I carried on as normal for the next few days carrying on as normal eating with the family that ignored me then leaving them to train with Jackson. Only to go back to them and hear them talk amongst themselves on what they had been doing and what was great about their day. Carlisle had yet to mention or even notice that I had used his check book. I continued practicing on the dock when no one was watching. So the others were none the wiser. They continued on trying to degrade me yet this time I had a secret weapon someone who was building me up stronger.
A couple of days later Jackson and I were still training. When the doors opened and Melissa who now insisted that I could call her Mels entered.
"What's going on. Did you find a doctor." Jackson questioned as soon as he noticed her which was when the door shut
"Yeah, he's the one my cousin saw in Jersey."
"Is he a good doctor?" I questioned, I still wasn't happy about her having an abortion but it wasn't mine to make as long as she was safe and knew what she was doing that's all I can hope for.
"From what I've heard. Austin's gonna drive me, but it'll have to be on my day off." Jackson sighed
"What's wrong with that?" I wondered
"We just got a gig dancing at the Sheldrake on Thursdays." Jackson told me.
"We can't afford to lose it." Mels added
"There must be someone to fill in."
"No, I've asked. Jess is working so is Lily and Maya, Summers Jr added belly dancing to the schedule. I know he's your boyfriend."
"No, he isn't" I scrunched my face up. Michael was nice and all he was turning out to be a good friend but I just did not see him in that way.
"There has got to be somebody." Jack said and I zoned out till I heard Mels
"What about her?" I tuned back in.
"Her?"
"Me?" Both of us spoke at the same time
"You've gotta be kidding."
"Of course she is. Mels I've just stopped standing on his feet every two minutes you want me to take your place." I ask incredulously
"It's a mambo. Exactly what Jack's been teaching you. I'll help you learn the routine." She looked to her best friend
"You're a good teacher Jack. You can train anyone. Even her." It was like a thousand thought went off at once battling each other over yes and no. I was doing the mambo anyway, I was going to be performing in a couple of weeks also, this could be like a dry run. A dry run doubling as a favour for a new friend going through a hard time. I looked up.
"I'm in if you are."
He held me in his arms then slowly let me down.
"Good you got it, now it's time to learn the lift." He jumped off the stage.
"What lift."
--------
The next day he took us out of the grounds of the resort and down to a stream that was half an hour away.
"What are we doing here? I thought I was supposed to be doing a lift."
"We are." he replied climbing up to a fallen tree that went across a stream "You've got to work on your balance. If you can dance here you can dance anywhere." I clicked my tongue and joined him.
"You're lucky I'm resilient. If I was afraid of falling and cracking my head open, your ass would be so kicked" He chuckled
"I'm sure it would." He started moving backwards.
"The log is your friend." I took his hands which he offered and we started moving slowly, going into hold them performing the steps which were becoming a second nature slowly but surely. Of course it was wobbly but I was able to do it.
From the log he took me a different lake to practice.
"You ready." I nodded slightly and he jumped in.
"Now lifts are all about trust. I got to trust you too or we'll both get hurt."
"You more than me." I mumbled looking away from him. "Okay, trust, trust." I sighed
"Don't think. Trust."
"You realise saying that to a girl with trust issues is not making it any better." I snapped "I case it's passed you by I don't have a lot of people to trust so trusting a guy I haven't known for that long is a big ask."
"We've come this far haven't we?"
"On training and a fluke you lifting me up slightly doing a move isn't that bad you're asking be to be some sort of bird in the air."
"Ali." he stopped me
"You can do this, I know you can. I have faith in you." I froze.
"Faith."
"Yes."
"You see Faith is a word I can work with same meaning different letters. Faith, Faith." I ran.
In the water we practice the lift, I don't know how many times. Sometimes it was good others i fell into the water. I became more relaxed, that I started to loosen up and was laughing by the end of it.
"That was good." Jackson smiled as he held on my waist. We both stared at each other.
"Thank you. You're a good teacher."
"Yeah, obviously." He laughed before moving a piece of hair from "Come on." We swam back
"You gonna lift me up now." He joked I decided to have some fun . I got out first and grabbed his hand using my strength to pull up out.
"How, how did you do that." I turned and hummed. walking off. I waited at his bike when he came back. I shivered a little and he took of his jacket and gave it to me. I looked at him with a soft expression
"Thank you." He helped slip it on before getting on his bike and starting the engine. I got on and slipped my arms around his waist.
he glanced back and I realised that i felt content and happy with him. I was different with him and I liked it. I rested my head on his back as we rode back.