It Takes Two To Tango

Chapter Four

‘Jude?! Jude Callahan?!’ Jessie says incredulously, her eyes wide in disbelief.

‘The very one,’ I sigh, leaning back in the car seat.

 I hadn’t told Jessie before that Jude was a dancer, because there wasn’t really any need, but I had to tell someone that I was losing Dan. And so she wanted to know who my new partner would be… I had no choice but to tell her.

‘Jude?!’ Jessie repeats, her jaw still dropped. ‘Jude Callahan is a dancer? Ky, either you’ve gone bonkers, or the world has. Jude dances?’

I nod, chewing my lip as I look at the school children milling around outside. ‘And I have to dance with him.’ Having already had a fierce discussion about this at home, which ended up with my parents both having an argument about whether it should be allowed, I’m kind of weary of the topic.

‘Bloody hell, Ky,’ Jessie says, pulling the key out of the ignition. ‘That’s crazy.’

‘I know,’ I sigh. ‘He was always partners with Molly, but now I have to give Dan up for him. I hate life sometimes.’

Jessie reaches over to rub my arm. ‘Well, on the bright side, Jude is smokingly hot.’

I snort. ‘That’s kind of overshadowed by his arrogance.’

‘He’s a bad boy,’ Jessie replies, matter of factly. ‘But, he dances? Maybe he’s not as tough as we think.’

‘It’s not that he’s tough,’ I tell her. ‘It’s just that he’s hopelessly lazy, and careless, and annoying, and just…’

‘Just not Dan?’ Jessie suggests, helpfully.

I nod sadly. ‘He’s the opposite of Dan, from what I can see.’

‘Well, maybe you’ll have chemistry, then,’ Jessie, ever the optimist proposes.

The look I give her makes her chuckle.

‘Wait and see, Ky,’ she tells me, brightly. ‘You never know, you could fall madly in love with him.’

‘I’d rather fall in love with a giant octopus,’ I tell her, truthfully. I’m sure it’d be less slimy.

Jessie merely raises her eyebrows. ‘We’ll see, sweetie, we’ll see.’

*
All too soon, it’s time for me to go to my first dance practice with Jude. Needless to say, I’m not looking forward to it. Despite Jessie and Sarah’s optimism, I’m dreading the idea of having to actually be alone in a room with him.

And today is one where we don’t have Sarah, too, so it’s just going to be me and him. Alone. Even better.

When I get to the studio, Jude is actually already there, which surprises me. When he sees me, he flashes his trademark lazy smile, and stalks over.

‘Sooo, just you and me now, Kyra,’ he murmurs, in what appears to be an attempt at a seductive tone.

‘Leave it out, Callahan,’ I tell him, in a no nonsense tone. I am going to put up with none of this.

‘Ooh, I like the sound of that nickname,’ he replies, coming closer. ‘Don’t suppose you could call me that in the bedroom, could you?’

I glare at him, which for some reason makes him smile even more.

‘I’ll keep it in mind. Ready to get going?’ he asks.

‘Might as well,’ I reply, unenthusiastically. Jude raises an eyebrow, but moves over to the music player in the corner.