Cup of Joe | A Joe Jonas Fanfiction

c h a p t e r e i g h t .

Lighter than a feather.

Winter felt as though she were weightless. Her mind still reeled from her conversation with Joe that happened early in the morning in which he had asked her to be his dance partner for the White Dove Ball, an opportunity that Winter couldn't refuse. While climbing the stairs of a local dance studio, she was certain that she was floating on air. She fixed her sight on Joe, who was a few paces in front of her, to remind herself that this wasn't a dream. As they reached the door at the top of the staircase, Winter hesitated.

What if I'm not good enough? Or if I can't keep up? I haven't danced in years. Am I making a fool of myself by saying yes?

Joe noticed the glazed look in her eyes and gave a response that seemed as though he had read her mind. "Don't worry. The instructor works with the hosts of the White Dove Ball every year. And some of the hosts in the past have had no rhythm and she still managed to make them look like stars. You have nothing to worry about." He offered her an encouraging smile before opening the door to the studio. Taking a deep breath, Winter shook off the nerves and stepped in after Joe.

The studio was cozy and filled with natural light from windows that were right below the ceiling. Winter couldn't help but sigh with nostalgia while she relished the feeling of the marley floor beneath her wiggling toes. It had been years since she had been in a dance studio and only now was she realizing how dearly she missed it as the smell of stale hairspray and leather filled her nostrils. Roscoe had been kind enough to pick up tights, a leotard, and a pair of character heels from a local dance store. Winter stretched her muscles, discovering with glee that she still maintained a lot of the flexibility from her younger days. She continued to warmup until their instructor, Anna, waltzed into the room and introduced herself.

"Why, Joe darling, you're just as easy on the eyes in person as you are in the magazines." Anna reached out and kissed Joe on each cheek before facing Winter. "And what a lovely girl you are! Winter, is it? Why, you're like a porcelain doll!" She greeted Winter in the same fashion - a swift kiss placed onto each cheek. Then, in a motion so sharp and quick that it stunned Winter and Joe, Anna faced the mirror and clapped her hands. "We have little time so let's waste none of it! The theme you chose for the ball this year is vintage circus, yeah?"

Joe nodded. "That's correct. I'm eager to see it all come together."

Winter hadn't known the theme to the ball - she hadn't thought to ask. Vintage circus sounded like a whimsical wonderland and she envisioned a ballroom decorated in shades of cream, deep red, black, and light aqua. She wondered how much effort Joe had put into the event. After all, it was only natural for her to be so curious since she was an event planner by career.

"I have selected the perfect song." Anna fiddled with her iPad and the speaker for a few moments before Rewrite the Stars from The Greatest Showman began to play. "You like it?"

It was a gorgeous duet and Winter found herself lost in the words as Zac Efron and Zendaya harmonized about wanting to defy the odds to be together. The emotion in the piece was strong. Anna had chosen a song that would undoubtably embody choreography that would really wow the guests at the ball. Winter's heart gave a flip.

As she had promised, Anna wasted no time. "Remember, dance is more than just movement. Feel the dance with your body, your mind, your heart, your soul. Joe," she beckoned to him with her finger, "we will start with you grabbing her hand to twirl her into you."

Anna clapped out the counts. Joe took hold of Winter's hand and with a slight tug, pulled her into an elegant twirl that finished with his arm around her waist. They ran this move three more times. It looked, and felt, good and smooth. This process continued for several more 8 counts as they built onto the dance. Winter and Joe were proud of their movement and grace up until this point. But to their surprise, Anna frowned. "Hmmm, no. The energy is all wrong."