𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀 ➳ THE NEXT STEP, OZZY

5:8

"If we are gonna win regionals, everything we do has to be perfect, so we're gonna do it again and everyone just keep an eye on Elliot - looking good"

Ophelia roles her eyes at Emily. Hoping that Kingston and Ozzy tell someone soon, if they don't then she would resort to doing it myself. She just turn and continue with her ballet practice as everyone else does.

"Really watch the hand, I want them to be, pretty not dinosaur-y" Emily says "Nice job Ophelia, just don't look so angry, judges don't like to see that"

Suddenly the music turns off, and Ophelia turns to find Michelle, making scowl form into a smile, but she looks down at her feet to conceal it. "Emily"

"Michelle?"

"You're not going to regionals" she turns to the group "Elliot has disqualified all of you"

"Michelle, should we talk in my office" Emily asks "Elliot you too"

Ophelia laughs quietly to herself, and watches the action from the dance studio with everyone else. The group all try to lip read, but not to any avail. From the expressions on Emily and Michelle's faces, it didn't look good for William.

"Elliot get out of my studio" Emily says, signalling to the door.

"You need me"

He then leaves and Emily slams to door to talk to Michelle again. Ophelia hears mumbles from around the room. She decides not to tell anyone because Ophelia knows that he was well liked, and doesn't want anyone getting angry with her.

*****

"Alright everyone, stretch it out. All the way down"

Looking in hindsight, it probably would have been better for Ophelia to have kept Elliot around, he was their tenth dancer and now there is a chance they won't be able to go to regionals.

"And role all the way up through each muscle-"

"All right everyone spread out, sit where ever you would like" Ophelia turns and finds Michelle with her dancers. "Get comfortable because we're gonna be here for a long time"

They all walk in and lay down on the ground for some reason. Ophelia feels a pair of hands grasp at her ankle, she glances down and sees Ozzy.

"Sorry Lia, you're a nice person, but please take control of your studio head" he says, scrambling around on the floor.

Ophelia tries to walk away, but she simply ends up dragging Ozzy across the floor with her. But another hand holds onto her other ankle, making her trip to the floor.

"Sorry Ophelia" Henry says.

Ophelia chuckles and tries to get up, not with very much success as the two boys keep their hands on her ankles. When she finally does so, I has Henry's legs waving around in her face, and Ozzy's hands on her ankles.

"We'll stop Ophelia if you get Emily to agree that tns East's win doesn't count" Henry smirks

"No, Henry. Ms. Kate said that we are going to regionals"

She grab Henry's legs and pushes them both over to his head, so that he roles over and Ophelia can run away, but every where she looked people were arguing.

"Guys is there another way to solve this" she says. "We don't have to resort to violence"

"Only if you let us go to regionals"

"No chance, Ozzy"

Ophelia tries to shuffle her leg from his grip, but it's no use. Ophelia has no room to do so, because if she even moved she'd end up tripping on someone.

"Ms Kate" Emily exclaims.

Everyone repeats it, and everyone the arguing dancers scramble off the ground and into one line. Making it look as if nothing happened.

"Michelle is being ridiculous right now-"

"-Emily is disqualified"

Once again, everyone starts arguing again. Ophelia, on the other hand, just wants to get back at Ozzy so for no reason, so, she playfully pushes him. Confused, Ozzy pushes back.

"ENOUGH"

The loud words from Miss Kate made Ophelia startle, causing her to stumble backwards, but Ozzy thankfully grabs her upper arm to pull her up straight. The two both silently laugh about it for a bit, but put on a straight face for the women at the front.

"I know exactly who is going to go to regionals. Nobody - no one is going to regionals"

The dancers all look at eachother, shocked expressions on our faces.

"You two filled out my voicemail with messages saying that there was an emergency at the studio, and I rush down the find this" Kate continues.

"Michelle, I let you run your own troupe because I thought the competition would make each team better. But clearly I was mistaken"

"I have a huge explanation-"

"No I know exactly what's happening here. The next step is about the love of dance, something you all have clearly forgotten. I think your time will be best spent focusing on what made you dance in the first place. The studio is not going to regional, the competitive dance season is over"

We all falter out of the studio and Ophelia goes into the locker room. Where she finds Zara, Josh and Jacquie in there, all clearing out their lockers.

"Can you believe we're not competing" Jacquie says, starting up conversation.

"Y'know what, this is garbage" Josh says, slamming his locker door, making Ophelia flinch.

"Exactly it's so unfair, Elliot was barely a part of the team" Ophelia says.

"I don't know what to think, honestly Noah switching sides, flipped everything" Josh says.

Immediately, Ophelia knows Jacquie would not be having any of this Noah slander.

"Sorry, what did you say. Are you guys blaming this on Noah"

"Yep" Zara says, surprising Ophelia.

"Leave Noah out of this" Jacquie says, slamming her locker door "C'mon Ophelia we're leaving"

She grabs Ophelia's wrist and pulls her away. Before being stopped by Josh.

"Whose side are you on Jacquie" Jacquie turns, at Josh's words "Last time I checked Noah was on tns West"

"Wow... Okay"

Jacquie leaves and Ophelia trails behind her. They reach a hallway and that's when Ophelia knows the something was up. The two girls were usually quite chatty, but Jacquie has been silent this whole time, so Ophelia decides to talk with her.

"Are you okay" Ophelia asks, "You've been silent this whole time"

Jacquie stops and turns to Ophelia, who thinks that this is about the situation that previously happened in the locker room, but she doesn't say anything. Ophelia wants her to rant if she needs too.

"I didn't know having a boyfriend on a rival team was this big of a problem. I don't get it" Jacquie says "Be truthful, do you think it's Noah's fault"

She stutters for a bit, honestly not really being sure what to say in response.

"Well... Jacquie. I think it was the domino effect from that, but really Noah didn't know what he was doing and how it would affect everything" Ophelia says.

"Okay...okay" Jacquie breathes "I see where you're coming from, so do you think that I should break up with Noah"

Ophelia laughs in shock "No, obviously not. Maybe just speak with him. That could make things clearer for you and tell him what went on"

Jacquie smiles at her friend, "Thanks, you're the best"

"I know"