Up All Night

As the music came to an end, I allowed a smile to take over my face. The ache in my muscles was a sign that I was doing well in my dancing. After popping one last move to the beat of Want U Back by Cher Lloyd, I dropped to the floor and started to let out deep breathes trying to calm my fast beating heart. I danced for a solid three hours without any breaks and the dedication was coming back to bite me in the ass. I didn’t dare promise myself that I wouldn’t put myself through that torture again, because I knew I would not follow up on it. To be the best of the best I have to push myself past my limits, and in order to do that I had to figure out exactly what my limits were.

Picking myself up from the floor I made my way over towards the corner of the dance studio. Grabbing my half finished water bottle, towel and dance bag I made my way out of studio 4 or as I called it my home away from home. I’ve been dancing in this studio since the age of 5, when I first showed my interest in dancing after watching a Ballet program with my mother. In high school this was my safe house, where I came and let out all my raging emotions through every type of dance that I could think of. When I needed to clear my head I came here, when I needed an escape I came here, and when I just needed a dance release I came here. Dance is my addiction you can say.

All my friends had questioned me on my decision about staying here instead of attending college. They had showered me with compliments about my dance skills, and rooted me to audition for Julliard. However, it just wasn’t for me. I danced because I loved it, and I knew if I got into any Dance Academy dancing would become a chore and no longer be a passion and I didn’t want that to happen. I wanted to dance for the fun of it for the rush of pure adrenaline that I feel when I conquer a new move. My friends didn’t understand that though, they thought I was throwing my future away and I was just going to wither away in this small forsaken town. However, I disagreed with them I was going to leave this town, and when I do I will feel pride in myself for being able to escape without seeking academic refuge.

That’s what leads me to now, I dance about 5 days a week and each day I feel as if I was getting closer and closer to my goal, I could feel it. I was currently practicing for an audition in Chicago. It was a small job at a hot dance club that had regular performances from professional dancer. It didn’t pay that much, but it would be a step in the right direction.

As I was about to exit the dance studio I heard someone call my name. Turning around, I spotted my mother’s best friend, Mary-Ann, practically running over to me. I couldn’t help but allow a low chuckle to escape my pale pink lips. For a 42 year old woman Mary-Ann sure didn’t look her age, with her deep red hair that feel in wild curls around her shoulder and her doe like light brown eyes. When she stopped in front of me, she was slightly bouncing on her heel causing me to laugh again, because it made her appear so childish.

“Yes Mary-Ann” I smiled at here.

She handed a thick yellow envelope over to me, “This is for you dear, and you’re not allowed to open it until you safe and sound at home”

“What is this?” I asked a puzzled look on my face as I stared down at the mysterious envelope.

“You will find out very soon, but I must head back I am teaching a tango class goodbye Annabelle” She said her voice sing-song like.

“Bye ma’am” Shooting her a wary smile, I turned and exited the building.

The walk to my house was only a short ten minutes, but to me it felt like hours at this moment. The yellow envelope was all I could think about. What was it? I wasn’t subscribed to any magazines so what could possibly be hidden inside the envelope. Seeing my childhood home appear as I turned the corner on Maple Street, I couldn’t stop myself from sprinting the rest of the way home. Eager wasn’t even the word to describe my feelings at this moment.
I didn’t even bother to check if my mother was home as I tugged open the front door and made a mad dash up the stairs and into my room. Throwing the envelope down onto my bed I started to pace my room and bite my nails, a habit of mines when I was nervous. I was honest to god afraid to open the piece of mail Mary-Ann handed me. What if it contains something bad? What if it was a pile of data saying I had to start paying for my studio space, and the amount had built to a ridiculous amount because of the years I’ve been dancing there? At that thought, I had to mentally slap myself. Mary-Ann would never ask me to pay for the studio I used, being that I was her best friend daughter. Sucking in a deep breath I made my way over to my bed and picked the envelope and ripped it open quickly, before I could start panicking once again.

Shaking the content of the hug envelope, a square piece of paper, a semi thick packet and a lone slip of paper fell out. I burrowed my eyebrows in confusion before picking of the piece of paper that contains handwriting on it. As my eyes scanned over the paper, I could stop the loud pitched scream that left my mouth. I started to jump up and down as I read on and on.
Mary-Ann had sent a video of me dancing to an agency for dancers. When they had deemed my skills worthy of clients, the agency had sent my video to a record label that was doing an international search for the best dancers to appear in a music video for a group they had signed to their label that was currently taking over charts everywhere. The letter didn’t not mention who the singing group was, but I didn’t care I had a real dancing job that was willing to pay me an extremely generous amount, pay for my hotel I would stay out while the video was being shot , and pay for my ticket to fly out to the location.

The square piece of paper that had fallen out was my ticket; I would be flying out to London at 12 p.m. the next morning. Reading the worlds London, I felt my heart dropped a little was I really willing to travel that far for my dance career? Looking back down at the letter my decision was made.

X X X

A loud yawn escaped my mouth as I grabbed my luggages from claim and made my way towards the exit of the London Airport. My body was fairly tired from the plane ride I had just endured. I was unable to fall asleep during the flight and I didn’t know why, it wasn’t like this was the first time I had even been in the airplane. I guess my excitement was getting to me.
In the front of the Airport a black range rover was parked, and a man was standing in front of it holding a sign with my name on it. Having spotted me, the man instructed me to place my suitcase in the trunk of the car and hop inside the car. I wasted no time doing so, my excitement returning back to me. As we pulled of the man struck up a conversation with me.

“Hey, my name is Paul” He said, meeting my eyes in the mirror.

“Annabelle, but I figured you already knew that” I responded with a cheeky grin.

“Matter of fact I did” He said, causing me to chuckle. “So by chance do you know who you dancing for”

I shook my head “No, the contract didn’t mention the name; only saying that I wasn’t allowed to squeal any of the secrets of musicians or I’d be sued, do people really do stuff like that?”

“Yes, you’d be shocked. In the world of fame there’s few who you can trust, people trying to get close to you only to have them turn around and tell your secrets to the tabloids” He said.

“I think that’s why I liked dancing so much; you’re able to blend into the background and not have people pretended to be your friend your friend to gain fifteen minutes of fame. That’s annoys me the most, grown people still acting like there still in high school” I huffed out.
Paul turned slightly to me shocked, before give me a secretive smile, “Oh the boys are going to love you.”

“The boys, who are these boys you speak of?” I raised my eyebrow.

All Paul did was shot me another smile, before he turned the car off. I’ve been so absorbed in my conversation with him, I didn’t he know we had reached. We were currently parked in front of a café, I gave him a curious look and it only caused him to smile even wider. Following him out the car and into the café, we made our way toward the back that’s was more closed off and secluded. As we reached the last booth I was bombarded by the sound of loud gruff laughter.

“Boys, the last dancer has arrived” Paul said as we stopped in front of the booth.

I sucked in a low breath as I caught the sight of five of the most gorgeous boys I have ever seen in my lifetime. Each boy was more gorgeous than the next, one had jet black hair and light brown eyes almost hazel, the second had a mass of chocolate colored curls on top of his head and had a breathtaking smile that was complimented by two deep dimples, next to him sat two boys with straight brown hair and matching smiles one of the boys had suspenders on. When my gaze fallen on the last boy I had to take a double take, he had deep blue eyes that seem to sparkle as he smiled,bright blonde hair that was styled to perfection and his smiled could even make a lesbian swoon.

I was snapped out of my trance when Paul nudged my side slightly, this caused the group of boys to chuckle and my cheeks to heat up. Mentally I scowled at myself for seeming so boy crazy, first impressions were everything. I straightened up and shot them my award winning smile.

“Hi, My names Annabelle” I said, waving slightly.

“Harry” The curly haired boy said, in a thick British accent. He pointed at the rest of the boys as he said their names, “and that’s Zayn, Liam, Louis and Niall. Take a seat mate.”

“Nice to meet you” I said, as I slide in next to the Harry.

“So dancer” The boy that I believed was named Liam said, “tell us about you.”