It takes two

Chapter twenty two

"Mmmbop, doo wa doo wa doo wap, doo..."

Joe and Dianne were stood in Joe's dressing room before they were needed backstage, before they would dance their samba in front of the entire nation, with the hope of achieving their Blackpool dreams. Blackpool meant an awful lot to the both of them, and to go out at this stage would be heartbreaking.

"They're really good, just get it in your hips more, feel the music." Dianne commented, the two having just finished a run. That run had went extremely well, now it was just a case of doing it like that later on that night.

Joe nodded, slumping down on the sofa. By this point his hair had flopped all over his face, unashamedly. He ran a hand through it before slouching forward, feeling the pressure start to sink in now more than ever.

"I will, I will. I just want to do well, not let you down. Or Emelia. Or my nan, just everyone really." She nodded, sitting down next to him and placing one of her hands in his, reassuringly.

"You won't let us down, all you can do is your best remember. If it makes you feel better we can go through it again?" He nodded, trying to focus more on the dance and less on the nerves that came with it.

"Yeah. Think hips Joe, think hips." She chuckled, the two going into the centre of the room hand in hand, getting into their starting position.

"Five, six, seven, eight..."

///

"Oh my god Joseph! That was amazing! Honestly, that was the best you've ever done it!" They had just finished their dance, they had just finished their interview for Instagram and now they were bouncing down the corridor.

"I can't believe it! It went well, thank god for that!" They embraced, hugging each other tightly. He buried his head into the crook of her neck, feeling her squeeze him even tighter.

"It went amazing Joe! I'm just so so so happy right now." He lifted his head, meeting her eyeline, meeting the eyes he had found himself lost in time and time again.

"Thank you Dotty." She smiled, gently pressing her lips to his, feeling him kiss back. She let one of her hands feel the back of his neck, the soft delicate texture of his skin. Simultaneously, both of his hands found her hips, holding her close.

"It's alright. We did together, and no matter what happens tonight just know that I'm proud of you." He smiled, letting his hands clap behind her back, feeling her put her other hand with hers, clasping at the back of his neck.

"Thank you, again. And now we wait." She chuckled.

"I know, the suspense is killing me already!" He chuckled too, rolling his big, blue eyes fondly.

"Me too, and the voting hasn't even opened yet!" Both of them sighed, appreciating the silence before they knew they had to get going.

"Come on Dotty, I'm pretty sure everyone's waiting for us." She nodded, feeling their hands clasp once they released. "I wonder how everyone else is getting on anyway."

///

Each of the couples stood in their allocated spots, waiting to hear their fate which had been sealed by the viewers at home. With every week that passed came a new suspense, as each week got closer, and closer, and closer to the final.

Blackpool. It wasn't just a place in England, but in its own right the home of ballroom dancing. Joe knew he wanted to make it to Blackpool from the get go, especially for his nan, Phillis, who used to dance there in her youth. He wanted to follow in her footsteps, dance where she danced, make his entire family proud. Of an equal significance, he wanted to make Dianne proud, the girl who had taught him to dance, and to love.