Step Up 2.5

Moose/ OC

Chapter 1

I can't remember a time when I didn't dance. My mother has always told me I could dance better than I could walk ever since I was a baby.

I remember the first time she took me to a ballet recital. It was the happiest day of my life. I wanted to twirl and hop the way those dancers could. It became my dream. I've always had a certain passion for the arts. Every aspect of it. I just love it.

I was in ballet classes as soon as I could get in. And once I started living that life, I discovered there was more to it than just the pointy shoes and tutus. There was jazz, tap dance, ballroom dancing. All sorts of different things, and I wanted to try it all. But it wasn't until I was nine years old that I discovered my ultimate favorite: street dancing.

I was used to a more delicate style, obviously, but this was just a whole new level. It was super human, the way those people could spin on their head and do these amazing stunts that truly defy the laws of gravity. Now, that, was real art to me.

Of course, my mother disapproved of it as soon as I told her about it. She would tell me how dangerous it was to get involved in those kinds of competitions and she would say I shouldn't waste my time in those vulgar displays of the human body, as she likes to call it. But I never quit. I just couldn't: I was hooked. So I did it in secret, and to this day my mother has never found out about it.

"Hayley, you're going to be late!" My mother called from downstairs.

We live in a very modest house in Baltimore. Okay, so it's not really modest, it's actually huge. House help and all. I go to MSA, Maryland School of Arts to those of you who don't know. I was a junior and doing pretty well so far. I have a very promising career ahead of me, or at least that's what my teachers say.

Last night I had been out on the streets working to get myself into some sort of dance crew, but they all thought I was too much of a "preppy rich school girl" and didn't even give me the chance to show the what I could do.

It wasn't the first time it had ever happened to me, I've been laughed at many times before so it doesn't really affect me that much. Well, it does affect me, I mean, I have been working extremely hard to get this and I've had to sneak out at late hours to try an avoid the house help and my mother, but I won't give up.

"I'm coming mom!" I checked myself in the mirror one last time and ran down the stairs.

It was a normal day at MSA: same classes, same people, nothing out of the ordinary. The only new thing that happened was that the biggest dork in school tried to talk to me again. Okay, so it's not that new I guess. It's got to be the eightieth time I've had to go out of my way to get rid of him. And I'm not the only one who thinks he's a dork, I mean he makes people call him Moose when his actual name is Robert Alexander III.

But back to the main thing: street dancing. The previous year there had been a dance crew here at MSA. It was formed by this girl called Andy and the high school hottie Chase. They actually wont The Streets competition and they were incredible. Which leads us back to the Moose kid. He was actually part of that crew, but since he was the youngest, he had to stay behind when they all went out to college and that was the end of him. He became no one again.

So now there was no more dance crews here at MSA and we're pretty much back where we started. It's almost as if the MSA dance crew never even existed. Which is pretty sad in my opinion. But I've got no one to blame for that but me. I was one of the many people who stood back while they went out and got what they wanted. I never asked to join them either. I was too scared of what people might think of me. That's why as soon as they left; I started pursuing my own dream.

I was walking down the front steps and came face to face with Ty. He was the new high school hottie and the guy I was supposed to be dating. I have gone out with him and we do have thin on and off relationship, but sometimes I just know he's not really what I'm looking for.

"Hey Hal." He said. "Heading out?" He flashed his perfect white teeth at me and I couldn't deny he was something to look at. He had straight jet black hair that he kept short and blue eyes, no tot mention he's also pretty tall and has a killer body.

"Uhm, yeah." I said. "I need to get home and change for my afternoon classes. You know, the usual." We walked side by side for a little while.

"Right." He said. "Well, if you want, I can walk you home."

"Nah, that's okay." I answered. "I'll be fine, but thanks anyway." I waved goodbye and kept going. My house wasn't very far away, so it was no problem for me to walk there. My mom wasn't home, as usual, so I just grabbed what I needed and headed back to MSA.

I had tap and jazz after school. I did try to fit I those classes into my schedule, but since I did pretty much everything, there was no room left for those two, so I just took them as extracurricular.

As I walked out, I spotted the Moose kid and cursed mentally when he spotted me too an made a beeline in my direction. I was taught not to be rude with people, so I couldn't just run away from him like I would've liked.

"Hey Hayley!" He greeted enthusiastically. "So what are you doing at school at this time a day?"

"Extracurricular." I grimaced. My mother just had to pick this day to have dinner. I was expecting a car to pick me up and take me to which ever restaurant she had picked for today.

"Oh, cool." He said. "But I thought you had every class you could want in your regular schedule?"

I frowned in confusion. "How did you even?" I sighed. He could be such a creep. What kind of person would know my schedule? "Yep, you're right. But I guess I wanted more." I replied. Where was that car? It was already five thirty.

Moose looked around and then back at me. "Uh, do you need a walk home or something?" He asked.

"Not really, I'm waiting for a car." Just then my phone ringed. It was my mom, thank god. I picked up and to my disappointment she told me she was at a meeting and running late for dinner, so I had to wait for her to pick me up at school.

"So, I guess I'm gonna be waiting for that car for a long time." I sighed and sat down the front steps. And of course, Moose sat down next to me. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I don't have anywhere to go so I can keep you company." He said brightly.

"Oh, no I'm fine." I said, waving my arms at him. "Really, I think you should go home and rest or do homework. Don't stay here for me."

He shook his head. "I told you: I have nothing to do." He insisted. "And there is no way I'm gonna leave you out here all by yourself. No way at all."

"Alright, suit yourself." I said, holding my hands up in defeat.

"So let's talk." He said. He apparently couldn't stop babbling. "What's going on with your life?"

"Not much." I said.

"Okay." He hung his head and played with his fingers. I could tell he was getting nervous. "So did you ever hear about MSA?"

I knew exactly what he meant, but I decided to play dumb just in case. "Well, I go here so yeah." I said.

"No no no." He said. "I mean the dance crew."

"Nope." I replied. "Never heard of it."

"C'mon, you've got to be kidding me!" He said. "The MSA dance crew! We won The Streets!"

"We?" I said. "You were part of it?"

He chuckled. "Of course I was part of it." He said.

"You dance like that?" I snorted. "I don't believe it."

"C'mon, I'll show you." He said as he stood up in front of me.

"Oh, that's really not necessary." I said. But he was already picking a song from his phone and placing it next to me. Next thing I knew he started dancing and indeed, he was amazing. But I already knew that.

When he was finished I was completely speechless. He was an amazing freestyler, a dork, but a great dancer.

"So?" He said. "What do you say? Do you believe it now?"

"Alright." I said. "You're good, I'll give you that."

"Awesome!" He said. "Here, let me see that fist." He pointed his fist at me and waited for me to bump mine into his. After a few seconds I complied. I didn't exactly want leave him hanging. He frowned.

"What was that?" He said waving his hand back and forth. "That has got to be the weakest fist bump I have ever seen, here let me show you." He did it again and opened his hand at the end. "See? You gotta blow it up like that." He even made a "blowing up" noise.

"Okay." I couldn't help but laugh at that. He had to be the weirdest person I had ever met. "So what are you doing here? Any extracurricular activities?"

"Nah." He said. "I just come here to practice my own thing. It's got space ya' know?"

"Oh, okay." I said. "Well, keep practicing. You really are good." I smiled. I guess the dork wasn't so bad. Besides, he looked really lonely. Maybe he just needed someone to talk to.

He smiled too. "Thanks, I will." he said. After a moment he added. "It's getting really late, are you sure that car is coming? I mean, I can take you home. I don't mind."

"Yeah, I'm sure it's coming." I said. "My mom is just running late, as usual." I looked at the ground.

"Oh." he said. "And what about your dad?"

"He, uh, lefts us when I was really little." I said.

"Oh, I'm sorry." he said.

"No, it's okay. That was a long time ago." I said. "I don't really miss him or anything. I guess I was too little." I shrugged.

"Well, you've turned out pretty well." He smiled. "So I guess it's his loss."

I smiled warmly and he turned bright red. That was very sweet of him.
Just then I saw my mother's car pull up in front of us. I stood up immediately.

"That's me." I said. "Do you need a ride home?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine." he said.

"Okay." I started off, but stopped and turned around. "Hey, thanks for staying with me. It was... nice." I smiled and waved goodbye.

A/N:

Okay, so what do you guys think? I know it's not really long, I'm just trying this out to see what happens. I've been playing around with the idea for a few weeks now, so I decided to sit down and write something.

Please read and Review!