Dancing In His Arms

Chapter 35

Knocking on the door of the house she grew up in, Aria waits for one of her parents to open the door for her. Looking to her left at the hardware store her parents run she remembers having to work there from an early age when they couldn't get other help. Since she was technically to young to man the cash register she often just restocked the shelves and did inventory.

Now that she is older and has scraped up her money from her competitions she did with Donny, she went to college for her degree. Granted she had to say it was to help the family business for her father to let her off working. It was true to an extent. She did take classes to improve the store, but her real dream, her passion and reason to go to the local college was to work up her resume if you will to get into Nevada Performing Arts Center. Something her father didn't know.

It was not for a lack of trying. No, simply his refusal to listen, claiming her dancing was just 'a passing phase' that she will grow bored of it and come back home to help her aging parents.

Just as she thought that the door was suddenly pulled open by her mother. A bright smile adorned her 45 year old face, cupped by the wisps of her graying hair that fell out of her updo from working on their holiday meal.

"Mom!"

"Aria, my you look beautiful!" Pulling each other in a bone crushing hug from not seeing one another since school has started, they break apart as a bitter chill comes by to enter the warmth of their house.

"How's dad doing?" she asks while taking off her coat to hang up before following her mother towards the kitchen where their little table is setup to eat.

"Oh you know your father, stressed about the holiday rush of people trying to buy decorations and to repairs before family comes. Lord knows we need the extra sales to keep going what with that new store a couple cities over now stealing our customers."

Helping set up the table as her mother takes the turkey out of the oven she asks "that bad?"

Turning to look at her daughter she opens her mouth to warn her, but sees her husband walk into the room and plasters a stressed smile on her face "Ronaldo, darling look, Aria is home."

"It's about time don't you say Gina? Nearly 4 month without a peep. 3 years she has been going to that school and she's still not back to work. How much longer do I have to keep that damn McGregor kid, he doesn't know the difference between a wrench and a clamp!"

"Nice to see you to father." Her sarcastic reply ignored as he waits for her to answer his question. Sighing she takes her seat at the table and says "I still have a lot of schooling left before I am free."

She doesn't want to give him a specific time incase her and Luke win the scholarship, thus extending how long she will be gone. It also wouldn't help to say it's a dance scholarship since her 'hobby' is going to get her 'nowhere in life'. At least that's what her dad thinks.

"Well if you stopped messing around with Donny at those silly little shows and doubled up on your classes you would be out of there quicker." Says Ron as he cuts the turkey.

"I'm not dancing with Donny anymore." Before he can express his joy Gina buts in shocked and asks why. "He broke his leg on a friends motorcycle back in September. Now I have a new partner."

"Oh poor thing that must of hurt. Wait, new partner? Do we know him?" Questions Gina as she passes the stuffing.

"No, Yes, Maybe, I don't know. His father runs Kane Industries. We go to the same college. I didn't know till after we asked for his help."

"How could you do such a thing?!" explodes her father. "That man owns more stuff around here than God probably does, hell he funded the damn competition a few towns over. And what do you mean you guys asked for his help? You're still dancing? I've told you that will get you nowhere fast. Just come back home and help run the store."

Snapping, she all but yells out "I can't do that dad. It's incredibly important to me, so yes I asked him for help. Before you ask, No, we didn't ask him to fund us, we asked him to dance. He is good and we work well together. And what money he does pay he did so on his own free will. He offered it before we knew what his last name was because he is nice. He is doing this because he wants to. Luke loves to dance with me, just like i love him. I mean I love dancing with him."

To shocked by her admitting she loves Luke, she ignores the rage on her fathers face and collects her plate, excusing herself to her room to eat in solitude.