Feel the Beat From the Tambourine (Fisher)

[Penelope Lopez]

Another day, another work out. Penelope was alone in the gymnasium, wearing her grey sweats and a tank top, trying to get her dance routine perfect. She didn't really expect anyone to come here at these hours, which gave her the time and concentration to do what she needed - and wanted; Dance.

Her hair was tied up in a neat pony tail, and it danced around her head as she moved. She hadn't gotten to dance in a while since she had been busy with parties and meeting new people. Not that she minded, she just felt bad for slacking off. She kept doing the same routine over and over, trying to make it just right, just perfect.

She thought about her dad, and how proud he would've been if he could be her, seeing her do what she loved the most. She really missed him, and had yet to learn how to live without him. And if he hadn't died on duty, maybe she would've stayed away from the drugs and partying since the main reason she rebelled, was well, out of sorrow. It was an easy way to escape everything. It was easier to not deal with it, so one thing lead to another.

But here she was, at Hammel, far away from her home and everything she knew. She missed on one of the steps and fell to the ground, hitting her knee against the floor. She pressed her lips together and hit the palm of her hand against the ground. ''Damnit!'', she yelled out in anger and sighed.

[Fisher Bray]

Fisher needed a serious workout. He was starting to lose his muscles and didn't want a lecture about commitment from the coach. He slipped on a muscle tee, some basketball shorts, and some running shoes. He munched on a granola bar as he made his way down to the gym. He was planning on doing some warm up laps and then heading to the machines for a serious work out. Fisher was gonna work himself until he was fatigued. Then he would take a quick power nap and bring it down a notch with just some push-ups and chin-ups. As he pushed open the door, he heard a very loud swear. Fisher ran to see if the person was okay.

"What's wrong?" Fisher rushed to the girl's side and was prepared to help. He helped her up and let her lean against him. "You're a dancer I assume. It can't be that hard. What's the routine?" Fisher was ready to dance.

[Penelope Lopez]

Her head twisted to the side the voice was coming from, and looked at the boy with a sharp glare. And then, of course, he had to play the hero and lift her up. She wasn't in the mood and pushed herself off. ''I can get up on my own.'', she hissed. She was still moody after failing her routine yet another time. At this rate, she was going to push herself too far and end up hurting herself. 'It can't be that hard' he said and she sent him another sharp glare. ''Listen, dumbass. If it wasn't that hard, I wouldn't be lying on the floor you little piece of-.'', she took a deep breath.

She knew she shouldn't take her anger out on this boy, since he had done nothing but trying to help. She was mostly angry at herself for slacking off the past weeks. She sighed and studied the boy from top to toe. ''You don't exactly look like a dancer.'', she said with a sour tone and looked away. She checked her ankles and her wrists, making sure nothing was sprained.

[Fisher Bray]

Fisher knew he was no dancer but he had some experience. All of his working out gave him good strength and he spent his summers on his trampoline in his backyard. By age nine, he could do all sorts of flips and spins that made whoever was watching dizzy. So what he hadn't been taking dance classes since preschool. Fisher looked at dancing as walking with style. If he really put his mind to it, he could learn. And he would; now that the stuck up girl expected him to fail, Fisher was determined to succeed.

He took a couple deep breathes and closed his eyes. Fisher imagined himself on the trampoline. He bounced on the balls of his feet before jumping and doing a backflip. He fumbled a little during the landing. Fisher opened his eyes and smiled at the girl. "No lessons. Ever. Just pure determination and self encouragement. So, you were saying something abut how great I was and how I could help you learn your routine." Fisher said with a smirk. "Well, don't just stand there. Let's move it!"

[Penelope Lopez]

Her glare grew even more intense as he started to show off. ''Jumping up and down is not dancing.'', she hissed at him once more. And this positive snarky attitude of his was getting on her nerves. Not that she was any better. She placed her hand on her hip and kept glaring at the pretentious twat.

And then, he started ordering her around. He rubbed her temples and shook her head. ''Look jumper-boy, dancing is an art. Not that I'd expect someone like you to understand that.'', she began with a sarcastic tone, growing more and more irritated. ''Now, back the fuck off and go back to whatever the hell you were planning on doing here, and leave me alone.'', she turned her back against him, hit play on the small music player standing on the ground next to her and then she started working on her routine again. Slow, elegant movements, left, right, up, down. It was rather graceful, probably the only time Penelope ever was. She had a talent for this, though many wished she was just as graceful when she opened her mouth and started talking too.

And then she reached to the point where she had failed before, and failed once more. She missed the steps and fell to the floor again. This time, she landed on her shoulder, slamming it pretty badly against the floor. She bit her lips and stopped herself from swearing. Holding her shoulder, she got back up, and did it again. The pain almost unbearable, and it slowly started to get blue and swollen.

[Fisher Bray]

After she fell on her shoulder, Fisher was going to help her up. He remembered her reaction last time and laid off. Then he noticed the injury. It looked gross. Fisher needed to take her to the nurse. He was worried that if he told her to go, that she would refuse. He didn't try reverse psychology since he assumed she was too smart for that. He couldn't handle it. He approached the girl with a worried expression.

"That probably hurts. I'll take you to the nurse. If you keep hurting it, you'll eventually be too injured to dance. If you take a break now, you won't have to sit out." Fisher's tone started to get a little stern. "And don't you dare say no. I'm trying to help you. If you're going to keep with the know it all, I don't need you're help, bitchy attitude, be my guest. But don't act that way when I'm doing you a favor. I admit, I was being a cocky jerk earlier but I was being light-hearted about it. I hope you realize you over reacted." Fisher walked away and got a drink form the water fountain. He returned and started to lead the girl to the nurse.

[Penelope Lopez]

She looked at her shoulder as he approached and commented it. ''It's nothing.'', she said and started to get ready to do the routine over again. It hurt, and the more she pushed herself, the worse it got. And deep down, she knew he was right. But her pride wouldn't let her quit now. And his words did sting, because she had tried to help, and she was being unfair. She was being a brat for refusing, and she was being extremely childish by holding a grudge.

Watching as he walked over to the fountain, she stopped the music. ''Fine. If it'll get you to shut up.'', she snarled and moved away as he tried touching her, but still followed him to what she assumed was towards the nurse.