𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑯𝑨𝑻𝑺 ♥︎ 𝑶𝒓𝒍𝒂 𝑻𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒓 (The Next Step)

𝑺𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬𝑺 𝑶𝑵𝑬 ♥︎ 19

They had let Stephanie sit at the side of the studio whilst Orla, Kate and Chris deliberated. The final verdict was that Stephanie could audition.

"We're ready for you," Orla said, coming round to where she saw Riley talking with Stephanie.

"Okay," she said timidly, standing up.

Orla had to admit, the way that the whole troupe had formed a line, Kate and Chris in the middle, all looking at Stephanie coldly, was a bit cruel. As dance captain, however, she had to join it, however she made her face look a bit less menacing.

"They don't look too happy to see me," Stephanie said. "I either dance here or I don't dance, but either way, I'm alone."

"The reality is, dancers switch studios," Kate sighed. "But the fact that Emily and Stephanie didn't come to me? It really hurts."

"Stephanie, the way you handled yourself was completely inappropriate," Kate told the dancer.

"Because of your actions, you're going to be auditioning like everyone else," Chris informed her.

"Okay, um, I just, I have no dance clothes," Stephanie said.

"You can dance with those," Orla tried to sound reassuring but missed the mark.

Stephanie sighed.

"I might as well try. At least if I try, then I know," she looked down. "Rather than just go home."

The music came on and Stephanie started to dance, but barely two counts of eight in, Orla shouted. "Stop!" And the music stopped.

Stephanie stepped back, her body wracking with a few silent sobs. "Okay." She looked directly at Orla. "I'm sorry."

Then she walked to get her bag and started to walk out. "Stop!" Orla called again.

"And then out of nowhere, Orla stops me. She's probably not done ripping me apart."

But despite all the girl had done to her; the insults, the eye rolling, the throwing of dances, everything, Orla wanted to give her a chance.

She walked right up to Stephanie until there was barely a metre between them. She could see every tear and the tracks that they had run down.

"We know you can dance," Orla told her. "That's why we need you in A-Troupe."

Stephanie let out a sigh of pure relief, then she smiled and more tears came. She sobbed as she lurched forward, hugging Orla.

Orla smiled as she did. Her and Stephanie had never been friends. Ever. They had always had something wrong with the other. But now, as they hugged, Orla could tell it was a new beginning for them.

And she couldn't be happier.

"I'm sorry, guys!" Stephanie sobbed, as she and Orla pulled apart and she went over to the troupe. Kate pulled her into a hug, and then Chris.

"They're just such an amazing group of people, and I'm just so happy and so lucky that I get to have them all in my life," Stephanie cried.

Orla grinned. This wasn't Emily's mean girl best friend. This was a new girl, who was fun, and happy, and as loyal as she had been before but without all her mean edges.

And she was so much better.

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Orla sighed, as the song Where Did Everybody Go? played and she danced.

"Right now I'm just getting in some extra practice and I'm just rehearsing my solo and just... dancing," she explained.