First Encounter (A Perri Kiely story)

Chapter 13

Week 1's success was a distant memory as Vanessa began to teach him the week 3 routine. It was musicals week and they had been given the Lion King. The production team had got it spot on as he reminded her of a lion with his golden mane. She still hadn't quite forgiven him for dropping her like that. She felt more rejected than embarrassed having had time to mull on what happened. Of course, Perri apologised countless times but it didn't change the fact that he let her go and she didn't know why.

They had a couple of tricky moves that she persuaded him to try. But she'd had a fight on her hands because Perri hated lifts. He said he was scared of dropping her – hah the irony. But she knew he was more than capable. He could lift her with barely any effort. She wasn't sure what his arms were made of because he seemed so thin sometimes, but when he needed power biceps and triceps appeared out of nowhere. She had taken him outside by the portacabins to try out the most ambitious end of routine lift. She switched her phone to record and set it down on the ground, she rolled her eyes as she saw Perri having a battle with thin air as he karate chopped and kicked at nothing, he looked like an oversized kid in his bright pink clogs. His hair was out too in his trademark afro. She resisted the urge to touch it as she grabbed his shoulders and manoeuvred him into position. He shakily lifted her on his shoulders while she pulled herself up over his back, he then tentatively raised her legs in a gravity defying move that Vanessa hoped would wow the judges and the audience.

"We'll be ready for the ice after a few more go's" she told him as she reviewed the footage. Perri pulled a face. Vanessa put her hands on her hips. "The judges give more points for difficult stuff. Don't be a coward." She scolded. Perri bristled as Vanessa glared at him. He wasn't used to being told off. He guessed he needed someone strong or he would ride over them.

"Fine, we'll go again." He said matching her own glare. She planted her legs between his head, trying avoid the massive expanse of afro hair and clung on for dear life as Perri stood up with double the power of his first attempt. She gripped his t-shirt and yelped as Perri took hold of her legs and thrust them up high.

"Perri put me down" she yelled, worried he was planning on catapulting her over his back. He obliged, leaning forward and putting her back down on the ground with a thud.

"How was that?" he asked sarcastically.

"Actually...better", she smiled Perri couldn't stop his smile either.

They were just beginning to polish the routine when disaster struck, Vanessa had injured herself crashing into a barrier. Perri had been terrified when he got the phone call and he was by her side within hours sitting on a chair at in her private hospital suite. She had tried to insist that he went home but she was learning the hard way Perri does what he wants and it was almost impossible to get him to do something he didn't want to do. He was very frustrating, but as she sat watching him do whatever he always did on his damn phone, she was grateful. Now that Rory was no longer her boyfriend, she missed that feeling of being cared for.

She was on strict doctor's orders to rest for a few more days in her flat. Luckily the contestants had been split into two groups and this week was group 2's turn to perform. It meant that Perri didn't need as much rehearsal time as planned, he still visited Vanessa but just to keep her company, which meant he had some free time. He ended his nightly phone call with Vanessa, satisfied she was definitely alright and resting as she was meant to and dialed Laura's number. It rang out a few times before she picked up.

"Hello" came a small voice on the other end.

"Hi, it's Perri." He cleared his throat in a nervous tic.

"Hi Perri, how's Vanessa?"

"She's good, she's resting and still barking orders at me." Perri soaked up the sound of Laura's laugh. He felt like a drug addict taking their first hit of the day. "So I have a lunch time free..."