'I am seriously contemplating calling the police.' I scowled, flipping off the 2 Bumblebees peering up at me through their binoculars as they sat in a car parked across the street from my house.

Honestly, don't these girls have anything better to do in their spare time than do Melissa's dirty work and spy on me? I feel like I'm a criminal under house arrest when she's the one that needs to be brought to justice. Is she blackmailing all of them, do they just not have the word 'no' in their vocabulary? Or do they actually think this is what is going get them into college?

'Any bets there are more bumblebees camped outside Ryan's house.' I thought angrily, yanking the curtains of my bedroom window shut.

Ryan...

Trying to see things from his perspective, I can't see how I could possibly look good in his eyes at the moment. By now he must be so tired of me getting his hopes up, but everything amounting to nothing because I was too scared, and because I was selfish in pushing him away since I thought that that was the only way he could be happy; I'd been thinking I knew what was best for him when I don't even know what's best for me. He must be so exhausted, because I didn't know it would be near impossible for me to resist this inexplicable force of attraction between us, even before I realised I was in love with him.

Always drawing me closer, the more I pushed him away.

I just hope I haven't pushed him too far.

Sighing deeply as I gathered my hair up into a messy bun, I then proceeded to flop face-down onto my bed and groan internally.

I don't understand why Melissa is so determined to make a huge deal out of this. Why is she so fixated on making me miserable, making things so difficult, trying to ruin my chances with Ryan?

Unless she actually does have feelings for him! But even if she does, would she confess to him? Maybe this all part of her plan; using the debutante competition to prevent me from telling Ryan how I really feel , all so that she had a chance to get to him first!

But if (or when) she does, he wouldn't choose her...would he?

I groaned out loud this time as I rolled listlessly onto my back.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn't just call or text Ryan to tell him I was hopelessly in love with him. I turned my phone over and over in my hand as the thought of unlocking the screen and pressing his number on my speed-dial, swirled around in my mind; over and over again.
It wouldn't be right, it wouldn't feel right not to see his reaction, not to take in every tiny detail; would his deep blue eyes be clouded or clear? Would his expressive face soften, or tense up? Would he pull me into his arms or push me away?

I closed my eyes and shivered heatedly as I remembered so clearly how fiercely Ryan had held me close, and how tenderly he had kissed me; all just last weekend.

It would be insincere to call him now; he deserves so much better than a rambling, muffled phone call.

I was so deep in thought that I nearly jumped out of my skin when my phone suddenly vibrated and rang out loudly as a text from Brad flashed on the screen.

New Message from 'Old Jerk-face':

Hey Babe can I come over? For some reason we're being spied on by a pack of high school girls and I have a strong feeling that somehow you're involved with this. Not that I'm not used to my fans trying to stalk me, it happens all the time ;)

Well apparently if I couldn't reach Ryan, it seemed like the other Haywood was determined to reach me instead.

-_- I'm going to ignore that last part because you're ridiculous, but yes you can come over...I could probably use some advice right now. Unfortunately there are Bumblebees on patrol here too >:(
I'll explain when you get here.

_____________________________________________________________________

I didn't feel like having to relive the rage I felt towards Melissa as the memory of our last encounter flooded back vividly while I explained the whole situation to Brad.

"Rose, Kim and I all thought Melissa just bluffing when she said she would be watching my every move, but it looks like she was being 100% serious if she's had her minions shadowing Ryan the same way they've been stalking me..."

Brad's face had darkened lividly and his lips were pursed into a tight line, unzipping themselves to express his indignation "This is total bullshit. I'm going to have a word with my Mom about this. Who even gave that viper the authority to twist and bend the competition for her own ulterior motives! I can't imagine they even ran this past my grandmother..." He trailed off, clearly rather irritated.

"No, please Brad you can't! What about my Mom?" I pleaded. This matter was complex, and there was no easy way to fix it.

"Well I'm sure we can influence the hospital's decision; The Society has long been a generous contributor to the hospital's needs." Brad proposed, the tone in his voice surprising me as he folded his arms tightly and leaned against my bedroom door deep in thought; it was one I would expect to hear from a hardened, professional businessman.

"I cannot let you do that." I said firmly, making direct, unwavering eye-contact with Brad, from where I sat cross-legged on my bed. "You and I may be a lot of things, but I am not a cheat and neither are you. We would only be sinking down to Melissa's level." I continued resolutely.

"Fine. Then let me tell Ryan about everything, let me tell him to wait for you." Brad offered.

"Without telling him why!?" I reproached him, more vehemently than I intended.

My shoulders slumped as I took a deep breath and deflated, grateful that Brad didn't seem to take that reaction personally as he moved to sit down next to me. "There are things I need to explain to him, things I need to tell him before selfishly asking him to wait for me when he's already been waiting for forever. There are things he needs to know before deciding if he even still wants me."

Looking up from where I had been fidgeting with the stacked rings on my fingers, I was met with an expression on Brad's face, of utter disbelief at my apparent stupidity.

"Why are you looking at me with that bitch-face?" I asked as the left corner of my mouth twitched downwards in annoyance.

"Why would you think he doesn't want you! He's completely in lo– " Brad groaned in exasperated frustration as he proceeded to throw his hands up in the air in defeat.

"Ok you know what, I give up. I'm not even going to try to explain why you're crazy. Both of you are idiots and I've done my best to make this work but you guys are almost starting to make me believe you're a lost cause!" He ranted as he grabbed a pillow and thwacked me in the back of the head.

"Ow! Geez, thanks for the vote of confidence Bradley." I muttered unhappily as I rubbed my neck gingerly.

"I said almost." He said more softly, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

I gave him a half-smile of forgiveness. "All I'm trying to say, is that I'm going to work my ass off to beat Melissa fair and square. Even if she's playing dirty." I declared.

Brad paused for a moment before continuing, as if he had come to accept something, maybe it was about the situation, or maybe it was something about me.

"You're really stubborn you know that right?" He said spitefully.

"That's rich coming from you." I shot back bluntly as I punched him in the arm.

"If I can't convince you otherwise, I'm just going to have to help you." He sighed.

"You just have to promise me you won't tell Ryan what Melissa is doing." I told him sternly.

"..." He hesitated, averting his eyes dishonestly. I knew he was thinking about how there was no way the Bumblebees would ever find out.

"Brad. I can't risk it. If Melissa thinks even for a second that I've gone and told Ryan about her, I have no doubt she would call up her daddy dearest and everything my mother, not to mention Rose's Mom as well, has worked for will be for nothing."

"I understand that Ava, but it isn't like she's banned you from speaking to Ryan at all." Brad reasoned tiredly, running a hand down his face.

"I don't exactly want an audience when I work up the courage to pour my heart out to Ryan. It's not possible for me to have a long conversation with Ryan at school. Even if his locker is just 3 down from mine." I explained despondently. If only I could figure out a way to convey to Ryan that I care about him deeply, that didn't involve me having to speak to him with words.

"Ava, I feel like you have another reason for wanting to go through with the competition. You could end all of this just by texting Ryan or even calling him. I know my brother, that would mean more to him than you could ever imagine. Why not? Why go through all of this extra work? Putting yourself through this extra suffering?" Brad asked me fervently, confusion clouding his grey eyes.

"I just..." I started to say, turning my focus back to my hands in my lap as I tried to articulate exactly how I felt. "I just wanted a way to prove that I'm serious about this. Serious about him. That I'm sorry for causing him so much pain all because of my inability to understand the feelings I'd been having. I need to show him that I'm fighting for him, because he's worth fighting for. "

Brad took a deep breath and sighed, but he smiled kindly at me and pulled me into a bear hug, his eyes glimmering with something like...pride?

"You know, I also want to see you beat Melissa's ass. But...can you actually dance though?" He grinned devilishly.

All I could do was scoff and smirk as pushed him away and got up from my bed and got ready to dance.

"Please. You haven't seen what I'm capable of yet."

_______________________________________________________

"That was....amazing." Brad said simply as he slow clapped after I finished the hip hop routine that won our dance troupe 1st place in the most recent competition we entered in.

I winked at him as I huffed and puffed, trying to catch my breath.

"Thanks." I managed to get out between rapid intakes of oxygen.

"But," He continued, his tone treading carefully.

"But what?" I prodded quizzically, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You know how I told you I've been on the judging panel for these annual competitions for ages? Well I know exactly what the mothers like to see, and even more so what they dislike." He explained.

"So what are you implying Brad?" I asked, wiping my sweaty forehead with the back of my arm and wishing he wouldn't beat around the bush.

"That routine was unbelievably good, but a little too risqué for the conservative tastes of The Society."

"I can't say I didn't see that coming." I let out a dejected sigh.

"Don't be like that Babe, we can keep Beyoncé, but just choose a different song. Something a little less sexy, like... Love on Top." He proposed.

I hesitated.

"I don't know, I love that song but I feel like choreographing a routine to it would be very cookie cutter. And I hate cookie cutter, it doesn't make me feel empowered or strong at all."

But those lyrics... Well I really was putting Ryan's love on top. UGH sorry that was so cheesy.

"Speak to your dance troupe, see what your choreographer has to say?" Brad pressed. He was certainly excited about the idea.

"I told you I want to do this all of my own accord." I reminded him sternly as I took a seat at my desk.

"That doesn't mean you can't ask others for help." He countered gently.

I felt myself being swayed gradually as I let my mind wander briefly over moves and steps I could incorporate that might actually make a routine to Love on Top work.

"....I can't imagine Melissa isn't paying some overpriced choreographer to make up her routine." I said quietly, rolling my eyes at the thought of her in her upmarket dance studio.

"There you go!" Brad replied, flashing me a cocky grin as his eyes twinkled with mischief.

We fell into silence for a few seconds as I turned to peek through my curtains, checking to see if the Bumblebee patrol had decided to call it quits yet; they hadn't.

"Ava," Brad called, bringing me back before the anger could burn into my bones again.

"Listen, we all know how strong you are. It's not a bad thing if you ask others for help when you need it most. Nobody, is going to think any less of you." He said as he came over to my window, and pulled the curtains securely closed again.

I softened, imagining that this is what it would feel like to have an older brother.

"Thanks Brad. I'll think about it." I told him.

"Well let me know what you decide. I better get going, it's nearly dinner time." He said as he grabbed his jacket from my bed.

Maybe this was my chance to do that song and dance performance?

I mean it wouldn't be impossible to pull it off...

"Oh, I almost forgot," He said as he stopped abruptly half-way out the door, "What about that second dance for the competition?"

I smiled to myself nostalgically as I remembered the last time I danced before I boxed up my ballet shoes and stored them away deep within my closet.

"Don't worry, leave that one to me." I said wistfully.

It was time to face some old demons.

*************************************************************

I'm sorry guys. I love you. Next chapter in 2 days. It has already been written, I'm just tweaking the last part a bit. Don't hate me for this 3 month hiatus. Enjoy!!!

Cerise xx :)