The day bleeds into nightfall

'Problem was I thought I had this right'

Wednesday 23rd September 2037.

'I'm so done.' The teenager sighs, twisting her hair around her finger. 'Honestly Jack, I give up.'

'Hey, it's just that one step, it's beautiful besides that.' Deep down, she knows that it is a good dance, all of it is technically right, it's just missing something. 'Maybe it's because it's getting late?' He suggests, looking at the clock opposite them, reading 8:45PM. It's a school day, so they do their homework before they dance.

Maddie had become fixated on this show, it was something she could set her mind too, everything needed to be right. Maybe if it was good, her mum would speak to her? She would tell her that she is proud of her? Maybe she would even just acknowledge her existence. She was in the street routine, and then they had their foxtrot and their waltz. It was just some stupid dance show, but at the moment, it was the one thing stopping her from going crazy.

'Did you still want to come over on Friday?' The girl nodded, the rest of his family were away, and he didn't want to be alone, her dad and Theo were going to London for an applicant day, the last one in a long line of visits and would Dianne notice that she's gone? Probably not.

'Yeah, but please say you aren't having a party?' He grins, shaking his head. 'I'll see you tomorrow, here?' She nods, they go to different schools, but she would still class him as one of her best friends, she would choose her dance friends over her school friends any day. Jack and Maddie became partners when they were twelve, after their first partners quit dance. They had been dancing with one another for two years.

Her dad is waiting outside, as she clambers into the car. For a dancer, she is extraordinarily clumsy outside of her dance routines, always falling over or bumping into things. It's a wonder how she is such a flawless dancer.

'Honestly mouse, I don't know how you haven't broken a bone.' He grins, as she smirks, nor does she. 'Just as well it you don't play contact sport.' Had this been one of her friends, she would have made a rude response, but this was her dad. 'How was school?' She shrugs, Theo had taken her to dance, but Joe picked her up.

'The same.' She sighs. 'I still hate it.'

'I know you do baby girl.' She shrugs.

'I'm going over to Jack's tomorrow.' She tells him, as he raises his eyebrows. 'Not like that dad, everyone is going, Jamie-Lee, Lucy.' The lie rolls off her tongue smoother than she thought it would.

'Okay.' He doesn't say anything else. 'Have fun, we are going to London tomorrow.' She nods, she knows all this.

'Theo will bring me home, and I'll say goodbye to you and head off to dance.' She notes, as he nods along.

'Sounds good mouse.' She grins, stepping out the car. She doesn't bother to speak to her mum, she knows that she doesn't care. Joe had managed to get through to Dianne, but there was still tension between her and the kids, they were angry, and they were hurt, very hurt.

She heads straight for the shower, deciding that she probably should wash her hair, as she doesn't want to-do it at Jack's tomorrow, it's too long to dry. Sometimes she wonders if she should cut it, but something always stops her, she likes her long hair.

That was something that Ruby and her were going to-do, dye her hair. They were going to dip-dye it in the summer, obviously that didn't happen. She wondered if she did it herself, would it feel wrong? Ruby always had such lovely hair, she doubt she would be able to mimic her talents.

She packs her bag for tomorrow, checking her dance kit for the one hundredth time, before shoving some clothes into a bag, in preparation for tomorrow night.