Free Fade to Red by Willow Aster

them, her long hair was whipping around in her ponytail. He squinted his eyes. Those lips, her beautiful neck, blue-green eyes staring up at him. She twisted gracefully around him and then he grabbed her waist and held her close, as their hips rocked in time with the slow, but driving tempo.
    “Have I met you before, Roxie?” He stared at her, curious.
    She went completely still. Her face went white, and she turned around quickly, but he’d already seen the look. She stalked over to her water bottle and kept her back to him. He walked behind her and put a hand on her back. She jumped.
    “Everything okay? Need a break?” Anthony asked from across the room.
    Roxie nodded and this time she did run out of the room.
    What the hell? This girl was all kinds of unpredictable. He shrugged at Anthony and paced the stage as they waited for her to come back.
    When ten minutes went by and she still hadn’t returned, Beckham told Anthony he’d go look for her. He looked everywhere. There was no sign of her. Finally, he went outside and saw her sitting in her car. He knocked on her window. She jumped again.
    “Sorry!” he yelled. He opened her door and squatted down so he could see her better. “What’s going on, Rox?”
    She turned to face him and he froze when he saw she was crying.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “I made a mistake coming here. I-I can’t … I can’t do it,” she whispered.
    “Roxie, you’re the best dancer we have. You can totally do this.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it hard, trying to convince her he meant it. He meant it with a force that surprised him. The thought of her leaving had him panicked.
    “I really can’t.” She shook her head and then leaned her forehead on the steering wheel. She was still for a couple of minutes and when she lifted her head, she looked determined. “I am so sorry to do this, but I need to get out of the tour. I-I’m so grateful you gave me a chance, but I made a huge mistake. Please, please let me out of the contract. I know it’s a huge inconvenience, but it’s still early enough … there are so many dancers that would jump at this opportunity.”
    “I want you ,” he said sincerely. “Roxie, look at me.” She didn’t, so he kept talking. “We need you—you’re the one who makes it all come alive out there. You’ve gotta know that with that attitude you must be a brilliant dancer to still be here.” He grinned, but it dropped when he saw another tear falling down her cheek. “We can’t lose you.” He felt like he was talking to a board. “What’s going on here? Why do you want to leave? I would send everyone else home before you!”
    Roxie narrowed her eyes. “My, how things have changed…” she said, her tone caustic now.
    “What do you mean?” He was beginning to get nervous. She didn’t answer. He looked at her for a long time. “Wait—was it because I asked if we’d met before? Have we?”
    She pulled her head back and leaned it against the headrest. “Oh, this is so fucking rich. I can’t believe you. Either you’re fucking stupid or the biggest fucking jerk that ever lived.”
    Beckham stood up, angry now. She was swinging his emotions around like a game of tetherball.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I would be glad to listen if you’ll explain it to me.”
    “Look, I can take a lot of things, but don’t make me out for the fool. If you recognized me, you should have just said so from the beginning.” She looked at him then and he nearly staggered to his knees from the daggers.
    “I didn’t recognize you!” he said quietly. “I was drawn to you the moment I saw you, but I didn’t know we’d met before. I still don’t know w-”
    She practically choked on a laugh and a sob. “I don’t know why I ever thought I could make this work. It was a stupid, stupid idea.” She started up the car. “I’ve gotta go.”
    He grabbed the door before she could shut it.
    “Please stay. I’m sorry—I don’t