One

Chapter Twenty-Two

"You're glowing."
Dianne looked across to Amy as she walked into the studio and smiled, hoping her cheeks wouldn't give her away. Yesterday with Joe had been amazing, and she loved him even more than before. They had eventually got food afterwards but Dianne had wanted to show Joe the scale of her love so the rest of the day was spent together, showering the other with affection. It was bliss. And just the medicine she needed. She walked over to her best friend and dropped her dance bag down, pushing it underneath her chair.
"Oh my god, you did it," Amy gasped after a moment of trying to work out why the sun seemed to radiate from the redheads skin.
"Amy!" Dianne hissed, leaning back and groaning as an excitable giggle sounded in her best friends throat.
"You did!" She said loudly, her hands patting Dianne's arm.
Blushing to the same shade of red as her hair, Dianne squeezed her eyes closed while an uncontrollable grin crossed her face, painting it with happiness. "You've made me all embarrassed," she muttered.
"Oh don't be silly," Amy said and stood up. "You're my best friend, and you read like a book Buswell."
"Am I really making it that obvious?" Dianne asked. Amy opened her mouth to answer but stopped quickly as the door to the studio opened and Ben walked in.
"Wait. Why didn't you and Ben come in together?" The redhead asked, glancing between the couple.
"Someone didn't get up in time!" Amy said loudly, her words directed to her fiancé.
"Well, that's just rude." Ben walked over to the two girls and, leaving his bag on a chair, hugged Dianne a hello and kissed Amy quickly. "I'm gonna go to the toilet before we get started." Turning on his heel, Ben left the studio and disappeared down the corridor.
"In answer to your question. You're making it obvious to girls. The boys are oblivious. Chloe, on the other hand, won't be." As if on cue, the door opened again and their 'Little Miss Sunshine' walked through it.
"Have I interrupted something?" She asked slowly, assuming by the look on their faces that she had. Dianne shook her head and smiled.
"Oh my god," Chloe exclaimed before rushing over and hugging the redhead. "You. Are. Glowing."
Amy threw her head back, laughing as Dianne groaned again. "I told you!"

"See you all tomorrow!" Dianne waved her hand and stepped out of the door, leaving the studio. She walked through the building, out onto the street and straight into the waiting car. Reeling off Joe's address, Dianne settled into the seat and used the skyline as a way of keeping her heavy eyes open.

"Thank you." She climbed out of the car and, slinging her bag over her shoulder, made her way through concierge, into the lift, and up to Joe's. The lift doors opened and Dianne was met with her boyfriend, leaning against his front door waiting for her.
"Hiya," Dianne smiled as she walked over to him. They shared a quick hug before Joe pecked Dianne's lips. "Hi gorgeous." Placing his hand on the small of her back, Joe opened his door and led Dianne through. "Good day?"
"Yeh, good. We've got the first few numbers done," Dianne explained as she kicked her shoes off.
"How many more?"
Dianne looked up and shrugged. "That's a good question. Fifteen maybe?"
Joe's jaw dropped. "You only have two weeks to learn like 20 dances?! How does your brain keep up?!"
"Mine doesn't," Dianne laughed. "Besides, it's usually a two week turn around from one tour to the next."
"I can't wait to come and watch it," Joe said as he snaked his arms around Dianne's waist. "It's going to be amazing."
"It is. I've got some videos on my phone, I can show you?"
Joe kissed Dianne's cheek and smiled softly, "Please."
"Come on then." Dianne led them both over to the sofa and dropped into the corner, Joe cuddling into her side as she showed him some of the videos of the days rehearsals. Videos finished, Dianne dropped her almost-dead phone onto the sofa and cuddled into Joe's body, sighing happily as she let herself relax after a long day of dancing.

•••

Dianne walked into training the next morning to find the studio completely empty. No bags, no shoes, no sign to even suggest anyone had been in there.
"There's no way," she muttered quietly. She walked over to the side to the chair she took everyday and sat down, pulling out her phone to check that she did have the right time.
9:30am.
Yes, she was right. It just seemed everybody else was wrong. With time to spare before the day kicked off, Dianne plugged her phone into the system and smiled to herself as music began to echo from the speakers quietly, filling the otherwise empty space. The emotion seemed to flow out of her as she started to dance to the slow and enticing melody, her energy reaching every part of the studio. A bang sounded in the hallway and Dianne stopped dancing, not wanting anyone to see her expressing so much raw emotion. The door opened and Amy walked through.
"Morning!" She called in her sing-song voice.
"Morning Ames," Dianne said back before going to sit next to her friend.
"Are you alright?" Amy asked after giving herself a moment to listen to the lyrics of the tune playing in the background.
Furrowing her brow, Dianne sat back and crossed her legs. "Yeh?"
Amy sat up and studied the Australians face. "You sure?"
"Yes? Why? Do I look sad?"
"No, no. It's just.." Amy paused, thinking about her words carefully, "I've never really known you to listen to this kind of music. I wondered if something had happened."
Dianne shook her head quickly, far too quickly for Amy to just pass it off. "I'm fine."
"You are also a really, really bad liar," she said, her tone much more serious. "What is it?"
Sighing heavily, Dianne slumped forwards and closed her eyes. "It's nothing-"
"Don't even bother," Amy interrupted. "Is it Joe? Or Ethan?"
Dianne sat up quickly and looked at Amy with sincerity in her eyes. "It could never be Joe. He's been a little angel recently."
"Okay, so it's Ethan. What's he done?" Another bang sounded in the corridor before the rhythmic noise of footsteps approaching the studio filled the silence.
"Amy, not here," Dianne whispered, her eyes pleading.
"At lunch, you and I are going for a walk."
Dianne nodded her head, "okay," just before Ben walked in. "Are you two ever gonna come in at the same time?"

Leaving Chloe happily joking around with the boys, Amy and Dianne excused themselves from the group and left the building, both breathing in the fresh air in deep gulps from being stuck in a sweaty studio for hours. Amy gave it a minute or two of comfortable silence as they established a route before starting up with her questions.
"So," she began, "what has Ethan done?"
"It's hard to talk about," Dianne admitted quietly. Sure, he hadn't actually touched her other than when he first saw her that night, but he had still scared her enough to leave Dianne struggling with the thought. "He was in my apartment," she began quietly, keeping her voice low to avoid passers-by listening in on their private conversation, "when Joe dropped me off the other night. He locked me in and wanted sex but I managed to get out. Joe came to get me."
Amy stopped instantly and threw her arms around Dianne, squeezing tightly. "I had no idea!" She gasped. "When did he become such a-"
"When I dumped him," Dianne interjected, cutting Amy off before she found the right word. "He changed that night because someone had finally stood up to him. Ethan doesn't like to lose, never did, probably never will so I bet I made him mad that night. He's wanted revenge ever since, but I'm not going to let him win. I can't."

"You alright?"
Dianne had walked through Joe's apartment door and collapsed into his arms, sighing as they wrapped tightly around her back immediately. She felt a soft kiss being placed on her hair and tucked her head into his neck. Joe began to sway, rocking from side to side as he held her.
"Yeh.. I'm just-" Dianne sighed again. There was no suitable word to describe how she felt. "I think I'm just worn out."
"I'm not surprised. You've not had an easy year." Joe pulled back slightly to look at Dianne's face, smiling softly at her. "Have you actually had a break this year?"
"Yeh." Dianne nodded. "I've had the odd couple of days."
Rolling his eyes, Joe chuckled. "That doesn't count."
"It does in a dancers world." She shifted her weight, leaning her body into Joe again. "Amy asked about Ethan today."
Joe felt everything click into place in his head as he heard her gentle voice. Ethan was still a sore topic and Dianne hated talking about it. He squeezed her a little tighter as he felt a tear drop onto his shoulder.
"I'm okay," she reassured him, stepping back and holding his hands. "It just reminds me that I need to be strong. I won't let him win over me. Besides, he's gone now. I went back to my apartment at lunch with Amy because I needed to get something, and there's no sign of him."
"You're the strongest person I've ever met," Joe said quietly. "I love you." He pulled her close to him again.
"I love you too. But, as much as I'd like to stay cuddled up, I'm so hungry."
Joe laughed softly and let go of his girlfriend. "Okay, you go and get changed or whatever and I'll make us some dinner."
"Okay." Dianne smiled widely and pecked Joe's lips before running off into the spare bedroom. With a grin on his face, Joe wandered into the kitchen and began to rifle through the fridge getting ingredients together for their dinner.

"What's cookin' good lookin'."
Joe looked up and pretended to gag.
"Disgusting." Dianne shot Joe a look and walked closer.
"You're cringy," Joe joked, stirring the contents of the pan.
"Well, I won't call you good-looking again then. That's fine," Dianne retorted before going to his side so she could see what he was making. "Curry?"
"Yep."
"Mm, yes." Kissing Joe's cheek, Dianne snaked her arms around his middle and dug her hands into the front pockets of his jeans, breathing in his relaxing smell. She stayed leaning against him, her head resting on his shoulder.
"Um Dianne?"
"Yeh?"
"I cannot dish up with you wrapped around me." Joe turned his head as best as he could to look at her.
Dianne giggled and stepped backwards. "Carry on."