HEARTBURST,, The Next Step

[1.20] we are family

[1X20]

I do not own any characters/plot from this show apart from my own!

{Riley tries in vain to patch things up with Emily. Meanwhile, Eldon is forced to decide whom he loves more, Michelle or Emily.}

❝Who even talks like that?❞

It was another day at the studio for the dancers, Eldon was running slightly late due to the fact he was having a catch-up with his girlfriend, Emily, and Maxie and Stephanie were in the corridor.

"Remind me what we're doing again?" Maxie asked the girl who was pacing and kept constantly looking down at her phone, awaiting an important call.

Steph sighed, this was the third time she had told Max, "Waiting for a call from my agent? Gosh, Maxie, how many times do I need to tell you," she sighed, exasperation evident on her face.

"I know we are," the British girl smirked, "I just like annoying people."

The moment was immediately cut short when the monotone ringtone blared from the girl's phone, catching both of their attention.

Stephanie stood there with wide eyes, frozen to the spot, almost as if she didn't want to answer the call.

"So?" Max poked her arm, "Are you gonna answer that, or what? Because if we've been sat here for the past fifteen minutes for noth-"

"Hello!"

Maxie's rant was immediately cut short by Stephanie answering the call, causing the girl to huff in annoyance and slouch back onto the bench.

A few minutes had passed, and her attention had been pulled back to Stephanie on the sound of someone hanging up the phone.

"Yeah, just give me a call if you find anything else, okay? Thanks. Bye," she breathed down the line, pressing the end call button when she was done. She looked like she was about to say something to Maxie when Tiffany came walking in.

"Who's that?" Tiffany immediately questioned, jumping straight into the conversation.

"Oh hello Maxie, hi Stephanie," Maxie grumbled, "What happened to manners these days? Huh?"

Steph threw a reassuring glance to the girl before turning back to Tiffany, "Oh, it's just my agent."

"Okay, and..." Tiffany pushed, trying to pry for more information.

The girl then went and sat down next to Maxie, not trusting her legs to turn to jelly out of fear as she responded with a shrug, "I don't know, he has an audition for me to go to but I don't... I'm not interested."

"What? Steph, that's awesome!" Maxie grinned, pulling her into an awkward side-hug.

Tiffany nodded, "Yeah, why would you say no to that?"

"I don't know," she muttered, avoiding eye contact with the other two, "it's a random role. I don't really want to do it."

"Yeah, no." Maxie deadpanned, standing up and pulling Stephanie with her, "You're not missing this opportunity just because of some idiot directors in your last one."

Tiffany chimed in, "Yeah, Steph, call them back, tell them you're going to take it."

When Stephanie gave both the girls hesitant looks, they both began encouraging her over and over until the ebony-haired girl finally gave in.

"You're good," Tiffany said, grasping her arm, "You've just gotta believe in yourself."

"Tiffany and Maxie have a point," the girl sighed, "I have to be able to take this stuff. This is what the industry's all about. And... Maybe I'll get this one, maybe I won't but I can't give up trying."