Left or Right

Prologue

Riley's POV:

I sat on the floor of my bedroom, packing my suitcase whilst listening to music from my air pods which I'd previously connected to my phone. I didn't go to rehearsals today, though it's not totally a bad thing since Kate already knows why. I'll be moving out of the country with Mom and Dad later this evening. We'll be on a plane. No longer here in Canada. I don't know how I feel about it, if I'm honest.

Hardly anyone on the team knows I'm going to be moving, which includes leaving The Next Step, but Kate agreed to tell them all about it since I didn't want to hurt them. It would be too much to say goodbye. To see their faces of anger, hurt, and betrayal. Especially James's.

Mine and James's relationship has been off-track ever since he left A-Troupe to spend more time with the band. Ever since he quit the battle and gave up his spot for me. We've hardly seen each other at all lately, despite the amount of time both of us have spent together at the studio, and when we do see each other, it's awkward and we hardly speak a word. It's not like us at all.

Strangely enough, the moment I stand up to sit properly on the bed, the one song out of Lost and Found's playlist I had been dreading, comes on. It was the one they named after me, called 'Song for Riley'. The song James had written for the band to sing to me on our anniversary. The band already had over 50,000 listeners worldwide and even though I'm pretty upset with James for spending more time with them than with me right now, I'm also proud of the four guys, including my boyfriend.

As I sung the song in my head, listening strongly to each of the words, I felt my lip begin to quiver as I reached my hand under my pillow to grab the picture I had kept of James. It was a photo which had been ripped in half and he had the other half. I kept the part of the photo which had James in it and he had the other half which had me in it. So I lick my bottom lip as I look at his photographic facial features before putting it into my suitcase; the one thing I had left to pack.

Once I zip up my suitcase, I haul it upright and set it straight but just then, James's solo part of the song comes on. He hadn't sung it originally, but after, when they were actually recording the song in the music studios, he had decided to surprise me for my birthday by adding his own solo part. It made me feel special. Mainly because he usually sings rap or upbeat songs, but in this, his voice was soft and mellow to demonstrate how much he loved me. So then I feel tears begin to well-up in my eyes and I can't seem to do anything but sit back down on the bed whilst allowing a tear to drop.

I hear the sound of my door open and when I look up, I find Emily standing there before she sighs and slowly walks over towards me.

"Ri?" she asks, sitting down by my side. "Are you okay?" I shake my head viciously and curl up next to her side, resting my head on her lap.

"I don't want to leave, Em. I want to stay here," I cry to her, the tears taking a toll on me and causing me to choke as my words break apart. "I love James and I want to stay with him. I can't leave him, not now."

"Have you told him?" she asks me, running her fingers through my hair.

"No. I didn't know how to. Kate told the team today but I haven't heard back from any of them. They probably all hate me."

"They don't hate you. Maybe you should text James and ask to talk to him. I know you don't want to move but it's Mom and Dad's business, you know that, hon. And if you could come and live with me, I'd let you but I'm going to Uni in Philadelphia."

"I can't talk to James. Our relationship has been so off-track lately and I just can't stand to hurt him anymore. It'd be way too much for both of us."