke into our separate groups and did two pirouettes that blended into a fan kick. We went up into an arabesque (ara-besk) before breaking of into our different group routines.

Even though there were two groups doing totally different things, it somehow complimented each other while the music was changing from slow to fast.

Cos it's all in the hands of a bitter, bitter man
Say goodbye to the world you thought you lived in
Take a bow, play the part of a lonely heart
Say goodbye to the world you thought you lived in
To the world you thought you lived in

As soon as the violins in the song started playing we came together in the center of the stage and did the same moves. The crowed really seemed to like it when we went into a set of hopping pirouettes because they suddenly erupted in applause.

I tried to live alone
But lonely is so lonely, alone
So human as I am
I had to give up my defenses

So I smiled and tired to mean it
To let myself let go

As the dance came to and end I was out of breath and also on an adrenaline high from the excitement of the crowd. I quickly ran off stage and went to change once again while the next group went on. As I was running to the dressing room, I was stopped by someone grabbing my arm and spinning me around.

"Hey, you were great out there," Edward said.

"Thanks," I replied, breathlessly, "I'll see you out there in a few minutes."

"Ditto," he replied.

I was back at the side of the stage in record time chugging down another water bottle. I was trying to prepare myself for the next dance because it was Edward and I's duet and – even though I wouldn't admit it to anyone – I was extremely nervous. I told myself to take a few deep breaths and know that everything would be okay.

So far, everything about tonight was going fantastically. I was having more fun than I ever had before at a showcase or recital, I got to perform one of my own dances, and best of all, I got to dance with Edward all night long.

I was – literally – pulled out of my thoughts by Edward tugging on my arm and motioning to the stage where the curtains were closed and no one occupied the stage. He seemed to be asking 'are you ready?' I nodded my head and starting walking to the center of the stage with him. As soon as we were in place, the curtains went up revealing us to the audience. There were whistles coming from the audience and I tried to hide my smile because I knew they were coming from our friends.

The slow violin started over the speakers and I felt Edward's arms wrap around my waist and pull me close to him. I closed my eyes like I was supposed to and waited for the lyrics to come on before we started the first move.

Close your eyes
Let me touch you now
Let me give you something that is real
Close the door
Leave your fears behind
Let me give you what you're giving me

I put my arm around Edward's neck as he tightened his arms around my waist and picked me up and spun me around. Once I was back down on the ground, I slid to my left while my hand was going down Edward's arm so that when I reached his hand he grab onto me and spin me back in.

You are the only thing
That makes me want to live at all
When I am with you
There's no reason to pretend that
When I am with you
I feel flames again
Just put me inside you
I would never ever leave
Just put me inside you
I would never ever leave you

As the song faded back out, Edward pulled me up into the final lift of the song and I had never felt more powerful. I knew that there was a reason I liked this dance even if it meant that I was going to be nervous beyond words beforehand.

When the curtains were closed, Edward pulled me into a tight hug and kissed my hair. I hugged him back for a second before making him get off the stage with me.

"And you said you couldn't do it!" he whisper yelled as we made our way back stage to the dressing rooms.

"Well, I tend to surprise people," I said with a smile. I knew that my face was going to be sore tomorrow from all of the smiling I was doing tonight.

The rest of the dances went well and the audience seemed to love it because they gave us a five minute standing ovation. Backstage after the show was… crazy. Everybody was trying to get their costumes together to take home and parents were trying to get backstage even though they knew that they weren't allowed to. That's when a thought struck me. My parents were here… I had totally forgotten.

They had told me that they were flying in last night and were staying at a hotel but since they hadn't called me or anything it had completely slipped my mind.

Edward met me at the door that let us outside into the lobby and pushed it open when I told him I was ready to go.

"Bella!" my mom exclaimed, running up to me, "I'm so sorry I didn't you call you earlier. Charlie and I went to the beach and you know how much I love the beach-"

"Whoa, Mom, slow down," I said laughing.

"Sorry, but you were amazing honey. And as much as I hate to admit it, I loved your dance with Edward."

My dad scoffed at this and I could immediately tell that he wasn't happy with that dance.

"You were great, baby," he said, "But I don't fully agree with your mother right there."

I let out a small laugh before replying. "Thanks," I said, looking around to see where Edward had gone. I spotted him talking to his parents across the room and smiled.

"So, I'm guessing you two are still together?" my mother asked, noticing my sudden happiness.

I blushed and looked down at the ground. I still hadn't forgotten that day when Renee had told me that she wanted me to break up with Edward. "Yeah…" I answered quietly, hoping that she wouldn't be mad at me for not listening to her.

"Well Bella, to tell you the truth, I'm pretty glad you decided to stay with him. I can tell you two really care about each other."

I smiled and silently thanked God for sparing me.

"Isabella Swan?" I heard someone say from behind me. I quickly turned around and saw that it was one of the scouts from Florida State that Mr. Molona had said was coming by.

"Y-yes?" I stuttered. My heart immediately went into overdrive. Were they going to tell me that I sucked? That I was awesome?

"I just wanted to compliment you on how fantastically you danced tonight. I'm sure that the dean of the performing arts program of our school would be thrilled to have you," she said, handing me a card.

"Thank you," I said in a shocked voice. She smiled at me before turning and walking away. A part of me couldn't believe that this was happening while the other was screaming with joy.

"Oh my goodness, Bella! Did you just see who that was?" my mom exclaimed with joy.

"Yeah, Mom, I did," I said in a dazed voice. She ran over to me and gave me a tight hug before saying, "Oh, sweetie I am so proud of you!"

"Thanks Mom," I said looking around for Edward. Once I spotted him standing with everyone else, I told them that I had to go and ran over to Edward. He immediately caught me in a kiss and I smiled against his lips. This would never get old.

"Come on," he said, coming up from the kiss, "we have an after party to get to."


Okay guys, this is the last chapter of this story. : ( BUT! There, will be an Epilogue posted soon then the sequel will be out soon! I'm not going to write a long AN write here for two reasons. A) I want you to read the Epilouge first and B) I gotta go! LOL

TTYL people!

Live, Laugh, Love

-Selbe

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