The others

Jiving in head first

Dianne sat on the floor as patiently as she possibly could. Gently sipping on her morning coffee and taking small, savoured bites of the peanut butter on toast she had picked up on her way to the studio that Wednesday morning.

It was her third day of training with Joe. Three days of tireless work, sweat, and enough kicks and flicks to impress an Olympic gymnast. Three days... and he hadn't been on time once.

By now Dianne had come accustomed to the fact that her morning routine would be as follows. Waking up at 6:30 in time for a quick yoga session. A phone call with her parents at 7. Leaving her flat at 8:30 to get to the studio for just before 9, where once she was there, could spend a further twenty minutes working out how to attach her phone to the speaker system, before contently scrolling through her phone whilst she ate her breakfast, before seeing an already sweaty and puffed out ex roof-thatcher bolt through the studio, murmuring incoherent apologies as he attempted to catch his breath from the short run he had accomplished from the Uber, to inside the building at around 9:35. Half an hour later than training was due to start.

It was something which the Australian had decided not to bring up on the first two days, telling herself it was nothing but nerves which kept the young man dawdling, but now, as the clock boarded on 9:30 once again, Dianne decided that it was probably about time she dropped the politeness of early nerves, and welcomed Joe into the real world hardships of learning to dance with Dianne Buswell.

Barely five minutes later, as if on cue, Dianne found herself startling out of her skin as the loud crash of the heavy, wooden, studio door cracked open, and in came the panting, delirious form of Joseph Graham Sugg.

"G'day Joe." Dianne spoke calmly, taking the final sip of her coffee as she stared smugly across the room. "Nice of you to join me on this special edition of 'Strictly's emptiest training rooms'." She joked sarcastically, a wide - unwavering smirk coming across her lips and a laugh resonating out of her as she chuckled at her own wit. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He spoke, his eyes hung to the floor in embarrassment, hoping to hide the blush which had risen onto his cheeks as the red head continued to openly laugh at him. "It won't happen again I promise."

"Joe that's what you said yesterday! And the day before that. I just think that maybe you could use a bit of..."

Once her laughter had subsided, Dianne set herself up for the serious conversation she had told herself to have with him. But as soon as she took in his slightly dishevelled features, the bags under his blue eyes, which weren't as bright as they were the last time she had seen them; The un-kept, messy nature to his usually pristine hair; and the addition of an uncharacteristic frown resting on his lips,something told Dianne that this particular morning was not the right time to repent him for his abysmal time keeping.

"A bit of... what?" Joe questioned as he placed his bag down next to the red head who was staring at him blankly.

"Nothing, umm... never mind." She stuttered as she got herself off of the floor, standing up to meet him properly. "How are you this morning?"

"Yeah I'm alright." The brunette shrugged casually. "A little tired, but that's nothing that a good 8 hours of Jiving won't fix." He joked sarcastically, his once frowning persona seeming to instantly light up as he clocked eyes with the concerned professional.

"Well, as glad as I am to see that you're optimistic in thinking we can get eight hours in today" The red head began, pressing a comforting hand on his shoulders. "Maybe slow it down a little alright Joe. You've been in here for forty five seconds and already you're chomping at the bit to run the routine through top to bottom, when we've still got ten days to learn it."