The fans have spoken, and the best of the best will battle next week to be the "Dancing with the Stars" winner. Teams Candace Cameron Bure and Mark Ballas, Meryl Davis and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, James Maslow and Peta Murgatroyd, and Amy Purdy and Derek Hough are all facing enormous amounts of pressure, but one of these teams is also facing crazy new rumors.

According to unnamed sources, Peta is using James, who previously admitted that they went on a couple of dates in the past, to get back at her ex, fellow "Dancing with the Stars" professional dancer Maksim.

"Peta has wanted Maksim back ever since they broke up," an "insider" told tabloid web site Radar Online.

The source alleges that James is a toy in Peta's plan to get Maksim back.

"The relationship with James is fake," the source said. "She is just using ... James to make Maksim jealous."

James has yet to comment about the rumors. If he hopes to win, he'll have to focus on next week's finale instead.

"Peta is ecstatic because it's only the second time she's been in the finals. The only other time was in her second season with Donald [Driver] and she won it," James said via his Parade blog. "... It's really hard to say who the biggest competitor is, I guess Meryl, just in terms of dance ability."

Radar Online even claims that Peta, whose 10-month-long relationship with her competitor ended "last February," is trying to make Maksim jealous with his brother and "Dancing with the Stars" professional dancer, Val.

"She has gotten very close with Val and has really become Val's best friend ... in an effort to win Maksim back," the source continued. "She goes out with Val. She hangs out with him in the hopes that her friendship with Val will help her reconnect with Maksim."

Don't feel bad for Val, however, the source claims that he likes having Peta as a pal but "doesn't want to get involved."

The source continued being pretty relentless, saying that Peta is shamelessly desperate.

"Maksim has moved onto other women, including Kate Upton ... he has moved on," the source said. "... Everyone on the set of 'Dancing With the Stars' knows about Peta's feelings for Maksim, and she does nothing to hide him. ... Ever since the break-up, she has never gotten over him ... She would do anything to get him back."

Will Peta be able to ignore this negativity and get her second "Dancing With the Stars" victory? Based on her Twitter page, she may have just the kind of positivity she needs.

"People put others down for their own amusement and gain -- rise above it! Don't believe the gossip and focus on the good," she tweeted last night.
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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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