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Groove Is In The Heart

by Daeryn

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Frida could hardly believe her ears as DJ Kickin's voice filled the air, announcing her the winner. Plain old Frida had won her first competition at the world's most important dance tournament. The sudden shock of two bodies being thrown at her hardly registered in her mind. Shorty and Kitty- N has stormed the stage and tackled Frida with hugs and cheers.

"You did it Frida!" Shorty shrieked and tightened her hold.

"I knew you could do it!" Kitty-N shook Frida's shoulders and nodded. "I knew it all along."

Frida remained speechless as the stagehands were finally forced to drag the three girls off the stage when they wouldn't listen to their pleas for cooperation from the wings. Frida was to shocked to even notice the shocked shout of a stagehand when Shorty bit him for being a "meanie-head."

'I can't believe it,' Frida's mind reeled. 'I did it... Is this possible? Is this really happening?' She knew she was walking down a hallway with the rest of the contestants but really could not care less.

"Frida...Friiiida...FRIDA!!!" Frida heard a voice calling her. She blinked and finally snapped out of her daydream. Kitty-N's face was inches from her's. "EARTH TO FRIDA!" Frida jumped back and stared at Kitty-N is shock. "Sheesh, finally." Kitty-N shook her head and chuckled.

Frida took note of her surroundings. There were somewhere within the heart of the massive Enix building. The room had the appearance of a large dressing room, but had been outfitted with card tables, fold-out chairs, and a buffet for lunch.

"Aren't you hungry Frida?" Shorty asked, holding two little sandwich rolls in each hand. "It's really good." Kitty-N was also sitting at the table with Shorty and Frida and had helped herself to some crackers and spread. All around them were tables filled with dancers and crew, munching away.

"I have to call Comet!" Frida suddenly remembered. "I have to tell her about...about...ya know!" She scrambled to her feet and headed for the door. "Payphone, payphone. HEY! Where is there a payphone around here?"

"Well, there is a regular phone you can use, so you don't have to pay. Just go out the door, to your right, second hallway on your left, third door on your right should lead to a staircase, go up a flight, out the door, to the left, third hallway on your right, second hallway on your left, there should be a sign for a payphone, it's in the fourth room on your right, a little room for privacy," DJ Kickin' replied and took a sip from his Coke. Frida blinked.

"Um...okay," she replied slowly. "Can you repeat that?"

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After repeating the instructions five or six times, DJ Kickin simply wrote them down with a smile and handed the paper to Frida, saying he would walk her there but had to keep an eye on the dancers. He motioned towards Heat and rolled his eyes. Then he wished her luck.

"Just be sure not to go down the first hallway after the second-"

"STOP!" Frida cut him off, "I can't take anymore directions!" She clenched the directions and started weaving her way in and out of the maze that was the Enix building. After backtracking several times due to missed hallways because of strange corners Frida finally reached a door with a sign reading 'PHONE.' With a smile she opened and door, but instead of stepping inside she gaped silently. Instead of a normal lounge type room she found a tiny 3' x 3' closet that was home to an ancient phone that was hung on the wall and a dingy wooden chair jammed into a corner. "Lovely," Frida grumbled as she picked up the reciever and dialed Comet's home number. No one was home, so she tried Sushi Planet.

"Thank you for calling Sushi Planet, how can I help you?" a cheery voice appeared on the other end of the line.

"Comet?" Frida smiled into the receiver and sat down on the chair.

"Frida?!" her sister replied happily. "You sound happy, tell me everything!"

"Well, I just won my first dance battle," Frida reported proudly.

"AHH!!! Frida! That's so awesome!" Comet shrieked.

"I know! I can't believe it!" Frida answered in a similar voice. The ecstatic sisters exchanged happy girly screams and giggles as Frida recounted her winning dance. Before Frida had a chance to go into detail about other events during her stay in New York, Comet was called back to work. Not wanting her sister to get into trouble with her boss she hung up after promising to call home once she got a chance.

"I think all that shrieking burst my eardrums," Heat said as he appeared in the doorframe. Frida jumped slightly at his sudden appearance, but fright was immediately replaced with disgust and Frida glared.

"You shouldn't have been listening," Frida replied solemnly. "There is this little thing called privacy that maybe you-."

"I think everybody down the hall could hear you going on and on about your, umm. victory," Heat smirked. Frida leapt to her feet and faced Heat angrily.

"I was talking to my sister, someone who actually cares about other people!" Frida snapped. The smile melted off Heat's face. "You're so perfect you probably don't even need to tell anyone when you win." Heat's frown deepened.

"Frida, that was.," Heat trailed off and looked away from Frida's intense glaze.

"I've had just about enough of your cocky attitude Heat," Frida continued. "And I most certainly don't need you interfering in my life. You just- What are you doing?!" Heat had pushed Frida into the phone closet and closed the door behind him.

"Shorty is coming down the hall looking for the bathroom. DJ Kickin' gave her directions before I left. She's probably lost." Heat replied in a whisper. Frida could barely see the outline of Heat's face in the darkness of the room. The chair was digging into the back of her knees and Heat was pressed against her front in the close confines of the closet.

"Yeah. that's all well and good, but-" Frida began exasperatedly.

"Shh," Heat shushed her.

".but why are we hiding?" she finished in a breathy whisper, becoming nervously and fully aware of Heat's body and how she was clinging onto his shirt for balance.

"Because I." Heat began in a small whisper. Frida held her breath. "I need to talk to you."

"What do you-" Frida was cut off as Heat placed his hand over her mouth. She heard Shorty skip by the phone closet.

"Where is that STUPID BATHROOM!" the child grumbled. "Columbo, are you sure you read the directions right?" As Columbo's squeaks faded away Frida determined it was safe. Heat slowly removed his hand from her mouth and placed one on each of her shoulders.

"Heat." Frida managed to peep. She was infinitely grateful for the darkness of the closet because her cheeks hot and probably flaming red. Frida had no idea what was going on, but all anger she felt towards Heat had been pushed to the back of her mind as his lean, muscular body was pressed against hers and she could feel his breath on her face.

"I.I uh," Heat began nervously. "I don't deal with people well Frida. Some might, umm.well call me an asshole." Heat laughed weakly.

"Don't say-" Frida shook her head.

"I know that's what people think Frida, and they're right," Heat interrupted quickly. "Don't try and tell me something different. That's who I am; that's what I try to be." Heat paused for a moment but then continued with a bit more anger in his voice, "I don't need people! I'm fine by myself!" His grip on Frida's shoulders tightened.

"H-Heat, I don't understand," Frida murmured uneasily. She was becoming more than a bit nervous about the fury in Heat's words. She reached up with a hand to try and pry his fingers off her shoulder.

"Neither do I," he replied gruffly and shook Frida a bit. Frida could faintly see his movements by the light peeking in through the crack in the door, but she never expected for his lips to touch hers. There she was standing in a dark closet with Heat kissing her. Surprise was the only word that could describe what Frida was feeling as Heat kissed with a passion and pent-up frustration that she had never felt before. His hand moved from her shoulder to the back of her head in an effort to pull her closer. Though it wasn't unpleasant Frida was to shocked and frightened to let it continued and she finally managed to push him away. His back hit the door with a dull thud and Frida gasped for breath.

"What is going on!" Frida demanded.

"Aww, shit. I'm just gonna get out of here," Heat replied.

"Don't you dare touch that doorknob till I know what is going on!" Frida's voice broke as she shrieked at Heat. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him away from the door.

"I don't fucking know, okay!" Heat snapped back.

"Then why did you kiss me?" Frida insisted. "Please tell me! I deserve an explanation."

"Because I.I like you Frida," Heat replied softly. "I've never met anyone like you, you're both the sweetest girl and the angriest woman I've ever come across. You're interesting and fun and. and when I'm with you it feels right, like I should be with another human. I've never felt that before."

"That-" Frida began slowly.

"I know, it's fucking corniest thing you've ever heard in your whole entire fucking life," Heat laughed. "I understand. I'll just go."

"Don't you DARE open that door," Frida shouted and ripped his hand off the doorknob. She lifted her hands and placed them on either side of his face. "As I was saying! That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." She lifted herself onto her tiptoes and planted a delicate kiss on Heat's lips.

"Oh Frida," he moaned, wrapped his arms around her stomach, and swept her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. She pulled her head away from his shoulder and kissed him against, this time not so delicately. Heat loosened the hug and let his hand roam up and down her partially bare back. The pleasant sensations caused Frida to gasp and Heat took that opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. Frida replied with equal fervor on her end and pulled him closer.

"Thanks to you Columbo we're probably already late for the next tournament!" Shorty's voice echoed down the hall. "That is the last time I let you direct!" Her sneakers squeaked as she ran past the phone room. Frida broke the kiss with a smile and laughed.

"I think we better head back," she said, a small amount of disappointment apparent in her voice.

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to be continued.

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