Lost in the Middle

Six

AN: Set during "Convention Tension" and "Sweet and Salty". A little bit of a longer chapter this week, and some deeper insight from both Jacquie and Noah.

They're right in the middle of convention prep when Jacquie approaches her about planning a surprise party for Noah's birthday.

"Nothing huge, maybe just a cake and A-Troupe in Shakes & Ladders after the workshop on Saturday."

At that specific point in time they aren't really doing much, it's still a few days away from the convention (and therefore Noah's birthday and Richelle doesn't know why Jacquie waited this long) and they can't do a lot of set up until Friday afternoon when rehearsal would normally be; but Richelle has 6 other things going through her head that she's trying to organize. So really she didn't mean to snap at Jacquie, and if she were almost anyone else in the studio she wouldn't have. But Jacquie's her friend and even though they were in the studio, she let her walls down enough that she wasn't actively masking. So she swallows her pride and walks across the room to where Jacquie is folding pamphlets.

"I'm sorry. For snapping at you. I'm stressed about this weekend because I have a lot of projects due next week and I don't have the weekend to work on them. On top of all the convention stuff. Not that it makes it okay, but I just wanted you to know what's going on. Because you're my friend."

"Thanks. Do you want to leave early? I'll be fine here on my own."

"No, it's okay, Natalie won't be able to pick me up until later anyway. I'll talk to Emily about not coming on Friday if I have to. Oh! And I think Noah would love a surprise party. Especially since this is the first year that neither of his brothers are going to be home."

Jacquie smiles widely at her and Richelle knocks her head on her friend's shoulder before grabbing her own stack of papers.

***

She's right about Noah liking his surprise party. She found an old photo from when they were still on J-Troupe when Jacquie asked, to put on the cake and their shirts. The party is mostly A-Troupe, Emily stops by but she looks a little freaked out when she leaves.

As the night goes on their group gets smaller and smaller until it's just Jacquie, Noah, and Richelle.

"Thanks for doing this guys. I had a lot of fun."

"Of course! We weren't just going to ignore your birthday because of the convention!"

Richelle doesn't say anything but she hums something that sounds like an agreement. She looks like she's about to pass out at the table.

Jacquie watches as her boyfriend helps her best friend out to her truck and she feels a familiar fluttering in her chest. She knows it's not jealousy, she's felt that before, but she doesn't quite know what it is. Only that it's been occurring more and more recently, almost always whenever she's with Noah and Richelle, and specifically when they're interacting. It's nice though, whatever it is.

She drops Richelle off first since she's the closest to the studio. Noah has to gently shake her awake and she mumbles something incoherent, probably about being woken up before she grabs her stuff and half walks, half drags her feet into her building.

***

Richelle and Jacquie are both pissed when the convention is over. Jacquie's mad that Davis is joining The Next Step and at Richelle for agreeing that Davis should be on the team. Richelle is angry at Summer for not winning the solo competition and at Emily and Michelle for even picking Summer in the first place. And Noah's just trying to figure out how they're going to survive a car ride together without any of them setting the others off.