02 | rehearsal

REHEARSAL

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A week had gone by in a blur.

Since Diana first met Grayson in the studio, everything had moved at lightning speed. Promo photos, press interviews, wardrobe fittings, and even an early-morning spot on Good Morning America—she'd done it all. The butterflies that lived in her stomach that first day were still there, but now they were mixed with something brighter: excitement.

And Grayson was doing surprisingly well.

For their first dance—the cha-cha to Let's Get Loud—Diana had expected to spend most of rehearsal teaching him to simply hear the beat. But Grayson surprised her. He wasn't perfect: his hips needed loosening, and his turns were a little stiff, but he could stay on time. He had rhythm. And most importantly, he wanted to work.

"Five, six, seven, eight!" Diana clapped her hands, stepping back as Grayson moved across the floor. The music pulsed through the studio, and she watched him hit the steps she'd drilled into him all week. His footwork was cleaner than the day before, his smile big, his energy infectious.

When the music cut, Grayson bent forward, laughing as he caught his breath. "Okay... be honest."

Diana grinned, tossing her ponytail back. "That didn't totally suck."

"Wow. High praise," he teased, shaking his head.

"I'm serious! You're actually starting to look like a dancer."

Grayson pointed at her, playful suspicion on his face. "You're lying to make me feel better."

"I'm not lying!" Diana insisted, laughing. "Honestly? You're better than I thought you'd be."

He smirked. "So your expectations were low."

"They were realistic," she shot back, and he broke into laughter.

Later that afternoon, Diana joined a few of the pros in the break room. She'd been nervous around them at first—after all, she was the youngest and the newest—but over the last week, she'd started to feel like she belonged.

Ezra, one of the younger pros, dropped into the chair next to her with a grin. "So, how's Mr. Disney Star doing? Can he dance or is he just good at pretending for the cameras?"

Diana chuckled, peeling the wrapper off her protein bar. "He can dance a little. He's not a lost cause."

Ezra leaned an elbow on the table. "A little is more than most of the celebs start with."

"True," Diana said, taking a bite. "I just want him to be confident out there. The cha-cha isn't easy for beginners."

"Confidence comes from fun," Ezra said matter-of-factly. "If he's having a good time, the audience will too."

Diana tilted her head thoughtfully. "That's... actually really good advice."

"I have my moments," Ezra said with a smug little grin. Then, without warning, he flicked the cap of his water bottle at her like a slingshot.

Diana yelped as cold droplets sprayed her arm. "Ezra!"

He cackled. "You were looking too serious. Had to fix it."

She shook her head, laughing despite herself. "You're impossible."

"But you love me anyway," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"Unfortunately," she teased, rolling her eyes.

When Diana returned to the studio with Grayson the following day, she was in a lighter mood.

"Okay," she said, clapping her hands. "We're going to focus on sharpness today. You've got the timing—now it's about making the movements pop."

Grayson nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Alright, Coach. Just don't yell at me if I mess up."

"Who says I won't?" she teased.

His eyes widened dramatically. "Wow. So this is the real Diana."

"Exactly," she said with a grin. "You're not getting the sugarcoated version anymore."

The music started again, and they worked through the routine section by section. Whenever Grayson hit a move cleanly, Diana cheered, and whenever he stumbled, he pulled the funniest faces, sending them both into fits of laughter.

At one point, he spun the wrong way and ended up facing the mirror instead of her. Diana doubled over, clutching her stomach. "Grayson! You were supposed to be facing me!"

"I was giving the audience some love!" he argued through laughter. "I thought they deserved it too."

Diana shook her head, still laughing. "You're ridiculous."

"But admit it," he said, smirking, "that would win us points."

As the evening wound down, Diana packed her bag and glanced at the rehearsal schedule pinned to the wall. Three more days until the first live show. Her chest tightened at the thought of the bright lights, the judges, and millions of people watching. She wanted Grayson to shine. She wanted to prove she belonged here. She didn't want to be the new pro who fizzled out in week one.

Ezra caught her staring at the schedule and nudged her shoulder. "Hey. Don't overthink it. You're ready. He's ready. You've done the work."

Diana gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Ez. I just... it's my first show. It feels huge."

"Because it is," Ezra said honestly. "But huge doesn't mean bad. Huge means exciting."

She took a deep breath, nodding. "Yeah. You're right."

When she left the studio that night, her body was sore but her spirit was lighter. Between Grayson's surprising progress, the laughter they shared in rehearsal, and the support from her fellow pros—especially Ezra—Diana felt like maybe she could actually do this.

Three more days. Three more rehearsals.

And then, it would all be real.

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next chapter we won't meet malachi but we will meet someone else😏

i think im gonna do Fridays + Saturdays for posting and then every once in a while i'll post on a Sunday

i'll post another chapter tomorrow, that way we can get things moving 😊