CHAPTER ONE

THE DECISION IS MADE

JONAHTAN'S OFFICE

Jody held her hand on the door knob as she pushed the door opened as she knocked. "I'm sorry to come right in before you invite me in, Jonathan. But, I can't wait for the proper formalities." She looked around his office to make sure that no one else was there. She sighed in relief.

Jonathan had about to say 'Come in' when he heard the first knock. But the door had been opening even before the first knock was done. He frowned darkly as two more knocks sounded, and the door revealed the blond nineteen year old on the other side. Teenagers. They always assume that life is just about them. They don't care for other people or closed office doors. "Come in Jody. Seeing how you are all ready in." He waved to the chair opposite his desk. He waited for the girl to sit down. He had noticed that she made sure to close, and lock the door before sitting. He stood to his feet and walked from around his desk.

"Don't unlock the door." Jody said in a low and calm voice.

"It's not proper for us to being in a locked room together, Jody. For one, I'm a married man. Two, I'm your teacher." Jonathan said his hand on the knob. He was about to turn it when ….

"I don't want anyone to interrupt us, Jonathan." Jody sighed as she watched his hand leave the knob. Leaving the door locked. "I'm not here to seduce you."

"Kathleen would be up my ass." Jonathan said. "So would Juliette." He quipped as he walked back towards his seat. "You know that I'm not going to accept you in ABA." He eyed the young nineteen year old.

"If I hadn't agreed to being in Cooper's company -" Jody's brow furrowed. "How did you learn that any way?"

"From Cooper of course." Jonathan rolled his eyes. "He simply enjoyed rubbing my face in him claiming you – he said that I didn't know true talent if it bit me in the ass."

"I have to join ABA, Jonathan." Jody stated. "It's the only way that you'll get Maureen."

Jonathan couldn't keep the bark of laughter from leaving his lungs. "So damn sure of yourself hmm? Teenagers. I hated them when I was one; and I hate them even more now." He frowned. "Get out of my office Jody. Get out of my life. You are not welcome to dance at ABA ever again. Even when Cooper's company comes for shows here – you will not be welcome anywhere near ABA."

"I'm not joining Cooper's company. If I don't dance for ABA – than I don't dance." Jody swallowed the around the lump in her throat.

Jonathan's eye brows rose high on his forehead. "It's that serious then?"

Jody silently nodded.

Biting the inside of his cheek. "I hate that I'm forced to take on someone whom isn't right for ABA just kills me." Jonathan sighed deeply. "I all ready have my third girl picked out." He narrowed his eyes, "What if I just decided not take take Maureen. Than problem solved."

"Do you have another girl you want instead of Maureen?" Jody raised her right eyebrow.

"No." Jonathan grumbled. "Juliette is going to wonder why I'm choosing you."

"She'll understand. Matter of fact I'm sure that she had a very good idea from the very beginning." Jody sighed. "That's why she kept harping after me. Right from the start."

"Are you sure you are what Maureen needs?" Jonathan looked deeply into the nineteen year old blond's eyes. "I don't want to make a mistake."

"There is no mistake." Jody replied.

Jonathan sighed. "Okay. But if it doesn't play out the way you want it too play out – than you are gone." His voice grew hard. "If you do more damage than good, than Jody Sawyer, I'll personally see that you pay with your life." His balled up right fist came down onto his desk. "I'll make sure you would be locked up in the smallest cell known too man kind, with just a small window. The window will be high up – that even if you had a chair, you won't be able to look out of it. You won't get enough to eat – but you would manage to survive well into your nitrites."

"You love her." Jody simply said at the direct threat.

"As if she were my very own." Jonathan said with a tear in his right eye. "How could I have missed this?"

Jody didn't have an answer.

Jonathan had expected her to have one.

THE GIRLS DORM ROOM

"You should have danced the solo, Eva. I had willing given it too you." Maureen snarled as she twisted her head to the right. "Why didn't you just get out on that fucking stage."

Eva had done a lot of thinking the night before. She had all been ready to step out on that stage in Maureen's place – she knew that she would have won her rightful place in Jonathan's precious school – on her damn own. Even if she had danced Maureen's solo – it wasn't like she had stolen it – Maureen had pretty much ordered her to dance the fucking thing. But, while she had watched Maureen dancing – she truly, and for the very first time saw whom Maureen truly was.

"I wanted that solo. I deserved that solo! I would have stolen it from you." Eva couldn't keep the words from flying from her mouth. Granted she had learned the truth of whom Maureen Cummings truly was; and all. But, still her mouth still spun out of her control. Her brain just couldn't keep up with it sometimes. That's the main reason why she kept getting into trouble. "I would have danced that solo better than you, bitch Diva." Her hands were clenched at her sides on the bed. "I am better than you. Not only at ballet."

Maureen stared wide eyed shocked into the stormy eyes of the African American. She felt her blood boil even higher than when she started too spew her frustrations at the other girl.

"I'm so much better at life. I'm so much better in bed. I feel so sorry for Jim – he has too put up with your frigidness between the sheets." Eva jumped to her feet and stalked closer to Maureen. She slowly moved around the taller white girl, just barley touching her body with her own. "I'm going too take poor Jim, and treat him how a real woman should treat him. He'll know all the warmth that he had been missing with you." She stopped as her breath hit Maureen's left ear.

Maureen blinked as she felt the warmth of the other girl's breath on her skin. "I know that you are only saying these things too get a rise out of me. It won't work." Her eyes shifted so she could look straight into the haughty eyes of Eva. "I'm all ready fucking pissed off with you."

"You try fighting the surgery sweet Jody Sawyer. Especially when she's on one of her saving another human being from themselves trips. I'm her friend, and protector here at ABA; but even I can't overcome this personality trait of hers." Eva shrugged. "For some unknown reason too me," She waved her fingers against her chest. "Jody has decided that you deserve protection. That she was the one to be your sole protector." Her lips thinned out, "If you hurt her, Maureen," She leaned closer, "I will cut you to shreds; so you won't ever have another chance to dance."

Maureen turned and locked eyes with Eva. "So; all I have do is hurt Jody; then I won't dance ever again. I can do that."

"What are you so afraid of?" Eva whispered. Her right hand rose to stroke the right side of Maureen's face.

The door opened. Maureen jumped backwards quickly. Her eyes wide as she gazed first at Eva – than over at Jody's who's own blue eyes were widen in fear also.

"I gotta go." Maureen chocked out. She felt her feet move forward.

Jody held up her hands. "Don't go." She said in a soft voice. "You don't have too go. Stay. Please."

"I have to go." Maureen whispered. "Just allow me to go."

"You can't go. Not yet. Your home is here." Jody reached over, and gently stroked Maureen's right cheek bone. "You are safe here."

Maureen lifted her hand and brushed the smaller girls hand off. "G-get y-y-your han-n-n-ds off m-m-m-me." She gasped out.

Eva moved forward quickly, she jerked Maureen backwards into her. Wrapping her arms tightly around the slim girl's stomach – she pushed the taller white girl tightly into her chest. "Look here bitch, don't you dare treat Jody like this." She hissed in Maureen's right ear.

"Eva let her go." Jody said with her eyes wide.

Eva just held tighter. "Not this time." She looked over Maureen's shoulder at Jody. "Not this time." She rested her head on Maureen's tight shoulder blade. "I'm not going to allow her to run away from this."

Jody sighed in defeat as she realized that Eva wouldn't let Maureen go. But, she knew that Eva wouldn't physical harm Maureen. Emotionally she was still unsure of. But, if she tired to remove Eva from Maureen – than Maureen would be physical harmed. Jody hummed softly under her breath.

Maureen's eyes widen in fear, "Why can't you two just allow me to go. Why are you to set on destroying my life?" She struggled to try to get out of Eva's grasp. But, every twist and turn; just made Eva's arms tighten.

"We don't want to destroy your life." Eva rubbed her right hand along Maureen's tight stomach. "We want to help you." She breathed on Maureen's neck. "Let us help you. Let us be your family."

"I all ready have a family." Maureen stiffly said.

"Your over bearing mother isn't your family. Hell, even your father allows her to over shadow him all the time. You never had any love from your parents. Your mother would never allow it." Eva calmly said. "How can you say you have family – when your family is too afraid to show their soft side with one another."

"Says the girl whom is hard on everyone." Maureen barked.

"Let us be your family." Eva repeated.

"Let me go." Maureen begged.

"No." Eva said.

"Let me go." Maureen broke.

"Let her go." Jody looked into Eva's eyes. "Let her go."

Eva slowly backed away from the taller white girl – leaving her hands on her in case Maureen crumbled.

Maureen walked up to Jody, and stared silently into her eyes. "Why are you doing this too me?" She whispered through her tears.

"I want to help you find yourself." Jody gently replied; raising her hand to catch some of the falling tears. She lowered the hand, and rested it against her heart. "I'm going to hold these close too me. Every single one of them. I'm not going to fail you."

"Everyone fails me." Maureen mournfully stated, she turned and left the room.

"We can't fail her." Jody looked at Eva.

"I won't." Eva promised.

END CHAPTER ONE