Page 53 of The Dance Deception
I grab a newspaper to read on the journey and this time Sofiya’s interview with Stella has been printed. She looks gorgeous and comes across well, without a trace of bitterness. She talks about the early excitement of meeting Merle, how she adored watching him perform and how she thought they’d be together forever. Then she admits their marriage was nearly derailed twice by his affairs, and that she found the strength to move past them because she still loved him.
“But when I saw the pictures of him with Kate, I just knew I couldn’t go through it again. And as soon as I decided that, it was like a weight had lifted from my shoulders – a weight I hadn’t even realised was there.”
Then Stella asks Sofiya about the first time she met me.
“My brother was so angry about her and Merle. I’d kept the other infidelities from him, so it came as a shock. In some ways I think he even felt responsible – I wouldn’t have met Merle if I hadn’t been at a dance competition with Aleksis. But he was taking his anger out on Kate and that wasn’t fair. So I went to the studio to help them clear the air. And I found myself, unexpectedly, liking Kate a lot. She reminded me of myself when I first met Merle, swept up in the excitement of the dance world and brave enough to take a chance on romance when it came along. Once my brother stopped being so hot-headed, he started seeing it too.”
Stella asks how Sofiya felt when Aleksis admitted he’d developed feelings for me.
“He didn’t want to tell me at first. He didn’t want to upset me. But he didn’t want to lie to me either, so they came to mine for dinner, so we could get it all out in the open. And it was lovely to see how easy they are around each other and how they make each other laugh. It made me aware Merle and I hadn’t laughed like that for some time. It’s hard to find the connection they’ve got. When it happens, you’ve just got to follow your heart.”
And this is followed by a plug for the following week’s show.
I wonder if Merle has seen it and if he has, how he feels about being exposed as an even bigger love rat. And if,deep down, he’s sad that Sofiya isn’t standing by him this time. But it’s business as usual in theFire on the Dance Floorreception room when I arrive. He’s engrossed in a conversation with Daniele and Valentina and couldn’t look more composed. I do my best to ignore him.
Despite the early hour, the atmosphere is charged – this is something new for everyone. I grab a coffee and join Beth, Liam and Tammy, who are already sipping steaming cups.
‘Did you stay much later last night?’ I ask. If they did, they’re wearing it well.
‘I left just after you,’ Tammy replies. ‘I decided to follow your good example.’
‘I saw it through to the end,’ Liam admits. ‘And the landlord said he’d save the same spot for us next week, if we want it. I think he was pretty pleased when he saw all the empties on our table.’
Aleksis arrives, kisses both my cheeks and asks if I got a good rest.
‘I wouldn’t have turned down another hour in bed, but I’m fine. You?’
‘I was a bit restless, thinking about today and our choreography for the week, but I’ll survive. I think that must be our rueda teacher over there,’ he says, nodding towards a petite girl with long dark hair who I haven’t seen before.
Olivia introduces her as Ros, and as she looks around the room at each of us, I notice her pausing when she gets to Merle – the effect he has on everyone. But when I follow her eyes, he’s not looking at her, but at me. It feels like time stands still as he holds my gaze.
‘We’ll give you a few more minutes to finish your drinks then we’ll head to the studio and get started,’ Olivia announces, breaking the spell.
It turns out Ros has a big voice despite her small frame, so once we’re in the studio she quickly has us all forming a circle in pairs. As even the basic moves involve switching partners, I’m swiftly passed from Aleksis to Theo to Gabriel and then to Merle. And just like before it feels like I’ve been hit by a bolt of electricity as soon as his hand touches my back. So I’m not in control of it, then.
His eyes find mine and his lips curl up into a smile, but there isn’t time for either of us to say anything as I’m already moving around the ring to Dean and Liam, then Elijah and back to Aleksis.
‘Good,’ Ros says. ‘Now let’s move on to something more complicated.’
Soon we’re adding claps, spins and jumps, and it gets pretty chaotic as we start switching partners, not just with the couple next to us but the one next to them, as well as reversing the direction in which we switch. We go wrong several times, but Ros corrects us then gets us to practise over and over until we get it right.
Then the turn patterns start getting technical and we really have to concentrate. Not just on where our arms and legs are meant to be – but on remembering the names of the moves, which are all in Spanish, so that we know what to do when Ros calls something out. It’s not easy but it’s exhilarating, and I’m not the only one who breaks into a smile when we successfully put a few sequences together in a row.
We don’t stop for two and a half hours – when Ros announces a fifteen-minute rest and drink break – and I realise I haven’t even had time to think about Merle. I’ve whizzed past him multiple times, been back with Aleksis seconds later, and passed by everyone else in between.
‘I don’t know why I haven’t done this before,’ Aleksis grins as we head to the drinks machine together. ‘I love it.’
‘Me too.’ I feel just as animated. ‘There’s so much to take in, though. I feel like I need to make notes.’
‘It’s a steep learning curve. We’ll definitely need the extra practice days they’ve booked us in for.’
‘Kate.’ Merle’s voice behind me makes me jump and my heart rate trebles as I spin round to face him. ‘Can I have a word?’
I look back at Aleksis and his whole demeanour has changed. His jaw is clenched and the animosity rolls off him in waves. When his eyes meet mine, I can see how much he wants to give Merle a piece of his mind. But instead he shrugs and leaves me to decide whether to talk to him.
‘What’s up?’ I ask Merle, sounding as suspicious as I feel.
‘In private?’
