This Isn't an Annie Movie

Keeping her gaze on the table in front of her, Ivy finished the pancakes she had ordered using the change and left the diner with a mumbled 'thank you' to the waitress that had served her. She had just reached the corner of the street, when someone grabbed her shoulder and spun her round to face them.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't tell someone about what you did?" The blonde haired guy said as Ivy stared up at him, lowering her gaze in shame and shrugging her shoulders, "It's not something you'd usually do, huh?"

"I've never done it before, please don't tell anybody," Ivy pleaded, "I'll get the money and put it in the tip box tomorrow."

"Relax kid, I'm not going to tell anyone... what's your name?"

"Ivy."

"I'm Jay."

"Yo Jay," someone shouted from the direction of the diner, "Foods up."

"I'd better go, but feel free to drop by the warehouse," Jay said as he backed away from her, "Maybe we can keep you out of trouble and perhaps teach you a few moves."

Watching Jay disappear back inside the diner, Ivy made her way home and got started on her chores. The next two weeks were rough for Ivy and she had been tempted to stop by the warehouse after school a few times, but had changed her mind at the mere thought of explaining the black eye she had been sporting.

It was the summer holidays now, which meant that Ivy had a lot of free time to waste and plenty of homework to do. Heading towards the library, Ivy took the shortcut through the warehouses without thinking and stopped when she again heard the sound of music coming from inside.

Cautiously she entered the building, following the same corridors she had the first time and stood nervously in the doorway as she watched Jay's group dance in sync. The way they moved was like a machine, precise and in time to the beat of the music.

"You decided to take me up on my offer then," Jay stated as he spotted Ivy, earning a shrug in response and sitting down on the floor.

"I promise we don't bite," a brunette girl added with a warm smile, moving over to where Ivy was still frozen to the spot and gently leading her over to where the group was gathered in a circle.

"That's my little sister Tammy," Jay introduced, pointing to the brunette girl, "Then you have Becca, Richelle, Tori and Tyrone... guys, this is Ivy."

"So Ivy, do you dance?" Tammy inquired.

"Not really, we were learning ballroom in school but then Lacey broke Tina's ankle and the teacher's decided it was a bad idea," Ivy replied, falling silent at the look of shock on the groups faces and swallowing nervously as the silence stretched.

"Brutal," Tyrone said, causing Tammy to roll her eyes and jump to her feet.

"Do you want to learn some of our moves?"

"My teacher said that I have two left feet, but I'll give it a try."