LA Baby ♡ Manhattan Dreams Sequel

6. Studio Surprises

Class early Monday morning is hell. I mess up the steps about a thousand times and by the time class is dismissed I'm wondering how the hell I ended up with the audition of a lifetime rather than some of my fellow classmates. "You're being dramatic" Riley insists, hoisting her bag onto her shoulder. "You had a long weekend and you're a little tired-."

"Yes but committed ballerinas don't party so hard on the weekend that they can't perform in class the next morning" I argue. She rolls her eyes as we walk out of the room but I come to a stop when my eyes lock with those of a blue eyed hottie leaning against the wall. "Oh my god" I gasp. 

"Surprise." I let out a yelp of excitement and throw my arms around him, burying my head in his neck. 

"What are you doing here?" I ask while my heart pounds out of my chest. We pull apart and he shrugs simply. 

"Am I not allowed to surprise my girlfriend?" My heart swells as I lean up and press my lips to his in a soft kiss. I swore that somehow our fights the last few weeks had actually somehow brought us closer than ever. I had never felt so connected to him in my life. "I have a surprise for you" he says seriously, resting his hands on my hips.

Riley smiles, tapping my shoulder. "I'm gonna go take a quick shower before class. Catch up with you later?" I nod my head and she walks off, leaving me and Josh alone together. 

"Come on" he insists, taking my hand and leading me down to the basement where the studio that he rehearsed at all last year is located. What I had seemingly never noticed though is the abandoned dance studio next door. "It used to be a commonly used studio before the new ones were built upstairs so now it's sort of like a hidden gem" he explains, flicking on the lights. 

The floor is hardwood but dusted over from abandonment and the mirrors are covered in cobwebs but with a little hard work and patience it could be the perfect rehearsal space. "Josh this-."

"A fixer-upper. I know" he nods but I shake my head, turning to face him and wrapping my arms around his neck before bringing my lips up to his. 

"It's perfect" I murmur, tugging at the hair at the nape of his neck. "I love you so, so much Josh."

"I love you too" he agrees, pecking my lips once more before we pull apart completely and I look around the studio, releasing a deep sigh. 

"Where should we start?"

"I have no idea" he replies, draping his arm over my shoulders. 

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I end up leaving Josh to go to class so for the rest of the day I'm stuck listening to boring lectures while I go insane thinking of how the studio will look when I get back down there. Riley glares at me during our last class of the day and I furrow my eyebrows at her in confusion. "What?" I mouth. She looks down to my leg and I notice that it had been shaking rather incessantly. I bring my bottom lip between my teeth and shoot her an apologetic smile as I look back at the clock. 

Only five minutes left. 

My teacher drowns on for another eternity until finally the bell rings and I rush out of the room. "Maya hold on" Riley shouts, following after me. "Where's the fire?" 

I look back at her with a wide grin. "Josh is waiting for me."

She smirks, rolling her eyes in amusement. "Why did I even ask" she teases. "You two are getting along again?" she asks and I nod. 

"Better than ever."

"Good" she says sweetly. "I hope it stays that way because you were both starting to drive me crazy" she adds playfully and I chuckle. I was starting to drive myself insane so I couldn't imagine how annoying it must've been from the outside. "Have fun."

"I plan to" I reply, turning and walking towards the stairs. I take them two a time before finally reaching the landing and turning right. I speed towards the studio and when I push open the door my breath hitches in my throat in shock. It was stunning. The floor was sparkling and the mirrors were reflecting every inch of the studio as well as my handsome boyfriend who stood in the center of the room showing off his unused ballet skills. "Wow."

He turns around, stumbling a bit in the process and I chuckle. "Is it already that late?" he asks, looking at the clock on the wall. "How was class?"

I shake my head, stepping towards him. "Unimportant. Babe this is incredible."

"It was just a little cleaning" he argues. I smile, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his lips down to mine. i couldn't express how much this man meant to me. He was literally my everything. 

Suddenly, something starts buzzing in his pocket and I pull away, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. He groans, pulling his phone from his pocket and staring down at the screen. "Dammit."

I worry on my bottom lip. "Your manager?"

"She wants the band to meet her at the studio. Apparently something we did the other day was corrupted so we have to do it all over again" he explains, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

"That sounds like a long night" I murmur, dropping my gaze to the freshly polished floor of the studio. 

"Hey" he says softly, lifting my chin. "I'll make sure I'm home before ten o'clock, alright? We'll watch the news together and you'll get some rest so you don't fall asleep at the barre tomorrow morning."

I chuckle, nodding my head in agreement. "Okay. Try to have fun."

"I doubt that'll be possible" he sighs, pecking my lips. "I love you Penelope."

"I love you too Josh."

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I'm lying on the couch, wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets as the hours tick by. I can't be upset with him because I'm sure it was just as easy to let time get away from you when you're singing as it is when your dancing but I can't help the way my heart lurches every time I look at the clock and the minutes tick further and further away from ten o'clock. 

I flip through the stations and settle on a late night show after the news ends. It's not until the second guest arrives on the show that I hear a key turning in the lock of the front door and Josh walks in. "Welcome home."

"You're up" he observes, shutting the door and walking towards me. "Maya baby I am so sorry" he apologizes, sitting on the coffee table across from me. "Half the band was late and then Max brought Sophie which set Bridget off and then she and I got into it when I went off about us having to be there at all and-."

"Josh" I stop him, sitting up and putting my hand over his mouth. "I get it. I missed you but I understand. I'm just glad you're home."

He lets out a sigh of relief, pulling me into his arms. "I'm just glad you're not mad at me" he argues, squeezing me tighter. "I really can't take another fight."

"Me either" I agree, pulling away from him. "Wanna come to bed?" I ask, standing up and hugging the blankets to my chest. 

"Absolutely. I'm exhausted" he exhales and I smile, opening my arms to share my blankets with him as we walk off towards our bedroom.