Page 32 of Take the Lead

O ur final day of rehearsals goes really well.

By the end of the afternoon Aleksis thinks we’re ready to give Merle and Emilia a decent run for their money and I’m over the moon that it’s all come together so nicely.

The fact that we’ve made the headlines three days in a row is a huge bonus – with Sofiya’s interview still to come out tomorrow.

‘It’s been a successful week.’ Aleksis grins, and I can’t help smiling back. ‘We just need our good fortune to continue for a little while longer and for the audience to back us tomorrow, and we’re more than halfway there.’

‘Should we go out again tonight, do you think?’ I ask as we pack up for the day. ‘See if we can make it four consecutive days in the news?’

‘We should rest tonight, so we’re fresh for tomorrow. Tonight, I’d suggest a healthy dinner, a hot bath and an early night with a good book.’

I know he’s right, but I find myself wishing we could spend one more evening together.

Even with all the press and all the practice sessions there are no guarantees the audience will keep us on the show, and I don’t want to even think about the possibility that last night really could have been our last. I’m not ready for my Fire on the Dance Floor journey to be over – not when I’ve just started feeling really good about it.

It seems like a lifetime ago that Lucy practically had to drag me kicking and screaming to my first meeting with Shane at Channel 6.

Did I think I’d even make it past week one back then?

I thought it was worth trying, but I didn’t think it was likely.

But when I think about how much I’ve progressed since then, it starts feeling like anything could be possible – something I never expected to find myself thinking.

So I want to stay in the competition now and …

and yes, if I’m honest, around Aleksis, too.

The more I think about this, the more worried I become about the fast approaching live show.

So much so that Aleksis receives a garbled text from me just before midnight, admitting I’ve started panicking that neither my dancing nor our fake romance will be enough to get us through.

He replies straight away and offers to meet me an hour before we’re due at Channel 6 so he can help calm my nerves.

It’s going to take a hell of a pep talk.

Over coffee the next morning he reminds me how positively Sarah reacted to what she saw of our routine and assures me my dancing is every bit as good as Emilia’s.

‘As for our relationship, we just need to do exactly what we’ve been doing for the last few nights and no one will question it, not that we’ll give them any reason to. They’ll be far too busy worrying about their own agendas to be wondering about ours.’

I knew he’d be the voice of reason, and apologise to him for letting myself get so worked up about it.

‘It’s an unusual situation,’ he says, full of understanding.

‘But remember, we’re in a really good position this week.

Our routine is strong and we’ve had all the media coverage over the last few days.

I think we should be feeling confident about tonight, and Sofiya’s interview will be the icing on the cake. ’

‘The interview!’ I can’t believe it slipped my mind. ‘I forgot to pick up a copy.’

‘Don’t worry, I grabbed one on the way here,’ he says, reaching into his bag.

But when we pull the supplement out from between the folds of the newspaper, it’s not Sofiya staring off the cover at us.

It’s Merle.