𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑯𝑨𝑻𝑺 ♥︎ 𝑶𝒓𝒍𝒂 𝑻𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒓 (The Next Step)

𝑺𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬𝑺 𝑻𝑾𝑶 ♥︎ 13

"Urgh! I swear I'm going to kill somebody!"

Orla wasn't exactly expecting her brother to come storming into Culture Shock that day, interrupting her conversation with Emily and demanding to speak with her privately, especially as he was dealing out death threats, but it was fine.

"Okay, okay, okay," Orla said, laying her hands on Noah's shoulders. "What is going on? Why are you so angry? And why, Noah, are you dishing out death threats?"

"Because I have to work with James!"

Orla froze. "What? Why?"

"Phoebe set us this stupid twenty four hour challenge, where we have to come up with a song, James, Camille and I, and Chloe, Giselle and Becca have to come up with choreo to it."

"And you have to do all of this in twenty four hours, I presume?" Orla raised her eyebrows. Noah nodded.

His sister sighed. "Okay, Noah, listen. For one day, just forget James, and how he- cheated on me, and just work with him, okay?"

Noah sighed, smiling sheepishly. "I've been singing out of tune for the past hour."

Orla laughed. "I bet that annoyed him."

"Sure did," Noah laughed. "I just- I can't believe he did that to you, Orls. And I just wish I could show him how sad he's made you."

Orla bit her lip. "You don't have to be an overprotective brother all the time, you know."

Noah smiled. "Yes, I do!"

Orla rolled her eyes. "Okay. Now get back to rehearsal! Phoebe looks harmless, but she'll actually blow up if you're missing when she checks in with you guys!"

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Orla and Emily were walking down the hall to Studio A when they saw a very subdued Michelle, sitting on the bench beside the cubbies, her phone clutched in her hand.

"Hi," Emily didn't hesitate to walk towards her.

"Hi..." Michelle sighed.

"Cute shoes," Emily commented, as she and Orla sat down on either side of her.

"Yeah," Michelle looked down.

"What's wrong with you?" Orla nudged her.

"Yeah, you seem upset," Emily added. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing. It's not important," Michelle said quickly.

"Michelle. Me asking you about your personal life is kinda like a lunar eclipse. Doesn't happen that often and it's kinda magical," Emily shrugged. "So come on. Give it a try."

"Okay..." Michelle said reluctantly, not looking at either of them. "Well... Eldon and Hunter had a dance battle... over me. And whoever won the dance battle... apparently... won me."

"And who won?" Orla asked. She suspected Emily already knew.

"Hunter," Michelle answered.

"I tell Emily and Orla about the dance battle because I know they'll give me objective opinions."

"Eldon is our male soloist," she said. "If he cracked under pressure in a dance battle, what is he gonna do at Nationals, in front of all those people?"