Stay With Me

Karina jumped up and down before taking a deep breath. This was the day she had been dreading for weeks. Today was the last Ballroom with a Twist show. For weeks, she had traveled, rehearsed and performed with the one man who could send shivers up her spine, make her smile when she was in the worst mood, and make her blush unwillingly- Mr. Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

"You can do this. You can go one more show," she whispered as she held her mic tightly in her hands. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before feeling a pair of muscular arms wrap around her waist.

"Ready?" Maks said while pressing kisses along Karina's neck. Karina's eyes fluttered close before she simply shook her head.

"Why not?" Maks asked. "It's just you and me out there baby, you and me."

Karina sighed before turning to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his chocolate eyes. "I really don't want this to be over... I don't want the show or-" she said before she was cut off by Sharna.

"I hate to break it to you lovebirds but we're on now," Sharna said as she grabbed her mic and walked on to stage. Tony followed.

"You and me baby, you and me," Maks whispered quickly before pecking Karina's forehead and dragging her on stage. Karina blushed and ran out begind Maks. Maks was met with a smirk from Val.

Karina's eyes looked panicked as the curtain opened. Maks squeazed her hand and nodded. She smiled at him.

"Aloha Hawaii! Are you ready?" Sharna's voice rang out through the speakers. Karina's smile widened as she looked out into the audience. Maks couldn't help but smile at the sight of his beautiful lady.

His.

No, they weren't technically "a thing." They couldn't label their relationship. They weren't "friends with benefits," they weren't "dating," and they certainly weren't "friendly exes," as the media put it. One thing, however, was for sure- they were truly and madly in love.

After their first group dance, Maks and Karina ran backstage holding hands.

Most of Karina's nerves were gone.

"See? You killed it out there," Maks said before pulling Karina in and pressing a long kiss to her forehead.

"You do understand that you have to change, like now, right?" Sharna said while pulling Karina away and pushing her to the dressing room. Karina looked back to see Maks blow her a kiss. She blushed and turned around, hurrying to the dressing room she shared with Sharna to change for their jive.

"The two of you are honestly something," Sharna said while leaning on the makeup counter, watching Karina take her hair down.

"What do you mean?" Karina asked as she reapplied her eyeshadow.

"You aren't 'dating,' per say, but it's obvious you both need each other. I don't get how two people can be that in love and not do something about it," Sharna said while changing into her next costume.

"I don't know," Karina said honestly. Sharna was the first person she told about her feelings for Maks, but now was different. Then, it had been a simple crush. Now, she had truthfully fallen in love. "I can't put what I feel into words..."

Sharna smiled before hugging Karina. "That's because love like this only happens in fairy tales," Sharna whispered to Karina. "Feelings like this are too strong to be understood by anyone else." With that, Sharna walked out for her next dance.

Karina sat down in the chair near the mirror.

Was she really that in love? Was it really that obvious?