Learning Curve | Joanne

Fine

"No! How many times? Left foot first". Dianne growled angrily, spitting her words at her dance partner. Joe recoiled slightly, taking a deep breath before trying the same move again.

"Like that?" he asked, focusing as hard as he could on the steps he was being taught. "Better?"

Dianne shrugged. "It would have been better if you could have got this down yesterday." Joe nodded and brushed his hair back off his face. The samba was not his dance at all; he was finding it incredibly difficult to pick things up and none of it made sense to him. Dianne had been patient initially, but clearly that had worn thin by the end of their first day. Now it was Tuesday afternoon, and she couldn't hide her annoyance. 

Joe wasn't sure if it was just his ineptitude, or if there was something more going on. He waited until they finished running through what they had so far, the tension still high, before he turned to her and asked.

"Di? Are you OK? You seem... stressed" he asked, as gently as he could.

Dianne stared back at him. "I'm fine."

"You're not, but whatever."

Joe couldn't believe the tone of the comment that had just come out of his mouth. Part of him expected Dianne to just launch at him then and there, her angry words turning into a fire that would leave him a pile of cinders on the studio floor. Instead, he watched- confused- as she simply tied her hair up and walked back into her starting position. Silently.

As he waited for the music to start, he shook his head, wondering to himself how to get to the bottom of whatever was bothering his sort-of-girlfriend.

The routine- what they had done so far- ended and Joe watched Dianne in the mirror. Walking closer he looked at her, concerned. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Dianne groaned, her tone sharper than ever as she loudly spat her words out. "For the final time, Joseph, I'm fine.Just... stop asking. You know what? I'm done for today. I'm going home." She grabbed her bags quickly, her exit signified by the loud slam of the studio door.

Joe recoiled at the sound. Walking over to pick up his bag, he replayed the events of the rehearsal in his mind, trying to work out what had happened to make Dianne so angry.

///

"Joseph!" Zoe answered her brother's call enthusiastically. "How's my ballroom bro?"

Joe sighed. "Not great, actually. Dance is good- this one's hard- but I need some girl advice. I... I think I've upset Dianne and I don't know why, or how, and I can't work out what I can do to fix it."

Zoe smiled softly. Her brother had never been great with emotions. He sometimes struggled to understand why other people felt the way they did about certain issues- especially girls. Since he was young, Zoe had worried how he would be when he finally got a serious girlfriend. It had taken a long time for him to find someone on his level, which Zoe couldn't help but put down to his confusion about feelings and emotions. Still, Dianne was absolutely wonderful, and it was clear how well their relationship was already working. She was certain the two of them were meant to be together. Joe just needed to learn.

"Tell me what happened" Zoe said gently, assuming the big sister role.

"She snapped at me today for something really stupid. She would usually make a joke or call me a dick or whatever, but this time she shouted and then she growled. Like an angry dog. Or a toddler."

Zoe chuckled. "Sounds familiar. Anything else?"

Joe shrugged. "I asked her if she was alright. She said she was fine, but in that way where you know that she doesn't mean it. I knew she wasn't, so I asked her again and she stormed out. Slammed the door and everything. I didn't go after her- I didn't want to push her over the edge. Especially if she's, like, PMS-ing or something."