𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑯𝑨𝑻𝑺 ♥︎ 𝑶𝒓𝒍𝒂 𝑻𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒓 (The Next Step)

𝑺𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬𝑺 𝑻𝑾𝑶 ♥︎ 16

Emily was blushing and smiling as she entered Studio A, where Orla was, putting stuff in her cubby. Orla instantly knew something was up, even if it wasn't bad.

"What's going on?" She asked.

She wasn't really in the mood, but she could tell Emily was over the moon about something and... she didn't want to spoil it for her.

"Um..." Emily smiled, the blush on her cheeks going redder. "Hunter and I kissed last night."

"What?" Orla asked, a smile instantly coming onto her face.

"Yeah..." Emily said.

She launched into a story about how Hunter had gone on a date with Michelle, and all she had done was talk about Eldon. And then Hunter had gone to her, and said that when Michelle was talking about Eldon, all he was thinking about was her...

"Oh, Ems that's so cute!" Orla exclaimed, giving Emily a small hug.

"I know," Emily said giddyly. "And then he... he kissed me."

Orla smiled. "I'm so happy for you, Ems."

Emily grinned. "It's just- he ran out after it, and we haven't talked..."

"That moron..." Orla muttered. "Do you like him, Ems?"

Emily nodded. "Sorry I didn't tell you. I just... I couldn't... not with everything going on with James..."

"It's okay," Orla said. "But come on, you need to talk to him, and then, if he wants to be with you, that means you can become the new TNS super couple."

Emily couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"And if he doesn't say yes, then I'll tell him just what I think of him," Orla shrugged. "Now-"

"Orla, can we speak to you?"

Orla turned to see Giselle and Thalia. Apart from James and possibly Beth, they were the last two people she wanted to see right now.

"Hey," she said reluctantly.

"How you doing?" Thalia asked.

"Um, great," Orla lied. Emily put a hand on her shoulder. "Why, what's up?"

Thalia and Giselle looked to each other.

"Look, the challenge was fake, we just wanted to push you and James to work harder," Thalia blurted out.

"It makes sense that Giselle and Thalia wouldn't actually challenge us for the duet, it didn't seem like them to go behind our backs like that. And it was sweet of them to try and push us like that, but... it just didn't work."

"Listen, guys, I appreciate your efforts, but I just don't care anymore," Orla said honestly.

"Orla, listen, we're really sorry," Giselle started.

"Don't be," Emily said. "It was a smart idea."

Orla had told her about the challenging the pervious day, after she had ran out the studio.

"But please, we need you and James to do the duet," Giselle went on.

"You have to do the duet," added Thalia.

"James and Orla are meant to do the duet. End of story."

"Guys, you're lucky I'm even on the team right now," Orla said. It was a small white lie, but she had, irrationally, considered quitting at some points along the way.

"I don't see it as letting the team down at all," Orla sighed. "By giving Giselle and Thalia the duet, it gives us a better chance."

"Is there anything we can do?" Giselle asked desperately.

"Yeah," Orla said. "You can practice.  You're the new Nationals duet."

"Orla-"

"Orla, please-"

And then she was out, Emily behind her. Orla hadn't asked her to follow her.

But she was glad of the support.

♥︎♥︎♥︎

"So... you're not doing the duet anymore?" Noah asked hesitantly as he and Orla walked home. They didn't normally, but because their mum and dad were both working, they had to today.

"No," Orla looked down, burying her hands deeper into her pockets.

"But you're still doing the solo, right?" Noah asked again.

"Yeah," Orla nodded.

"Orla-"

She turned. That wasn't Noah's voice.

James stood, slightly behind them, looking at his ex-girlfriend desperately.

"Go ahead, I'll catch you up," she said quietly to Noah, who gave James a cold look, then nodded at his sister.

"Where's Beth?" Orla asked dryly as she walked up to James. "Lately I've never seen you two apart. She hangs around you like a..."

"Like a moth to a light bulb?" James suggested as he and Orla resumed walking, Noah far enough ahead so he wouldn't hear them.

"Yeah, like a moth, which would make you the light bulb?" Orla shrugged.

James chuckled. "I tell you, I'm not the brightest light bulb."

Orla chuckled too, and then caught herself and stopped.

Then, next thing she felt was a soft hand on her shoulder, which had to be James' as there was no other person around. She had forgotten what his soft touch felt like. All she had been feeling lately was the roughness of his hands on hers.

He turned her round so her was facing her.

"Orla... I want you to know that I meant it. It's... always been you. So, what happened to us?" He asked. "I thought we had everything."

Orla nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "So did I."

It's always been you, too.

And, even at the thought of that, she had turned, walking fast to catch up with Noah, who would no doubt help her-

James sped up with her.

"I'm going home," she said, slightly louder than she needed to.

"I'll walk you home-"

"No, I should go alone," Orla said firmly, walking ahead to catch up.

"We both know why it got so complicated."

James didn't follow her this time.