𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀 ➳ THE NEXT STEP, OZZY

5:7

"We have chosen tns East"

Those words rang through Ophelia's brain, repeatedly on a loop that made her happier every time it played.

She could barely ask for anything more, her and all of her friends were going to reigonals. Smiling and dancing with them, made Ophelia feel so much better.

Even Emily joined in with the fun, and the group all started chanting. The energy that radiated through the room was unmatched. The yelling could probably he heard all through the building.

"TNS EAST, TNS EAST, TNS EAST"

All the dancers hard work had finally paid off, and Ophelia could feel her dancing improving as well. Finally everything was worth it.

The downside was that, her friends on TNS West wouldn't be able to come to regionals. Ophelia tried to push the thought out of her mind however, it never seemed to work.

"Okay!" Emily calls, breaking Ophelia's train of thought "Back to work, I have a few things to say"

A crowd forms in front of Emily and she starts listing her announcements.

"Now, it's time to get serious. If you thought that was hard, you have no idea what's its like to try and win reigonals. It's time for us to look towards the future and the future for this studio is a video"

Ophelia looks around at everyone, and sees the confusion, but also excitement on their faces.

"A video that will be uploaded to a website where a panel of judges decide who even gets to go to reigonals this year"

Nodding, Ophelia never made a video before, so she hopes that someone else has because otherwise their chances would be slimmed to none. This was where Ophelia thought that their team definitely needed Kingston.

"Alright, I have one more question. Whose box is this?" Emily asks and points to a box that was on one of the white chairs.

"I'd actually like to make an announcement please" Elliot says and steps up to the front. "I've only been here for a very short time, but I know greatness when I see it. This is a great team and we need something to let the whole world know"

He steps over to the box and brings it over. Crouching down to its level, he opens it. "It's a new look for the next step"

Inside were jackets, they were silver with blue letterimg on them with The Next Step East written on them in white font.

"There's one for each an every one of yo. Including our glorious leader, the beautiful, the talented, Emily"

Ophelia smiles and takes one from the box, it was a nice jacket. Probably easy to dance in too.

"I'll let you have five minutes as I sort out the music, then be ready for practice"

Emily walked into her office and Ophelia turns to the group. Elliot starts talking again.

"Guys we should all celebrate, we should go somewhere"

That starts up some conversation, "We should ask some of tns West, maybe it'll make them feel better" Ophelia says, hoping that she could invite Kingston or Ozzy, as much as she liked her team, she thought that the two TNS West dancers seemed to be a bit more fun.

"Yeah, do you wanna see whose in neural grounds?" Jacquie asks, Ophelia knows exactly who she wants to find.

"Sure"

Jacquie and Ophelia head up to the cafe underneath, three tns West were members sat there. The two people that Ophelia wanted to see.

"Hey" Jacquie says, walking over to them. Her eyes only focused on Noah though.

Ophelia follows behind her like a lost dog.

"Ooh flashy new threads" Ozzy says walking around the two girls. At least he seemed to be acting normal.

"Elliot bought jackets for the entire team" Jacquie explains.

"Elliot must be rich to buy ten jackets"
Ozzy gushes.

"Anyways" Jacquie's attention turns to Noah "A bunch of us dancers are going out tonight, wanna come?"

"Er... Actually I'm busy tonight"

"You okay"

"Yeah I'm fine. Good"

Noah heads out and Jacquie follows after him. Leaving Ophelia with Ozzy and Kingston, something that she was half glad about. She places herself down in the seat where Noah was before.

"Are you guys gonna come" she asks, but only receives gormless looks from them both "out tonight with some of us dancers".

"Is Elliot going?" Kingston asks

"Yeah, he's organising the whole thing" Ophelia answers.

"Then no, sorry Lia" Ozzy says.

"Please, my team are no fun. You guys would make it so much better" Lia pleas, but gets nothing. So she resorts to going to her plan b. "Ozzy, Richelle will he there"

"Tough decision, but no. Not even Richelle can cover my hatered for Elliot" Ozzy says.

Ophelia huffs and rests her elbow on the table to hold her head up. "Don't blame you, he gives me an off vibe too"

Both of them look at eachother, and then to Ophelia. Remembering she had rehearsals, Lia jolts upright.

"Should probably be going, I have rehearsals in a few minutes. Don't want to see Emily when I'm late" Ophelia says.

"Yeah, see you around though" Kingston says.

"You too"

Leaving them makes Ophelia think that she would really like them to be on her team. She wishes that she wasn't stuck with Elliot, the suck up, but instead with those two.

*****

"Ophelia, Lia"

Upon hearing her name Ophelia turns, to her surprise it's Kingston and Ozzy. She thanks Heather, the barista, for her drink, even though she could tell from the colour that it was made wrong, but shes had a tough day after losing the battle so Ophelia lets her off.

Ophelia grins at my two friends "Hey guys, what's up?"

They both abruptly stop infront of her and breath heavily, hunched over with their hands, resting on their knees.

"Are you two alright?"

"Do you have a phone on you" Kingston asks, placing an hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah" Ophelia pulls it out of her jacket, it unlocks with a fingerprint "Why, can you be quick I've got rehearsals?"

Kingston snatches it from her, Ozzy speaks for him. "We need to Google something, we'll only be a minute"

Ophelia nods, skeptical, so she looks over at what they're doing, they're on Google and have typed in William Elliot and on the screen were pictures of Elliot, as in the one she dances with.

"Wait is that Elliot-"

"He's a professional dancer" Ozzy yells, garnering a couple looks from people sitting at Neutral Grounds.

"What" Ophelia says, and almost yells. "But professional dancers can't compete at regionals"

"You're right" Kingston says "C'mon Ozzy we've gotta tell Michelle"

"Bye, Lia"

They both run, but Ophelia stays behind. She knew that they won't be able to compete at regionals, but it would probably be revealed anyway. So she presumed that it was better for it to be found out now, rather than when they've choreographed all the dances with him in.