Heartbreak Boy

Chapter-5: One Step Away

A/N: Just a reminder, the genre is angst, and according to my beta and fic-wifey, Shae Maen, it might be one of the angstiest fics I've written.

Chapter-5: One Step Away

Despite Jasper's prediction, the thing with Victoria doesn't go away. As time goes on, I slowly start to let go of the tiny hope that one day Edward will see me as more than a friend.

While I manage to hide my heartbreak from Edward, I'm not so successful with my friends. It's Rose who finally decides to take action. One day, just as I'm preparing to close, she storms through the door with Emmett in tow. "Bella, close up. You're coming with us," she says in the way of greeting.

"Hello to you too," I greet with a frown. "Where exactly are we going? Dare I ask?"

"Dance class," Rose answers. "We've signed up for dance classes, and you're coming with us."

"Dance?" I blink to make sure this isn't some kind of nightmare. "You know of my coordination or lack thereof and are willingly asking me to join you?"

Rose rolls her eyes. "It's all in the lead, Bella. Besides, I think you need a change of scenery to stop moping around for that asshole."

I blush at being so obvious with my heartache. "I'm not moping around," I try to protest mildly.

"Give it up, Bella," Emmett tells me. "Let us help."

I raise my eyes to look at him with astonishment. "She roped you into this too?"

"I volunteered." He grins, wiggling his eyebrows. "I'll get to put the moves on Rosie."

Rosalie snorts even though her eyes soften as she looks at her husband. She turns to me and asks, "So? You in?"

I decide I need something to take my mind off Edward. So I nod. "Let's do this."

My determination to divert my mind dies down substantially when I read the sign hanging outside the dancing studio. "Tango?" I ask, my voice taking on a sharper tone. "You roped me into dancing a Tango?"

Rosalie smiles broadly. "The most sensual dance there is."

"Or the most vivid nightmare for someone with two left feet."

Before either Rose or Emmett can respond to my petulant remark, a smooth voice says from behind me, "The left one is my best dancing foot."

I turn around to find myself facing a man with straw-blond hair and bright blue eyes smiling at me. He holds a hand out to me and says, "Hi, I'm James, and if you'll let me, I'll be happy to teach you how to tango."

"Well, you know what they say ... it takes two to tango," Rose pipes up from next to me with a wink. "Looks like Bella is all partnered up now."

James tilts his head to the side and offers me a polite smile, "Beautiful Bella, may I have this dance?"

With an answering smile, I nod.

Later, I learn that James is the dance instructor for our class. It takes him three classes to make sure I stop stepping on his toes.

As the fifth class comes to a close, he pulls me aside and asks me out.

Encouraged by my friends, I say yes, taking the first step away from Edward.

A/N: Soo ... yeah. Tango, it is.

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Love,

Ann