Mountain

2.16

i was in the studio packing up my stuff after rehearsal when Tahlia and Gisele came over to me. "Hey izzy. how are you?" Tahlia asked me.

"great. why? what's up?"

"look we didn't really want the duet. it was a fake challenge. we just wanted to push you and James to work harder." i smiled softly.

it makes sense that Giselle and Tahlia wouldn't actually challenge us. i mean, it doesn't seem like them to go behind our backs like that. and it was sweet of them for trying to push us, but it's just wasn't working.

"look guys, i really appreciate it, but i just don't care anymore." i said.

"izzy, we're really really sorry." Giselle said. "please we need you to do the duet. you have so much chemistry. you're Izzy and James. please."

"except we're not anymore. you guys have more chemistry than us."

"is there anything we can do?"

"yes. practice. you're the new nationals duet. don't let us down." i said to them and left the studio.

i walked home on my usual way when suddenly James appeared next to me.

i don't know why James is walking home with me right now. i do not want to talk to him.

there's an awkward silence for a while until i spoke up. "so where's Beth? lately you're always together." i said. "she hungs around you like... like..."

"like a moth to a lightbulb?" he finished my sentence.

"yeah. like a moth. which makes you the lightbulb?" i said confused.

"i tell you, i'm not the brightest lightbulb." i find myself chuckling at his comment but i wiped away my smile quickly.

"Izzy," he stopped me, "what happened to us? i thought we had everything."

"so did i. but that's just life i guess." i said and kept walking and he came after me. "i have a lot of stuff to do so i should get home."

"i'll walk you home."

"no i should walk alone." i said getting my speed up.

"i heard about your brother!" he said after me and that made me stop. "why didn't you tell me?"

i turned to look at him. "i tried."

"the french toast thing?" he asked and i didn't reply to that.

"i couldn't. i still can't actually say it."

"you shouldn't carry it alone." he touched my hand slightly.

"James, stop."

"i miss you, Iz." he said softly.

i took a step back. "i'll see you at the studio tomorrow." i turned around and walked away from him fast.

the next day Kate came and gathered all of us. "i have some bad news, unfortunately." she said.

oh no.

"Michelle has left the next step."

"what!" we all exclaimed.

"which means that we only have ten dancers left on our nationals team."

this is so bad. if one of us is injured or just can't dance that means we're screwed.

"look, i know it's a hard time right now but we need to decide who's going to do the female solo at nationals."

"i want the solo." Amanda stepped in.

"okay."

Eldon started coughing. "izzy." he called out, covering it through the cough.

i looked at him angrily.

Riley started coughing also and said my name.

what the hell is going on?

"izzy?" Kate asked me. "do you want it?"

"you have to i'll explain later." Riley whispered to me.

"yeah. i do." no i don't. what am i doing?

"what i would like you two ladies to do is find a song, come up with a routine and from there i will decide who gets the solo."

"okay sounds good." i agreed.

Amanda walked away and Riley and Emily pulled me to the hallway. "what the hell is going on? i don't want the solo—"

"Amanda is still at Elite."

"what!" i yelled but they shushed me quickly.

"i have a plan." Riley said. "you know the expression keep your friends close but your enemies closer?"

"yes." me and Emily said.

"well, if i get everyone at the next step to hate me, then maybe Amanda will understand why i want to join her. and by being close to her, we can take her down." Riley explained.

"it's a good plan. it really is. i'm very proud of you." Emily said. "but you? nobody is going to hate you."

"yeah, Ri, you're too lovable." i said.

"i'm the one that should go undercover with Amanda."

"Em..." i said to her.

"are you sure? i mean, you just got everyone to like you again."

"what other option do we have?" she looked at me. "you'll be dance captain on your own. it's a good plan."

"okay." i said. "i have to go work on my solo now."