Adlewood Academy

Jocelyn was pretty good at ignoring all the rumors and drama on a day to day basis since she really only talked to Lana and Niall but two days after she and Liam danced together, stories were spreading like wildfire that he and Vivienne had been spotted at the local Italian restaurant. As if she needed another reason to dislike Vivienne, she felt nothing but jealousy when she walked into her modern dance class and saw the gorgeous woman beaming happily. It made her want to vomit. She didn’t think Liam belonged to her or that she even had a chance but she was still envious that she was only his student and this woman got to see a romantic side of him.

She was supposed to be meeting him that night but she was finding it hard to have the motivation. So, instead of going to the room as she had promised him and trying to fake not having this overwhelming crush on him she went to a part of the academy that was rarely ever used anymore due to the nicer renovations. The rooms were musty and only half of the lights worked in the room she chose but it had an old charm to it. The floor to ceiling mirrors spanned an entire wall but showed slight antiqued aging due to the damage they had sustained over the years and were slightly fogged and blurry to look into. It actually made her feel a bit better to not see her reflection clearly and she liked the way the floors creaked and the dark ambiance. It was hauntingly beautiful, she thought to herself as she looked around.

Liam was busy pacing around the room they had practiced in two days before, wondering where she could be. He had thought their little practice had gone rather well – a little too well perhaps but nothing that would have sent her for the hills. He had seen her in class the day before and she seemed fine, if only a little bit more shy. He had been so looking forward to working with her again that he didn’t realize the impromptu date Vivienne had forced upon him as being a possible reason that his student would stand him up.

He hadn’t wanted to go on the date, not in the least bit. She had been asking him ever since the first day that they met and he started to run out of excuses not to go. She was quite persistent and he eventually gave in despite the sinking feeling he got the moment he agreed. He didn’t dislike her – she seemed fine enough and she was an amazing dancer, a beautiful girl. But, she was the type to know her worth and her beauty and showed that which was not something Liam found attractive in a female. He preferred the quiet and shy types such as Jocelyn.

He also hadn’t meant to compare the two throughout dinner, but it happened nonetheless. Dancing with Jocelyn had changed everything. He had had the attraction before but feeling her body against his and moving in rhythm together had amped it up about one thousand percent. He couldn’t stop thinking about her or her soft hands in his, her tiny waist, the way her face looked when she danced. It was hard to forget her unsteady breathing and pounding heart or the nervous giggle she would let escape when they got close. Vivienne was her opposite in every way – she exuded confidence and even slight aggressiveness. She knew what she wanted and didn’t mind striving to get it. She didn’t show even slight nervousness or anxiety throughout the date and she seemed all to confident that they would end up in bed after dinner.

He simply wasn’t that kind of guy.

He was the type of guy to search for Jocelyn after he finally realized he was being stood up. The first place he looked was the other rooms but coming up empty he decided to go to her room. That wasn’t completely unheard of but it was rare and he could see Lana’s shock the second she opened the door. She wasn’t one of his students so he hadn’t ever met her but she knew who he was. “Mr. Payne … what, uh, what are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry to bother you but I’ve been looking for Jocelyn. We had a practice tonight and she never showed.”

The slight flush of Lana’s cheeks gave away that she knew about this and she knew where her friend was. “Oh … well, she left to go practice. Had her bag and everything.”

“Miss … Walker,” He started, looking at her name on the outside of her dorm. “It’s imperative that I find her.”

Lana let out a deep sigh. “She went to the old wing, I think.”

“Thank you.”

Jocelyn was in the midst of a spin when she heard a creak outside the door and tumbled over, falling right onto her knee. She was startled, her overactive imagination getting the worst of her in such a deserted and slightly creepy place. She didn’t know if it was better or worse that the intruder was Liam whose face showed he was disappointed, angry, and slightly concerned. “Mr. Payne …”

He crossed the room to where she was still sitting on the ground and knelt beside her. “Did you hurt your knee badly?”

“No … I d-don’t think so.”

“Why didn’t you show up tonight?”

His voice was forceful and demanding and he cut straight to the chase. “I’m sorry.”

“No, Jocelyn. That’s not a reason.” She ignored him and stood up, slightly limping to her bag but the more she walked on it the less it hurt. She felt his eyes on her back as she packed her bag up and grabbed her iPod. When she spun around she didn’t realize he had crossed the room, too, and was standing directly behind her. “Tell me.”

“I just didn’t w-want to … okay?” She tried to sidestep him but he cut her off.

“What’s going on? I thought it went well. You were dancing more freely with me, we had fun.”

“Nothing is going on!”

“Fine! Have it your way! I was only helping you.”

“Well, I don’t need it!”

“Fine!”

Liam stormed out first and Jocelyn let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding in. A few moments later she found the strength to leave the room herself and found her way back to her room. The second she opened the door to see a curious Lana, she deflated. “I think I just failed my jazz class.”