Joe's PoV
I'm gonna get Dianne back. Of that much I am certain. Whether it's just to the team or as my girlfriend too is yet to be seen.
"What can I do to get you back on the team?" I say to Dianne the following afternoon. "I'll do anything."
"Anything?" she looks amused. This is good. This is progress.
"Yep," I nod.
"God, so many choices," she muses, looking to the ceiling.
"Okay, pick two then," I say. I'm desperate. The team will never forgive me if Dianne doesn't rejoin and I'll never forgive myself either.
"Can I get back to you on it?" Dianne asks.
"Sure," I smile, pleased that my plan seems to be working. She's interested in what I have to say at least. Having said that, I feel like she's going to make me do some really shitty things. I've just got to remember I'm doing it for the team. If I have to eat slugs, it's for the team.
Dianne waves at me and heads to Studio B for her rehearsals. She won't be there for long though. She's gonna be back in A Troupe in no time.
Dianne's PoV
I sit down in Studio B and take out my iPad. I've already decided what I'm going to do. Joe said I can pick two things. So technically I'm picking two things. Two lists. He's got to complete two lists. The first list will be to get me back on the team, which I'll make fairly simple. The second list is for him to become my boyfriend again.
List 1:
1) Buy every member of A Troupe presents for the shit they've dealt with and say it's also from me
2) Choreograph our entire duet but make sure it's something I'll like
3) Write a handwritten letter of apology to everyone who you've ever hurt (even Neil because I'm sure you've done something to piss him off in the past)
A fairly simple list. It's gonna be amusing to watch, and by the end of it I'll most likely feel in a better state of mind and want to rejoin the team. Now for the harder list:
List 2:
1) Talk to my family and apologise to them all because they currently hate you and won't be as forgiving as me, particularly Andrew
2) Paint a portrait of me and frame it
3) Go on a scavenger hunt that I've created, you're allowed to take two friends to help
4) Buy me a new dance outfit and you only pass if you get my sizes right
6) Start a YouTube channel like Zoe because I think they're cool
7) Get an autograph for me from Anton Dubeck
8) Go to the beach and find me some sea shells and create a collage out of them
9) Think of two winning Nationals routines because I didn't wanna say anything but the ones we currently have are just shit tbh
I put the two lists away, deciding I'll finish them later. They'll be perfect by the time they're done. Even the concept of doing them is actually making me pretty happy.
Joe's PoV
I feel way more positive when I walk into A Troupe rehearsals that evening. I'm on the right path with Dianne, and she'll be back on this team in no time.
"You sure?" Jack asks sceptically when I mention it.
"Yep," I nod. "Part of me thinks she feels a bit bad because she knows how much drama this has caused. I don't think I'll have to do a lot to get her back on the team."
"Good," Jack sighs. "We need her and we need you two to do a duet. You'll guarantee us a win and you know it."
Around half way through the rehearsal, my phone pings, telling me I have an email. It's from Dianne. I hurriedly open it. It'll be her two requests. However, when I open it, I'm shocked.
"hi Joe,
here are my two things and you'll get two things back out of it: ..."
Her 'two things' had been two lists. The cheek. Maybe I should've been more specific. I look at the first list, which is apparently to get her back on the team. It only contains three things, and although they're annoying and time consuming, they're doable. The second list takes me by surprise for two reasons. Firstly, she's agreeing to be my girlfriend again if I complete that list. Secondly, some of them are downright cruel.
"Number 12: spend the night in a tree" I read aloud. Despite it, I laugh.
"What is it?" Neil comes running over and looks at the email. He reads it twice before looking back at me, raising his eyebrows. "You found a way. It's just not going to be easy."
"You're helping me with that damn scavenger hunt," I say.
"What? No. Why? Why me?" Neil asks.
"Because you stirred the pot," I point out.
Neil grumbles something to himself, but I know it's an agreement. Wonderful. However, the first step was completing the list to get Dianne back on the team.
"Time to go shopping," I sigh, looking at the first thing on the list.
———
I decide to have Zoe help me shop for presents. She's always been the shopping queen of the family. I've never bought a present in my life that I can remember. I just sign the card.
"Can't I just buy chocolates for them all?" I sigh as she pulls me into what seems like the four thousandth store of the day.
"In a dance class?" Zoe looks at me. "Shirley and Alesha would probably just take it off you."
"Ugh," I groan, searching around. She's bought me into WHSmiths.
"Pens? Notepads? Omg can I get Neil a stamp collectors book," I look at everything.
"Does Neil like stamps?" Zoe asks, looking confused.
"Probably not, but reverse psychology works really well on him and he'll like them soon enough," I put the stamp collectors book into the basket. Zoe merely sighs.
———
At long last, we finish shopping for everyone's gifts, and by this time even Zoe is exhausted, and she adores shopping.
"Remind me never go gift shopping with you again," she says as we flop onto seats on the bus.
"Remind me never go gift shopping again full stop," I respond. It was hell.
I decide to text Dianne and tell her I've bought the gifts. I'm grateful she doesn't know how to block my number.
Joe: number one on the A Troupe list is done!
I attach a photo of the gifts. She replies fairly quickly.
Dianne: lmao congrats - who's the stamp collector thing for ?
Joe: neil
Dianne: i wasn't aware neil liked stamps ?
Joe: he does, he just doesn't KNOW that yet
Dianne: joeeeeee this gifts are from me too you know, you better not have made them all a joke
Joe: i didn't, i promise
Dianne: good - see u tomorrow
Joe: bye x
She doesn't reply after that. Understandable I suppose. I'm making progress though - she's talking to me and it's not shouting or being cold. It's a genuine conversation. I mean, it still feels tense, but it could just be my imagination. Regardless, it's progress.
Okay so I know the list thing was literally a main plot point in TNS but I personally LOVED that idea, so I'm taking it and changing it slightly😂 I've always thought if this sort of thing ever happened to me I'd offer them a list of things to do because it would just be so damn funny.
Sorry for a slower update, I've got assignments and essays due for uni and I haven't had as much time.
- Bee xo
YOU ARE READING
Flying (Fight Song Book 2)
FanfictionThe sequel to my fanfic 'Fight Song'. Joe and Dianne have been separated by distance with the belief they weren't going to see each other again until the next Internationals, providing they both made it there. Now, Regionals had finished and audit...
