HEARTBURST,, The Next Step

[4.2] stir it up

❝ Besides, being in the drama is what makes this place fun.❞

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Maxie had never intended on coming to the open house, however, after about a dozen selfies from West with prospective new A-Troupers, and a very cryptic message from James, she had decided to see the new blood.

Once stepping into the building and following the sound of music coming from the studio she'd spent years dancing in, she came face to face with the crowd.

"Maxie!" A young voice called her over to the bench outside Kate's office, "I'm glad you're here!"

"No, I'm glad you're here!" Another voice yelled from beside her, a little more passive aggressive.

Maxie shook her head with a laugh, making her way over to the siblings during, what seemed to be, an intense discussion.

"Piper and James," She smiled, "My favourite duo that I only ever see together when my Mum invites Deborah over for Chilli Night."

"Yeah, well, Chilli Night just came to the studio," James shot back, a sassy tone to his voice.

Whilst Maxie furrowed her brows in confusion, Piper rolled her eyes, "James that doesn't make any sense."

James scoffed, "It makes complete sense... Anyways, Maxie, I told you to get here because you need to tell my sister she's not ready to audition for A-Troupe."

"Okay, first off, your sister has a name, and second, I don't wanna hear it," Piper fought back, "I've been wanting to audition for years now, and you know that. You both do," She then looked to Maxie.

The girl felt like she was at a tennis match with the amount of back and forth she was doing between James and Piper. She had watched them argue about pointless things a countless amount of times, however, she knew this was different.

Folding her arms, Maxie shrugged, "I don't see why she shouldn't. You won't be there to bicker with her, and we have almost half a team's worth of spaces to fill. Piper's a good dancer."

"Yeah, but good doesn't make A-Troupe and you know it," James argued back, "Look, we just won Internationals, there's a lot of pressure to be on A-Troupe, it's cut throat."

When Piper sighed, James continued, "I'm not even gonna be here to watch your back."

"Maxie will be, though, she's practically my sister," Piper fought whilst Maxie stood there awkwardly: she still hadn't told any of the dancers she was leaving yet, and doing so now would just strengthen James' point.

"Maxie couldn't watch a movie for over an hour," James rolled his eyes, earning him a scowl in response from the girl in question, "You're still young. Give it a year or two, you'll be fine."

Maxie shook her head, "You don't know what's gonna happen in a year or two, James. If she claims she's in her prime with dancing now, you can't just hold that off, it's not fair."

"It is fair, Max," He told her.

"How old were you when you joined the studio?" Maxie raised an eyebrow at the boy, "Not when you joined A-Troupe, when you joined the studio."

He quietened down a bit, "I was six."

Maxie then turned to Piper, "And how old are you, now, Piper?"

"I'm fourteen... Almost fifteen!"