Friends with Benefits | Joanne

14- The Massage

"Why do they keep sending us back here? It's so far away."

Dianne had been moaning about having to spend another day travelling to and from Wiltshire for most of their journey. After their Charleston, they had been asked to go back and dance at Joe's old school for their movie week American Smooth routine.

"Hey, I'll make it up to you. Why don't we do a late session tonight?"

Dianne winked. "That's very forward of you, Joseph."

Joe rolled his eyes. "I'm actually being serious. Let's book a studio for as late as we can; I'll train all night if it stops your bloody whining."

Dianne shook Joe's hand. "Fine with me. Anyway, how are you feeling about today? Is it weird to be going back to your school?"

Joe shrugged. "I mean, it's not the weirdest thing anyone's ever asked me to do. I... I liked school. I was a proper little nerd, though."

"I... was not" Dianne said quietly. "I can't say I paid much attention, really."

"Is that why you can't spell?"

///

I watched Joe grimace as the words came out of his mouth.

"Sorry... sorry" he stumbled over his apology. "I didn't mean it like..."

He knew I was sensitive about people calling me out for not being intelligent. I swallowed back my immediate response and shook my head.

"It's fine. I know you didn't mean it."

He smiled apologetically.

"Anyway, what was your favourite subject?" I tried to change the conversation to something a little less personal.

"Art. Definitely art."

I smiled. "You're a very creative person. Was there anything you weren't good at?"

Joe laughed. "Maths."

I nodded. "Me too. And English, obviously."

"What subjects did you like?"

I took a moment to think back. Most of my school days had kind of rolled into one long memory of messing about in classrooms, playing pranks on the boys and getting told off. I was always the one to get caught; looking back, I think the other kids knew that I wouldn't want the confrontation and that I'd just take the punishment.

"I loved any kind of sport, obviously. And I was OK at the practical stuff like woodwork. I actually really liked chemistry. I wasn't so great at it, but I liked all the experiments."

Joe smiled at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. I was just trying to picture what you looked like then. Before the red hair."

I nodded. "Yeah. Before the red hair and before the braces. I'll find you a picture at some point. I was a treat. If it hadn't been for these two", I gestured down to my ample chest, "I don't think I'd have had any attention from the boys until long after high school."

"I know you're joking" Joe said quietly, "but don't put yourself down like that. You've got an amazing personality, and everyone likes being around you. I don't know who put those thoughts in your head, but you're not just a walking pair of boobs. You're a wonderful person."

Joe's sincerity took me by surprise and I felt myself getting emotional.

"Joe?" I said quietly. "You need to lock that shit away. Don't go making me feel things."