Joe and Dianne: Dancing is better with you

Chapter 4 - Show time!

Joe's POV:

I was sitting in my dressing room. Well not really sitting, more constantly pacing with clammy palms. Tonight was the first big night of I hope many. The first live show of Strictly come dancing 2018 - where I am going to have to dance in front of roughly 12 million people live. No pressure then.

I knew that I knew the routine inside and out, but that wasn't my issue. During the dress run I stumbled a little bit and ran straight back to my dressing room after our camera blocking was done. I came back and had a full on panic about this evening. That was 2 hours ago, and I was yet to emerge from the comfort and safety of my dressing room - only opening the door once to receive the lilac suit I had to wear for my dance. Every time I looked at it, I began to panic over and over again.

My main issue is that I can't let Dianne down. After she stayed round mine two weeks ago, I've been really cautious about what I say and do around her. I found out that her boyfriend Anthony left for a job out in Australia. They're trying the whole long distance thing, but when you live 6 time zones apart, I imagine it can't be easy. The stress and emotional pressure that Dianne has been under recently breaks my heart a little bit. She's always happy and bubbly, but something is obviously not quite right. It's almost like Anthony left and took part of Dianne's personality with her.

I was taken out of my thoughts when Frosty, one of the backstage people, poked his head round my door and told me to head to hair and make up to get ready for the show. I felt my nerves build straight back up again and I started to nibble at the skin on the inside of my mouth as I walked down the many corridors of Elstree studios. As I walked into hair and make up, I tried my hardest to not choke over the cloud of hair spray that hung in the room. Dianne was no where to be seen which I was quite glad about. I knew for a fact that if I saw her now, I would break apart.

Whilst I sat down in the chair, getting my hair sorted for the show, I made a mental note to myself to try my best to not let Dianne see just how nervous and worried I was. I had the song we were dancing our Jive to in my head, and was going through the routine over and over just to be sure. Once I was done, I headed back to my dressing room to find a cute little red head sat on the sofa, fully dressed in a short, hot pink dress with her hair braided back and make up on.

I kept to the promise I made myself and tried to act as cool as possible to not give away the fact I was shitting myself about what I had to do in less than an hours time. "Oh hey Di, what's up?" I said as calmly as possible.

"Joe I need to have a quick chat with you." She said in an unusually serious tone of voice.

"Oh okay that's fine. Can it wait a few minutes I need to get changed." I said gesturing to the lilac suit and colourful shirt hanging up  over in the corner of my dressing room.

"No Joe - It's all fine, just get changed in front of me - I won't look I promise." Dianne said sticking with the kind of scary - serious tone of voice. I nodded to her as if to say to her to start what she had to say. I didn't want to open my mouth yet. I knew for a fact that when I'm nervous I have a reputation to ramble and say stuff that I really should keep to myself.

"Basically," Dianne began, "I firstly want to thank you for these past two weeks - you've put in so much effort in training and you've been really sweet and understanding of this whole long distance thing with Anthony." I rolled my eyes slightly at the thought of Dianne being with him rather than m- 'NO JOE - DON'T GO THERE YOU TWAT' I thought to myself and quickly went back to getting dressed and ready for the show. I stayed quiet and allowed Dianne to continue with what she had to say.

"Secondly Joe, whenever you start freaking about something please come and tell me. Don't just walk away from me like a child. I get how scary and nerve wracking this must be for you but with all the hard work and effort you've put into training, I can tell that you will be fantastic so please don't panic about it. I'm going to be proud of you no matter what."

Dianne's POV:

As I finished talking, I looked up to Joe to see him buttoning up the patterned shirt he had to wear tonight.  A small glimpse of his abs through the opening of the shirt made me smile slightly. I looked up to his face, to see an understandably shocked and nervous expression. One or two beads of sweat were starting to form on Joe's forehead. I thought he would get slightly nervy, but I never expected someone as confident in front of a camera as Joe, to be this worried about a live show.

He looked me in the eyes and gave me that sweet smile of his. Showing off all the boyish charm that he has. I haven't seen Anthony in person for 7 days now, only over face time, and as much as I miss him and still love him, the way Joe looks at me sometimes, brings back the same feeling I got when Anthony looks at me like that.

It'd only been one week, yet already long distance was a real shit show. It's so difficult to have a conversation with someone when you both have full schedules -an 8 hour time difference and a really shitty internet connection that can only be found in the middle of nowhere in Australia. Throughout it all though, Joe has been more than perfect to be around. Although I am a professional, every now and then I do have a break down at work - like I'm sure lots of people do. But with Joe by my side, holding me when times got rough, it felt like a break down never seemed that bad.

I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't thought about leaving Anthony and giving up with long distance - and maybe admitting to the fact I like Joe. I mean what's not to like. He's sweet - kind - funny - and let's face it, fit as fuck. But at the same time, he's my dance partner on the biggest show in the UK. I can't be part of a Strictly scandal after only being in this years competition for one week. Also I love Anthony and surely that should account to more.

Once Joe was all suited and booted, we walked out into the corridor to head to the back stage set of stairs up to the balcony. The show started in about 10 minutes, and I could tell that Joe's nerves had definitely not calmed since he mildly messed up the dress run. As we got to the stairs, both Joe and I quickly turned around after hearing a high pitched voice from behind us.

"Joe" She screamed out, grabbing our attention. It was Stacey Dooley. She seemed like a really nice girl and definitely someone that I could start a solid friendship with. At least I thought that until I saw her reach her arms around Joe's long, slender neck. I listened into what they were saying, as I waited for Joe.

"I saw that you were a bit nervous earlier - is everything alright?" She questioned, obviously flirting with Joe. I felt an anger raise up within me. I didn't care that she like Joe - that's fine - 'just don't be so fucking obvious next time Stace'. I thought to myself.

She went up on her tip toes and whispered something in Joe's air, causing him to give a sweet smile to her. She kissed him gently on the cheek before speaking again

"Good luck Suggy. You'll be amazing for sure babes" She said touching his arm in an overly flirtatious way. The anger was still bubbling up inside me as Joe walked away from her and headed back to me.

"What did Stacey want?" I asked bitterly - pretending I hadn't heard the entire conversation between them.

"Just to wish us luck for the show" Joe said calmly as he reached for my hand as we walked up the stairs to get ready for the show. Something was different though. Joe's hands weren't clammy or shaking. He had a smile plastered across his face and he didn't look nervous anymore.

What did she do to him? What did she say to calm him down? And why couldn't I do it?

Why couldn't I be the one to calm down my Joe?