chapter 2

Jake was a minor celebrity. A dancer in a west end production of Mary poppins. He was slim, fit, handsome and vain. He liked to wind down after working in the theatre by going to a club. Clubbing was not about more dancing, or drinking. He liked to be recognised and taken into the VIP area. He would sip on iced soda water as the girls gathered around him admiringly. They all wanted to get closer to him than the next one... until someone else came in. Footballers were his greatest competition.
He lapped up the attention. Sometimes he would select one and take her home, only to abandon her the next day. Sometimes he went home alone.
He dressed as smartly as his meagre wages allowed. He like bright colours that made him stand out from the crowd and something close fitting to show off his physique.
He worked hard at keeping trim. It was not just the dancing. He watched his diet carefully. He avoided fats, dairy, carbs, sugar, anything commercially produced. He needed to know every ingredient. He ran at least 5k most days and spent time in the gym, building up bulk that he would never be able to acquire if he just stuck to dancing.
He had to put in at least one very energetic performance daily. Sometimes two... plus a rehearsal squeezed in there sometimes as well.
No one could criticise him more than himself. He knew his left foot had a tendency to turn in. That's had cost him a place at the royal ballet. He knew he could always make an improvement on his last performance. Nothing was ever perfect!
Some of the ladies thought he was. They loved his glorious six... no eight pack. His body was lean, his muscles defined, he was not tall, but he was elegant and he had a charismatic presence.

Jake very rarely got a chance to go away. He always had a performance to think about. When this show came to an end, he would have to go through endless auditions again until he found something else. He did not have time for holidays. If he didn't work, he didn't earn money and if he didn't earn money he could not pay the bills.

He wallowed in female attention, it was a shame he was getting a bit bored with the scene now. He was looking for more than a one night stand. Something more than just the physical. He was not sure if he was ready for marriage and kids. He still had a career to pursue. But he was jealous of his freinds who had live in lovers who would be home waiting for him when he got in from the theatre.