Maya took the clean makeup brush in her hand and dabbed it all over her face as she stared at herself in the mirror. Blush sat upon her normally pale cheeks making them a rosy pink. Her normally short eyelashes could reach the sky they were so long. Setting the brush down in front of her, Maya took a deep breath and stared into her own blue eyes trying to calm her nerves. "Everything is gonna be perfect tonight. Zay is going to call your name and you are going to move on in this competition."

"Nervous?"

Josh's voice started Maya causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. "You scared the shit out of me," Maya said while clutching her chest. Josh quickly apologized and ran his hands up and down her arms in an effort to help calm her nerves. "If you must know," Maya said sighing. "I'm extremely nervous. Do you think the audience loved my salsa from last night? Or what about my jazz number with Ricky? Or-"

"Maya," Josh interrupted. "I need you to breathe. You were wonderful last night. Whatever happens, happens okay?"

Maya stared at Josh through the mirror and took a deep breath and turned round his arms. "You're right let's go."

As soon as the words left Maya's mouth, Zay's voice could be heard from onstage. "Welcome back to America's Best Dancer, tonight as we all know is elimination night. Where normally one dancer would be going home tonight. Let's bring out our top eight dancers everyone!"

"Here goes nothing," Josh whispered in Maya's ear as he led her onstage with the other dancers.

Lining up shoulder to shoulder with all the dancers Josh and Maya nervously held hands on stage, nervous yet eager to hear the results from last night's show. Looking out at the studio stage filled with thousands of people, Maya took a deep breath as Zay resumed speaking. "Hello dancers. You all look lovely this evening." Zay turned towards the camera in the seriousness of the moment. "Normally this evening we would be saying goodbye to one dancer but tonight we will be hitting the fast forward button and cutting our top eight in half. Our top eight will become the top four and compete next week for the title of America's Best Dancer."

The air went still as all the dancers breathing stopped mid breath. They had no idea that tonight would be such a big elimination. Josh squeezed Maya's hand in reassurance as he felt her tense up. When I call your name step forward, "Maya, and Alexa you two are," Zay paused. "Safe. I'll see you two next week in the finale."

Maya took her step forward and breathed out a sigh of relief. Taking Alexa's hand they exited the stage and looked on anxiously from backstage. Soon every single dancer on stage expect for Josh and another male dancer had been given their fates. All of them were at risk of elimination.

"Josh and Adam step forward please. One of you will be moving on and the other is at risk of leaving this competition for good." Josh and Adam each stepped forward awaiting to see what would come next. "Josh," Zay paused. Opening up the crisp white envelope in his hand Zay held a solemn look on his face. "You are in the bottom." Turning his attention to Adam he said, "Adam you are safe and moving on in next week's finale."

The previously white lights flashed red on the stage as everyone in the building gasped as they all did not expect Josh to be at risk of going home. Josh and Adam wrapped their arms around each giving a comforting and reassuring hug to the other to ease the nerves from the previous moment. Adam exited the stage as Josh and the other five dancers gathered around each other on the stage. "Here are your bottom five tonight America. The numbers for each of these contestants is at the bottom of the screen. You have until five fifty pacific and eight fifty eastern standard time to vote for your favorite to move on. Again, the numbers are right here on the screen. Please don't waste anytime. Every vote counts."

Maya looked on in horror from the side of the stage. Josh was at risk of losing the entire thing. She truly didn't expect this to happen. Drowning out the last of Zay's words Maya anxiously looked on and watched as the director announced the commercial break. Watching Josh come off the stage, Maya quickly made her way to his side as he began to walk to the studios at the back of the sound stage. "Josh I'm-"

"Don't be," Josh replied steadily looking ahead as he reached the studio door. "I always knew this was a possibility. Besides its not quite set in stone yet."

Maya shook her head and replied "Yeah I know but- it just sucks. It's supposed to be and you at the end remember? Look maybe I can help by-"

"I wanna work on my solo by myself tonight. I just need some time to myself to think about everything and work. I'm up first for my solo after the commercial break." Josh swiftly cut her off and entered the room, leaving no space for her to come behind him. "I'll see you after my solo okay?"

"Okay. I'll be here!" Maya called out. The last part of her sentence being cut off by Josh closing the door.

Maya turned around and tried to soothe herself. "Everything's going to be just fine Maya. Everything is going to work out," she whispered to herself.

Four minutes and twenty-three seconds is all Josh had to perfect his solo for the bottom five tonight. The bottom five. He really didn't expect it. He honestly thought that after his performances the night before he was safe and maybe he would have been. If they hadn't sprung such a big cut on them but there was nothing he could do about it now. All he could do was dance and hope for the best.

Playing the music from his phone, Josh tried to not let his nerves get the best of him. He trued to let his want and his desire and hunger to win the whole thing push him in this moment. Moving swiftly with the rhythm, Josh worked up a sweat and ran his solo into the ground. Looking up at how much time he had left, Josh took note. "Two minutes and four seconds," he said to himself.

Deciding to save his energy Josh took a deep breath and just held his head in his hands for a moment. What if all of this is over? The best experience of his life gone in less than an hour. This whole competition was the best thing that could have ever happened to him. Thinking back to the same day where his mom first gave him the flyer, encouraging him to audition. To meeting Maya and being amazed at the way her body moved. To falling in love with her and embracing this whole experience for every blissful moment it was. All the pain, sweat, tears, and countless hours he put in.

Maybe it all wouldn't be over if Zay said he was out of the competition. He had the experience with some world renowned choreographers under his belt. Not many dancers could say that but most of all he had Maya. He would have never met her had he not embarked on this journey. He would have never gotten the chance to fall in love with her. At this point, despite the growth and hard path he knew they had ahead of them, he had unwavering faith in their relationship. Deciding to give it his all tonight, Josh made a few big realizations in the three minutes and thirty-two seconds he spent in that rehearsal space.

Stepping out of the room, Josh looked to his right and saw Maya waiting by the door. Hearing his sixty second call for places, Josh turned to Maya, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her- hard. Leaving her face a flushed red he looked her in the eyes and said without a shadow of doubt in his mind, "I'm going to marry you one day."

Walking away he left Maya behind with wide blue eyes and a very red face. Moving to his spot onstage Josh took a deep breath and heard the final countdown leading up to what could be his final moments on this stage.

3,2,1... "And we're back!"

No matter happened, Josh was ready. Whether this was the end or his new beginning Josh knew he could do it- because he had Maya.