Between a Rock and a Hard Place

by Bohannon, Hipsy

  "Do it!" She demanded, looking him up and down, expectantly.

  "You, got it, my love!" He announced in a fast tone, as his hands snaked out, pulling her face into his. The spark came the moment his lips slammed into hers. At least on his end, anyway. "Ouch, what the hell was that for?!" Cole cried out, gripping his stinging cheek in his palm.

  "Why the hell did you just kiss me?!"

  "Probably because you told me to, Miss Slappy McGee. For Christ's sake, I thought I’d try to be a gentleman, for once, ya know, start shit out with a kiss and go from there?” But hey, if you’re into that rough and ready shit, trust me, I’m down for that too. Let’s do this!" He announced, gripping the waistband of his pants, ready to give them a solid tug down. Instantly her hands darted out, stopping him in his place.

  "No, oh God no, not that!” She shrieked, looking absolutely mortified.

  “Hey sugar, don’t knock it, till ya try it, alright?

  There it was, that cocky little smirk and that ‘I’m the shit’ tone, she remembered about him. The man, was way too damn, entertained with himself.

  “Correction, I just wanted you to do what you were doing in there, that karate stuff, do that!" She clarified, in her rude way, already shewing him with her hands.

  "It's not karate, it's jujitsu, and why would you want me to beat you up? Are you sure you’re okay? Are you feeling alright?” Cole questioned putting his palm to her forehead to check her temp. “I think that bun on your head might be just a little too tight." He suggested, stepping closer to her before trying to pull at the large pins that were holding her perfect kept bun into place. “Boom got it!” He announced, just as her long hair came tumbling free. "Stop touching me, I'm fine! I don’t want you to beat me up. I just want you to dance with me, that’s it." She corrected, swatting at his hand as he continued to try to mess with her hair.

  "I thought, we already figured out that dancing, really wasn’t my thing, didn’t we?" Cole reminded, thinking she looked even prettier with her hair down. “Can I brush your hair sometime?” The question, slipped out of his mouth without even a thought as he eyed her long locks. He loved a woman with long hair.

  "No, you may not,” she informed with the shake of her head and a sideways look sent his way. “And yes, we did figure that out but that’s just it. I don’t need you to dance, well, not really anyway.”

  “That’s a great idea! I’ll go find a chair, and some dollar bills and then you can dance, I’ll watch. I like where you going with this.” Cole nodded, already glancing around for a chair, while he stuffed his hands into his pockets, looking for some one’s.

  “Oh my goodness, no listen, I'll dance, you just do that jujitsu thing, you do. I think I can bring it all together with some lifts. It really might work, and if it does, I think it might be something that's never been done before. I think this could be my in, to Julliard. If you’d still be willing to help me, that is?” She finished, looking hopeful, once again.

  Cole eyed her, still thinking, she might have hit her head. He wasn't about to fall into this shit again, though. He had learned his lesson the last time, when she had ended up in tears, informing him that he couldn’t deliver. He wasn't about to let her call him, the killer of dreams, all over again.

  "Listen, I don’t know what you got going on in that pretty little head of yours, but jujitsu, ain’t dancin’. I don’t think I can help you with this little dream yours. I wish I could, I really do, but I just don’t see it happenin’. If ya ever wanna go out, unwind, have a good time, that isn't choreographed, please, feel free to give me a call. You got my number but I’m afraid that's all I have offer ya, my love."

  He finished, giving her an ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t help’ smile before tossing her a wink and heading toward the door.

  Olivia’s heart was pounding out of her chest. She knew for a fact that she was onto something with this. Something in her gut was telling her that, this, was exactly what she needed, this, is what it was gonna take to get her into Julliard, and out of this town, once and for all. The only problem was, that she couldn’t do it without the, full of himself asshole, that was currently walking away from her.

  "Well, if you’re scared, I guess I understand. Sorry, I bothered you." She called out, praying it would work. He was a cocky little shit. She knew challenging him, might be her only shot.

  She managed to hide her smirk as he turned on his heels to face her once again. His hands going to his hips, while his smile told her, he, wasn’t scared of shit.

  Cole looked her up and down, sucking his teeth. He knew she had thrown down the challenge to get at him, but damn her, if she didn't know his weakness. He was Cole Fucking Conners. He never backed down from anything.

  "That how it's gonna be?" He called her out, on her low blow hit to his ego.

  "I don’t know, is it?" She returned, unable to hide the excitement in her eyes.

  "I guess it is,” he nodded, a, fuck my life, smirk on his face as she started jumping up and down with excitement. “Alright, alright, let's see what ya have in mind, little girl."

  The weeks turned into months as they spent, three hours a day and sometimes more, out on the hardwood of the dance space. They fought, they argued, and sometimes, they refused to speak to each other, at all. Tears were shed and voices were raised as they worked through falls, slips, bruises, accidental hits and black eyes, a bloody nose, and more than one stubbed toe. When they weren't bickering, though, they were talking. They chatted like a couple of old soulmate’s, trying to catch one another up on what they had been doing in their past few, lifetimes. The ones where the other hadn’t seemed to be anywhere to be found.

  She learned that both of Cole’s parents had been severely overweight. And how, physically they were never able to do very much with him when he was growing up. He said Gilbert Grape, had nothing on him when it came to that department. There were no great adventures, sports, or trips across the country, to visit Disney Land. Cole’s childhood was miserable. Kids picked on him because of his parents, which is how he got his thick skin. He realized, the less he showed he cared, the less the world could hurt him.

  It pushed him to be everything his parents couldn’t seem to be. He wanted to be physically fit, wanted to look good, clean and sharp, well put together. Always wanting to look better than those around him. He loved his parents, and he missed them greatly, now that they were gone, but he had to distance himself from them, had to become someone that no one would ever link back to them. Which, was the real reason he was obsessed with staying in shape and helping others to do the same, through jujitsu.

  Cole quickly realized that Olivia’s parents where the strict, religious type, that tended to push too hard and never seemed to be satisfied with anything their daughter ever did, even though, she had gotten perfect grades all through school and had never been in trouble, a day in her life.

  Cole had brought up his career, about how he had been in a couple of television shows and a few movies, already. And, the fact that he usually stayed in Hollywood but was taking a year off from acting, so that he could train and teach jujitsu, back here in his hometown.

  Olivia told him, how she had been dancing since before she could practically even talk. And, that all she had ever wanted was to be able to get into Julliard and live in the city. Really, she just wanted to be anywhere that wasn’t under her parent's thumb, though. They had all these plans already made up for her. They wanted her to go to a local college, marry a nice boy from church, and then stay in town until she died of boredom. She didn’t want that, though. She wanted to be a real dancer, traveling the world with a top notch team. She didn't wanna be some crappy housewife with a baby on her hip, she wanted more than that, so much more.

  Cole confided in her about the pitfalls of being an actor, about shit roles and crappy writers, bitchy directors, and God awful call backs. He said that he would really like to open his own gym one day, where he could offer jujitsu courses to people who couldn't afford them. He wan
ted to help troubled kids by giving them something productive to do, give them something to focus on besides their shitty little lives. He would have killed to have had a place like that to run off to when he was a kid. Instead of sitting around, watching his parents eat themselves to death, he could have been off, doing something productive with his day. He sure as hell, would have gotten his black belt a heck of a lot quicker, if that would have been the case.

  Olivia revealed that she had never really had any boyfriends. She just never seemed to have the time for one. She was way too busy with her lessons. So, much so, that she had never even kissed a boy besides her gay best friend Sam. She talked about, sex only leading to dreams being killed when it came to girls like her and how, she was going to save herself the trouble and just keep her damn legs closed. Better safe then sorry, she had said.

  Cole explained his theory about, why it was, that he had never settled down. It was for the simple fact that he kept falling in love with every woman he met. He just loved women, all women, and never could stop thinking about who would be the next. The problem was, his love never seemed to be able to last. Maybe that was because he’d been in heat, not in love. He wasn’t really sure, but either way, it kept him single. Not that he really seemed to hate that fact. The man, was a hound dog, through and through. Always breaking through, one woman’s fence, to get into the yard of another’s. As if the grass looked greener on the other side, and he just had to rub his dick through it.

  Quickly, Olivia realized that Cole was, actually, a pretty nice guy. He had a big heart that he tended to try to hide away, with his cockiness and bravado. He used them as a shield to protect himself. He wouldn’t let it show that anything you said or did, bothered him. Instead of just saying how he really felt, he usually just cracked a joke about it or brushed it off with a funny story.

  He was a man who liked to talk and loved nothing more, than to spend his days, spinning wild tails. She was pretty sure that most, were only half truths. She hoped so anyway. Some of his stories were pretty far out there. Either way, she loved listening in, loving the way he would get all wrapped up in telling them. His eyes would light up as he acted them out, using wild hand jesters and funny voices. She could listen to him go on for hours and hours, and sometimes, she did, just that.

  After rehearsals, they would make their way out to the parking lot to stare up at the stars above, chatting about whatever topic came to mind, they never seemed to run out. They switched between each other’s, car hoods, nightly. His being a little red Corvette that he had purchased with the payout from the first movie he had every starred in.

  Hers was a beater of a car that she had shelled out way too much of her savings to buy. She didn’t care that it had rust or made a weird clicking noise when she turned the wheel. All she cared about, was being able to get back and forth to rehearsal. With old Bertha at her disposal, she didn’t have to rely on her mother for rides. A car of her own, also meant, no fear of her mother showing up, way too early to drag her ass back home. She was free to just relax for a little while after rehearsal.

  Relaxing was something that Olivia had never really felt capable of doing… until now. Something about Cole just put her at ease. She never wanted their days at the center to end. Going home, just meant that there were questions waiting, and judgmental looks to greet her. Home was everything that she wanted to get away from.

  With Cole, there was none of that. The only thing she ever had to deal with from him, was his endless flirting and his inability, not to be, handsy, every chance he got. But most of the time, he just talked or listened to her do the same.

  She told him about saving every penny she had ever made, first babysitting, and then doing private dance lessons. She had saved every red cent, well, except for the five-hundred bucks that she had spent on Bertha, her junker car. She would be needing it too if she did manage, to somehow, nail the audition. It wasn’t gonna be cheap getting herself settled a half a country away, in The Big Apple.

  Somewhere, between all the practiced moves and the late night chats, a bond was forged. They went from strangers to dance partners, friends, and then, before either of them really noticed, they had become something, even more.

  Touches seemed to be lasting longer as looks grew heavy with hidden meaning. An electric tension was growing between them, each day that passed. Sometime, during the dance, a fire had sparked to life and in its flames, they both stood, trying like hell, not to be the one who ended up getting burned.

  It was at a late night practice, one that had run over the normal time allotted, which, was only realized when the janitor had peeked his head in, wanting to let them know that he was locking up for the night. Penny had assured him that she would close up when she was ready to leave. Being a teacher at the center, meant that she had a set of keys to the building and could come and go as she pleased.

  They had been at it for hours, both had sweat dripping off every inch of their bodies. Their muscles were burning and their breaths set heavy in their lungs. They had already, stripped down, every piece of clothing that they didn't absolutely need. She in her white boy cut underwear and sports bra, he in nothing but his gym shorts. She had promised Cole, right from the start, that he wouldn't ever be forced to wear those hideous, nut crusher, pussy ass, tights.

  "Again," Cole called out, readying himself for her.

  All along it was the lift that had caused them most of their problems, or should it be said, it was their inability to land the lift that was the real concern. Time was running thin, they had to figure it out, and they needed it done, like yesterday.

  Cole could see Olivia was beat, it was written in her eyes. Usually, she, was the one trying to bull, always quick to yell out an order or push for perfection. But, whenever she faltered, Cole was right there to pick up her slack. He was right there with her, keeping things moving in the right direction.

  Between the two, they had years of discipline in each of their crafts. They had all but gotten over arguing out every little point. Instead, they worked around one another. When she was hard he tried to bend, and, when he was demanding that a move be done in a certain way, usually because of a safety concern, she would listen carefully to what he had to say. What they were doing, had never been done. Jujitsu was a dangerous sport, and trying to force it, to mold itself around delicate ballet routines, was more than a little risky.

  If everything wasn’t timed perfectly, one of them could end up getting seriously injured and it probably, wasn’t gonna be, Cole. One wrong move, one slip, and he could break her bones. She was strong and muscled from her years of dance, but she was still fragile, just the same. He found himself always hyper-aware, of how easy it would be for him to hurt her, if, he didn’t stay on top of his game.

  "Cole, it's not working!" Olivia growled, wiping the sweat from her brow.

  "Again," he ordered, waving her to bring it.

  "Listen, I don’t think we can,"

  "Again!" He barked out the word, challenging her with his eyes.

  She ground her teeth, taking an exhausted breath, but, made the run for it anyway.

  She made it up in the air but didn't land her twist properly, forcing her to once again, come tumbling down. Cole, just like always, managed to catch her, before, she went splat on the old wooden floor.

  He had heard her speech a million times, over the last few months. He knew what was most important to her, to this entire thing, really. If it was gonna work, that is.

  "Cole, I have to know your gonna catch me. I have to trust, that no matter what happens, your gonna be there. If I can't trust you to do that, then none of this matters. This won’t work without it. I can't hesitate, I can't be second guessing what you’re gonna do when push comes to shove. I need to be 100% sure that you’re gonna be there, every single time. Can I trust you, Cole? Do you got me?"

  He knew she was right, that’s just how it had to be. It was the same way in his jujitsu training. You had to know, that the guy across from you wasn
't gonna go in for the kill. You had to trust, that he wasn’t out to truly injure you.

  As the time passed, she had reminded him of it a million times over. Had asked him that same question ,‘do got me’, more times than he could count, and each time, she received the same answer.

  "I got ya," it was simple, but true.

  He knew that he would injure himself before he let her take the fall. That being said, he also knew her question of, ‘do got me’, had been aimed at more than, just the dance. Her question held a deeper meaning now, for both of them.

  "Damn it!" She screeched, rolling out of his arms before slapping the floor with her palms. She pushed herself up with a grunt, coming to stand across from him, looking ready to lose her shit at any moment. Like a ticking time bomb of ballet slippers and hair pins.

  "Hey, listen, I think if we," he tried, but slapped his mouth shut when her eyes pinned him to his spot.

  "Just stop it!”

  Her bark had been so loud that Cole physically took a step back. He absolutely hated hearing the defeat in her tone. He wanted so badly to rush her, hold her in his arms and force her to understand how amazing she was. She could do this. He just knew she could. All she had to do was just trust him. He was ready and waiting to catch her in every way.

  “I can't do this!" Her voice had cracked at the end, right before she turned and took off running for the door.

  "Shit," Cole cursed, instantly taking off after her.

  He made it to the hall before hearing the large front doors of the center, slam shut. Pushing through, he found her standing in the middle of the parking lot, rain falling down all around her. The only cars still left in the lot, were theirs, and they were parked in the back. The night was black but the light poles in the parking lot, lit up the space, well enough for him to see that she had her hands covering her face. Her shoulders were hunched over and her body was jerking out, what he could hear over the rain, to be sobs.