Hi! thank you for bearing with me and reviewing! I did not mean to disappear again, but these things keep happening! Well, maybe it will give me more ideas later on. Ah, the drama...

enjoy!review!thanks!

love,

Tari

8

The dance had come and gone, leaving Sarah even more confused about her feelings for Adam, for dancing and for Jareth.

She had gotten along much better dancing with Adam, now that she knew what to expect from him. Not that she really knew what she should expect, but at least his manner of handling her no longer took her so much by surprise. They had learned the waltz, too, but Sarah wasn't too great at it.

She could dance it well only if the music touched her and caught her up – then she lost herself in it, and the steps came naturally. But that had only happened once. She didn't even remember who she was dancing with at the time… a guy named Jack… or Jake… she wasn't sure.

He had been nice to her, not at all forceful, but nothing too interesting. A little too slimy maybe. But a welcome break from being dragged around, at that.

The Viennese waltz was gorgeous, but she could not make her steps "travel" around the room to save her life. The back and forth, side to side thing she could manage, in fact, she really enjoyed it - but the traveling was too much. Too many steps, to tricky and too fast. She had attempted to follow Adam's lead through the Viennese, but very quickly found herself dragged again, nearly lifted off the ground when she couldn't keep up.

It didn't make her very happy – and that was putting it mildly.

She was also not thrilled that her thoughts of Jareth had increased and taken on a more romantic air then she had ever allowed them to before.

In fact, after dancing every slow dance, no matter with whom, but especially with Adam, she couldn't help but shut her eyes, imagining herself dancing with the Goblin King.

She couldn't help feeling that there was something lacking in every dance. That some secret ingredient was missing, even if she happened to be on beat and in synch with her partner. Which didn't happen all that often, to be honest.

Grudgingly, she had to admit that when, as a fifteen-year-old, she had danced with him, it had been the best dance of her life. Nothing compared to it, nothing could ever compare.

It was stupid to dwell on it, that she knew as well. She had somewhat suspected that Jareth was a fantasy creation of her childhood, but now she saw him in a different light. She saw that he had something no one else she knew had. Even as a dream creation, he was a lot more "real" than the guys surrounding her. He knew her. Knew her inside and out, and accepted all of her.

But what was the use?

Sarah sighed, straightening her hair in front of the mirror at the dance studio. There really wasn't much she could do about it now.

Now, she had to make a decision.

Adam had asked her to be his dance partner for the upcoming competition. It was a lot of time and a lot of practice, and Sarah wasn't entirely sure she was good enough.

She also wasn't entirely sure that she should trust herself to Adam - he wasn't above taking advantage of any situation.

But, still - it was a flattering proposal. And competition sounded like fun.

Looking herself in the eye, Sarah cocked her head to the side. Maybe she would dare to live a little. Just this once.

"What do you think, Jareth?" she asked mockingly, attempting to make light of the feeling that she wasn't alone.

Right Sarah, sure, you're being watched…uh-huh. In an empty bathroom. A girl's bathroom at that… she told herself venomously.

The Goblin King really has better things to do than stalk you in here… if he exists at all.

The King in question smiled, showing pointed teeth.

Of course he did.

Naturally.

So, she would compete, would she? He had hoped she would.

She needed to learn to show herself off and get used to people watching and admiring her. As future Queen, she would have to be perfectly comfortable with constant attention.

And it was flattering that she had thought to ask him.

"I think you should, Sarah… it would be a pleasure to watch."

"Sarah? Sarah – you ok?" the girl squatted down in front of Sarah Williams, trying to keep her miniskirt from revealing too much personal information. Not that she cared.

Sarah didn't notice, looking slightly off-color. She had been sitting in that particular corner of the bathroom for a full fifteen minutes. Adam had sent Jenny to check on her.

Not that Jenny was liking this one bit. Adam's new toy was all good and great, but she had other plans for the hunk. And these plans did not involve a certain Sarah Williams getting in her way. But the girl seemed too stupid to even notice that Adam was hitting on her, and she was just a beginner, so her dancing really sucked.

Jenny hoped Adam would drop her quickly enough. She needed him partner-less and interested only in her.

"Yeah…fine… just peachy…" Sarah had read about hallucinations, but hearing things was not her idea of fun.

Especially things in THAT particular voice. And in direct answer to her jesting remark.

-What's said is said.

-but…I didn't mean it!

-oh, you didn't?

So far, she had managed to conveniently forget the power she had thought her words to have.

He WASN'T real. Right?

Right?