THE SECRETS WE KEEP.

- CONNECTED BY A FEELING.

JOES POV:
This week was a new beginning, the glooming thought of the first eviction was behind us and we could go straight into this week with open minds. Dianne had told me that this week we would be doing our very first ballroom dance. As nervous as I was, this was one of the styles I was most excited for. When someone talks about dance, you think of the slow numbers - the guys in their tailored suits, the girls in their flowy ballgowns. It was like a princess story come to life on stage.

Our song this week was Breaking Free from the High School Musical movies, a series I had never watched myself but from the reaction of the fans, it would be a hit with the audience. I wasn't on Twitter or Instagram too much, considering all my time is spent with Strictly now, but from what I had saw, many people were making edits of Dianne and I as a "ship".

Yesterday was the first day and it felt like I was starting back at square one. I was that scrawny, nervous boy who had two left feet again. The dance was very technical and for it to look good and professional, every step had to be right. The footwork was something I was struggling with, but Dianne reassured me that this week we would work on it.

It was now Tuesday and Dianne and I had a little trip out planned for our VT filming. Like last week, we were travelling down to Wiltshire but not for thatching, to Diannes relief. We were going to my old school to perform our routine for them. Well, the very rough outline of it. It would be nerve-racking to stand up in front of people that used to teach me in the same hall I probably sat in many times and perform a dance that I wasn't even confident in yet.

I was meeting my dance partner at the train station like before. Knowing Dianne, she would probably get on the wrong train and this day would be wasted on us. That's what I was for. The tiny redhead came charging towards me, my arms opening up to wrap around her when she hit my chest. My arms went around her upper body, hers fitting perfectly underneath mine to hold onto me. We stayed in our cuddle for a few moments before her chin rested against my chest to look at me. 'How can she look so pretty straight in the morning like that..'.

—

DIANNES POV:
Travelling on the train with Joe was something I could get used to every week. Usually, I would sit on my phone and listen to music, completely bored out of mind. But with Joe, we would chat the whole way there and the whole way back. This week the topic of conversation was our childhoods. Since I grew up in Australia and he grew up in the UK, we both had many questions for each other. I know some things may have made him raise his eyebrow slightly, like when I told him about my brothers and mines weird morning car-ride activities.

The excitement on his face when he talked about his home was adorable. He seems that he grew up in a very loved and sincere environment, something that every child could of wished for. I knew from our two visits down here that he seems a lot more himself when he's here, he seems to come out of his shell a little more than when he is in London. I completely understand him though, London can be a challenging place to live at times.

The time flew by so fast from our chats that we nearly missed our stop, quickly hopping off at the last minute and making our way to Joes school, which was already close to the station. Well, in all honesty, it was a tiny village. When we were there, Joe showed me around, giving me the insight into all of his favourite hiding places from the teachers. For me, this made our bond a lot stronger and made us closer. He was inviting me into a part of his life for the second time, first showing me thatching and now around his school. I felt as though he trusted me, maybe in a way he hasn't been with anyone before.

Soon the time caught up to us and we were getting ready to perform, waiting where all of the kids couldn't see us. I couldn't wait for it, I was excited for Joe to be able to show everyone here how talented he is and how much he has picked up the choreography. But from what I could see, Joe wasn't exactly feeling the same way. Sweat formed across his hairline, his eyes filled with worry as he looked over to me. "Dianne, I don't know if I can do it" He said, walking over closer to me.