Snapshots

6. Henry

Team morale is high after the hip-hop round. They're competing in the Senior Advanced Division, and they're already in first place. A-Troupe's got this Regionals competition in the bag.

Henry's not worried as the next round starts. The dancers in the contemporary number are some of the strongest dancers on the team. This will easily be another win for the studio, and everyone already knows that Richelle and Noah will win the Pas de Deux, so really, they might as well book their tickets to Nationals now.

Of course, you know what they say. Pride comes before the fall or whatever.

The contemporary number starts off strong, and it seems like it'll be another easy win for A-Troupe. Until Piper falls out of her aerial onstage.

Henry's heart instantly sinks. Jacquie lets out an audible gasp before sharing a grim look with Richelle. There's no way this can be happening.

Part of Henry wants to be mad, but he can't because Piper is his friend, and it's not a secret to anyone that she's been struggling this year- not just with her aerial, obviously, but you know, mentally. And no one seems to know that better than Finn.

Henry glances up at his friend to find Finn rubbing his face with his hand and watching Piper stumble her way through the remainder of the dance with a look so sad that it almost breaks Henry's heart all over again.

They'll be lucky if they're even in the top 5 now. And while everyone else is upset about their chances at the finals disappearing, Finn's only concern seems to be Piper. He reaches out for her as the small group leaves the stage, but Piper doesn't seem to notice, pushing past the whole team and running away from the backstage area, her bottom lip trembling and eyes shining with unshed tears.

The mood has immediately shifted, and Kingston plops down on a sound amp, his face glum as he grumbles, "There's no way we'll win now."

Summer bites her lip, disappointed, and Henry puts an arm around her. Finn simply huffs at Kingston's words and turns on his heel, grabbing his TNS jacket from where he tossed it earlier and hurrying after Piper without a word to anyone.

However disappointed the team may be in Piper, she has to be feeling even more disappointed in herself. Henry figures it's probably a good thing that Finn goes after her. She's going to need someone to reassure her that it's okay because, knowing Piper, she'll beat herself up for days if someone doesn't.

Michelle runs her hands over her hair before breaking the morose silence that's settled around the team. "Look, I know this is hard, but we're not out of the competition yet. We can still do this. There's still hope."

Everyone simultaneously turns to Noah and Richelle, who share a serious look. The fate of the team is resting on them now, and they all know it.

As the last few studios perform in the contemporary round, Henry and Summer find a spot to sit backstage while they wait. He runs her hair through his fingers as he murmurs, "You were amazing," to her.

She gives a small smile, leaning against him as she mutters, "I just hope Piper's okay."

Henry lets out a small sigh, his cheek resting against her head. "Me too."

While Noah and Richelle prepare to perform, Finn and Piper finally return. Piper doesn't exactly look okay, but she doesn't seem to be in utter distress either. She's holding tightly to Finn's hand, and neither of them let go as they rejoin the team backstage. Finn leans down to whisper something in her ear, and she looks up at him, her lips in the saddest smile Henry's ever seen as Finn grins down at her.

She sticks to Finn's side while they wait for the Pas de Deux, still holding his hand, and eventually, Summer nudges Henry with her elbow, nodding towards them. "Look."

"I know."

"Do you think they're together?" Summer asks, sounding genuinely curious. "He likes her, you know."

"Oh, I think the whole world knows."

"Seriously though," Summer laughs, smiling softly as she observes the pair from afar.

"They're not a thing," Henry tells her with certainty because if Piper and Finn were anything more than friends, the Bro group chat would know every detail. Finn already bombards them with a long ass story any time Piper so much as laughs at one of his dumb jokes.

"I think she likes him too," Summer muses, "She just doesn't know it yet."

"You willing to bet money on that?" She giggles and shakes her head, and he pretends to sigh in disappointment. But then he adds, "You're a wise one, Summer Hills."

She grins and shrugs dismissively. "Or maybe I'm just observant."

"Those things aren't exclusive, you know," Henry points out with a good-natured roll of the eyes, but then he leans in to kiss her, and she smiles against his lips, and he forgets about their friends for a few moments.

In all reality, Summer's probably the most observant of all of A-Troupe, and Henry likes that about her. He doesn't doubt that she's right about Piper liking Finn. Amy's filled him in on Piper's past with Josh and how it made her more guarded. (And then she swore him to secrecy, of course, because it's a sensitive topic for Piper and she didn't want it getting out to the whole studio.)

Henry doesn't remember much of what Piper was like around Josh, but he does know that Finn brings out of a side of her he hasn't seen much of before. Piper's always been hardworking and professional around the studio, but Finn brings out a more carefree side of her that Henry suspects has always been there, but it's certainly refreshing to see. And in return, Piper seems to have a positive influence on Finn as well. Dance is the one thing he's always seemed to take seriously, but even more so since befriending Piper.

Josh was a good guy, and even though he hurt Piper, Henry doesn't resent the dude for it. You can't control who you have feelings for. But even if Josh had returned her feelings, Henry knows it wouldn't have lasted. It's just hard to picture Piper with anyone other than Finn, and vice versa. They're so close that Henry tends to think of them as a pair more often than not these days, and he knows he's not the only one.

Piper and Finn make a good pair. And when Finn finally drops Piper's hand, and she glances down almost as if she's disappointed, Henry's certain that Summer's on to something.

He knows Finn's sure of his own feelings. He just wonders how long it'll take Piper to realize her own.