Blindsided

14

James

We were all sat in the back garden, it had been a long day but it was nice just chilling out. I was scrolling through Instagram when I came across Riley's post and I'm not the only one
"3 months, that's snuck around fast" Emily said looking at her phone grabbing everyone's attention
"What?" Eldon asked so I quickly showed him my phone

"What does DTDS stand for" He asked and I shrugged
"Oh Riley told me this, dance something something studios" Spencer said right as Riley walked out of the house, she must have managed to get Olivia to sleep

"Sweetheart, what was the studio name again?" Spencer asked as she took a seat next to him placing her legs over his lap
Riley's breath hitched before looking at me
"Dance 'til Dawn Studios" She said making me look at with a slight smile on my face

Dance 'til Dawn was the first duet I had ever done with Riley, it was the first time I managed to get her to even give me an ounce of her time
"Like our regionals duet auditions?" Eldon asked and Riley nodded still not breaking out eye contact
"Ohh you haven't told me this story" Spencer said making her look away from her and turn to him but before she could say anything I interjected

"It was the first time Riley and I were ever duet partners" I said making Spencer look at me with a smile on his face
I don't think there is anything that could make that boy jealous if I'm honest 
"I remember that day! Eldon was running around trying to do two duets" West laughed
"James and I spent most of our practice time watching it all unfold" Riley laughed 

"guys really?" Eldon asked making the pair of us laugh
"Come on man it was funny!" I said 
"What was it Michelle said?" Riley asked looking at her best friend
"Do you need a tissue for your issues" Ri and I said at the same time making both of us laugh again

"So Spencer, as you can see Jiley were very immature" Eldon said pulling a face at both Riley and I
"Hey El, we were more mature then you" Riley teased 
"Oh yeah?" He asked and Riley confidently nodded
"How so" Eldon asked
"Well put it this way, we managed to get through Beth, Alfie and Ella. You would have easily thrown in the towel" Riley confidently said
"You did throw in the towel with both Emily and Michelle" West laughed only solidifying Riley's point

"So what I'm hearing is that Jiley got through the war while Eldon flew solo?" Spencer laughed making us all laugh
"Pretty much, there wasn't a lot Riley and James couldn't do when they put their minds to it" Michelle said smiling between Riley and I 

I turned to look at Riley who was smiling in my direction

--

"What else haven't you told me about then" Spencer asked poking at Riley's sides making her squirm
I was surprised the boy wanted to know more considering during this time his girlfriend was with another guy
"Did you tell him about London?" West asked and Riley looked at West confused
"what about it?" I asked
"How we all found out" He laughed

"Oh you mean you telling me you were going to make my laptop blow up?" Riley asked crossing her arms
"Hey did it?" West asked making Riley roll her eyes
"Sounds like Riley was the key to every story" Spencer laughed but everyone nodded along with him

"I think it's safe to say Riley was the heart of A-Troupe" Eldon smiled at Riley who rolled her eyes with the same smile on her face
"I think we were all a huge part of it. If you take any of us out of the equation things would have been different" Riley said
"Like what?" Steph asked

"Take Em out and I would never have gone there" Riley started
"Take Eldon out and we wouldn't have won against Superstar at Nationals" she continued
"Take James out and we wouldn't have won Internationals" She finished
"we were all a big part of TNS we were a team for a reason" she smiled making all of us smile with her

TNS is more then a team, it was and always will be a family..