THE SECRETS WE KEEP.

- A SECRET NO ONE KNOWS (PART 1).

JOES POV:
Early arrivals to Elstree always delivers an array of positive factors that outweigh the extreme hit of fatigue - you get first selection to the coffee tray's delights before the ravenous pros exhausted after multiple rehearsal runs initiate their dashing to grasp each ounce of caffeine and sugary treats available, time is into your own hands permitting those initial dress run nerves to settle in the concealed environment of your gut (evident by the commotion stage left on waltz week, this is a necessary requirement) but above all, sneak peaks of pro performances can be spotted if you happen to slip through those double doors just in time for the crew to go unnoticed. During this entire dance, a beautifully dedicated number to the weekend of remembernace, I attempted a sweeping scan of each of the pros, indulging in the talent that was before me. Some carried themselves so gracefully in a ballroom hold as if this task were alike walking, whereas others prefer the flicks and kicks accompanying a fast-paced beat, however it just seemed my eyes couldn't deny gravitating towards a certain twirling figure.

A light slip-up across the hall halted the music to an immediate stop, this break allowing our eyes to exchange a greeting without the distractions surrounding us. Her hand raised slightly to shake slightly in my direction, that infectious display of a smile developing along her lips instantly alighting those hazel eyes into a surrey of flames. Ignoring the location of our sweet interactions, I motioned down to the dress she was adorning with a cheeky thumbs up and a wink that erupted chuckles out of the pair of us. Even while back in the beginning positions, that deep red shade heating up her cheeks remained, the vibrance of the colour clashing with the brightness of her hair. As I brought the damp paper ring up to my lips, knees curled to the chest in order to salvage body heat, a pang of disappointed sadness flourished through my chest at a heartbreaking fact becoming clear. In no way was I prepared to perform on this little stage even in front of this small group of non-judgmental friends, let alone millions of unknown strangers behind the cameras.

"Hey.. what's up with you?", the calling from a familiar accent rung through my ears from the left, this frame shaded by the darkness flickered by a stage light to be revealed as Stacey, her arm latching onto mine to drag my body around in the chair to face her, the first sights of overcrowded audience spotted. "Just look how happy she is out there.. this life of dancing and performing is her happiness and enjoyment, so much so that this love is passed down onto myself. My biggest wish is that she fulfills this experience to its utter most capacity, that she showcases her talent to the world for as many weeks as possible, the final being the dream scenario. Recently, the possibility of this becoming true has become more likely.. my improvements, while slow, are providing me with ledges to jump onto that will assist my climb up the leaderboard to catch Ashley and Faye. But this Samba seems to have brought this dream crumbling to my feet, it's overwhelming pressure creates a mixture of assorted feelings. The music alone exerts pure joy and while the outer appearance is supposed to portray this, inside I'm bricking it.. it could be our last Stace, and I-I'm not ready for it to be..", the words blurted out without the need for pausing fillers 'ums' and 'mhms', the floor held in my grasp until her lengthy advice train arrived at the station.

"Listen to me Joseph..", my fingers traced the circular designed cup as a way to divert myself from the emotion clearly apparent within Stacey's eyes. Yet this interference stopped by her fingers clasping around my forearm to bring my eyes to her, the tightness causing me to wince slightly. "Per week the certain standards are rising and that feeling of pressure is natural.. Kev and I havent been struggling with routines so there is constantly that terrifying thought of letting him down, especially with the floods of support each day reminding me of the fact I could be his chance at a win! You could be Dianne's too, which is an unbelievable amount of pressure to be placed onto us for one silly dance competition.. it just shows how much we wish to please them doesn't it? After many afternoons prematurely ended in tears from stressful practises, I began to remember the purpose of us participating in this.. of course, the win would be an added bonus but this experience is to make unique memories with new bonded friendships and to walk away with this beautiful skill under our belts. At times, things can be build up in our heads which are not as serious as we perceive them to be, it's so common for most people in a situation such as this. Every time you are backstage, or taking that first step onto the dance floor, you need to remind yourself of who's opinion truly matters..", she nudged her head towards the dancing professionals, more specifically to the redhead lifted upon shoulders. "..Dianne."