"Can I borrow that?" I ask pointing to theptop as if nothing happened.


    "Nope," he quips back.


    "Why not?" I pout.


    "Because very few people are allowed to have that kind of ess to the human realm, it''s too risky. What do you need it for?"


    "I mean, I would love to chat with my friends but I know I can''t right now. What I really need though is music. The music here is okay but it''s not my music. I''ve spent hours creating the perfect ylists to apany my every mood. If I could just have time to d******d them onto my phone I would be a thousand per cent happier here,” 1 almost plead, and I''m not ashamed to say that if he asked me to get down on my knees and beg I would. I need my music.


    "You should hear her sexy ylist," Lukeughs. "You''d never hear music like that here,"


    "I want to hear it," Theo says excitedly.


    "If I had it I''d be so much more productive in every way, plus it keeps me calm when I need it. It makes me happy when I''m sad and I can dance again. Which is so good for my mental health. When I dance I forget everything else. 1 miss my dance sses so much," I exin. Dance has been a lifesaver for me. I''d stared as a child when my father had died and I''d danced my way through all my grief ever since. I need it now more than ever.


    "We have dance sses here," Mr Collins frowns.


    "No offence, Sir, but I''ve seen them and it''s just not my style or level. This realm is great but you''re so cut off from modern human life that you are severelycking in some departments. Music and dancing arepletely different here," I give him an uneasy smile.


    "Then show me how you want to dance and I will talk with our dance tutor and see what she cane up with, he gestures to the room as if he wants me to dance right here and now, a flush warms my cheeks.


    22


    "Erm... I can''t. There''s no music... or space," I struggle with excuses but there''s no way I can just dance in front of these five men right now after he''s just put me on the spot like that, but there are other ways I can show them, " let me use yourptop for two minutes and I''ll show you,''


    Mr Collins cracks open hisptop again, casting a sideways nce at me, suspicion etched on his face. I''ve no idea what he thinks I might do, but I quickly dive into my dance group''s social media page and hit y on one of the first videos that catches my eye. Instantly, the room bursts to life with music as my dance crew lights up the stage. Strobe lights sh, electrifying the atmosphere as we deliver the sultry hip-hop choreography that we had painstakingly perfected for months in preparation for the international dancepetition. The guys all gather closer, their eyes glued to the screen.


    "You can dance like that?" Theo asks excitedly.


    "Watch closely," I nod towards the screen with a yful smirk, and they all lean in with anticipation.


    "Whoa, Babe, that''s you!" Theo bursts out, and a surge of pride wells up inside me as I step into the spotlight on screen. The music transitions seamlessly from Daddy Yankee''s high-energy ''Gasolina'' to a smooth, sensual vibe as my dance partner, Conor, steps in to support my upper body, tilting me back while I roll my- hips to the rhythm. A move I''de up with myself.


    "Who the fuck is that?" Mason demands as he jabs a finger at Conor on the screen and then turns to me with a scowl. Shit.