Against All Odds - No We Can.

Against All Odds - Chapter Three.

Chapter Three

The next two weeks fly by in an almost identical pattern. I work all day, anxiously waiting for it to turn 4 pm so Noah and I can begin our daily routine of dancing. Since starting dance again, I haven't told a single soul, too worried that everyone will panic over my decision. Amazingly, I've never felt better. The pain in my feet is lessening by the day and I definitely feel more flexible.

I'm filing away registration documents when I hear footsteps behind me. I turn to find Noah smiling at me, brown eyes sparkling in excitement. He's holding a flyer and slaps it down onto my desk.

"What's that?" I ask him, matching his smile. It's insanely infectious. I glance down at the flyer, trying to study it despite it being upside down.

"It's a dance show at the end of this week and I've nominated us to compete," Noah explains, his voice rising with the excitement. I don't respond and walk towards him, taking the flyer from his hands. Sure enough, the details of the dance competition are plastered all over it. An overwhelming feeling of dread fills my body and I shake my head, handing it back to him —

"I can't do that Noah. I've only just started dancing again and I'm nowhere near where I used to be."

"Oh come on Layne, you're good. We're both good. We have a real shot at this," Noah says, desperation lining his voice.

"I have to be careful, I can't put too much strain — "

"On your foot? Because of what the doctor said?" Noah cuts in abruptly, his eyes darkening. I silence and my eyes drop to the floor. Several moments of awkward silence passes between us before Noah sighs and leans forward, taking hold of my hand.

"I'm sorry Layne, you're right. It's completely your choice and if you're not comfortable, we don't have to do it. The doctor didn't say you'll never dance again. You can dance Layne, better than anyone else I know." Noah says softly. His words cause the tension between us to melt and I smile at him gratefully.

"Thanks Noah. I'll think about it," I tell him. He nods and hands me the flyer before disappearing down a corridor. I trace over the smooth paper for several minutes, my mind whirling with a thousand and one thoughts.

Can I do this?

Can I really compete again?

*****

"I can't do this."

"Yes, you can."

"I really can't do this."

"Yes Layne, you can." Noah repeats, holding me by the shoulders. He stares deeply into my eyes and automatically I feel the anxiety subside. I'm dressed in a petal pink dress with a sweetheart neckline. My hair is curled softly in waves and falling around my shoulders. Noah's dance outfit matches my own, with slightly less pink.

I breathe deeply and take another peek out of the blue velvet curtains up on stage. What feels like thousands of people are seated in the audience, all of their attention fixed solely on the stage where Noah and I will be performing in a few short minutes. Somewhere in the crowd are my parents, unaware that I'm about to dance my way through an entire song. I told them I was working backstage and they were happy to come along and watch the show.

"Noah, I'm freaking out!" I tell him, keeping my voice down into a hushed whisper. Noah suddenly leans forward, placing a soft kiss on my cheek. The feeling of his lips on my skin causes me to freeze on the spot. I look up at him wide eyed and there's also a level of panic in his brown eyes.

"The past few weeks dancing with you has been amazing. We don't have to win, we just have to enjoy it," Noah murmurs to me. I nod my head, my hand automatically reaching up to trace over the spot on my cheek. I hear our name being called and realise this is it.

It's showtime.

Noah takes my hand and we push through the velvet curtains. I hear a gasp in the audience, and I know it's my parents. The urge to turn around and throw my guts up increases but I remind myself that I'm a strong and independent dancer who won't allow someone to plan my future for me. With that thought in my mind, Noah and I begin dancing, the soft sounds of the music floating through the auditorium. A complete silence falls over the crowd as we perform, each move better than the last.

A radiant natural smile stretches across my face as I twirl and slide, in perfect synchronization with my dance partner. The audience blurs in my vision, bright stadium lights whirling by. Within moments, the dance comes to an end and I feel a mixture of emotions.

Sad because I wanted it to continue forever.

Happy because I did it.

We both turn to face the audience who are still stunned in silence. My chest rises and falls heavily as I wait for their reaction. I can hear my heartbeat thudding in my ears, growing stronger by the second. Finally, applause bursts through the crowd along with loud cheering and whistles. I turn to smile at Noah, my eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Yes, I can." I whisper, my heart bursting with happiness. When the doctor told me I might never dance again, it felt like someone had placed me inside a prison, locked me up behind invisible bars of steel.

Tonight, I broke out of that prison.

The audiences cheering intensifies and soon enough, single flowers are thrown in the air and onto the stage. I laugh in complete disbelief, turning to give Noah a hug. He embraces me fiercely because that can only mean one thing.

We won.

THE END.