HEARTBURST,, The Next Step

[3.24] how it ends

❝ The storyline is heartbreakingly captivating. Only Maxie and West could have pulled something like this off.❞

‧₊˚✩

After racing back to the building, Maxie finally got the low-down from her teammates about how Lucien had revealed his return, and, upon hearing just how doomed they were, she didn't know what to do. 

The girl was pacing the rehearsal room. They had to win, they'd come too far not to. She had far too much relying on this final; she would never forgive herself if Lucien was the reason she lost it all.

"Maxie," James entered the room, and the sound of his voice briefly stopped the girl from pacing, "I need to tell you something."

"If it's not that Lucien's disappeared and miraculously no one can find him, then I don't wanna hear it," She snapped, arms folded over her chest.

He shook his head, "No, it's about something after this competition."

"Oh?" 

"Once we're done here in Miami..." He began, unsure of how she'd react, "I'm leaving the studio to be with the band."

Maxie stopped for a brief moment. James was right, this was more important than whatever nonsense Lucien was cooking up.

A smile crept its way onto Maxie's lips, "James that's awesome!" She went forward for a hug, one that he happily reciprocated.

"Seriously?" He furrowed his brows after he pulled away from the hug, "You're not mad?"

"How could I be mad?" She shook her head, a small laugh elicited from her lips, "The band has been your dream for ages, and now we've reached the top level in dance, I can't be mad you want to do it for music, too."

James grinned widely at his best friend.

Maxie was telling the truth, she was delighted he was following his passion, since she'd noticed it'd been straying from dance for a while now, however, it also helped that it meant she wouldn't be the only one potentially leaving the studio when they touched back down in Canada.

She wasn't telling him that just yet, though.

"You'd be the first to not be fuming with me then," He shrugged, moving to take a sip of his water.

Maxie squinted at him whilst tilting her head, confused at what he was insinuating.

"Riley," James sighed, "I told her earlier today and... She freaked. She won't even talk to me."

Maxie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Just talk to her. Riley can't tell you what to do, but you can just hear out how she's feeling about it."

Whilst James nodded, the girl continued, "Things will change all the time, but it's not always gonna be a bad thing. Sometimes change happens to put us on the right path."

It seemed like she wasn't just reassuring James, she was reassuring herself, too.

"When did you get so wise?" James nudged her, causing both of them to laugh.

‧₊˚✩

Giselle, Michelle and Maxie were all stood backstage stretching and making jokes about some of the strange things they'd seen at the dance competition over the past week. However, just as Max was about to bring up the Italian guy she'd seen cartwheeling in the grassy area out front, the three girls' attentions were pulled to two figures walking quickly down the hallway.