Mutual Ground

Three| James

"You guys didn't need to lurk all day you know" Eldon said grabbing us after all of the lesson's had ended today. Truthfully, we all knew we could have pulled him and ran along with him but we also didn't want to disrupt things more then we already are
This place was definetly more intense then we were used to
"We didn't want to intrude is all" Michelle said positioning herself between Eldon and Hunter which is the usual position at this point 

"Where is your little shadow?" Hunter teased making Eldon raise a brow
"If you mean Riley. She isn't my shadow" Eldon answered with a little bite to his bark. Clearly this struck a nerve
"He didn't mean it" Michelle said softly before elbowing Hunter in retaliation 

"Riley isn't here. She probably won't be back till late tonight, I don't typically see her on the school evenings" Eldon answered
"Why?" I asked curiously, they pair had seemed inseparable so what changes on these evenings?

"Riley practically runs a little rec centre down the road from here. It's mainly to help kids get into dance, get in here if they wanted" Eldon said earning a smile from all of us 
That's how we all started, a little rec centre at the bottom of the road our school was on

"Can we go and see?" Michelle asked, we are all fully aware of the situation between these two so we all knew that Eldon was not about to say no to Michelle of all people 

We got to the Rec centre and honestly it is exactly how I imagined. I reminded me a hell of a lot of where we first started. It was packed with kids here and there, it was clear that whatever Riley was doing here was certainly working 
"If we go up to the gallery we'll see all of the studios. You'll watch Riley bop in and out of every single one" Eldon said chuckling to himself

"Riley, Eldon's upstairs!" A voice called from one of the students 
"Thanks Kelsie" Riley said chuckling to herself pulling out her phone to what I would assume was text Eldon seeing as his phone went off moments later

"So what actually happens here?" Hunter asked making Eldon look down at the studios in front of us
"From the looks of it, she's got her scholarship kids, mini's and some other rec classes in tonight. She'll mainly be with the scholarship kids and minis though" Eldon shrugged sitting back down next to Michelle 

"Scholarship kids?" I asked
"Yeah, Riley hand picks a bunch of her best students and puts them together to help them gain a scholarship to our school. She would be helping them with their audition pieces, any extra curriculars they need, she's also known to drop things to come help them out of a bind" Eldon said with a proud smile on his face 
"She has time for that alongside all of her classes?" Michelle asked
"She's in all of ours isn't she?" West asked to everyone

"Yeah she is, Riley takes all and any classes offered to her. Not by choice" Eldon said muttering the last part 

"Come on Rileyyy! Please?" A familiar voice said making me widen my eyes looking down at the studio full of scholarship kids
"Is that?" Michelle asked 

"That's Piper, her and Riley are practically inseparable" Eldon said making me turn to him
"How long has she been coming here?" I asked
"just under a year I think? Her brother attends a college nearby or something and Piper wants to follow in his footsteps" Eldon said making Michelle smile turning to look at me 
"That's sweet, see James.. She doesn't think you abandoned her" Michelle said coming and standing next to me 

"Your Piper's brother?" Eldon asked earning a nod from everyone, myself included 
"When I headed to College I hated that I was leaving Piper alone with our parents. They aren't always home" I muttered looking down at Riley and Piper stood there talking 

"You can come help with the Mini's Piper but then you are back in here, got it?" Riley said sternly earning a sincere smile from Piper. One I hadn't seen in months..

--

I'd been sat here for what felt like hours. Everyone else had gone back to campus at this point but I was sat here watching Riley and Piper. There was something about the two of them that I couldn't put my finger on. 
I've never seen Piper this close to someone, this comfortable. But the same could be said for Riley, compared to all the situations I've seen her in recently this place must be her sort of safe haven

"Piper" I called through the corridor making both the girls turn around to look at me
Riley's face looked a little confused but Piper's was priceless 
The moment she turned around, her eyes widened before she came hurtling towards me 
I hadn't seen her in a little over 3 weeks. When I moved back into the dorms she was still at camp meaning I never got the chance at a proper goodbye. Little did I know she was travelling an hour ever night to be here?

"What are you doing here?" Piper said against my chest as she squeezed me tightly into a hug
"I should be asking you that pipesqueak" I chuckled as we pulled apart

"Riley this is James. My brother, the one I was telling you all about!" Piper said energetically
"Believe it or not Pipes this isn't the first time Riley and I have met" I chuckled earning a smile from Riley
"James is one of Eldon's new friends" Riley added making me tilt my head slightly
"You know Eldon? How on earth did that path cross?" Piper asked before chuckling
"Michelle" She said making both Riley and I nod 

"Are you gonna be here more often?" Piper asked me looking hopeful, I turned to Riley who shrugged
"I can be if you'd like me to be" I said before Piper looked at Riley
"He can help right Riley?" Piper asked making Riley chuckle

"Everyone is welcome here P, your brother included" Riley said making me offer her a sincere smile she happily returned