Pinn - Memories

Chapter 49

Finn's POV

Piper sobs into my chest.

'Heyyyy, it's ok, it's ok', I whisper.

No it's not!', Piper shrieks in a wobbly tone. 'E-everyone knows now-'

'I know', I soothe.

She looks so broken. It hurts.

I don't know what's going to happen. All I know is that I'll do anything to see her smile again.

Ozzy's POV

'So... I guess we should just go from the top and dance the whole thing?', I suggest once we've entered an empty rehearsal.

'Yeah...', Amy replies melancholily, staring at the ground.

I turn to Richelle, who stares into space. 'Richelle?'

She doesn't move.

I wave my hands in front of her. 'Richellllle?'

'Huh?', she mumbles, blinking, before yawning slowly.

Oh boy.

'We're dancing in an hour, and we have to leave here in 45 minutes to walk side stage and get there before our competitors start their dance.'

Both girls nod, staring at nothing in particular. Clearly, I'm going to have to take the lead. I hit the music.

My mind is seemingly incapable of blocking out Heathcliff's voice.

Seems like duet rehearsal isn't going so well, Ozzwald.

Ugh. He's not wrong, though.

You know why? Because you're in the trio, not me. Emily and Nick should have never picked you! I was the clear choice!

I try to ignore it, but I can't. Maybe he's right.

Maybe I shouldn't be in this trio. There are so many incredible dances on A-troupe, and I'm not too sure that I'm one of them.

I gulp and step on something soft.

'Ah!', Amy whispers.

I turn to her mid-song. 'What happened?'

'You stepped on my foot', Amy explains. 'You turned to the right, not the left. You didn't realise?', she asks, furrowing her eyebrows.

I shake my head. 'Ugh. Sorry Amy', I get out, burying my face in my hands.

'It's fine', she replies hollowly. Richelle's eyes droop.

If I can't even stay focused right now, what hope do we have?

Finn's POV

'It's ok. A-troupe's a family', I point out.

Piper shakes her head in disbelief. 'No-one's going to forget this. Ever.'

I wrap my arms around her tighter and can feel her trembling body.

I don't think there's anything else I can say to make her feel better. It's just going to take time.

'Breathe with me, ok?', I say. I inhale slowly, counting to three in my head, before pausing for a second and exhaling. Piper imitates my breathing, and after a few minutes, her inhaling and exhaling is steady. Her body starts to ease, and it's almost completely still.

But that doesn't stop the tears from flooding down her face.

Amy's POV