Jessica is a 21 year old dancer living in New York City.
Today is a very important day. Audition day!

"Well that sucked!" Jessica said, grabbing her dance bag and downing her water.

"You don't feel good about it?" Her friend, Katya asks.

"Most of the audition was petit allegro!"

"So?"

"I have long legs, I suck at that stuff! Your legs are smaller, you can move so much faster than I can."

"Yes but you beat me at adagio!"

"True."

Katya laughs.
"Come on, let's get something to eat!"

"Yes! I need tacos!"

"Tacos?"

"YES! I'm starving!"

"Okay, I can go for tacos!"

Dancing always made Jessica extremely hungry, so everyday after rehearsal, Jessica would pig out!

"Damn! The people who say dancers don't eat, clearly have never met you!"

Jessica laughs with her mouth full.
Just then her phone went off.

Jessica gasps and grabs her cellphone off the table.
"The schedule is out! I'm nervous!"

"What did you get?" Katya asks.

"Two variations.. I'm in a few group pieces.. oh my gosh!"

"What?!"

"I have a pas de deux and contemporary duet with Mikhail." Jessica looks up to her friend with wide eyes.

"Baryshnikov?  That new guy?  The hot little nugget?!"

"Yes!  Holy shit, I'm going to piss myself! He's so good!"

"So are you!"

"Aw, thank you!  Oh my gosh, this is going to be fun!"

***

The next morning.

Jessica drove to the studio for her first rehearsal with Mikhail.  The choreographer was there and ready to begin.

"I am Zoltan Boros.  It's a pleasure to work with you both.  Let's get right into it.  This dance is pure sex on stage!"

"Okay." Jessica smiled.

"It's hatred, it's lust, it's madness!  You hate each other but can't part.  Jessica, you're mad at him but you need him.  Mikhail, you love her but you can't stop hurting her!"

"Right.. okay!"

Jessica giggles.

"Jessica stage right.  Mikhail stage left."

The two go where Zoltan instructed them to, and immediately start choreography.

**

"Yes, now run into his arms like you need him to live!"

Jessica ran and Mikhail caught her.  His hands on her ass, and their faces a centimeter apart.

"Nice to meet you." Mikhail smiled making Jessica laugh.

"Enough!" Zoltan shouted.

"A disgrace!  DO IT AGAIN!"

The two ran off and began again.

**

6 hours later.

"My goodness sweetie lord." Zoltan grabbed his head.

"I will see you both tomorrow morning.  If this dance still looks like shit, it's pulled!"

"Yes sir." Jessica nods.

Mikhail nods his head and grabs his things.
It wasn't that they were dancing badly, it was that the connection Zoltan wanted just wasn't there.

Jessica felt so embarrassed.  She looked to Mikhail and said, "I'm really sorry, I—"

"No, no! Don't apologize!  I am sorry."

"No.  You don't need to be.  You're great!"

"So are you!" He smiles.

"Thanks!" Jessica giggles awkwardly.

"So um.. would you like to grab some lunch?  We can get to know each other a little more.. maybe that'll help us.  Or do you have rehearsal?"

"Surprisingly I'm done for the day!"

"Me too!  A strange feeling, isn't it?"

"Very!" Jessica laughs.

The two went to lunch and talked and laughed for hours.  The two really seemed to like each other.

"Jessica, how about we go to the studio and work on the piece?  I really don't want this dance to get cut."

"Me neither.  Yes, let's go!"

The two took a taxi over and went up to an empty room.

They set their things down and Jessica began stretching while Mikhail turned on some soft music.

"I say we set the scene." He said dimming the lights.

"Perfect." Jessica smiles.

He then walks over and stops in front of Jessica.
"The way I get into a character.. is to create a backstory.  If it feels real.. it'll look real.  People will believe it." He said gently moving a piece of her hair out of her face.

"Yes.  Yes, that's exactly how I feel."

"So, let's create a story."

"Okay.. you start."

Mikhail walks around her and places his hand on her stomach.  His breath tickling her neck.

"We met on a hot island.. six months ago.."

Jessica lays her head back and places her hand on his arm.

"All we had was sex.  We're not good for each other.."

"But we can't live without one another." Mikhail says as he turns her and faces her towards him.

Contact improvisation happening on the floor, Jessica runs her hand up his chest and says, "When we're apart we do things we're ashamed of.."

"And when we reunite.. we fight.. we screamed, we hit.. we abuse each other." Mikhail says lightly tugging on Jessica's hair, making her chin lift up towards the ceiling.

Jessica rips Mikhail's shirt off and drags her nails down his chest.  "Turn the music on." She says in a breathy voice.

He then listens and turns their song on.

The music was so beautiful. The moment felt so right, and both felt like they were their characters.

Cut the bonds with the moon
And let the dogs gather
Burn the gauze in the spoon
And suck the poison up
And bleed
Shut the door to the moon
And let the birds gather
Play no more with the fool
And let the souls wander
And bleed
From the soul

Mikhail held Jessica, he lifted her up and spun her around. Jessica ran and slid on her knees, Mikhail grabbed her and held her body against his. Both breathing heavily and their hearts pounding, in this moment, this was more than just a dance.

The two made eye contact and soon their lips met.

Jessica then slapped him and roughly pushed him away. The two fell straight back into the dance like nothing.

A slow hurt, and it breaks us
And so down,
Down, down and so plain
So down
When you play some more it seems so
And my friends are past this game
Of breakdowns
And our friends that are lost at sea
Throw down
And I'll break the wasted space
Slow down, slow down,
If you don't slow down, slow down
If you don't slow down, slow
Cut the bonds with the moon
And watch the dogs gather

Mikhail grabbed Jessica's writs and didn't let her go.

He then held her waist and looked into her eyes.

"Jess?"

"Huh?" Jessica said snapping back to reality.

Mikhail smiles very softly as he began pulling her leotard down.

Soon the two were completely naked.
They then began to dance with so much passion! It was so thrilling for both.

Jessica then ran to him and roughly pushed him on the ground. Mikhail looked up to her and she climbed on top of him. Mikhail grabbed her waist and flipped her onto her back. He then slowly entered her. Jessica's hot, sweaty back sticking to the floor beneath her, leaving a outline of her body.

Jessica scratched Milhail's arms as she moaned very loudly.

Mikhail grunted, then leaned forward and kissed her lips.

Jessica grabbed handfuls of his hair, and pulled it as she kissed him.

"Ah! OH! I'm coming!" She gasps and arches her back.

Mikhail buries his face in her neck as he moans and releases himself inside of her.

Once they were both finished, Jessica softly ran her fingers over his back. Mikhail didn't say a word, but it did sting since she had just scratched him up so badly.

For a moment they stayed silent. The only sound that could be heard was the soft music, and their breathing.

Suddenly, Jessica broke her silence.
"You think that's what Zoltan wants?"

Mikhail started laughing.
"Maybe something like that!"

***
Why wouldn't you date a dancer? 🙃😏