Page 17 of Take the Lead

I allow myself a lie-in the next morning, given that Aleksis doesn’t want to get started till eleven. With Merle it was always ten on the dot, half an hour for lunch and a six p.m. finish. I wonder how many hours Aleksis will put in today.

I’m still wondering when I’ve been at the studio for half an hour and there’s still no sign of him. It occurs to me that I haven’t swapped numbers with him like I did with Merle, so I have no idea if he’s even going to show up and no way of contacting him to find out.

When he strides into the room at eleven-forty a.m., there’s no apology.

‘Right, let’s get this done,’ he says, leaving me too stunned to respond. Could he really be this rude?

‘Partnerwork,’ he announces when he’s changed his shoes. ‘Come here. We’ll start in this position. Straighten your back, relax your shoulders, give me some tension in your arms, more, okay, now try to follow. Right foot first, one, two, three …’

I don’t even utter a word as I follow his lead. I think I’m in shock. And when we break for a late lunch a few hours later, it takes me a while to realise that it’s not a lunch break at all – he’s decided he’s had enough again and is not coming back.

‘It’s bloody ridiculous,’ I fume to Lucy that evening. ‘He’s treating me like I killed his pet cat or something. I don’t know what his problem is. I mean, I know he must be disappointed that he’s not with the best contestant any more, but it’s a bit over the top.’

‘What is it with these dancers?’ She’s as incensed as I am. ‘Aren’t they meant to be professionals?’

‘Beth and Tammy seem to be doing all right with theirs,’ I sigh, my shoulders slumping. ‘Maybe it’s just me.’

‘Don’t be daft. It’s not your fault Aleksis is so prickly.’

‘It’s making me not want to go back to the studio tomorrow,’ I admit. In fact, when I think about it, it fills me with dread.

Lucy isn’t about to let me be defeated, though.

‘You’re just going to have to have it out with him.

He can’t refuse to rehearse with you properly.

It’s his job, he’s getting paid to do it.

When you see him tomorrow, tell him if he doesn’t start showing you a bit of respect, you’ll report him to Shane. That’ll make him pull his socks up.’

I know she’s right, but the last thing I want is a blazing row with Aleksis to add to the trauma of the last week.

‘I’m starting to think I should’ve stayed in my old job. I know it wasn’t perfect, but at least it was less stressful than this,’ I sigh.

At least there I could avoid Ed’s new girlfriend as much as possible. And when I did bump into her, I could make out I was way too busy for any kind of conversation, so there were no awkward confrontations. But I can’t avoid Aleksis.

‘Absolutely no way,’ Lucy says firmly. ‘Whatever happens with the show, you needed to leave that place. You’ve still got time to turn things around with Aleksis.

You could still win the show. You could still even meet the man of your dreams. It just might be one of the camera crew or something, rather than your dance partner. ’

I think about Steve and Andy and shake my head. Lovely as they both are, Steve is about twenty-five years older than me and Andy is so golf-obsessed I don’t think he ever does anything else.

‘Then maybe one of the people sliding into your DMs,’ Lucy persists. ‘I bet there are loads. Have you even looked?’

But when we check my Instagram, we discover my account has somehow stayed under the radar and I tell Lucy I’d prefer to keep it that way.

Some of the news stories about me and Merle have attracted a few nasty comments since it came out that he’s married and I don’t want to open myself up to any further online abuse.

‘I’m happy to stay off-grid for as long as possible,’ I tell her.

‘Once everyone knows I’m not partnered with Merle any more, hopefully that will take the focus off me and give them all something else to talk about.

It better had anyway, because I’ve told Beth and the others I’ll go out with them after the show on Saturday and I don’t want a repeat of last weekend at the pub. ’

‘If anyone says anything to you, just tell them to piss off,’ Lucy says defiantly.

‘Will you and Aiden come too? I’ll feel a lot better if you’re there as well.’

‘Of course we will. It’ll be great to meet everyone properly.’

‘It might be my leaving party at the rate things are going with Aleksis,’ I sigh. ‘I will brave that chat with him tomorrow though. I can’t put up with his stroppiness for one more day.’

She gives my arm an encouraging squeeze. ‘Good for you. I don’t think you’ll regret it.’

‘Well, I don’t think things could get any worse.’

But it turns out I’m quite wrong about that.