Chapter Two

On pure instinct, she tilts her head towards his and closes her eyes, his hand moving gently to touch her cheek. Her mind is racing and her heart is keeping time, beating so loud within her chest she's almost surprised he can't hear it.

Then the door bangs open abruptly, startling them both, and Chase and Andie break apart guiltily. She's mortified at being caught so off-guard, ducking her head to hide her blushing cheeks under the pretence of tying her shoelace. The girl who's just walked in, whoever she is, looks almost as embarrassed as she feels. She is petite and slender, and quite pretty, with almond eyes and long black hair. Andie's heart sinks a little as Chase glances over at the other girl. His expression is unreadable, but from the way the girl is smiling at him, Andie can guess that they know each other well. Maybe even in a romantic sense, although this thought makes her feel slightly nauseous.

"Oh, Chase, I'm sorry. I didn't realise you were in here…I was hoping to get in some more practice." The girl glances at Andie quickly, an unfriendly look in her eyes before her gaze settles once more on Chase. Andie fidgets, shifting her weight from one foot to another, feeling awkward and unwanted. The girl folds her arms, adopting a false smile. She looks over at Andie again, and this time the question in her glare is unmistakeable. "So, who's the new girl and why haven't we been introduced yet?" She asks brightly, although her smile isn't quite as convincing.

Chase is silent for a while, as if he's searching for something to say. "Uh, Sophie, this is Andie, she just transferred here." He turns towards her, and somehow, when she looks into his eyes she thinks that he's trying to apologise. "Andie…this is Sophie. She's one of MSA's best dancers." Okay, so she's a dancer too. That's just great. Sophie looks Andie up and down, pointedly, taking in everything from her ratty sweatpants to the faded tank top, the expression on her face speaking volumes. Andie glares right back at her. No way is some snobby rich girl going to make her feel like she doesn't belong here. She has just as much right to be here as the next person, money or no money. Andie pastes a smile onto her face and sticks out her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Sophie" Andie says, lying through her teeth.

Sophie looks down at her hand and then back at Andie, but she makes no move to shake it. "Uh-huh. Yeah, it was great meeting you too. But if you don't mind," and she turned back towards Chase, smiling warmly at him, "Chase and I have got some practising to do for the fundraiser."

"Oh, we do? Since when, Sophie?" Chase leans back against the wall, crossing his arms.

Sophie is taken aback, but Andie can almost admire her composure as she once more smiles beatifically and puts her hand on his arm, gentle, cajoling. The only sign of her embarrassment is the slight pink tinge to her cheeks. "You know… the Pas de Deux Director Collins wanted us to perform? He's already started the choreography."

Chase looks like he's about to say something, but Andie doesn't want to hear any more. She's done standing here, looking like a fool while the two of them carry on talking as if she was invisible. Quickly, she turns to go, gathering up her bags and striding towards the door of the studio.

"Andie, wait!" She pretends not to hear Chase calling her and she speeds up, almost running out of the double doors in her hurry to get out of there. Andie walks so fast she doesn't realise she's left her phone until she's already half a metre away from the studio. "Shit!" She stands frozen, not knowing whether to go back for it or just continue walking. Before she can make a choice Chase comes running out of the dance studio, the phone in his hand. Andie sees him coming and makes a move to walk away, but Chase catches up to her and grabs hold of her hand. "Andie, wait, don't run."

With a sigh, she turns back to him and shakes loose her hand from his, reaching for her phone. To her supreme annoyance, Chase takes the phone and puts it behind his back, out of her reach. "Wait, would you just listen to me for a second?"

She folds her arms. "What do you want, Chase?"

"Listen, I'm sorry about Sophie. She's not really that rude normally…"

Andie glares at him, a heartbeat away from just leaving him there, her phone be damned. She doesn't think she can take standing here and listening to him defend Sophie. He sees her look and hastens to reply before she can run off again.

"Look, you have amazing potential and I think we should talk to my brother about putting you in the fundraiser."

"As what, Chase, the comedic relief for the intermission? It's obvious I'm never going to be a ballerina."

He steps closer to her, forcing her to look into his eyes. "No, not the comedic relief. I was thinking more of a duet. In the style that you auditioned in."

"With who, exactly? No one is going to want to take time out of their perfect little lives to practice with me, the MSA charity case."

He stands for a moment, silent. "Well, I'm offering."

She doesn't know what to say. Finally, she decides to take it as a joke, because if she took him at his word it would mean that he wasn't a total jerk, and she's still not ready to think he's a good person yet. "Okay, very funny, haha. Can I please just have my phone back?"

His answer is to hold the phone up beyond her reach, and she has no choice but to jump for it, leaping all over him in her attempts to grab her phone. He chuckles softly at her and places the phone on top of the lockers beside them, just above the top of her head. Before she can reach for it, he leans down and scoops her up, eliciting a gasp of surprise from her. Andie hits at his chest ineffectually. "Are you crazy? Put me down and give me my phone back!"

"Not until you promise to dance with me in the fundraiser."

Andie stares at him in amazement. "You just don't give up, do you?"

He shrugs. "I've been known to be persistent."

"Yeah, well there's another word for it…" she mutters under her breath. It's no use, however. She knows that he won't let her go until she agrees to his stupid idea. And it is stupid, because for one thing, Director Collins would never let any street dancing taint his precious fundraiser, and for another thing…well…the thought of her dancing with Chase Collins is too ludicrous for words. Isn't it?

She looks up at him. The grin on his face is a mile wide, and infectious-in spite of herself, Andie smiles, although she tries to hide it.

"I can't promise I'll do it, but I'll think about it. Now can you please put me down?"

Satisfied, he sets her down gently, and reaches up to get her phone for her. She's surprised to realise that she misses the feeling of his arms around her, but almost as soon as she thinks it Andie tries to push the thought out of her mind-because really, there is no way that anything could happen between them. Especially not with the way that Sophie is staring at them now, having come out of the studio to see what's taking Chase so long.

He hands the phone to her, oblivious of the death glares Sophie is sending them behind his back. Andie struggles not to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

"Okay, you should probably go…your girlfriend looks like she's going to kill me."

Chase glances back to where Sophie is standing and motions for her to go inside the studio. "I'll be right there, Soph." She remains standing, waiting for him, and Chase heaves a sigh of annoyance. "I said, I'll be right there."

Andie watches Sophie turn on her heel and stalk huffily into the dance studio, slamming the door shut behind her. "Good luck with that," she says, keeping her tone light, trying not to let the jealousy seep into her voice.

"She's not my girlfriend, by the way. In case you were worried."

At this, Andie stifles the urge to grin hugely. After all, she doesn't want to look like a total dork in front of him. She shrugs her shoulders and starts walking backwards. "Who said I was worried?"

He smirks. "Right. Okay, so I'll see you for practice tomorrow?"

"Don't hold your breath", she calls back to him. He grins in response and gives her a salute before going back into the dance studio, and Andie starts walking to her next class.

It's ridiculous, of course. There is no way that he'd ever show up tomorrow, but for some reason Andie can't help but think, maybe.

-FIN-

A/N:

Thanks so much to everybody who reviewed! I've decided to continue on with this, because you all keep telling me to, haha.

P.S. More reviewsmore chapters, so get busy :D