𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑯𝑨𝑻𝑺 ♥︎ 𝑶𝒓𝒍𝒂 𝑻𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒓 (The Next Step)

𝑹𝒐𝒃𝒊𝒏 𝑯𝒐𝒐𝒅

"Orla, erm-  don't tell Emily about this, but... I kinda have something to tell you."

"What?" Orla asked, holding her phone slightly tighter. "What's going on, Noah?"

"Well... I presume Emily told you about Chloe coming to choreograph me and Richelle's ballet duet..."

"Yeah- well, Chloe told me, but yeah," Orla nodded.

"Well... Chloe kinda gave me this card to book an audition for Robin Hood: The Ballet, and I... I booked it for tomorrow."

Orla was shocked, but smiled slightly. "Noah that's- that's amazing. Why don't you want me to tell Ems?"

"Because the audition overlaps rehearsal tomorrow, and... well, you know what Emily's like about missing rehearsal."

Orla chuckled. "Yes, I do."

"But I needed to tell you," said Noah. "I told mum and dad and Jacquie but... it's not like any of them have any experience of this, really."

Orla smiled. "It makes me happy that you came to me, Noah. I promise I'll cover for you if Emily texts me tomorrow, but I doubt she will."

Noah drew in a breath. "I don't."

♥︎♥︎♥︎

The text came through at around four that day.

Orlie, I know you're not at home rn, but I was just wondering if you know where Noah is? He didn't show up for rehearsal, he's not picking up my calls and it seems like Jacquie is covering for him, thanks xxx

Orla rolled her eyes at her phone, typing back her reply.

Hey Ems, sorry but I haven't heard much from Noah recently, but I hope he's okay, it's not like him to not show up xx

She hated lying to Emily like this, but she had told Noah that she wouldn't tell.

She just wondered when all this would come for to a head.

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Her best friend's voice was irritatable as she ranted down the phone.

"So, I learn that Noah had an audition, you and Jacquie both knew, and that you both lied to me about it-"

"Okay, okay, okay, Ems!" Orla hollered back at her. "I know I lied, but-"

"I should've called you," said Emily plainly. "You can't lie to me through a call, your voice goes all high."

"Okay, thank you for listing all my tells," Orla rolled her eyes. "Just- I'm sorry for lying, okay? Noah promised me not to tell."

She could hear Emily soften slightly. "Okay, Orlie, it's fine. Noah's doing a catch up rehearsal with Michelle tomorrow and in the end, I was the one to go and bring him back from the audition."

Orla smirked. "Bet he loved that."

"Yeah, he grumbed the whole way about how I still treat him like my best friend's little brother even though he's literally eighteen now-"

"He said that?" Orla laughed. "Wow, he's getting brave around you. None of the other dancers ever dare cross you."

"True," shrugged a smirking Emily. "But still, tell him that I do hope it went well for him when he calls you."

Orla smiled. "Thanks, Ems. See you soon."

"See you soon, Orlie."

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Orla had been expecting a call from Noah. Not him showing up at her door.

But nevertheless, it was nice to see him.

But then he said. "I didn't get it. I... I didn't get a role in the ballet."

That brought the vibe down a bit.

But still, Noah showing up was nice, so Orla went a filled a bowl with some doritos which she knew her brother loved, before sitting down on the sofa with him.

They talked about normal stuff before Orla finally had enough courage to bring up the audition.

"So... how did it go?" She asked unsurely.

"Good, well, I thought it was good," sighed Noah. "I mean... I was in there for longer than anyone else, and the director seemed to want to know a lot about me... but I guess it wasn't meant to be."

Orla smiled sadly. "There'll be other auditions."

Noah nodded. "I guess, I mean... this one just felt like such a great opportunity, and I missed it."

"You tried your best," Orla said reassuringly. "And for the record, I think they're idiots not choosing you."

Noah grinned. "I thought I did pretty good, well, Emily coming and 'picking me up' like a concerned parent kinda wrecked my rep a bit, but still."

Orla laughed. "You had a rep?"

"Well, not really," shrugged Noah. "But it was kinda embarrassing."

"Well, Ems is kinda your second sister," shrugged Orla. "And I did cover for you, so you can't blame me."

"Yeah, it was Jacquie who told her eventually, buckled under the 'Emily pressure'," Noah said it like it was a bad thing.

"Well, true, Ems said she would've known I was lying if she had heard my voice," shrugged Orla.

Silence fell between them as Noah said. "I... I actually wanted to talk to you. About something... Michelle said."

Orla frowned. "What? What did she... say?"

Noah took a deep breath. "She- she told me I was better than A-Troupe. And that... if I didn't leave... I was gonna become stagnant."

Orla was shocked.

The team goes through all that effort to get Noah back... and now he's thinking about leaving?!

"Obviously I wouldn't leave before Regionals," said Noah quickly. "But... she's really got me thinking, and... I think-"

"You think you need to," Orla said. "You think... you think that you're outgrowing it. The studio... and A-Troupe. And that you... you have to. Or you'll start hating it."

From Noah's expression, she knew that she had just said exactly what he was thinking. So she spoke again.

"I know what you're thinking, because... I felt it too. And... Noah I hate to tell you this, but you have to act on it."

Noah looked her in the eye. "But what if... what if I'm wrong?"

"Then you'll find out," Orla shrugged. "But, for what it's worth, Noah... I don't think you are."

So she and her brother sat in that moment, clarity sweeping over them, as Orla realised how much she loved her brother.

She hadn't really thought about that in a long time.

And she missed that.