"Okay... Jacket, check... Glasses, check... water, check... anything else?" Joe mumbled to himself as he began his pre-show routine of setting out everything he could possibly need before leaving the comfort of his room.
After looking round for a few further seconds of the perfectly organised, perfectly clean room - only stopping once to straighten out his duvet cover and flatten out the crease which had appeared on the surface - Joe was finally satisfied that he had everything he needed. So with a final tucking in of his white shirt, Joe threw his trusty blue jacket over the crook of his arm, before picking up two full bottles of water, the brunette made his way out of the room and back into the sun, where he followed the few crowds of people who were making their way either into or out of dining rooms for their evening meal, up until he made his way to the correct stage for the night.
The stage which he was expecting to see at least a few familiar faces milling about either on or around it for thirty minutes before they began, surprisingly empty or so he noted as the black cloak and darkened seating area become suddenly far eerier than he had ever seen one be before.
"Hello?" He questioned out into the large room which was practically silent apart from the slight crackle of the large white lights which lit up the stage.
Wondering slowly from the door and up towards the stage, Joe felt his heart leap from his chest at the sight of a petite figure unexpectedly coming into view from the right hand side of the stage.
"Oh thank god that you're here." The figure who Joe could now see was sporting a wave of red hair pulled up into a ponytail, mused with an unmissable Australian twang to her voice. "I was so worried that I'd got the wrong place."
Chuckling at her words softly, Joe climbed up the final steps onto the vast stage where he was to perform in less than an hour. A small sense of relief to see someone who was at least a little familiar in the room.
"No this is the right place." He responded with a small, relaxed smile as he walked across the floor to greet her properly. "Believe me, after nearly losing my job about three years ago for showing up on the wrong stage I tend to triple check on the walk over to wherever it is I need to be that I'm headed in the right direction." He continued honestly, smiling widely as the redhead let out a small laugh. A sound which seemed to entrance the brunette just as much as her dancing had the night before.
"Wait that really happened?" Dianne questioned in return.
"It's happened a few times yeah, hence the nearly firing situation. Apparently Adam didn't think it was very 'professional' of me, whatever that means." He joked with a gentle roll of his bright blue irises. The room once again filling with laughter from the pair of them as they stood a metre or two away from one another on either side of the stage. Their eyes slightly averted from each others gaze as they're somewhat awkward encounter struck off.
"Well you're here now which is good." Dianne stated with a small blush rising onto her cheeks, following down onto the length of her neck. "From what I hear there isn't really much of a show without you doing...uhh... what you do." She continued slightly awkwardly.
"I mean you say that but all I really do is Karaoke on steroids." Joe joked with a self-deprecating chuckle which was echoed by the shorter woman.
"Apparently that's something you're good at though."
"Yeah... Im not bad I suppose." He responded with a gentle shrug of his shoulders before walking off past the redhead and towards the side of the stage, placing down the blue jacket he had draped over his arms neatly on the back of a chair, whilst placing the two bottles of water and a pair of dark rimmed glasses onto the small plastic table set up in the corner. His eyes scanning a piece of paper with his name on which Dianne had slowly been peering through herself when she heard his holler echo through the room.
It was strange, or so she thought as she watched the young man stand there - his palms rested flat on the table with his elbows locked straight as he lent against it, a look of concentration across his features which - combined with the well fitted white shirt he wore tucked into a pair of tailored suit trousers and a pair of polished black shoes - made him look as if he were some kind of business man looking over the monthly quota. From the two meetings she had had with him before hand and the words of caution which Kerry had given her yesterday afternoon, Dianne was expecting the singer to be far more boisterous than he was in that moment.
What with the narcissistic smile he wore during their meeting yesterday in front of Adam and the sarcasm he threw at her on the first night, Dianne was certain that she had the young man all figured out. He was smug, irritating, self-assured, and overall a bit of a nightmare to be around - as Kerry had alluded to. Yet here he was on his own, not trying to impress anyone, nor was he trying to be big and loud on stage. He was himself, with nothing more than his job at the forefront of his mind and a sense of grounded reality and humility which he hadn't shown before.
To his credit, Dianne knew next to nothing about the brunette who she had spent a total of ten minutes of her life with, yet from what she did know of him already, Dianne was certain that this side to him - the quieter, less 'on show' version of him was definitely the version she preferred, and the one which she was more excited to work with in the next coming moments.
"Umm... Joe." Dianne piped up after a few extra moments of silence, what with her own thoughts about the brunette seeming to take her elsewhere.
"Yeah?" He questioned in return, turning his head and straightening his back from where he was reading the information sheet he received before every show about what it was he would be doing and when, plus any information which he should know about what was going on elsewhere on the ship.
"Do you mind showing me how this all goes down quickly?" She asked politely as she gestured to the stage around her.
"Yeah of course." The brunette nodded with a smile as he began to walk back onto the stage, glancing down to his watch momentarily to justify just how quick 'quickly' would have to be. "So.. uhh, did you get the song list and the video of the routines which Lucy did?"
"Yep." Dianne answered assuredly. "Got 'em - watched 'em - learnt 'em - know 'em."
Chuckling softly at her answer, Joe allowed his smile to widen - grateful to see that the Australians did the same, prompting the small dimple on the right hand side of her cheek to deepen more than it had before. An ultimately endearing feature which Joe couldn't help but admire.
"Alright then... That's a good enough start for me." Joe responded with a smile, tucking in the back of his shirt once again which had popped out from the back of his trousers.
"So where abouts does it all start?"
"Well, as a standard I tend to start around here..." Joe began gesturing over to the front, left hand side of the stage. "I tend to move a little bit but not so much that I'll be in your way." He assured, watching as the redhead nodded in understanding as he made his way back over to her.
"So when you come on to do your Solo bits during the first song I need you to come a little over this way." As the singer began to address the layout of the show, Dianne felt the unexpected pressure of a pair of hands resting delicately upon her upper arm. The softness of his fingertips dancing delicately on her skin creating a feeling of tenderness between them.
They had never touched each other before. Well, never intentionally touched each other anyway - the only physical contact they had shared being the collision in the hallway together in which the Australian bounced off of the unsuspecting hardness to his chest.
Yet this time, despite its intended professionalism and utter innocence, this form of physical contact between the pair of strangers was seemingly something special, or so Dianne felt as a wave of goose bumps rose upon her skin where is hands were. A grip which got a little tighter as he began shuffling her over to another sector of the stage where she were to stand.
"Just there... if - if that's okay of course." The brunette continued once the dancer had found her footing in the right place.
From his position directly behind her, his hands still on her shoulders with his fingers noting the softness to her skin, Joe felt almost nervous to be touching the redhead in any sort of manor. A feeling which he had never experienced around a woman before. Usually when it came to women he was so confident, so comfortable. Yet there was something strangely quiet about the allusive dancer before him which seemed to make him feel ever so slightly week at the knees - and as he slowly took his hands off of her and took a step away to maintain as much professionalism as possible, sparing his blushes, Joe felt a very strange sense of relief that she hadn't lashed out at him for the contact as some women had before.
Ignoring the shared look between one another, a look which seemed to explain little to nothing to either of them as to why they had enjoyed such contact with one another, Joe allowed himself to maintain composure and continue with the explanations they had asked for. As despite the new found desire he had to do nothing but stand on the stage and talk to her, perhaps even divulge into what it was about her which made him feel so uncharacteristically himself, there was work to be done. And with time ticking and a few people who ran the nightly production finally coming in to check everything was ready, it had to be done fast.
So that's what they did, going through every little detail as pedantically as possible to ensure that the dancer knew everything that she had to do. After seeing her perform the day before, Joe had no question on her ability to perform, she was mesmerising - in more way than one - and he knew not only as a performer but also as a viewer that she would be incredible at this. Yet with it being such short notice, neither performers were going to say that they weren't at least a little bit nervous for how the next hour and a half or so of their lives would go.
And those nerves were something which kept them occupied for nearly twenty five minutes, until Adam told the two of them that people were going to be let in, and that the two of them needed to make themselves at least a little scarce. Giving Dianne time to get changed out of the t-shirt and leggings combo she wore and into something a little more showbiz, whilst Joe placed the familiarity of his blue jacket over his re-tucked in shirt and re-knotted tie, allowing himself to get ready to do what he knew best.
To entertain.
"Okay one minute Joe." Tia one of the production members behind the scenes whispered to him, prompting him to get up from off of his chair, take a final swig of water, before standing a little off the side of the stage with a microphone in his hand and energy coursing through his veins.
Something which was only boosted as he stole a glance up and onto the other side of the stage. Where glimmers of gold and silver contrasting with bright red hair caught his eye. A glint in her eye and a smile on her face as she looked back at him. Prompting the return of those damned nerves which he had never experienced before. Those nerves which he only seemed to get knowing that not only did he have to impress the paying passengers nattering between themselves out to the left, yet also feeling the need to impress her.
...
"Thank you ladies and gentlemen you have been absolutely wonderful tonight!" As Joe screamed down the microphone he was once again all a buzz. His heart thumping a million miles an hour and his fingers dancing in small trembles as the adrenaline coursed through his veins, taking the place of the only drug he would ever need in his system.
The roar of the crowed, the continued sound of music around him and the feel good party vibe which had been the focal point of that evenings entertainment continuing to spur him on. But of course he hadn't done it alone, he could never create an atmosphere this electric on his own by just singing out the lyrics to Sweet Caroline and any other over played song which made the room filled with people with an average age of about 47 go over the edge, no. This atmosphere, this feeling of electricity seemed to be boosted more than he had ever felt it be boosted in the seven years he had been a performer. And it was all thanks too the woman next to him.
"Now can you please give it up for your incredible dancer, the wonderful Dianne Buswell!" As the crowd blew up in another appreciative cheer and round of applause Joe watched as the redhead placed herself in a series of spins, landing sturdily back on two feet in time with the music which could hardly be heard by that point. Her effervescence and wide smile seeming to momentarily throw the singer off of his sanction, nearly prompting him to forget the final few lines he had to spill to the passengers as the show made its way to an end, yet after a clearance of his throat and a gentle shake of his head as he drew his eyes away from her, he managed to get himself back on track up until the point where he grasped a hold of her warm hand and bowed with the dancer, before leading the two of them off stage, making a point of keeping hold of her hand as the cheers continued.
"Oh my god that was amazing!" Dianne squealed with excitement the very moment that she and Joe where back by the table he had been studying a little over an hour and a half ago. Her feet still jumping and dancing around as she gripped a hold of his hand tighter still, before practically forcing herself into the young mans arms, who embraced her in a hug.
"So good!" He agreed with an equal bound of energy as he gripped onto the redhead. The previous worries of physical contact he seemed to feel at the beginning of the show now seemingly overcome.
The small, fragile touch on her arms having moved throughout the show to the times where he danced with her a little. Well, it wasn't really dancing on his part, just leaning a little as she spun around him or catching a hold of her hand to spin her into his body then back out again. And as meaningless as it was, it seemed as if the pair who were so awkward with one another barely two hours before had created a bond on that stage, one which had left their hearts pumping against one another as they embraced.
"I've never experienced anything like it!" Dianne muttered gleefully into his shoulder, before escaping his grip a little, taking a small step back to see the glint in his eye which had caught her attention throughout their set. "I mean don't get me wrong I've done some pretty incredible shows these past few years but my god... And you get to do that every night?!" She continued, a sense of innocence and joy exuding every fibre of her body which seemed to give a whole new lease of life to Joe's own enjoyment.
The twinkle in her eye which had caught Joe's attention throughout the show - forcing him to go off a little when usually he was solid as a rock - now brighter than ever. A small chuckle escaping his lips as he bathed in the shorter woman's zest for life.
"You were incredible... really, I mean I'm glad that Lucy couldn't make it on board now." He responded without even thinking about the words which were falling from his lips. Only realising the connotation as he watched the redhead stop the subtle bouncing she was doing in her post-show celebration.
"Really?" She questioned a little surprised to hear the compliment fall from his lips.
"Yeah." The singer nodded softly, deciding to go with it rather than cover his words up to be something that they weren't. "I mean don't get me wrong, Lucy is fantastic at her job. But you... you're better."
Dianne allowed herself a chance to drink in the man opposite her. On stage he had exuded the same sense of cool self assurity that she had witnessed on the first night of the cruise. With the deep, ocean blue jacket placed over his torso, and the microphone in his hand he looked so suave... So powerful... and as much as she knew she shouldn't be thinking that way about the man she still barely knew, so attractive as he shone brightly in his element. But now, from the moment they had escaped the scrutiny of the public eye, back in the darkness of the side of the stage all alone apart from the few crew members who began milling about once again to pack away for the evening, the shy, humble, adorably awkward side to the young man seemed to come out at full force once again. And despite his kindness and willingness to help her earlier on, it was the new found compliments which escaped the delicately inviting curve of his smiling lips which truly changed the redheads opinion on him from the inconsiderate man she had bumped into 48 hours before.
"Thank you." She whispered back softly in return, not quite finding the right words to respond to the unexpected turn of their conversation. So instead left it at the graciousness which was enhanced by the uncontrollable rise of a blush onto her cheeks.
"You're welcome." Joe responded with an assured nod of his head, a small, equally delicate smile on his lips as he took a few steps away from the redhead and placed the microphone he still held in his hands back down on the table just behind them. The small awkward silence that reared its head earlier coming back into play.
Placing the mic down into a small black case which the singer had picked up from off of the floor, and opened gently to find the equipment's rightful place left waiting, Joe allowed himself to think more in depth about the woman who stood behind him.
"Hey, whilst I'm thinking about it, I'm sorry for being such a dick to you the other night." He apologised as he removed the jacket from his body, placing it gently on the chair backed up against the black curtain.
When he first saw her dance on that stage the night before, he was instantly entranced by her talent. Her raw ability to command the room with nothing more than the choreographed movements of her body seemed to astound him on a level which only the eye of another performer could appreciate. Yet after the small conversation they held last night, Joe couldn't shake the embarrassment of his actions on their first encounter. The sheer need to apologise seeming to cut him deep - and then only becoming deeper at the knowledge that if she had never confronted him he wouldn't have felt the need to apologise for his actions in the slightest at all.
"What do you mean?" Dianne questioned with furrowed eyebrows.
"For not helping you when you asked for directions." The brunette clarified despite being certain that she knew what he was on about.
"No... I know what for, but why do you feel the need to apologise?"
This caught him off guard. The more poignant question seeming to slip him up, resulting in nothing more than a shrug of his shoulders as a guilty look clouded his bright blue eyes. "Just feel like it's the right thing to do."
Dianne paused for a moment longer. Considering the necessity of such a statement, especially when the mood between them had been on such a high before hand. The truth of the matter being that it wasn't necessary in the slightest... If anything it made her question him more than she already was. But at the same time make him seem all the more endearing, and the fact that he had even considered to apologise for such an uneventful moment after the opportunity he had given her, made him shine a little brighter in her opinions.
"Well thank you Joe... But that really isn't necessary." She retorted as she allowed herself to steel another look into his eyes. "If anything you're advice helped, because once I started following the alphabet I eventually got to the right place, so if anything I should be thanking you."
Chuckling softly at her wit, both Joe and Dianne felt their shoulders physically relax from the small moment of unassured conversation. Thankful that between the two of them they had been able to diffuse a situation which had no business blowing up in their face.
Allowing his thoughts on the dancer to continue further from their first meeting, Joe couldn't help but want to know more. He had never heard of her before twenty-four hours ago, yet here she was laughing softly with him after the two of them had absolutely smashed their first show together, on the first cruise the oh-so-talented dancer had been on. She was mysterious to him, with her bright red hair and Australian accent. And there was something about her which he wanted to figure out before three days time when they would repeat this show again.
Clearing his throat and raising a hand to the back of his neck, scratching it carefully as he always did when a wave of nerves overcame him, Joe roused the courage to ask her yet another question.
"Listen Di... Dianne, sorry... Ummm, I know this really nice bar in Barcelona, where we're docking tomorrow... and... Uh, I was wondering... If you're not too busy... If maybe you wanted to grab a drink or something?"
Feeling a pang of shock rise through her system Dianne stole a glance back to the once again, adorably nervous singer who had changed so drastically from his composure, pizazz, and vitality a few minutes before hand. His hand scratching nervously at the back of his head, whilst the other was tucked firmly into his trouser pocket. The expected confidence which Kerry had suggested he had the previous afternoon seeming to be nothing but false information.
And it was at the thought of the blondes suggestion in which Dianne found herself questioning everything else that she had said. Her description of the brunette singer had been so callous, so disregarding of his own feelings, and come to think of it so jealous of his success in his line of work, that Dianne found it almost impossible to see how any of it was true. That instead of the supposed nightmare she had described, the woman describing him had just been biased in her own selfish opinions.
Smiling softly, ignoring Kerry's advice to not fall for his ways, Dianne addressed the man who waited patiently for an answer.
"Yeah... alright then let's do it." She agreed with a gentle nod. Finally assessing that Kerry had to be wrong about him. Knowing that truthfully no nightmare could ever dress itself up to be this much of a dream.
Or so she thought anyway.
A/N hey people! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I honestly didn't know how I felt about this one when I wrote it a few weeks ago, but looking back on it now I don't think it's that bad at all. Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my last chapter. This is a route I have never gone down before in terms of my writing, and your support really does mean everything so thank you. I can't wait for you all to read the upcoming chapters, and hope that you all have an incredible week no matter what. Lots of love to you all xx