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Disclaimer: I do not own Strictly Come Dancing in any way, I just mentioned it in this chapter.

...and now you're reading that and wondering what on earth chapter eight is all about, so I'll let you read on lol. Enjoy ;)

Exhausted; but cheerful this morning. Even though I didn't get home until gone 3am and have had very little sleep.

After I'd assured Troy that I was perfectly happy to continue with our date, he pulled up on a street of well-known nightclubs. This didn't bother me at all, although I found it quite amusing that he wanted to take me clubbing to finish off the night.

I don't know why I had a preconceived idea of which club we were venturing into, given that I'd only known Troy as an acquaintance for five days. But for some reason I fully expected him to lead me into the most popular bar there – the same one I usually go to with the girls.

Anyway, that did not happen. Instead, he once again took hold of my hand – a sentiment I was liking more and more each time he did it – and walked me to another place a few doors away.

This club was one that I'd never have seen myself stepping foot inside before. It was very much a dance-orientated place, which is always the first thing that puts me off going in clubs like that.

Obviously I do dance on a night out - if you can even call it that. My form of dancing is very ridiculous and usually spurred on by alcohol. But I couldn't do that here; people came here to dance the tango or the foxtrot, by the looks of it!

When you have trouble trying not to trip over your own feet on a daily basis, anything else that requires that level of foot co-ordination is simply too scary.

"Er, Troy?" I asked anxiously as he was about to open the door.

"Yeah?" He stopped when he saw my face. It was probably white with terror by now, knowing me.

"This is a dance club," I announced flatly.

It was supposed to be a statement that spoke for itself – he'd already witnessed me falling over in the past week. Surely that was evidence enough that I didn't aspire to be a professional dancer?

"So it is!" Troy confirmed with a grin.

"Right...but I can't dance," I told him, peering through the glass doors in front of us. There were dozens of couples in the middle of a huge dance floor, all looking like they could win Strictly Come Dancing with their eyes closed.

"Me neither – well, I've never tried this before," he gestured towards the people I was looking at.

"Then what..." I was thoroughly confused, but not yet distracted enough to let go of his hand.

"Okay, before I explain myself let me just start by saying I totally understand if you tell me to sod off," he said in all seriousness, making me laugh.

"Sod o..." I didn't get to finish my teasing reply as he stopped me with one hand in the air, laughing a bit himself now.

"I haven't told you what my plan was yet!"

"Well I already think you're mad, but do carry on," I offered. By this point I was able to manage a smirk. Maybe he was just putting me at ease again, or maybe I actually held some faith in whatever his plan involved. Either way, I was willing to listen.

"Thank you," Troy replied, choosing to ignore my mild insult. "Right well, the thing is...this idea sounded so much better when I was deciding to do it. Now it's going to sound stupid. But it's too late now..."

So I've embarrassed myself countless times already in front of this man, and he's the one worried about appearing stupid. Interesting...

"It's just that I really wanted to find a way to tell you how great I think you are. And on top of that, I don't think you realise it yourself – how great you are, I mean." He looked down rather shyly after making this point straight to my face.

He thinks I'm great? And so he took me to a dance club to illustrate that to me?

I decided just to focus on the part I could understand – I wanted to shout out that I thought he was great too!

However, if I had any chance of working out what Troy really meant by all this, I had to keep quiet.

"I knew you weren't looking forward to going to the dinner party, which was completely understandable. But I also know you were worried for another reason. Gabi, do you even know how amazing you look tonight?"

The question made my stomach drop what felt like about three feet. Not in a bad way; I was just utterly floored by what he'd just told me. Or rather, what he'd just asked me.

How on earth was I supposed to answer that?

I seemed to have been on pause for a minute too long, because Troy's face had changed into that fascinated look yet again.

Suddenly I found myself thinking about what had brought his question on. Did my lack of confidence really shine through that blatantly?

"Um...you told me that already. But thanks." Despite my silent pondering, that was all I could say as I recalled the compliment he'd given me at my door earlier in the evening.

He smiled softly, but shook his head at me. He was still holding onto my hand as he spoke.

"You really have no idea, do you?" Troy looked incredulous now. I was starting to wonder if this was all a dream. Men just do not stand in front of you telling you how much they think of you over and over again...

Apparently this man did, though.

I was going to have to burst his bubble – or whatever this moment was turning into. I just couldn't accept all this credit when all I was doing was being me.

As well as that, he hadn't even explained what we were doing at this club yet.

"Look, Troy, you're right. I really have no idea what you're on about, that much I do know. Thank you for saying all those...all those things about me, but honestly I don't see what you see, no."

I kept my voice warm but firm, and he was studying me intently. He didn't object, so I carried on.

"Usually I try to keep my flaws under wraps, but five days of knowing you and you've seen pretty much everything already. I'm clumsy; forgetful; a bit of a moron and even though I'm almost thirty years old, I've just spent the evening lying shamelessly to my parents. And I dragged you in on that, too."

He was smiling at me, even after hearing about all my faults. "You didn't really drag me into anything," he argued. "I offered, and I can't really say it's been much of a burden to me."

And then I could've sworn he just winked at me. I looked down, embarrassed but smiling, as he kept talking.

"You know, you just spent the last few minutes putting yourself down. But you missed out quite a few things in that description of yourself. You're right that in just a few days I've learnt a lot about you. What I've learnt is that you're kind, thoughtful, funny...and yes, I know I've already told you tonight, but you are beautiful."

It was the most bizarre moment of my life as I listened to Troy's words. Bizarre, but unbelievably euphoric.

"Are...are you an inspirational speaker or something, as well as everything else?" I stuttered out after a few minutes of stunned silence.

Troy chuckled softly. He seemed quite used to the speculation. "No...I'm just used to having to point out the best in people, I suppose."

It was strange how quickly his eyes changed as he made that statement to me. They looked painfully sad for a moment; but it was a moment that was just too short for me to really decipher it.

Then he smiled again. "Anyway," he broached, and I knew whatever had just been on his mind was gone for now. I couldn't ask him what that was – it was far too soon for that.

"Erm, yeah..." I intervened. "so, not to disregard all the things you just said, but what are we doing here?"

"I thought I'd take you somewhere where you wouldn't know anyone, and therefore wouldn't have to worry about anything," he explained, opening the door and leading me inside the foyer of the foreign-looking place.

I was so utterly confused that I simply let him do so. Now we could hear the pounding beat of the music that was beyond the next set of doors.

"Troy, why in the world would I be worry-free in a club like this? Clumsiness plus dancing like this," I gestured around wildly. "Well, it equals a nightmare!"

"Gabi, let me tell you more about me. I have two left feet when it comes to anything dance-related. Haven't even been clubbing in years."

That stopped me.

"Seriously?"

He nodded once, and I believed him. "So the purpose of this is..."

"...To let our hair down at the risk of looking like idiots – both of us equally," Troy finished, looking at me hopefully. "Of course, you can still go with the first option and tell me to sod off. This was a really random idea that came into my head after hearing you doubt your own greatness."

A tiny part of me wondered whether I should be offended. In a way, he was pointing out how insecure I clearly was. But that tiny, insignificant part was drowned out by the knowledge that he meant no offence whatsoever. That, and the fact that he'd got to know me really, really well. And I was comfortable with that.

Oh, and he had referred to me as great. And amazing; beautiful...I briefly questioned my mind as to whether this was all a dream.

I wasn't waking up if it was, though.

"Okay," I replied with a grin. "Come on then, you're on!" And as soon as we had shown our I.D.s, we pushed our way through the doors.

I think Troy was more than a bit shocked when I suddenly pulled on his arm and took him right onto the dance floor (I was hurrying before I could change my mind).

I thought the best plan would be to not pay attention to the flawless dancers around us; but to instead do our own thing. He seemed to have the same idea, so before we knew it, we were actually floating around together, in time to the music!

For once, I didn't allow myself to worry about what I looked like while I was attempting to dance. And it felt so good not to care – because truly, I didn't.

That had to be a first.

I came to a sudden realisation, right in the middle of that dance floor with Troy. I discovered why I hadn't been in the least bit bothered by what he'd said before we'd gone in.

It was because he'd told me what I'd always wanted to hear. Not the compliments, as flattering as they were. What he'd done was tell me all about myself in detail.

And yet none of the bad bits seemed to have phased him.

"Your plan was officially a success," I announced a couple of hours later, as we walked up the stairs of our building together. We had ended up staying in that club until closing time.

"In what way would that be?" Troy asked with raised brows, although he already looked triumphant. Neither of us were tired for some reason, and we were both completely sober. It was nice not to be stumbling up the stairs for once.

"Well, for one thing I'm positive we both looked like idiots in there...so mission accomplished!"

He laughed. "And...?"

"And I didn't fall over! Miracles do happen." Now I was laughing as I summed up the rest of our evening.

I watched as Troy rolled his eyes jokingly at my self-deprecating dig – light as it had been. "Aaaaand..." he probed back.

"And I didn't worry about what anyone of about me," I finally added. "Thanks," I declared then, as an afterthought.

Troy's smile was almost shy this time. I suppose he hadn't expected the compliment.

"For what?" And he did seem to be genuinely unaware of his own brilliance now.

This gave me the confidence to say what I felt, and I grinned back at him. "For tonight – well, for everything about tonight, really. I know I already thanked you for being my fake boyfriend earlier...but I've got more to say."

This was when I started to feel self-conscious again. Or, to put it bluntly; I felt like a saddo. I just had to say this, though. "I think you're the first man ever to 'tell it like it is' to my face, and I really needed to hear it."

He looked thoughtful for a minute before he replied, and then his face cracked into his usual smile again. "I've never met anyone like you before, Gabi. So strong-minded, and yet you don't give yourself enough credit."

He was wrong. I give myself plenty of credit quite regularly. Credit for being an imbecile...

As we finally reached the door of my flat, the smiled was still glued to my lips. "Well, neither do you," I told Troy in retaliation. Then I ruined the moment and let out a yawn that just couldn't be held back. Lovely.

"Tired?" he asked softly. "It has been a long night, hasn't it?"

It had indeed; but I didn't want it to end yet. I couldn't think of anything to say that would prolong it, though.

"I'd better be heading downstairs. Sleep well," he said.

"You, too. Thanks again..." And once again, I felt awkward.

Troy's eyes were still now, and completely focused on mine. He seemed to be moving closer to me as well, and I waited dumbly, not moving an inch. He reached up a hand to gently push some of my hair away from my face; and then brought his own face towards mine.

I almost couldn't breathe as I waited, my eyes closed. Just as his lips touched mine, something loud and shrill sounded between us, making me jump about a foot in the air.

It was my phone ringing. And it scared the living daylights out of both of us. We were now standing so far apart that a potential passer-by would never have guessed we'd just been on a date together.

"Sorry...haven't a clue who that could be..." I stuttered out as the damn thing continued to ring. I scrambled to get it out of my bag and looked to see who the ridiculous caller was.

Sharpay. But before I could answer it and shout at her, the phone stopped ringing.

"Hope it's not an emergency?" Troy asked, looking concerned.

"No," I replied, trying to hide my frustration. "Just my friend – presumably calling to ask how the party went. If it really was urgent though, she'll ring again."

I knew it wasn't important. Sharpay was just curious enough to call at stupid o'clock in the morning to find out the 'gossip'.

"Ah," he smiled back at me. "Well...goodnight, Gabi."

"Night," I returned, wishing I had the courage to initiate the activity he had been the one to start just minutes before. But I didn't. The moment was lost now.

Troy's goodbye grin kept me smiling anyway as he walked away. Then I looked again at my missed call as I let myself inside the flat.

My best friend had just unwittingly interrupted my first kiss with Troy...

It was hard to be too angry right then, though. I knew how much he'd wanted to kiss me – and that was enough to keep me happy enough to drift off to sleep when I got inside.

Still, thinking about it now; as I'm up early (for some odd reason that I cannot fathom) I think it's time to get my revenge and give Shar an early morning wake up call...

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