Carrington Hill

The next day I was so nervous I could barely down the breakfast. Chloe, Alex, Harry, Julie and I sat around the table and chatted about what was going to happen and stuff so I thought it was a good idea to let them know about mine and Alex's plans. Well, we mainly told Julie because Alex and I both told our partners about it already – we basically just planned to go to a hair and beauty salon to get our hairs done and, in my case, nails and makeup, too. We got a spray tan yesterday so it was all ready for the comp today. When it came to championships, I didn't mind paying for someone to get me all dolled up and it was better that I didn't have to do anything with my shaky hands and all.

The championship was due to start at eleven am therefore we already had to be there by nine at the latest. Alex and I still needed to warm up and get changed, get our number and whatnot.

As always, the atmosphere was absolutely out of this world. The loud music filled up the entire venue and instantly got me in the mood to incorporate a few basic steps into my normal walk on our way to where Harry and Chloe would sit with Julie. Tons of people were in the audience already although the stage wasn't too preoccupied just yet.

Gorgeous girls walked around with their makeup perfectly done, winged eyeliners winged out as far as possible with fake eyelashes cornering their smokey eyes as well as the pop of colour on their full lips. Hair slicked back and shiny for both female and male dancers, fake tan on everyone to make us all look just a little better in the lights that had the tendency to wash us out when we were on stage.

Most of the dancers wore their tracksuits that represented either their countries or the dance organisation they were with which I thought was really interesting. I always loved looking around and seeing so many different people from so many different places.

Alex and I got our stuff after we got to the venue and warmed up for half an hour or so and went backstage to find ourselves a spot where we could get ready. On our way, we met a few familiar faces who kindly invited us to where they were sitting – a few ex members of our organisation and just a couple who we knew for a few years now and always hung out at competitions.

My dress for the Latin category was pink which I knew was going to look absolutely fucking stunning with my fake tan. The whole dress was decorated with crystals which matched the ones on the back of my heels. My dress had a big slit on the right side, right up to my hip which caused my entire leg to be exposed. There was quite a big cut out on my back that normally would have exposed my spine tattoo, however I got it covered as always for a more professional look. It had long sleeves, which was something I haven't had for a while for Latin however I adored it.

Alex on the other hand, was completely dressed in black, the front of his shirt a little different to what other lads had on and that made me feel slightly cocky. Which, I know, is kind of bad but I couldn't help feeling so good about our look. With the competition we had today, I knew I needed my cocky attitude and extra confidence – on stage, especially. But back to Alex, my main man was dressed in black as always, with a bit of see-thru-ness on his front. It started from his neck right until the top of his belly button. It carried onto the top of his shirt's long sleeves. The bottom of his top covered his crotch and, on the bottom, left side he had the initial of his surname and his first name engraved into the material.

Yes, Alex Greenwood was a narcissist and he had to make sure everyone else knew that, too. Perhaps this was the reason why he got along so well with my boyfriend.

"So, I heard your famous boyfriend is here to support you today," one of the girls, who I actually rarely ever talked to but was friends with our friends, decided to speak to me. I raised an eyebrow at her as my smile from laughing with the guys just seconds before, slowly faded away. I crossed my arms in front of my chest as I eventually gave her my attention. "Will we get to meet him?"

"Well, hello to you, too..." I said, not exactly knowing her name. Which was unfortunate. Mainly for her seeing as she thought I knew her when in fact, I just knew of her.

"Catherine," she told me her name with a clearly forced smile, possibly pissed off that I had no idea what her name was. Like I said, I knew of her as I have seen her around but wasn't too much of a fan of someone who thinks they're better than others.

Yes, I am saying that after I mentioned how cocky I felt simply at the thought of my partner and I looking good, but I feel like that's different to her. She just had this nasty attitude all the time when she was speaking to others and pretended to be nice at he same time. I didn't not like her because she wanted to meet my man or because she hung around with the people I hung around with at these things, I just simply wasn't a fond of her personality, of the way she behaved. Therefore, I wasn't going to surround myself with that kind of shittiness. I have learnt the hard way through school how people like her end up betraying you and using you, not to mention talk badly about you whenever they feel like it.

"Yeah, hey Catherine," I said eventually. My voice was normal, I wasn't about to give my feelings away nor did I want to make myself look like an absolute bitch. I had a pretty professional image to keep up, especially at competitions, alongside Alex and I really wasn't about to fuck it all up for a silly bitch.

"So?" she asked, with her nicely drawn but definitely bushy eyebrow cocked up. "Will we get to meet the sexy man?"

"First of all, watch how you talk about my man, yes?" I said, still smiling. "Second of all, I don't know. He didn't mention he'll be meeting fans today."

"Well, that's rude," she commented, seemingly she quite literally was offended by my rejection.

"Carrie, come here a bit," Alex called me as he physically saved me from her company as he snuck his arm around my waist and scooped me alongside him. "Before you bite her head off, take a breath, babe."

"She was so rude, have you heard her?" I asked him slightly pissed off. He laughed at me and booped my nose. "Stop that."

"Well, get rid of those wrinkles on your forehead before your foundation creases."

I rolled my eyes although I did what he said. I didn't want my makeup ruined before I even got on stage.

//

The competition was crazy good. We were off stage while the second lot of the first round did their Rumba. Alex and I were both trying to catch our breaths and come down from the hype that built up on stage before so that we had energy for the last two dances.

"You ready?" Alex held his hand out for me so I placed mine in it, with a little smile and nod.

The same Paso Doble song started playing as always when we got on stage, from the corner of my eye I saw something. It was a really quick glance around the room and the lights were extremely blinding so I wasn't entirely sure it was really what I thought I saw so I just shrugged it off. Dancing was much more important in that moment.

Once Paso was done, the next and last dance of round one was Jive. I hated how the most pumped up dance was always last, my energy always completely left me by the time it was this dance's turn. Although, somehow, I always managed to put my everything in it and with the biggest smile on my face, successfully delivered.

After round one, we had to wait like ten minutes to find out whether we were through to the next round or not. I was way too nervous to even do anything, Alex literally had to force a little bowl of fruit down my throat to prep me for the next round – if we make it. Out of the two of us, he was the more sensible one, he was always on top of everything, keeping me and himself together. I probably would have been a mess without him.

Those ten minutes went by rather quickly and in no time, the results were up on the television. I didn't even want to look at it until the very last moment as I prepared myself for the worst, until Alex quite literally scooped me up in his arms and spun us around. We laughed together and then hugged, gave each other a high five – although I'm not sure if it's considered a high ten seeing as we did it with both hands – and then we had to recollect ourselves and get to the stage.

We got through to the second round and we were in the third place as of then. That would have been alright if it wasn't the championship but it was. We had to be the first ones and that was it. No way was I going to be okay with us coming third or second when we work our arses off every second of every day for these competitions.

The second round went faster since a good amount of people didn't get through. That was good for us, not so good for them. Again, as we were on the stage and my gaze surfed through the audience, I noticed familiar faces but I didn't want to let myself believe it was actually who I thought was there. I mean, how would my fucking older brother be in Spain when he's all the way in America?

I dreaded to find out whether we made the next round or not and then I wasn't even sure I wanted to get back on the dance floor when I saw that we were down to the fourth place. Fourth. How we went from third to fourth rather than up to second, I have no idea. But it definitely put a downer on my mood. That ten-minute break was much needed for me to pick myself up.

"Baby, hey, look at me," Harry talked to me once I made myself over to where he was. He was on his own, which confirmed my brother was not with him. "Carrington, stop acting like this," he spoke to me more firmly which made me shot my eyes up at him. "You're here, at the championship. This is all you've talked about for the past two months. I swear to God if you dare to let those stupid points get to your head before you get back on stage and give your all for one more round, I will be really angry with you."

"I mean, we probably won't even win this," I scoffed. "We're down to the fourth place. It's pretty much decided that we will not be winning."

"Alright, you won't win then," he shrugged. I looked at him with a hurt expression and he just raised his eyebrows. "I thought that's what you wanted to hear?"

"No," I murmured.

"Well, then, get rid of that thought from your head and get your little arse back to Alex. Dance until you collapse-, or actually, don't do that. I don't want to have to take you to the hospital."

"Shut up," I laughed at him.

"Hey, you gotta make your family proud, you know?" he said a bit after. "I didn't ask them to come for nothing."

"What?" I whispered, my eyes wide in shock and my heart beat incredibly fast. "So, I wasn't imagining my brother in the audience?"

"Nope, you silly goose," he giggled. "They are here. Your mother, father, brothers, your Uncle Vlad made it, too. And Mia. Even Aiden is here and Liam."

"Shut the fuck up!" I punched his shoulder and he pretended like it hurt him. "Don't say that just to pump me up for me to later on find out it was all a lie."

"It wasn't a lie, sunshine. They are here. For you," he assured with that gorgeous smile of his. My eyes teared up a little as I tried to find them in the audience but it was pointless. There were too many people. "So, go and win it for all of us. For yourself."

After a few more moments of him pouring some motivation into me, I was back with my partner. He gave me a smile before we stood in the line of the solo performances.  We were third on the stage for our solo Samba performance.

"Number forty-two, Mister Alexander Greenwood and Miss Carrington Hill from England," the woman said with a thick Spanish accent as Alex and I walked on the stage, bowed and got in our positions.

These teaser or solo dances, whatever you wish to call it, were short and they only gave a bit of what we could do. This was so that the judges could look out for those who they wanted to give good points to and whatnot. Those few minutes on stage went by really quickly and we were off again. My hands were pure shaking as I cracked my neck by turning my head to one side then the other.

And then the last round happened. It all went by in a blur, I had no clue how I did, if I smiled enough or if I did my hand movement properly during Rumba. I hope I fucking did, I always mess it up in the studio.

The next thing I knew, the last six couples, including Alex and I, were standing in a line, a bit away from the podium. Three of us made it onto it, the other three will be standing next to it. And not to sound big headed, but we deserved to be on those damn steps.

My heart was beating so fucking fast, I bet Alex could hear it from how close he stood behind me and even the girl and the boy next to us did probably. I actually only knew two couples and they were standing away from us. One of the couples was from Australia, then the other lived in England but originally, the lad was from Greece and the girl was from America.

When it came down to the third couple and we were still standing on the side, I calmed down a little because at least we made it onto the steps. But I was also shitting myself because I knew I would be sort of disappointed if we didn't win and I can't hide my emotions for shit. So, I knew they'd get my sour ass facial expression on camera for the whole world to see. Because yes, this damn event was going to be shown on TV and everything.

"Second place, winner of the silver medal. Couple number ten from Australia, Jason Clarkson and Jess Bauer!" the woman announced which only left Alex and I in the line.

Meaning we won.

Meaning we got the gold medal.

Meaning we were world champions of 2018.

I literally jumped in Alex's hug, both of our arms going around one another's necks, his hand on the back of my head as he leaned back a bit so I was leaning on his body and he spun us around. My eyes were teary and I squeezed them together with the biggest grin on my lips.

I couldn't believe we went from the predicted fourth place to first.

"Now ladies and gentlemen, the World Dance Sport Champion Latin 2018, couple number forty-two, Alex Greenwood and Carrington Hill representing England! Congratulations to the Champions of 2018!" as the man spoke in the microphone, Alex and I made sure to bow down in front of everyone in the room. I got slightly dizzy with all the spins I had done, but nothing could make my smile disappear.

Especially when I spotted my family. My whole fucking family stood there alongside Harry. I couldn't have been anymore happier. Alex literally had to pull me away from the side where they stood because I just couldn't believe it. I linked my arm through his as we walked towards the other couples who stood in the line, going straight to the ones at the end to congratulate everyone.

"Congratulations," I smiled at the girl as we shared a kiss on each cheek then I moved onto her partner. And then to the other couple next to them. Right until we congratulated everyone and we stood up on the top of the podium.

We got our medal given, the certificate as well as the trophy. Oh, my lord. The trophy was absolutely stunning. My hands were shaking like crazy and so were my legs as my eyes travelled around the room although I couldn't see shit from the lights.

I heard Alex talking to someone from behind me and I barely caught what it was about until I heard our friends mention Jive and Paso Doble. He was on about our honour dance which we already had sorted way before. We always went with Jive.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, please rise to honour the national anthem of England," the spoke person said in the mic. They always played the anthem of the country that the winner represented. I felt Alex move behind me and when I turned my head to the side, I saw that he lifted the trophy in the air. When the anthem has come to an end, the man spoke again. "Congratulations again. And now ladies and gentlemen, you may take some photos of the finalists while you have the opportunity."

This one caused at least five to ten people to get on the stage and snatch photos of us all. I knew for a fact my cheesy smile was on every single photo, completely making my eyes disappear from how big it actually was. But I didn't mind. I was really fucking happy.

"Now, the dance of honour of our champions. Jive," he announced. Through this whole announcement, we got off the podium and rid of our medals. We left our things on the podium as the lights changed and we walked to the middle of the floor.

The music completely filled my ear, the blood in my veins was bubbling, in a good way of course, and I was literally laughing as we danced. The audience was so fucking lit it put me in such a mood which I could never fully explain. There was something so good, something so magical about honour dances. It meant a lot to me every single time we got to do it.

When our dance came to an end, Alex spun me around and we bowed down, my smile wide and happy. Although when I turned around, all I felt was pure shock.

•••

yous know i loathe asking for feedback but i'd love it if yous would let me know how you found this chapter and what you think will happen and whatever else that may come to mind !!

i'm thinking of ending this story soon because i really have no idea how to twist it more or if i should at all . this story was never meant to be full of drama anyway i just wanted something cheesy and lovey dovey with soft harry, something that's very real life lik if ygm

lotta love, b