𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑯𝑨𝑻𝑺 ♥︎ 𝑶𝒓𝒍𝒂 𝑻𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒓 (The Next Step)

𝑺𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬𝑺 𝑭𝑶𝑼𝑹 ♥︎ 28

So... quartets.

Quartets that TNS weren't performing in.

Orla watched, trying to keep the bitterness off her expression in the Wings, as the Geminis performed a ballet/hip hop mash up on the stage, getting a brilliant reaction from the audience.

She was next standing in between Noah and Amanda, and on the girl's other side were Michelle and Amy.

"Girls, how are we feeling?" Orla asked. "Good? Freaking out? Nervous?"

She knew Michelle and Amanda would be ready. But Amy... this was her first competition, like Sloane.

Little did she know that Amy would not be the main problem today.

"Yeah, we're good," said Amanda.

"Yeah," agreed Amy.

Michelle didn't say anything.

On the stage, the Geminis won the quartets easily, getting their bye to the semis.

"I'm gonna go and rehearse," Michelle suddenly said, leaving the wings.

Orla didn't notice her little spell of dizziness on the way out.

And later, she would wish with everything in her, that she had.

♥︎♥︎♥︎

After Michelle left, Dance Extreme made their way to the semis. Orla didn't want to think about having to face them again. She just needed TNS to win.

But now it was the trios. Orla was watching the battle before TNS's, and it was Rythym Plus that was on the stage. They were amazing.

"I'm glad that we're not going up against this team, otherwise I think we might be going home today," Amy spoke shakily from where she stood beside Orla, Piper and Cassie nearby.

"Hey, believe in yourself!" Orla said. "Yes, you need to dance your hardest because if you don't, we're going home, but you also need to relax. You won't be able to dance if you've got too many nerves."

Amy smiled slightly. "Thanks, Orla."

Orla nodded. "How about you go get ready for the trio?"

"Yeah, um, I'll get Michelle," chimed in Piper.

"I'll get Amanda," added Cassie.

So the three girls headed off, leaving Orla alone in the wings.

She just hoped that the girls were ready.

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Orla wished she had noticed how pale Michelle was when the three girls came into the wings in costume, hair and makeup done, ribbon that attached them to each other in place. Amanda was in the middle, Amy and Michelle on the left and right.

TNS were up next.

"Good luck, girls," Orla whispered to them as  they ran on, their ribbons pulling them as they did.

The story of their dance was very good, and what they did was very risky. The ribbons they were using could get tangled any moment. Orla knew they wouldn't, because the girls had put so much time and effort into practicing this dance, but it did get them points for difficulty.

As the beat dropped, they all jumped into a leap and some synchronised choreo, looking amazing with the binds connecting them.

It was all going so well.

And then it wasn't.

All at once, Michelle started to falter. She was still doing the choreo, but Orla knew her... and something wasn't right.

It all came to a head at the end. Orla knew that it was supposed to finish with them all at the front of the stage, posing.

But Michelle fell to the ground at the corner of the stage.

Thankfully, since it was the end, nothing looked that out of place if you hadn't seen the routine before.

And Amy and Amanda, after giving each other a panicked look, improvised by running at Michelle and collapsing on top of her.

But Orla knew everyone would suss them out as the curtain came down.

She and the team ran onto the stage, Amy and Amanda sitting up.

"Back up, back up, back up!" Orla shouted, stopping everyone from advancing any further.

"I don't know what happened but Michelle was not supposed to fall to the ground like that. Something is seriously, seriously wrong."

"Here, come on, come on..." Orla whispered to the girl as she tried to pick her up. Michelle's head was lolling to the side.

"Urgh-" she groaned as Orla managed to lift her into the wings.

"Would the dancers please take the stage?"

"Go, go! You two, go!" Orla shouted, swatting her hand at Amy and Amanda.

There, holding Michelle in the wings, Orla hoped the girl wasn't conscious enough to feel how fast her heart was beating.

"And the winner of this round is..."

Please, please, please-

This can't be for nothing-

"... The Next Step!"

Amanda and Amy didn't wait to soak up the applause. As soon as the result was announced, they ran back off the stage, kneeling down in front of Michelle.

Orla held the girl in her arms, adrenaline coursing through her.

"We won," she shrugged, shaking her head slowly. "But at what price?"

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Orla waited at the medical section of the Regionals arena as they examined Michelle on a hospital bed.

"The paramedics have to say she's okay. They just- they have to."

"Looks like she passed out from exhaustion and dehydration," one of them finally said. "We're going to have to do some blood tests to rule out anything more serious."

"So what does that mean?" Orla demanded.

"It means we have to take her to the hospital."

Orla shook her head.

"I still have the finals routine, will I be able to come back?" Michelle's voice slurred as she spoke.

"It's too soon to tell," said the paramedic.

As they wheeled her bed into the lift, Orla watched, shaking her head slowly.

"I'm sorry, Orla!" Michelle called, voice still slurry, as the door shut.

Tears came to Orla's eyes. She said it quietly, and waited until the lift doors had shut to do so.

"I'm sorry, too."