The Backup

Chapter 8

First Show

It was Normani's first show, she wasn't nervous, only intrigued on how the whole thing worked. As she read over the schedule, one of the other mentors had entered the backstage, wearing her emerald color that almost matched her eyes.

"Are your kids ready Rihanna?" The woman spoke with excitement.

"Yes Megan." Rihanna answered her calmly since she didn't expect much.

"You know, I heard that the stadium almost doubled in size after your new recruit's incident." Megan wiggled her eyebrows.

"Incident?" Rihanna laughs. "I wouldn't exactly call it an incident." She claimed and Megan shrugs with a nod.

"You're right, accomplishment then. Being the only one of her squad to pass. People wondered if the whole thing was rigged so they expect a lot from your new prodigy." Megan teased and Rihanna rolled her eyes.

"Normani doesn't get nervous, so stop trying." Rihanna practically growled and Megan put up her hands in defense.

"I'm just telling you how it is, no need to have your guard up. Also he is watching." Megan giggles, sinisterly before walking away.

"Also just keep a happy expression but also look sexy." Rihanna hears Gabriella tells Normani.

They were all giving Normani tips on how to make her stage presence known and all she's doing is nibbling on some chocolate.

"Okay okay, I think she gets it." Rihanna clasps her hands together, shooing them off to get their equipment checked so there won't be no incidents. "Are you ready?" She asks the smaller girl who eyes were only wondering around the room.

She hadn't said much since arriving and with Rihanna getting to know her better since the past month or so, she knows that Normani is taking in new geographical information. Normani gave Rihanna a nod and Rihanna sighs, handing her some water to wash down the chocolate.

"Five more minutes Ms. Fenty." The stage directed instructed and Rihanna gave him a thumbs up.

Normani gets up and follow Rihanna to where both her and Megan's students are.

"I wonder if she's going to get a solo." Normani hears a couple of Megan's kids says and they didn't really interested her so she focused on Rihanna.

"So, who's dancing the solo against mine?" Megan asked, already expecting the answer to be who everyone assumed they'll be.

"Solána." Rihanna ushered and everyone went quiet.

"Solána?" One of Megan's students looked at their peers with confusion.

"Yes." Solána responds with a smile.

"Problem?" Rihanna rose an eyebrow.

"No no, it's fine." Megan nervously laughed.

"Since she's the oldest, she dances the first show. That has always been my rule." Rihanna stated.

"So Normani will dance the solo for the next show?" One of Megan's students with matching green eyes rose an eyebrow.

She was Megan's star student only because of her stage presence outmatched anyone in the facility really. She wasn't the best dancer but when she actually tries she's okay.

"Lauren Jauregui, the love-child of Megan and Ian." Gabriella pretends to write in her notebook, but she was actually speaking to Normani who giggles at her joke.

"I am not!" Lauren huffed.

"I would take that as a compliment, Megan and Ian are hot as fuck." Willow blew a bubble from the gum she was chewing on.

"Which is why I'm not taking it as a compliment because they are." Lauren rolled her eyes and so did Megan.

"Anyways! We are on in 1 so get ready my children!" Megan claps her hands after each word and they all file in, preparing themselves.

"Just do what you do best, and don't fuck it up." Rihanna tells her kids and they just laugh or replied with 'ok' and 'yes ma'am'.

When the stage director ushers for them to proceed on, Megan's squad strolls onto the stage first, their stage precision outshining everyones in the whole facility, well only besting Beyoncé's squad only a little, the crowd went wild and their attention now captivated onto the people in front of them. Then Rihanna's squad went on and they were only brewing with confidence as usual. Each mentor and their student had processed a specific element when they walked on stage, Rihanna's crew always had confidence while Megan's had erotic energy.

"Whaddup Cali!" Lauren greeted and mainly women screams were heard and Megan just shakes her head.

"Silver vs Emerald, who do y'all bet is going to win?" Megan leans down and wins at one of the many members in the crowd which made them nearly faint.

A mixture of silver and emerald chants were heard and Normani was honestly getting bored and agitated from all the noise. She wanted to snack on a candy bar and so that's what she did. People watched as she sat down and opened the wrapper to the chocolate bar and began to munch on the delicate candy. It caused the crowd to go quiet while her squad laughed.

"Seems like you bored her with your unnecessary stage talk." Rihanna shrugs and join in with the laughter.

Megan jaw just stayed dropped while Lauren face had went red.

"Completely unethical." Lauren's teammate, Camila spoke up and Normani locked eyes with the girl.

She stood up and kept her eyes on her.

"Would you like some?" Normani teased, her squad had taught her a few tricks to get under people skin so she thought, why not.

She can see Camila's face drop and her eyes widened, meanwhile her teammates and mentor held a different shocked expression.

"Did y'all taught her that?" Rihanna clicked her tongue, impressed.

"Yep." Montero answered first.

"Sure did." Willow then replied.

"We have no shame." China lastly responded happily and Rihanna just shakes her head with a smile.

"Oh goodness, I think it's time for us to start dancing. Start the music." Rihanna twirled her finger and a beat began to play.

Normani finishes her chocolate and drinks some water as she watches Megan and her kids dance. They were like a K-pop band, in sync and danced with determination to succeed and it didn't really impress Normani. She had went to many of the facility's concerts to study them and Rihanna's group had impressed her most because they dance like there were no rules. If Rihanna didn't show up to the scout room, then she would've left but the world loves to work in ways unexplainable.