The Project

11

Riley

"And there are our final 2 pairs!" Mrs Jefferson said as the 4 of us approached
I glanced around to see none of our friends had made it back, just James, Michelle, Hayden and I with 6 other random people 
"Your prize is a decked out campfire tonight! So go get yourself cleaned up, it'll be ready in an hour of so" One of the male teachers said making all us of nod
"Freddie is gonna have a field day with this aint he" Hayden winked making me roll my eyes
"Don't encourage it and we won't have a problem" I said ruffling his hair
"alright but if you fall in love with James by the end of the evening, it wasn't my doing" he smirked
"you know, I could say the same about you and a certain blonde" I smirked making Hayden choke on air before narrowing his eyes at me 

"Truce?" He offered and I chuckled shaking his hand
"Truce" I replied before we went our separate ways

--

It wasn't long before we were by the campfire with everyone else who had won the challenge, Michelle and Hayden were looking pretty cosy if I'm honest
"She always works fast" James chuckled coming to sit with me and handing me a hot chocolate
"Thanks" I said taking a sip
"I've never seen Hayden work this fast" I said making James chuckle again 
"Michelle has that effect on people" He warned leaning back on the log slightly 

"Did Eldon make it back safe and sound?" I asked and he nodded
"Apparently Freddie spent the entire day complaining about our school tho" James said making me roll my eyes
"Yeah he does that, Freddie is very true to the fued" I said
"he gets it from his dad" I added and James shrugged
"Eh, doesn't bother me. If he can't get over something he wasn't even involved in, it says a lot for his personality" James said 
He was spot on with Freddie though if I'm honest

"So tell me something, I'm not going to find out in the remaining letters" James said looking at me after we both finished our drinks
"what letter are you on? So I don't repeat myself of spoil anything" I joked
"I just read letter 3" He said and I smiled
"Ha same pace then" I said making him smile 

"God I don't even know" I said making him chuckle
"How about your favourite thing to do" James asked and I smiled
"Easy" I chuckled making him look at me with intrigue

"I like sneaking out of my bedroom window and sitting on the roof and just sitting there watching the stars or reading" I smiled making James return the smile
"that's very unique" He smiled and I shrugged
"I remember I did it once at my nana's house and she almost had a heart attack when she found me up there" I laughed making James join in

"It's nice up there, like it makes the world seem so irrelevant. It's like my little escape" I smiled
"What about you?" I asked trying to keep the conversation going
"Honestly? Dance or Band" He chuckled
"Like i've said, i'm pretty straight forward" He said 
"Okay next question, why do you dance?" I asked 
I know everyone has their own unique answer and I was merely curious on his

"well, mum put me in lessons in the attempt I would be less energetic at home. Then I met Eldon and West and she soon realised the mistake she made. Because not only did she still have my energy to deal with, it was now matched with Eldon and Wests" he laughed 
"That's sweet and all but I asked why you dance. Not how you got into it" I smirked making James roll his eyes with a playful smirk

"I don't know how to answer it honestly, I dance because I can't imagine myself doing anything else? Like I like being able to move to music and turn it into a performance, I like being able to be the reason someone smiles" James said making both of us smile at the same time

"Now that sounds like a better reason then any" I teased nudging him making him chuckle

"Alright next question, would you ever dance again?" James asked making my breath hitch slightly
"i don't think so" I confessed
"Would you ever try?" He then asked and I shrugged
"I don't know, I'm not really in the position to" I confessed making James look at me confused
"position?" He asked and I nodded

"So I take it if I was to invite you to The Next Step this weekend it would be a no?" James asked
"How about this" I offered peaking James interest
"If you can make it through the next two letters and still want me to come, I'll come when we've both finished the letters" I said and James instantly smiled

"Deal?" I asked and he nodded shaking my hand
"I think that's the best deal I've ever made" He smiled making me shake my head with a little laugh