The Perfect Couple (6 page)

The music ended and Cara waited for the span of a minute before standing and looking at her partner, a cheesy smile on her face. “We did it.”

“Hell yes we did,” Daniel grinned back, letting out a whoop in response. “If we perform like that, they will have no choice but to choose us.”

Cara clapped her hands and let out a breath, loving seeing all of their hard work coming into a perfect routine. For two weeks solid they had practiced, building on her idea to combine their strengths into one strong routine. Now, the night before the audition, they were near perfection. She was so nervous about tomorrow, knowing one misstep could send them back to square one. “I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.”

“I just hope you set your alarm,” Daniel teased as he picked up his bag and the music for tomorrow. “We will be fine, Cara. Nothing can stand in our way if we do that routine.”

Cara took a deep breath and gathered her bag, following Daniel into the late evening air. They were going to do this. Daniel was quiet as they walked side by side to the subway, where he would go one way and she another until the audition. “Well, I guess this is it.”

“I guess so,” Daniel echoed as he turned toward her. “Six a.m. at the theater? I’m sure there will already be a line. I would prepare for a long day.”

“I’m not looking forward to the long day,” Cara exclaimed, fiddling with the zipper on her hoodie. “Daniel, thanks for everything. I know you didn’t have to get involved with this, but you did and I am eternally grateful for the chance.”

“Cara, I didn’t do it just for you,” Daniel smiled, reaching up to cup her cheek. “I did it for us. We are a team, remember? Win or lose, we will get through this together.”

He then gave her a quick kiss on the lips before stepping back with a wink. “Get some sleep, you are going to need it.”

Cara watched him walk away, her heart thudding in her ears. She longed to call him back, to invite him to her place and settle this tension between them once and for all. Their relationship had gotten so complicated and Cara knew that some of it was her fault at becoming cowardly and wanting to break up the spark they had just found, but dammit she wanted more than just random kisses. Daniel was a great guy and she was stupid to ever think about dumping him. The one thing she could do was give the best performance of her life and ensure that they got past the auditions. They had such a big task before them and it was best to concentrate on that, tabling their relationship until she was able to breathe easily again. There would come a time, though, when their relationship would come to the forefront again and she fully anticipated working on it. She needed to set her insecurities and fears aside and start thinking about her future as a whole.

***

Daniel was right, the line was already wrapped around the block when they arrived shortly after six a.m. It didn’t help that it was pouring down rain, forcing everyone to huddle under the temporary awnings that had been erected, as they waited to enter the theater. Cara’s stomach was in knots, her body tired but ready for the biggest dance of her entire career. Even her academy audition hadn’t been as nerve-wracking as this.

“Relax, we won’t dance for hours yet,” Daniel whispered in her ear, his arm coming around her waist comfortingly. “Think about all the fun we are going to have when we nail this audition.”

“You mean all the grueling work we will have to do?” Cara sighed, leaning against him. “Can we just think about the hundred thousand dollars instead?”

Daniel chuckled and wrapped his other arm around her, his hands splayed against her stomach. “That is something worth thinking about. We win this, Cara, and your name will be in lights one day. Mark my words.”

“I hope so,” Cara admitted, the thought of her parents seeing their daughter’s name in lights bringing tears to her eyes. It was their biggest hope for her and she had ruined it by having to leave the academy. But this gave her another shot and she was going to take full advantage, she had to. There was no room for failure.

For the next three hours the line crept along as the rain lessened around them. Quite a few dancers walked past them, dejected, some even crying, which made Cara’s nerves go berserk at the thought of that being her. Others came out with their papers and a smile on their face, cheering that they were in the competition. Cara could only hope that she and Daniel would be one of those couples well on their way to a new adventure. Otherwise it would be greasy burgers and loads of beer tonight to drown their sorrows in.

Finally they reached the theater where they spent some time filling out the necessary paperwork and turning in their carefully constructed musical number that would fuel their routine. Cara snapped on her number bib and followed Daniel to the theater green room where they finally were allowed to sit down as they waited for their turn to make an impression. Around her she could feel the nervous energy of the other performers, some sitting quietly, some engrossed in their headphones, and some running through their routines. She had learned over the years that some hid their nervousness well while others really never got nervous. Cara was somewhere in between. Her former dance instructor told her that the day she stopped becoming nervous would be the day she had lost the thrill of the dance and she might as well quit. Cara still held that close to her heart. She loved dancing and would continue to do it until the thrill was gone.

“Do you know any of these people?” she asked Daniel as they sat along the wall together.

“I recognize a few,” he said in a low voice, nodding to the couple that was running through their routine in the far corner. “See them? They are probably one of our biggest competitors. They have starred together on Broadway and are well-versed in all styles. That couple over there? They don’t stand a chance. You can tell by the way they are constantly working on their footwork. Too much thought and not enough practice.”

“What would they say about us?” she asked softly, looking at him. “If they were sizing us up, I mean?”

“They would say, look at that sexy couple. Are we really going up against them? They will knock the judges dead with their looks alone.”

“You dolt,” Cara laughed, punching him in his muscular arm. “I’m serious, Daniel.”

“Okay, okay, they would say, they have their shit together. Look at them, cool, calm, and collected. They are here to win.”

“Well, I am glad they see it like that,” Cara murmured, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Because I don’t feel it.”

Thirty minutes later Cara and Daniel stood as their numbers were called, shedding their warmup attire as they moved through the hall and up onto the actual stage. “This is it,” Daniel said quietly, squeezing her hand. “Just relax and do your best, Cara. We will figure out the rest later if it comes to that.”

Cara just nodded, unable to speak as they walked out on stage, the bright lights bringing an intense heat rush as they positioned themselves at the X on the floor. She had to be on point with her dance skills and give the biggest and best performance of her life.

“Your names?”

“Cara Vernell.” Then Cara swallowed as Daniel said his name aloud for the record. There were three judges before them, one woman and two men behind the table in front of the stage. Their faces were void of emotion, which made Cara even more nervous. Smiling would have helped make it a friendlier atmosphere.

“Thank you. You may begin.”

Cara took a deep breath as the first strains of the music filled the air, performing her pirouette as she allowed herself to feel the music. Daniel swung around and threw her high in the air and Cara inwardly smiled as he caught her effortlessly. She spun away as the music changed beats and they were both transitioned to the hip-hop routine. It was hard to perform the steps in her ballet shoes, but Cara hadn’t come up with any other way to ensure that the beginning would be as smooth as the last part of the routine so she gritted her teeth and stepped through the routine the best she could. As the music started to die, Cara held in her breath, executing the last bit of her ballet steps in perfect timing with Daniel’s, almost like a duel of sorts before silence filled the theater. They had done it, they had finished the routine without too many obvious missteps. Now their fate rested on the judges’ critique.

Daniel grabbed her hand as they bowed to the smattering of applause from the audience before them. His breathing was just as hard as hers but he still managed a wink in her direction, which she returned with a small smile. This was it. As they took their places before the judging table, Cara’s breath caught as she recognized some of the high-profile faces of the performance industry staring back at her. They had just performed for some of the best in the industry.

“Cara and Daniel, that was an impressive routine,” the youngest judge remarked, Cara recognizing her as one of the premier choreographers in Hollywood. “Daniel, your routine is flawless. I love how you are able to transition from one step to another without even batting an eye. I have seasoned dancers that I can’t even teach that to.”

“Thank you,” Daniel nodded toward her. Cara’s heart swelled at the praise that he was getting, knowing that he had worked so hard to perfect his routine and theirs as well. Daniel deserved this opportunity just as much as she wanted this opportunity.

“Cara, your ballet routine was much better than your hip-hop stepping. How long have you been hip-hop dancing?”

“About two weeks,” she answered nervously, knowing that she had a few miscues with the hip-hop steps. Her feet just didn’t move as gracefully as they did with ballet. “I had a great teacher.”

“I would agree,” the judge on the right answered with a smile to Daniel. “You are in, Daniel. We will match you with your new partner later. Cara, we will have to pass. Thank you for the effort, my dear.”

Cara’s throat seized as she tried to smile, the elation she had been feeling now dwindling to despair and disbelief. Daniel had made it, she had not. It was over, all of that work for nothing. It wasn’t in the cards for her to compete at this level.

“T-thank you for the op-opportunity,” she forced out, the tears starting to pool in her eyes.

“Now, wait a minute, I won’t dance without her,” Daniel started, stepping forward. “You said you liked her ballet routine. Let her show you her strengths. I promise you won’t regret it.”

“Daniel, it’s okay,” she protested, grabbing his arm. She hadn’t made it. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it was a major setback and Cara knew she had her work cut out for her now without this competition. She would have to find her own way back into the professional dancing world and the funds to make that happen.

“No, they need to see you dance. You saw how easily she picks up new dances,” he continued, shaking off her arm. “Give her a shot at dancing what she loves. I promise you will want her in your competition then. If you don’t, I won’t be either. She is my partner and I won’t let you break us up.”

Cara waited with bated breath as the judges looked at each other, one shaking their head while the others were shrugging. It was all up to the choreographer judge, one that Cara recognized from other programs. The woman was phenomenal in her career. She sighed and looked at Cara, a serious look on her face. “That was a very impassioned speech, Daniel. Usually I would tell you to get the hell off the stage but you have intrigued me. You have one chance, Cara. Two minutes to impress us. Do you understand?”

“Yes, thank you,” Cara stumbled out as Daniel grabbed her, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“You can do this, Cara. Just do your academy routine and wow the pants off them, okay?”

Cara nodded and took her position as the soothing music filled the theater. The music couldn’t be more perfect for her routine. With a determined look she started the routine she could do in her sleep, removing all thoughts from her mind as she allowed the music to move her. Before she realized it, the music was over and the applause was resounding.

“That was beautiful, Cara. Ballet is definitely your strength,” the woman judge smiled, shuffling her papers. “I have to applaud you for that routine under this pressure. That shows that you are very adaptable to a situation but I would work on your other weaknesses. You will need to eliminate all of them if you want to get far in this competition. Well, my fellow judges, what do you think?”

“Out.”

“In.”

“In as well, welcome to the competition, Cara.”

Cara’s heart nearly stopped beating as she realized that she had done it, she had gotten herself into the competition by the seat of her pants. “Thank you. You won’t regret it,” she said as she walked off stage. Daniel was waiting in the wings and she ran to him, flinging her arms around his neck as he clasped her tightly to his body. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can’t believe they listened to you!”

“You did it, Cara!” Daniel said, hugging her tightly. “That was all you, baby doll. You were phenomenal!”

Elated, Cara pulled away as a woman wearing a headset handed both of them a packet of information detailing the competition. “Report to this address by six p.m. tonight. Congratulations on making it through auditions.”

Daniel grabbed Cara by the waist and hugged her again, placing a kiss on her cheek. “We did it, Cara. We are in.” Cara just smiled as they walked off stage and back to the green room, feeling as if she were on cloud nine. They had done it but now the hard work was really about to begin.