*And Five, Six, Seven, Eight! [Open]

[KATHERYN JACOBS]

• • • • • • • •

*

[/color]Katheryn sighed a little as she stood in front of an open locker, stuffing a gym bag into it. She had just changed into her leotard, tights, and pointe shoes, and she was late for her dance class. The instructor was sure to be mad at her for walking in late. Still, it was better late than not at all, right? Kat scrounged around in her duffel bag, trying to find a hair tie so she could get her rain-drenched hair out of her face and keep it from sticking to her cheeks and the back of her neck. When she finally found it, she pulled her long, black hair to the side and braided it. She then looked at her phone to check the time, realizing that it was later than she thought, “Shoot![/color]” She slammed the locker shut and started running down the hall toward the dance room, squealing a little as she performed a Grand jeté to jump over a dancer that was stretching in the hall. She hadn’t seen him at first, so she had to jump last minute. She called back her apologies, not bothering to stop.

*[/color]When she reached the dance room, she nearly slammed into the door, both in her haste to open it, and her inability to stop running. She slipped through the door quickly, doing her best not to interrupt the dance lesson that was going on. Of course, that wasn’t happening, and the instructor paused to remind Kat that practice started fifteen minutes ago. Kat apologized quickly, then stretched out a bit before joining the dancing. They were working on the move, Fouetté rond de jambe en tournant. Kat picked up on it quickly, but didn’t let on, or else she would be under even more scrutiny from the instructor, and that was the last thing she wanted.

*[/color]The lesson passed quickly, and when it was over, the class left swiftly, all the students wanting to go change out of their dance uniforms and the instructor wanted to… Well, she just wanted to go. It wasn’t as if they could expect her to not have a life outside of her job.

*[/color]Kat stood at the long mirror, her hands on the barre, waiting for everyone to leave. Once they did, she went to the cd player, and hit play. She then started working her pointe maneuvers, making her own dance to get some extra practice. One could never have to much practice, in Katheryn’s opinion.

*[/color]She was there for an extra half hour before she went to get her duffel bag. She didn’t bother changing back into her rain-soaked clothes, and instead just changed out of her pointe shoes and into her converse sneakers. She tugged the bag out of the locker and zipped it up, slamming the locker shut again. She took a moment to get a drink from a drinking fountain, then she proceeded to head out to the covered front steps.

*[/color]Sitting and listening to the rain was peaceful for Kat, and so she closed her blue eyes and took a deep breath, just listening as she sat on a step. She didn’t feel the need to go anywhere just yet, and so she would wait before hailing a taxi.

• • • • • • • •[/center][/font]

[theo]

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

The rhythm of Bert's shoes hitting the wet concrete was the accomplice to the pitter patter of the constant rainfall. Bert was uncomfortably comfortable with his clothes growing heavier with water and his take-out Chinese food would definitely need to be drained. Bert's hazel eyes squinted against the rain that seemed to be growing thicker, like an unwanted blanket of acid rain. Or acid rain could just be some B.S. the government had come up with to scare kids from playing in the rain.

Bert nearly slipped on a slab of uneven, soaked piece of concrete that protruded at an unlikely angle from the rest of the sidewalk. And how ironic that this death trap was to be on an entrance to a dance studio. Bert stood looking at the large building, but never registered that someone was sitting peacefully under the covered steps.

Bert, being the socializing person he was, decided to introduce himself. Hell, he'd never see this girl again. Walking under the covered stairs, Bert spoke, "Hi, Ummm, are you okay? You didn't fall or anything?" Wow. Smooth Bert, REAL smooth! He thought to himself as his cheeks grew flush with a splash of pink.

[KATHERYN JACOBS]

Katheryn became aware of someone walking past, mostly because of the heavy 'clomp' their boots made on the dark, slate colored concrete. God, Kat loved the rain. She took a deep breath and then leaned back on her gym bag of wet clothes, debating whether she was going to go back inside and dance some more, or if she would just stay out here and enjoy the rain.

Her internal debate was interrupted when a voice permeated the sound of the rain, apparently talking to someone. At first, Kat didn't answer, assuming that the man must be talking to someone else, because she certainly hadn't fallen. Still, she felt like she should probably check.

Kat sat up and opened her eyes, blinking a little to try and discern who it was that was speaking, having to let her eyes adjust to the grey light, "Oh, I-I'm sorry... Were you talking to me?

[/color]" She then looked around, trying to see if there was anyone else around. Nope. So he was talking to her. "Oh, uhm... No. I didn't fall. I was just enjoying the rain. Uhm... Would you like to come inside? I'm sure I could find you some towels or something to dry off...[/color]" She offered, looking up at the man curiously, wondering where his coat was.[/center]

[theo]

Bert's attention faded from the woman sitting on the stairs, because she wasn't responding right away. She could of been knocked out, but usually blood followed a fall on concrete. Blood...Bert avoided the word and anything associated with it, so he felt his knees grow wobbly. His imagination grew a livid picture of a pool of blood...Breath! He thought to himself and continued to concentrate on the word and action.

While off hyperventilating, he hadn't seen the stunning blue eyes gazing at him.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry... Where you talking to me?"

Well he obviously was since no one else was laying around near them.

"Well, Yes."

He stated with a matter-of-fact tone, which is usually mistaken for the Asshole tone. Bert noticed her look around as if to answer her own question.

"Oh, uhm... No. I didn't fall. I was just enjoying the rain. Uhm... Would you like to come inside? I'm sure I could find you some towels or something to dry off..."

Bert raised an eyebrow at her statement. Well, she seemed fun enough to play along. May be if he was lucky she'd help him eat the soggy Chinese food, that was now leaking into the plastic bag.

"Enjoy the rain? Hell, I thought I was the only one to enough the feeling of your hair and clothes clinging uncomfortably to your body. And not to mention the wet sock feeling. Priceless!"

Bert stated with his slight smile. He looked over his thoroughly soaked clothes,

"Do you have a dryer in there? And some spar sweats I could wear while they dry?"

He added with his half smile.

[KATHERYN JACOBS]

Katheryn smiled a little as he actually seemed genuinely surprised that she could enjoy the rain as much as him. Alright, so the whole clothes sticking to you wasn't so fantastic, but it was worth the feeling of... Of what? Being cleansed? No, that wasn't it. The rain was just... indescribable. "Well, that's not my favorite part, but Just listening to it is enough sometimes. For me, anyways.

[/color]"

She laughed a little. Kat was pretty sure they didn't have a dryer, but she probably could scrounge up some extra clothes for him to wear until his could air-dry. She nodded, "Not sure about the dryer, but I think I might have some clothes you could wear.[/color]"

She then pulled her gym bag out from behind her and pushed herself to her feet, almost doing a back bend in the process. She slung the bag over her shoulder and led the way toward the front door, "Alright, C'mon. Follow me.[/color]" She pulled the door open, stepping into the lobby of the dance studio, "I don't think I caught your name? I'm Katheryn.[/color]" She turned to look up at him a moment, waiting for him to give a name, and she walked backwards down the hall, being careful not to trip over anyone like she nearly had before, because that, my dear friends, would be embarrassing.[/center]

[theo]

Bert nodded at the thought of just enjoying the sound of the rain. "Sounds better when you can't hear passing cars and annoying sirens." Bert added with a smile. "But I enjoy every aspect of rain, except when it could possibly kill you. Factoid: Acid Rain!" Bert added with a sarcastic tone towards the end. Acid rain WAS bullshit.

"Not sure about the dryer, but I think I might have some clothes you could wear."

Bert did a sigh of relief at the thought of dry clothes. When the woman rose to her feet, she bent in a way that humans weren't supposed to bent. He cringed at the sight.

"Alright, C'mon. Follow me."

She stated as she opened the door to the dance studio. The warm interior beckoned to Bert.

"I don't think I caught your name? I'm Katheryn."

Bert smiled wide,

"I don't believe I mentioned my name, but you seem nice enough. It is Bert."

He followed her as she walked backwards. Her footsteps were poised and precise. She was definitely a dancer.

"So what style do you do?"

Bert asked with natural curiosity.

[KATHERYN JACOBS]

Katheryn smiled and nodded, "That's true. The city sounds kind of mess things up, but at least the rain drowns most of it out.

[/color]" She rolled her eyes a little, "Naw, I don't believe that Acid Rain is real. It just some Bs that your parents tell you to keep you out of the rain because they don't want you to get sick.[/color]" She shrugged, "My parents never told me any of that, and here I am, still standing. No Acid Rain for me.[/color]" She smiled a little, then had gotten up, apparently grossing the man out. She mumbled an apology, but had moved on to more important things- getting him some dry clothes.

She smiled a little as he said he hadn't given his name- she knew that, but she always hated just flat out asking someone's name. It sounded so... Insincere. She nodded a little as he told her his name, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Bert.[/color]"

"So what style do you do?"

That confused Kat for a moment, so she paused, "Huh? Oh. Dance. Uhm... I do a little bit of everything, though I mostly do Pointe Ballet. You know, the stuff where you're on your toes?[/color]" She went into pointe momentarily as she started to walk backwards again, before she dropped back down to walk normally. "What about you? Do you dance?[/color]"[/center]

[theo]

Damn! The mix of Katheryn's stunning blue eyes and dazzling smile made Bert suck in a breath. She had caused Bert a slight revaluation of his 'nothing-can-faze-me' attitude. Hopefully, she blinked the moment Bert's eyes grew wide with shock from her ability to stun him. However with his luck, she would point it out and make him feel ridiculous, but on the other hand, she seemed kind enough to purposely avoid the topic.

Bert smiled when she spoke, keeping his eyes to wander in a faux-sense of curiosity. Her words were like a sweet lullaby. Her voice carried a special note with each words she spoke, or may be Bert was just feeling the effects of a coming illness.

"Huh? Oh. Dance. Uhm... I do a little bit of everything, though I mostly do Point Ballet. You know, the stuff where you're on your toes?"

When Kat rose to her toes and walked, Bert feeling a pang of discomfort shoot from his toes. It was like her toes were sending his toes the pain. And thoughts like that were DEFINITELY the signs of a coming illness. The faux-pain faded when she began to walk normal.

"What about you? Do you dance?"

Bert nearly burst with giggles and obnoxious laughter. Was she serious? Did he look the part of a dancer? But before Bert's mind could think of a reasonable answer his mouth began to ramble, "Well, I can do the Cha-Cha Slide. And the Stanky Leg. Does that count?" Bert's statement and question seemed sarcastic, but he was serious. Would she laugh in mockery or roll her eyes in annoyance?

[KATHERYN JACOBS]

Katheryn smiled a little and bit her lip when Bert suddenly looked startled. She wasn't sure if it was something she had said, or what it was, but she wasn't going to say anything about it. He seemed to want to pretend that his quick breath in hadn't happened, and she wasn't going to push for him to admit it had. There was no point. Especially when she had probably just said something to startle him.

She bit her lip again as he smiled, but she had spoken anyways, trying to fill what seemed like it would lapse into an awkward silence. It wasn't like he was there to chat or anything. He just needed some dry clothes for a while.

She smiled a little apologetically, blushing as she dropped back down to walk normally, her walking in Pointe had apparently caused some kind of pain mentally. Or maybe he was just imagining how much it must hurt. "It's a lot harder to do in Converse. It doesn't hurt, really. Not when you wear pointe shoes...

[/color]" She shrugged, explaining, even though he really didn't seem all that interested in the dancing she did.

No, he didn't look like a Dancer, but Kat had learned not to judge a book by its cover. After all, at school, most people avoided her, thinking that she would be scary or something, but really, she wasn't. Kat smiled and shook her head, "Not quite. I mean, it is dancing... But... It's not as technical as actual dancing. The Cha-cha slide was actually written as a workout routine... Not a dance song. It just evolved into that... The Stanky Leg counts though...[/color]" she then bit her lip, stopping herself from saying more. "Sorry. I have a tendency to ramble when I'm trying to make small-talk.[/color]" She then stopped in front of the girls locker room. The boys one was probably locked. The girls one was too, but all the girl dancers had a key. Kat pulled hers from her bag and unlocked the door, "Alright. Here we are. Let me just check the closet to see if we have anything.[/color]"

Okay, so she knew for a fact that there was something. There was a box of all sizes of plain black sweats and white t-shirts, in case girls forgot their dance clothes. There were also various old pairs of ballet slippers, jazz shoes, etc that people had grown out of or stopped using, so they left them. Kat grabbed a pair of sweats and a t-shirt she thought might fit Bert, then went back, holding them out, "These should fit, I think. If they don't, just tell me.[/color]" She pointed over to the showers and bathroom stalls, "You can change over there if you want.[/color]" She then went to unlock her locker so she could stuff the gym bag back inside of it. She then pulled out her pointe shoes and slipped them on, lacing them up and deciding that as long as she was there, she might as well work some simple positions and turns. [/center]

[PETAL PAIX]

Petal walked in the rain with an umbrella. She loved the rain but she wasn't sure the wood floor could take any more water damage. She walked up the the front door and put the key in the door to find that it was already open. She walked in and yelled,
"Is anyone here?"
She dried off her feet only to see two pairs of muddy footprints walking towards the girl's locker room. She sighed and made a mental note of where the mop was. There's a guy and a girl in the girl's locker room. Petal prepared herself for what she might see and instead found Katheryn standing by the open door.
"Oh hey Katheryn. How was pointe? Did you like the new instructor?" Petal asked. It probably was creepy to some students but Petal made it her duty to know the commited students names and classes. She remembered her mom teaching the pointe class. Petal could never watch as a kid. The moves made her toes hurt even now. The classifieds were her savior for finding new teachers to fill in the pointe classes her mom taught.

[theo]

I'm just your average ordinary everyday superhero
T r y i n g t o s a v e t h e w o r l d , b u t n e v e r r e a l l y s u r e.

Bert smiled his dazzling smile as she shot down his attempts at dancing. "So I've been working out? Well damn, No wonder I can keep this figure!" He stated as he slightly lifted his shirt, exposing his lower stomach and tightened muscles. Bert winked when she confessed about small talk and rambling, "No worries. Everyone does it." Bert almost stumbled into her when she stopped abruptly in front of a door, probably girl's locker room.

Bert stood patiently as she went to check for some clothes. Bert pulled at his soaked clothes, which were in the awkward stage of slightly dry and slightly damp. He felt uncomfortable standing in the cool hall of the dance studio next to the girl's locker room. Someone was bound to come wandering in and then the rumors will fly.

Bert's mind began to wonder as Kat took her time looking for him some clothes. He couldn't help when his mind wandered on Kat. She was gorgeous and sweet. Her smile was inviting and her eyes were mysterious. His mind slipped off into some distant cloud when Kat opened the door holding the clothes.

"These should fit, I think. If they don't, just tell me."
She pointed to the bathroom and showers, and Bert shook himself to reality.
"You can change over there if you want."

He grabbed the clothes and hurried off to the bathrooms quickly. He felt ashamed that he was caught daydreaming by the girl he was daydreaming about. He cursed himself when he entered the bathrooms, and began to strip off the semi-soaked clothes. He stood contemplating if he should leave the wet boxers or go free-ballin. His decision was to take the risk of 'exposer' and slid off his bowers. As he stood in the middle of the showers in the nude, he had the urge to rinse off. Silly urges to do odd things, but he turned the closest shower knob on.

The water was relaxing. The warmth surrounded him and the steam seemed to melt the stress away. His smile was plastered on his face when he turned the knob back off. "Shit! Forgot about the towels." He cursed himself as he stood in the shower soaking wet, cold and naked. Luckily, he found a few towels in the closet, so he dried himself and slid into the sweats that Kat had supplied him. They clothes were loose and baggie so no one would notice his stuff when he was waiting for his clothes to dry out.

He gathered up his old clothes and turned to walk back to Kat when he heard a new voice.

"Oh hey Katheryn. How was pointe? Did you like the new instructor?"

So someone had found Kat in the hallway.

[/size]
I'm just your average ordinary everyday superhero
Nothing more than that, that's all I really am.[/center]

[KATHERYN JACOBS]

Katheryn leaned against a wall while she waited for Bert to come out of the bathroom. He was taking such a long time, Kat assumed he must've decided to take a shower. She bit her lip and sighed, wondering how much longer it would take Bert. She was then distracted by her own thoughts- her mind wandering to the events of the past few weeks. Meeting Eric, meeting Bert, having her struggles in math found out. The only thing that didn't seem about to change was that Kat was still a dancer.

She hadn't even heard Petal come in, so suddenly hearing the voice startled her, and she jumped, "oh! Oh, ms. Paix, I didn't hear you come in! I'm sorry...

[/color]" she glanced over at the bathroom, "Oh, uhm.... Pointe was good. The new instructor seemed a little condescending, but it wasn't that bad....[/color]" she offered the vague and distracted explanation quietly.

Kat had no idea how exactly she would explain the presence of Bert if he came out of the bathroom right then, so she almost wished he would stay there, but at the same time, she wanted him to come out, just so she wouldn't feel as if she was hiding something. [/center]

[PETAL PAIX]

Petal nodded and looked down at Katheryn's shoes. So those made the first tracks... she thought. Now let's keep an open mind about this. Maybe it was just a girl with men's shoes. Katheryn was a responsible dancer. She wouldn't let a male dancer into the showers unless.... She might as well just ask bluntly.

"Is there a boy in there?" Petal asked. She gave Katheryn one of her Mom's smiles that said 'tell me the truth and you won't get in trouble' she knew it was a bit kiddish but it kind of suited the moment.

Petal thought to all the work she had to get done and her routine she had to practice. All this and owning a dance studio was kind of stressing her out BUT it was all she had expected. Things like these just made the job more human. Thunder crackled outside and Petal wished that she had more windows in this place. Maybe that could be a project for the empty summer months. She was getting a lot more dancers this year then last.

[theo]

Circus life under the big top world, we all need the clowns to make us smile.
T h r o u g h s p a c e a n d t i m e, A l w a y s a n o t h e r s h o w.

(Out of Craziness: Sorry for taking forEVER! I hope you enjoy my semi good post! Again sorry. Please forgive!)
(Back in Color:)
Bert was taking his time gathering his wet clothes in the damp towel that he used to dry off with. He would then pace to the door, grab the handle, and suck in a deep breath before turning back towards the showers. And why was he nervous? Not like Kat and him did anything. Wonder if she would? Bert pushed those thoughts from his mind. Especially with the fact that he was wearing loose sweats without his boxers, which were soaked.

After a few to and fros, Bert opened the door slightly. He was giving the two girls a chance to notice the opening of the door. Seemed like he wanted all the attention focused on his dramatic entrance. Maybe I should take of my shirt and sprinkle a little water on my chest. Bert couldn't help, but to grin at the thought of seeing their unexpected faces.

Bert shoved the door open. The two females stood, waiting for him or something. He noticed Kat's look of stunned shock and then the other woman's expression which was forgiving, yet disappointed. "Sorry. I am Bert. I got caught in the rain on my way here, just wanted to change before me and Kat here started some practice." Bert spoke the quick lie smoothly as if it were the real reason he was here.

[/font][/center]

[/blockquote][/blockquote] [/size]

Wondering where I am lost without you and being apart ain't easy on this love affair.
Two strangers learn to fall in love again, I get the joy of rediscovering you.[/center]

[KATHERYN JACOBS]

• • • • • • • •

*

[/color]Katheryn knew she was busted, but she had no idea how to answer Ms. Paix, so she stammered for a moment, "I-I... Uhm... We... I... Uhm.....[/color]" She then started to bite her lip a bit nervously, glancing over at the door when she saw it open ever so slightly.

*[/color]Her first reaction was to shriek, run over, shove Bert back in the shower room, and slam the door shut, hoping that Petal might not see. Her second was much more reasonable- being that she would just get caught. She nodded a little, "Yeah... There's a guy in there....[/color]" What else was she supposed to say? She sounded like an idiot, but no matter how she had worded that, it would have sounded stupid. She picked the lesser of many evils, she supposed.

*[/color]Thankfully Bert stepped in, introducing himself and making up a bogus reason for his being there. Katheryn could have hugged him she was so relieved. It showed on her face, and she reminded herself to thank Bert after this was over, "Oh, yeah... He was coming to practice a partners dance with me...[/color]" She gave a small smile and nodded, "Thanks again for helping me, Bert. Don't know what I'd do without you.[/color]" [/blockquote]

• • • • • • • •

( Tagged )

[/color]
Bert&Theo, Petal&Angela
( Notes )[/color]
SORRY THIS TOOK ME FOREVVVEEEERRRRR! I totally didn't even see the post Bert wrote... I'm sooooo blind. D:[/right][/font]