9125 Miles- A Joanne Story

7739 Miles

                "So close and still so far"

Bali.

Dianne stretched her legs out on the hammock and looked up at the endless sky. She couldn't quite believe the beauty of her location. She was surrounded by greenery, at a beautiful resort, and she would be returning home in a matter of hours. She sighed contentedly to herself, closing her eyes and imagining her mother's reaction when she turned up on the doorstep a week earlier than planned. 

"Boo!" shouted her best friend Megan. Dianne squealed in fright and promptly fell out of the hammock, landing on her stomach. She groaned and turned towards her friend, who was laughing fit to burst.

"I can't believe you!" she said, having to raise her voice slightly so Megan, who was still in hysterics would hear her.

"I can't believe you never hear me creeping up on you," said Megan, finally recovering from her laughter. Dianne rolled her eyes and adjusted her position rubbing her stomach. 

"One day," she promised "I will get you back. And I'll get you back triple because that's the third time that's happened in as many days,"

"We've only been here one night Di," said Megan confused. Dianne in turn looked confused. She counted the days on her fingers and smacked her forehead.

"My maths is awful. Must be the travelling, it's getting to my brain," she laughed.

Megan got into a sitting position beside her. "How have you actually coped the last year? Because we've spoken whenever we could, but it looked as though you were constantly on the go. Have you enjoyed it or was it too much?"

Dianne thought for a moment before answering, because the truth was, she was in two minds. "I honestly don't know," she replied. "When I'm on stage, I just get this exhilarating feeling and I just know that it's where I belong. I know I would be devastated if I was injured or had to give it up,"

Megan nodded but stayed silent as she sensed that her friend wasn't finished.

"But I won't deny how hard it's been," she continued. "As we've just witnessed I'm rubbish at maths so working out currencies and stuff has been difficult. Also time differences, not being able to call home whenever I feel like it has got me down a few times. Of course, the other dancers there are amazing and it does feel like a proper family. But it's not the same. I can't ask Kevin or Pasha for one of my mum's hugs can I?"

"I know," said Megan quietly. "In all honesty, I think you've coped brilliantly. I wouldn't have been able to have been away from home for that long. I'd have probably quit,"

Dianne looked out into the beautiful Bali scenery as she debated sharing with Megan a feeling that had been bugging her for a while. She couldn't quite explain it but she could try.

"I just think it's leading me somewhere," she said suddenly, causing Megan to jump beside her. 

"How do you mean?" asked her friend, puzzled.

"Sometimes I think that all this touring and hard work that I'm doing, I know it will lead me somewhere. I know," she said, seeing her friend's expression. "Of course it will lead me somewhere, it's taking me all over the world and I may get opportunities from it. But I just have this feeling that something more rewarding will come from this for me,"

Megan nodded. "Everything happens for a reason,"

"It definitely does," Dianne agreed. "Anyway, enough of the deep chats! We need to get on with planning this trip to London!"

"I cannot wait. What are you most excited for?" asked Megan.

"Oh definitely Buckingham Palace. Do you think we'll see the Queen?" said Dianne excitedly.

"Probably not!" gasped Megan, internally smiling as her friend enquired why.

As Dianne was pranked yet again by her friend, she had no idea that the two things that were present in her life at the minute (pranking and her upcoming trip to London) would be synonymous with her entire future. She had no idea just how deeply she would fall in love with these two things that were the fundamental qualities of a boy sitting in a fancy foyer just 7739 miles away from her at that very moment.

London

"Excuse me!"

Joe was running late. He was weaving through London traffic, desperately running towards the train station. He hated being late for a train or a plane or anything but his meeting had ran longer than expected. Even in his haste, he laughed internally at the thought that had just entered his head. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that he would be having meetings in a fancy office with house plants and greenery in them, about the future of his channel. 

Something his manager had said at the end had got him thinking. His location wasn't exactly an issue, but a change could improve his career. Before he delved into those waiting thoughts, he had to actually find his platform. As he joined the huge crowd staring at a screen, he took a moment to look around and an image of sardines squashed in a tin sprung to mind.

"Okay Platform 3, Platform 3," he muttered to himself before dashing off in the nearest direction. He could see his train in the distance and knew he would kick himself if he missed it as there wasn't another for three hours. Mustering his last ounce of strength, he managed to run and jump on the train just in time. Nobody batted an eyelid at his red face and quick breaths, everyone so engrossed in themselves. As Joe took a seat towards the back of the train where it was quieter, he reflected on the differences between here and his home town.

By the time he got to his mum's house, Joe was conflicted. He loved his job, he really did. It gave him a plethora of unbelievable opportunities. But this particular move in his career had him thinking everything.

"Joseph? Are you okay?" 

Joe hadn't even noticed his mum enter the room and jumped at the sound of her voice.

"Sorry darling, you looked really lost in thought then. Is everything okay?"Joe's mum could see that he was stressed, so she sat on the couch and gestured for him to sit next to her.

"Tell me what's the matter," she said encouragingly.

"My manager thinks I should move to London," he said quietly. His mum raised her eyebrows but quickly knitted her features back into a politely interested expression.

"What do you think?" she pressed.

"London is where all the opportunities are. I'd be very independent and I could maybe be even more successful. It would be a great move career wise," he paused for thought and his mum remained silent, allowing him to think. "But, I'm not sure I like it Mum. Even on the train home, nobody speaks and it just doesn't seem like a friendly atmosphere. I'm worried about leaving my entire life, my family, friends, everything. I'm scared that I could become quite isolated if I made the move,"

"I understand. It's a different world to where you're from Joseph. Obviously, it would be a massive change for you because you have a whole life here. But we're not going away. It's honestly not far on the train. I've learned from you and Zoe that a lot of what goes into social media is networking. You'd be meeting so many people at events and I'm sure they won't all be fame hungry. It's certainly a risk but it could be the most rewarding of your life,"

Joe took a moment to allow his mum's words to digest. How many people could say that they lived and worked in London. Well 8 million to be exact he thought but he was being handed an opportunity that he never could have really turned down. By the time he left his mum's house that evening, his mind was already made up. And I'm not stuck there, he thought, I can come back here if I need some sanity.

Stuck wasn't exactly the word. In the years to come, Joe's life became gently intertwined with the workings of the big city. The bright lights and never ending sea of people grew to thrill him. Not to say there were not hardships. There were times when he seriously considered packing his bags and leaving for his true home. However, he never went through with it. What am I actually working for? He wondered at times. All this hard work surely has to lead to somewhere?

He soon found out that patience is rewarded.