Rhythm of the Heart

Ch. 02: First Impressions

### Chapter 2: First Impressions

Summary: Jade is surprised to learn that she and Noah will be paired together for the preliminary rounds of the competition. Their differences in style and personality clash immediately, leaving Jade frustrated. However, Noah's unconventional approach to dance begins to challenge Jade's rigid thinking.

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Jade stared at the list posted on the bulletin board, her eyes scanning the names over and over again, hoping she had read them wrong.

Noah Carter & Jade Monroe.

She felt her stomach drop. This had to be a mistake.

"Is this for real?" Jade muttered under her breath, her hands gripping the strap of her dance bag. Allie, standing beside her, was clearly trying not to laugh.

"It's real, alright," Allie said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Looks like you've got yourself a new partner."

"No way." Jade's voice was tight, and she could feel her frustration rising. "There's no way this is going to work."

Allie nudged her. "Come on, Jade. Maybe it won't be that bad. He's different, sure, but that could be a good thing, right?"

Jade turned to look at her friend, her face full of disbelief. "Allie, I've trained my whole life for this. I know how to do things a certain way, and this guy... he doesn't follow any rules. How am I supposed to dance with someone who doesn't even take this seriously?"

Before Allie could respond, a familiar voice cut through the air behind them.

"You talking about me?" Noah leaned casually against the wall, his trademark grin in place as he glanced between the two girls.

Jade's jaw clenched. She hadn't even noticed him approach. "Yeah, I'm talking about you," she said, crossing her arms. "This isn't a game, Noah. The competition is a big deal, and I'm not here to babysit someone who doesn't care."

Noah chuckled, unfazed by her words. "Whoa, slow down. Who said I don't care? I might not do things the same way you do, but that doesn't mean I'm not serious."

Jade raised an eyebrow. "Really? Skateboards in the hallway, sneakers in the studio, and showing up late to assembly? Sure, you seem super serious."

Noah's smile faltered for a split second before he shrugged. "I don't play by the rules, that's true. But that doesn't mean I can't dance."

Jade sighed, her frustration bubbling over. "We're supposed to be competing against the best in the country, Noah. We don't have time for your... experiments."

Noah straightened up, his expression shifting slightly. "You haven't even seen what I can do yet, and you're already writing me off?"

Jade didn't respond. She didn't know how to explain that it wasn't just about his style—it was about everything he represented. Chaos. Unpredictability. Things that made her feel like she was losing control.

Noah stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers. "Look, I get it. You're the best here. Everyone says so. But if we're gonna be partners, we need to figure this out. Together."

Jade swallowed hard. She hated the way he was looking at her—like he knew something she didn't.

"Fine," she said after a long pause. "But if we're going to do this, we do it my way."

Noah's grin returned, but there was something different in his eyes. "We'll see about that."

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The next morning, Jade arrived at the studio early, as usual. The sun was barely up, and the rehearsal space was empty, except for the quiet hum of the air conditioning. She dropped her bag by the mirror and began stretching, trying to clear her mind.