A Chance

Chapter Seventeen

Hi y'all!! Sorry I did not update yesterday, things have kinda been hectic in my life right now. Happy New Years!! Here is the next chapter:

Joey woke up on the couch. She started to move when she realized she wasn't alone. When she moved, the arms around her pulled her closer and buried his face in her hair.

"Don't get up, please. That was the best nap I've had in years."

"Well, we have to get up. We can't just stay here all day."

"Fine, what do you want to do?" Jace said sitting up. They were both sitting cross legged on the couch.

"Well, I have to do homework."

"What?"

"Yes, some of us who still need to graduate high school need to homework."

"Well, maybe I could help you. What class is it?"

"Uh, chemistry." Joey didn't honestly think he would want to help her with her chemistry homework.

"I use to be really good at it. Let's see if I still am." He said getting up. Joey did not expect this from Jace. But, she figured that she would humor him.

Over the next couple of hours, Joey was surprised on Jace's knowledge of chemistry. He was a really good tutor. She would never say that to his face, he would never let her live it down.

After she finished up with her chemistry homework, the pair practiced on their next dance and ate take out from a place that Jace knew.

"Oh my gosh, this is amazing. How did you find out about this place?" Joey gasped at him.

"You have to know the right places. I know the best Chinese, Thai, and Italian places in L.A.."

They ate in silence after Jace's comment. It was a comfortable silence. For Joey, talking didn't always require words. A comfortable silence was always nice and calming for her.

After dinner, they both cleaned up and Jace left. Joey went back to room and tried to get herself to calm down. She didn't understand why her heart wouldn't calm down even long after Jace left. She tried to do a breathing technique to calm her down. Eventually, she finally calmed down. She felt that she should just go to sleep now to be prepared for the next week.

The dance that they were preforming is a Latin upbeat. She liked the song they were dancing to. It was very fast; she was just hoping that he could keep up. Joey knew that she would have to put in extra effort to help him learn the dance. She fell asleep thinking of the extra practices that they were going to have to put it. But, she didn't know why that made her smile.

They both worked on it for the rest of the week. Joey was excited to have this week be over and have it be Saturday already. She was excited to finally know about Jace. He promised her that he would be honest with her. She was done with him being so secretive with her.

Joey had many questions for him. Questions that she hoped that he would answer. She knew that this would be hard for him, but she is hoping that he will try and know that he can trust her.

Joey found that these thoughts of Jace and what might happen crowded her mind. It was hard for her to concentrate on other things. Multiple times during the week people had pointed out to her that she was out of it and distracted. But, hopefully that was over for her, considering that it was Friday and they were about to preform.

Every time that danced together it always made her remember what happened the first time that they danced for the show, the first time that they competed with each other. How he looked at her differently after he saw her all made up to look like a professional dancer. She could never forget how he looked at her. He looked at her like she was new. Like he had never seen her completely clearly before. He looked at her like that ever time they competed. Like the way that he was looking at her right now.

"Jace why are you looking at me like that?" Joey asked him when she caught him staring at her.

"What? Can't I look at my partner?" Jace said defensibly while Joey blushed and looked away. They were both on deck. They were behind the curtain watching the couple dance before them.

Joey was nervous to say in the least. Every week, a couple would go home. This was their fifth week in the show and there were still six couples left, including Joey and Jace. The judges would give their scores and then the show would have the audience text in their vote for which couple that they would want to stay. Joey was still very surprised that they made it this far. But, she guessed that it helped that Jace's main target audience when preforming were teenage girls.

Joey was very happy that both Allison and Grant were still on the show. Both of them have been extremely welcoming and great friends to her. As soon as she thought that, Grant walked by her. He was on after Joey and Jace. He looked at her and winked. Joey blushed. Every time that Grant looked at her, she would get butterflies. Grant was one of the sweetest guys on the show. He would always make her feel better about her. Grant was easy to be with. He didn't keep secrets from her. Sometimes, she wished that if she were partnered with Grant, that maybe things would have ended up differently.

"Ahem." Jace coughed, interrupting Joey's deep though.

"What?"

"I just thought that maybe you should stop daydreaming about Grant and focus on the dance. Considering the other couple is almost done and that we should get to our spots." Jace said irritated.

Joey rolled her eyes and walked away. She was annoyed with him now. "He can't just get irritated every time that some guy looks at me. He's the one who made his choice!" Joey thought angrily.

Joey went to her spot and closed her eyes and breathed in. Joey thought of the things in her life that would calm her down. She thought of her family and her friends. The music from the couple on stage died out and she started to hear the judges. The crowd exploded. After the song was over and the couple left the stage, the announcer said a view words about the last team. She could hear the girls from the crowd scream. Joey rolled her eyes, but she knew that she needed their votes.

"Now for the next couple. We have Jace Wilde and Joey Stark! Dancing to the song, Sway, by Dean Martin. Give it up for Jace and Joey!" The announcer said and waved them in.

Joey heard the music start. And she started to get herself ready. Joey heard her cue and she went out there with a huge smile on her face, and it was only half forced.

Joey found herself in Jace's arms and she forced a smile. Jace looked still a little irritated but also showing remorse for being short with her. After that moment he gave her a smile forced almost the same amount as hers was.

Despite Joey being angry with Jace, she was impressed. He kept up with the steps very easily and followed her pace very well. He spun her at the correct times and didn't step on her feet at all. And at the end of the song, he dipped her, but not too low that he might accidently drop her. When he pulled her back up, they had another moment and then they looked away, flushing again.

The announcer teased both of them a little bit, again. And then the judges gave them two eights and a nine. Over all, they did really well. Joey was hoping that Jace's fan club would come in and help tonight with the voting.

Jace and Joey's dance was second to last, so after them, Grant and his partner would go and then the couples would find out who was leaving. Joey was nervous as hell, and it was obvious, too. She felt Jace grab her hand and squeeze it. She looked up at him and smiled.

The judges were done deciding who was going to leave. The audience sent in their votes. Everyone was waiting anticipation. When the announcer went to the groups who were staying, Joey's legs were shaking. When he came over to them and told them that they were staying, Joey felt her legs go numb. Thankfully, Jace was right next to her and he grabbed her waist in time to make sure that no one would see that she was about to fall.

Joey was ecstatic. She reached around and hugged Jace as tightly as she could. He picked her up and swung her around laughing. She had forgotten that she was mad at him. She had forgotten everything. She was just sure of one thing: that they were both safe for another week on the show.