A Chance

Chapter Seven

Hi again. Sorry I have not been able to upload that much. But due to that, and considering the holidays are coming up, I will be putting up three chapters today, tomorrow, and the day after. Please let me know what you think!! And this chapter is dedicated to all of the people who read this and follow me. You guys make me want to be a better writer. Thank you so much. Now, onto the next chapter!!

The next few days getting ready for the dance that night were in a word, difficult, at least for Joey. Jace didn't seem to mind annoying Joey at every possible moment. Whether it was invading her personal space, correcting her on every single little thing, making her feel uncomfortable by standing to close to her or hugging her way to long, or as she called it, "disturbing the peace", when he would go on a diva rant about something or saying how awesome he was.

Joey had to keep reminding her that it would all worth it in the end. That she would be a professional, fly away, and never see this wannabe star again.

She took a deep breath as she was preparing herself. For her first judging, her first dance in front of a live audience, her first dance out of many, her first recognition.

She was mentally preparing herself when some one interrupted her thoughts.

"Hey." Grant said to her putting a hand on her shoulder.

Joey gasped. He brought her out of her trance.

"Oh, hey, I'm sorry, did I scare you?" He said with concern in his eyes. He gently squeezed her shoulder.

Joey sighed and relaxed her shoulders. "No, it's fine. I was just doing my pre-ritual. I always do them before when I dance." She said.

"Ah, cool. Everyone does here. Alex, does the same pre-rituals that she does when she going on to sing. Derek does some water routine that calms him down or something. Allison does yoga, like most of the girls do here."

"What about you?"

"Myself, I kind of do the breathing routine that you do."

"What about Jace?"

"I don't know. He has never told me. But, I bet he does have one."

Joey laughed nervously. "I'm sure he just says how great he is in the mirror."

"True. But, hey, don't be nervous. You're going to be great. I know you will be." He said comforting her. He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it again.

Joey sighed and put her head down. "I know. But, I'm still nervous. This is my first time dancing in front of such a big crowd."

"You're going to be great. I know it. 'Trust yourself, even though sometimes it's only you.'"

Joey chuckled. "Whom did you hear that from?"

"A good friend of mine." He said smirking. Joey laughed at his response. "I have to go, but good luck out there. I'll know you be great." He said winking at her and walking away.

Joey sighed loudly. She looked at herself. She smoothed down her dress and walked down over to a make up mirror and sat down. She sighed again. She looked at herself and could hardly recognize herself. If it were anyone one else, they wouldn't even think that it was Joey.

Her blue sparkly dress, which was strapless, showing off her broad shoulders and long arms, and went down to her thighs, leaving her usually long concealed legs out and in the open. She was wearing black heels that made legs look longer. Her usually straight chocolate brown hair was curled into little curls all the way around her head making her hair looking like it had more volume. Her make up was down in a way that made her blue eyes bop and her lips stand out. Overall she looked flawless. Her skin looked perfect and her toned body was showing its full potential. She felt completely different, but she wasn't sure if she liked being "glamour upped" or sitting at home in her yoga pants, hair up in a ponytail, her dance academy shirt, and practicing for up coming dance competitions or reading a book.

Joey chuckled. "Only if my friends and family could see me now. I wonder what Clare would say?" She said. She remembered that she had yet to speak to them. She told herself that she would do that tonight or tomorrow morning.

She breathed again when she heard a voice behind her. "Wow. Joey, is that you?" Jace said.

"Jace?" Joey turned around and stood up. She looked at him. He was wearing a long dark navy blue button down shirt. He had dark black pants on and dark black shoes on, too. He matched Joey's color scheme.

"You clean up nice." He grinned at her and looked at her up and down.

Joey laughed and rolled her eyes, "Thanks, Hollywood. You don't look so bad yourself." She grinned and looked at him up and down.

Joey sat back down and sighed. "You nervous?"

"Nope, you?"

She sighed. "No use hiding it." She thought. "Yeah."

"Hey, something I always say, trust yourself, even though sometimes it's only you." He said looking at her. She looked at him in awe. "It was him! He came up with it!" She thought. She shook off her thoughts.

"I'm pretty sure your nervous." She said smirking.

"Nope, I don't get nervous, especially performing." Jace said confidently.

"But, your not performing. You're dancing. It's a whole different ball game. Not only that, but in front of so many people. Your friends. Your parents. Everybody. And you're telling me, you're not nervous?"

"Yep. I don't have to worry. My fans love me and another reason."

Joey rolled her eyes, "What about your parents and friends? Don't you care what they think?"

"No, my really only real great friend is Grant."

"Really?" She said raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah." He said straight.

"What about your parents?" She said furrowing her eyebrows.

"Um, I doubt their watching it." He said nervously while putting his hand on the back of his neck. Joey could sense that he didn't really didn't want to talk about it, so she dropped it.

"Look, are dance is up next, we should get going." He said awkwardly.

"Okay." She said confused, until she remembered something. "Wait, what was the other reason you didn't have to be worried?"

"Oh, yeah, because I have such an amazing teacher." He said smiling at her. She could tell he was being genuine. Joey blushed. She was touched that he thought of her that highly. They both looked at each smiling for a moment. Only a moment, but still long enough for Joey to be relaxed.

She sighed looking down holding the curtains, "I'm ready." She saidlooking up with determination in her eyes. She sighed again and opened thecurtains with the music starting.