Left or Right

Chapter 20

Riley's POV:

The next morning I was sat in the guest room in only my towel after I had finished showering. With my phone in hand, I texted Michelle as she told me all about how she would be at her mother's this weekend and so wouldn't be able to make it to rehearsals. I know it's not her fault and I really can't blame her but she is definitely putting the team in a twist. She's in numerous dances as well and James told me about how they were struggling with the small group dance.
They were supposed to have split into two groups and compete against each other before Kate and Phoebe chose the best routine but since Thalia got injured, it meant the routine had to be given to Max, West, Giselle, Michelle and James. Only, that seems to be going pear-shaped at the moment.

Just as Michelle tells me she had to go and I text her saying that I'll talk to her later, I put my phone down at the same time as there's a soft knock on the door. Knowing it most likely was, I tell them to come in and then James smiles softly when he sees me before closing the door behind him.
"Hey," he says softly, walking up to me and giving me a gentle kiss before sitting down on the bed beside me. Without another word, he takes my hands into his and gives them a squeeze. If I know James, I know that gesture implies something's up.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask him and he nods his head, smiling. 
"Look . . ." he begins, only solidifying that he was, in fact, not okay. I look at him curiously with an eyebrow raised as he looks into my eyes, licking his lower lip. "I know you said no. I know you have your reasons but I really, really need you to join dance again," he says, only making me roll my eyes and sigh as I look down at the carpet on the floor. 

"James, I told you already-"
"Please, Ri. It's either you join and we kill it or we find another dancer from B-Troupe, and let's be real. Everyone knows you're a much better dancer compared to those in B-Troupe," he tells me, making me bite my lip as I stare at him. "Do you want TNS to win internationals?"
"Of course I do," I whisper as he strokes his thumb over the back of my hand. Looking down at his soft gesture, I close my eyes and think for a moment before breathing out. "Okay," I whisper to him, opening my eyes again.

"Okay?"
"Okay. I'll do it," I mumble, looking up at him. A smile breaks out onto his face and he shuffles the smallest bit closer to me before placing his hand on my cheek.
"You'll do it?" he asks and I nod my head in response.
"Yes," I whisper, making his smile widen along with his eyes before he leans forward and wraps his arms around my shoulders, pulling me into a tight hug whilst I do the same to him, chuckling softly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," he whispers, pecking my cheek once before pulling back and looking into my eyes. I smirk since I don't think I'd ever seen him this happy for except for the time I told him I would go on a date with him a whole three years ago. Watching happiness course through his body has always been one of the best feelings and it definitely hasn't stopped now.
I was about to lean forward to kiss his lips again but then there's a knock on the door.

"James, are you in there? You shouldn't be in Riley's room when she just finished having a shower," Deborah's voice calls through the door, making James roll his eyes but me smirk. Little did she know about mine and James's current relationship.
"I know, Mom. I was just asking what she wanted for breakfast," he shouts back through the door.
"Alright, I'm expecting you to be out of there in the next thirty seconds though," she says before we listen to the sound of her footsteps as she stops leaning against the bedroom door and leaves to walk along the landing and shortly descends the staircase.

When James turns to face me, I smile softly and give his hand another gentle squeeze.
"A jam sandwich," I tell him, making him look at me confusedly. "That's what I want for breakfast," I say, making him roll his eyes as he smirks at me.
"With cut up strawberries on the side?" he inquires, making me nod my head.
"You know me so well," I tease, causing us both to laugh lightly before he presses a light kiss to my forehead and then stands up again.

"I'll see you downstairs, yeah?" he says and again, I nod, watching as he leaves the room, closing the door shut behind him.