𝕭𝖊𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖄𝖔𝖚......𝕿𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖐 𝕸𝖊

The feeling of happiness and joy expressed by the dancers could be felt by all who watched with contentment.

As the dancers came to a halt, they were graced with applause for their wonderful display. Bowing, smiling and laughter echoing the walls.

"That was wonderful, just fantastic." Sue turned her head, brushing the few strands of hair that tatoed her face due to sweat, trying to figure out the source of the voice. She smiled when she was faced with a bouquet of flowers. "I didn't know you'd show up. You said you were busy tonight." She said accepting the flowers.

"You were amazing out there. You and all the others." Derrek said, looking intently at his girlfriend. "I called but you didn't answer so I assumed you were already dancing." He looked at her, concern showing on his face. "I'm sorry I haven't been around as before, let me make it up to you tonight. Please?"

Sue stared at her love for a moment, trying to register any form of deception in his eyes. She saw none of it.

She smiled as she slowly inched closer to him and embraced him. "Where are you taking me then?" She asked taking in his sent.

"Don't worry about that," he paused kissing her head. "You're gonna love it."

"Ok, let's go then." She said making her way out the door and into the parking lot.

Derrek couldn't keep his eyes off of his woman. He kept staring at her once in awhile as he drove, making the young lady next to him blush.

"We're here." Derek said as he parked his car and exited to open the door for his girlfriend.

"Thank you." Sue said as she made her way out of the car, taking Derek's hand in her's.

They entered the restaurant and Sue couldn't stop marveling at the beautiful decor that surrounded her. She looked at the people around her and Derek and felt like she was a little underdressed.

"I didn't know you were bringing me to such a fancy place, I would have dressed more appropriately." She said shyly.

"I told you it was a surprise. Besides, you are beautiful no matter what you wear." He looked at her with a smile plastered on his face. "You just relax and enjoy the night with me alright. It's just you and me."

She couldn't help the blush that coated her cheeks.

As they sat to eat, they two lover's couldn't keep their eyes off of each other. From first glance one could tell the couple's love in their eyes. Or so it seemed.

"Thanks for tonight D, I thought I'd spend it alone as I've been doing lately." Sue looked at her love's eyes for assurance. "I've been anxious with everything going on with the dance studio. I haven't made enough money to pay the mortgage, and soon the bank will reposes it. Gene won't help me and Kim is being distant. My dad, well you know what he thinks about the-"

"Come on Sue, I know you are worried about the whole thing but can we not talk about it tonight." Derek interrupted, trying hard not to show his annoyance. "Let's just talk about us, and the family dinner this weekend." He said dismissively.

Sue just smiled and nodded, as she tried hard to focus on the man in front of her. Her problems seem to be causing problems in her relationship and she didn't want to lose not only the dance studio but her love as well.

"You're right, I hope your parents will be happy to meet me. First impressions matter the most love." She said with a smile. Sadness still lingering in her voice. Her lover noticed.

"Look Sue," he began. "I do not wish to be the bad person in this situation ok, but the dance studio is in bad shape and even if you manage to pay the mortgage, the place needs to be renovated and that will cost you a lot more money. You should just let it go baby." He looked up, sensing the distant behavior of his love.

"Derek I know my family doesn't understand how much that studio means to me and I don't expect you to understand either." She spoke coldly. "I will not let it go without trying. If you do not want to help me fine, but do not tell me to give it up because I can't and I don't want to."

Derek could only shrug his shoulders. Trying not to lose his temper at Sue's stubbornness at saving an old studio.

"That studio is bringing disunity between you and your family Sue. It has also began to affect us. Is all this really necessary? You have your whole career ahead of you, this studio is holding you back."

Sue looked at Derek in disbelief. "I can't just let my mother's passion and hard work just go knowing I haven't tried hard enough. I will continue fighting until I can't anymore Derek." She spoke trying to keep her tears from staining her face.

"Tonight was supposed to be just you and I but again the dance studio ruin's it." Derek commented with anger in his tone.

Sue stood up, tears flowing effortlessly on her face and spoke to Derek with all the anger lingering in her. "First of all the dance studio isn't coming between us, your other priorities are, you could at least support me even though my family isn't but you choose not to and there's nothing I can do about that. I seem to be more of a responsibility for you and I can't take it anymore Derek. Do you even love me as much as you used to because I just can't-"

"Sue you're causing a scene, please sit down." Derek spoke sensing the eyes that were on them.

"I'm going to the rest room." Sue said quietly before leaving.

---

As she made her way to the bathroom, she collided with someone who made her entire being uneasy.

He turned halfway towards her, smiled and walked away.

She muttered under her breath, just how uncultured the man was. Not even saying a simple excuse me or sorry.

After she had calmed down she made her way back to her failed date and refused to acknowledge her love.

"I seem to be screwing up everything with you ain't I?" He spoke sliding his hand into Sue's own. "I love you a lot Sue, wether I support you and this crazy idea of yours or not. I hate seeing you upset like this and I'm sorry I've been neglecting you lately. I love you so much sweetheart no matter what happens, I love you alright." He moved closer cupping her cheeks. "Stop being sad you look really old when you're grumpy." She smiled as she embraced her love in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry I doubted your love for me because of something stupid." She said breathing on Derek's shoulder.

He lifted her head up and gave her a kiss of reassurance. The kiss then turned into one of longing and passion until Sue decided to break it off feeling uneasy.

"Let's go." Sue spoke looking into Derek's eyes.

"Ok my love, I'll take you home now." He stood taking his love's hand and gently kissing it making her blush.

As they made their way out, Sue kept thinking someone was watching her. She turned around and saw a smile that she remembered. It then turned into one of confusion before he completely turned his back towards her and ate.

Sue was confused as to why that man was smiling at her like that. Did she know him? Why was he making her so uneasy? And why was he only turned halfway that she couldn't make out his entire face?

"Are you good love?" Derek brought her back from her daze.

"Um yeah, it's nothing. You're talking me home?" She asked him a little shy.

"If you want."

"I don't want to go home. I want to be with you tonight, please let me." She spoke in a pleading tone.

"Whatever you want baby. Let's go then." With that they made their way into the car and drove off.

Sue felt helpless seeing as the days went by before she had to give up her mother's studio. No matter how much she saved and borrowed the money never seemed to be enough. She was helpless and desperate.

Her boyfriend and family were obviously not going to help her, so then who was going to help.

After thinking long and hard she decided to speak to Derek again. Two days before what you love is taken away isn't long. She had to act now.

* * *

Tracing her steps, she matched towards the familiar office of her lover. Her steps however where diverted when she noticed a familiar smile on a very familiar face. Fate did not wish for these two souls to be apart. She lunged forward ignoring her mind telling her to retreat. The strange man noticed the woman moving towards him and he was glad that she decided to grace him with her presence. He turned his face from her completely, his back turned to face her. The woman's curiosity just grew to another extent. The strange man smiled as he heard her footsteps near him, when he didn't hear them anymore, he was certain she was near him due to her scent intoxicating his senses. The strange man waited patiently for the woman to speak but all that surrounded him was silence.

"Surely you did not miss your way," the man's voice beamed in the ears of the woman making her stagger backwards. "Do you wish something from me?" He asked, his back still facing the woman.

Sue was at a loss for words. The man that has been smiling at her, making her curious spoke to her and she was left with a loss for words. His voice held so much intersity, it was hard, Stern and all in all, beautiful. "Face me." She said unsurely. "You've hidden your face from me for long don't you think?"

The man turned to face her smiling at the beauty that had filled his days and nights. "Now then, what would you like to know?" He asked with a smirk.

Sue looked at the man in bewilderment and awe. His face was a beautiful glowing tan, his eyes a lovely hazel, his teeth were pure white, lips a faint pink with a strong jawline and cheek bones to match.

His hair was a dirty blonde that was neatly combed straight, dancing until it landed on his shoulders. His tight title neck did a really bad job at hiding his hard chest and strong arm muscles. She looked at him again and gasped at how handsome the man was. Was he even human? She thought, because he looked like a fallen Angel.

"Hhmm. So you asked me to face you so that you can gawk at me." He lifted her face so that she could look at him.

"I don't know you, neither have I seen you before, and I've lived here almost my entire life." She said still stunned by the beauty in front of her. "So why do you smile like you know me?"

"I do know you, just not in the context you're picturing beautiful."

The handsome man's words made the woman uncomfortable. Her mind was swirling with unanswered questions. He knew her, from where? She needed clarity.

The conflicted state of the woman caused a smile to appear on the strange man's face. He clasped his hands together trying to restrain himself from touching her.

"You're even more beautiful up close," he smirked before letting his hands drop from her face. "What's your name?"

"Why should I tell you?" He smiled at her again, closing his eyes as her voice echoed in his mind.

"You walked up to me and-"

"You have been making me uncomfortable for a while now, and you tell me you know me, so you obviously know my name don't you?" She said with a grin.

The handsome man welcomed the boldness of the woman. He flashed her a smile before replying to her words. "Hhmm, ok love. If I tell you my name and how I know you," he trailed off leaving the woman questioning his intentions. "You will have lunch with me?"

"I have a boyfriend, whom I love very very much." Sue answered him.

The man looked at her with a gloomy look. "You love him very much?" He asked to be sure.

"Yes."

"How do you know you love him?" Sue chuckled at that.

"I can see you're a man that has never been rejected, I can't have lunch with you ok? Try something else." The disappointment was evident on his face, but he took his remaining option.

"Alright let's try something like this, hi, you can call me Mr Reaves, I think You're beautiful and was planning on getting to know you more but since you're 'inlove' I'll leave you be." He said stretching his legs to leave.

"Sue, baby what are you doing here and who is that?" Derek asked approaching the scene. The handsome man shrugged looking at the man and then the woman who smiled and then embraced her lover.

"Someone I just met when I was coming to see you in your office."

The handsome man feeling great discomfort decided to excuse himself and go about the business he was at the bank to do in the first place.

Sue gawked at the tall man as he disappeared in the hallway. She then turned to look at her lover as he looked at her questioningly.

"What was that about?" Derek asked all of a sudden.

"I'm not too sure either. He makes me feel strange I don't know how to explain it."

"Clearly." Derek said discomfort evident on his face. "Tell me, what are doing here at such short notice."

"I came to plead with you one last time to please help me. I'm begging you as your girlfriend, please help me here?" She looked at him with so much emotion.

"Someone has shown interest in the property and the bank is selling it to them. Sue there's really not much I can do. I'm sorry."

"B-but my t-time is not yet over Derek, I'm b-begging you to help me please?" Her face glowed with the fallen tears.

"Sue I'm sorry, I may be the bank owners child, but I can't make such a decision baby, try to understand me."

With those words uttered by her lover she tore herself from him weeping bitterly.

"I don't understand you and I don't think I can ever understand you."

She said walking away leaving her lover with ease. He didn't try to stop her, he just watched her leave with so much anger in her. He thought she'll get over it and they will be just fine. He watched her disappear from his sight. He then turned and walked back into his office like the conversation that occurred a few minutes ago hadn't.

Sue walked out of the bank wiping away the tears that refused to stop falling. He could help me. He has so much authority in that bank but he refuses to help, even after pleading with him he still refused. Yet he claims that he loves me. She thought to herself as she walked into the main Street. She didn't realize that she was walking straight into the main road until a car honked at her and then stopped. She looked up at the man who keeps making her uneasy and curious at the same time.

"Are you following me!" She exclaimed looking at the man in the car.

"Get in." The strange man replied. He sensed the disapproval in her so he got up and dragged the woman inside his car with little struggle. He then began driving.

"Why are following me?" Sue asked.

"I'm not." Was the man's simple reply.