To Catch Your Fall | Heathoah

21. Meeting Em

(Flashback)

Richelle

Why have my parents put me up to this? These people are amateurs, and honestly, just morons. How do they expect me to succeed if they're around me all the time?

I know I'm only 5, but they always tell me I should be thinking about my future. So, that's what I'm doing.

There's this girl in my class called Piper, who has burst into tears for the eleventh time this week. I'm glad I'm not her brother, who keeps being taken from j-troupe class to comfort her.

She's still not as bad as Oswald, who is somersaulting around the place instead of following our teacher's clear instructions! If it were up to me, he'd be kicked out.

Which is something the others clearly don't agree with, judging by how much they are laughing. This is why none of them like me. I actually want to do what my parents pay this place to do, while they just all goof off.

Our teacher doesn't look too happy either which is good, but nobody listens to her. I guess they think they don't have to since she is only in j-troupe and 3 years older than some of us.

"Oswald, do you plan on keep doing that or are you going to stop?!" Her hands are on her hips and she is looking at him in disgust.

"Hm, maybe?" His high-pitched voice is really annoying and the laugh is like a donkey's.

The blonde girl rolls her eyes and stomps over to him. It hard to stop the sudden giggle that comes from me when she latches onto his arm and starts dragging him out the room.

"We are going to have a bit of a talk with Miss Kate so about you misbehaving."

Then, the two are gone.

All the others take this as a time to mess around even more than before. That little bit of light that started in me just then goes away.

Why did Noah have to be sick today? He's the only person I've met here that I actually like.

As they all jump around or whatever, two girls come over to me. Oh great!

"Hey, Richelle." Says Gabi in that odd voice. I think my parents called it "condescending."

"What do you two want?" I ask them. There is no way I'm spending longer than I need to listening to her and Camille.

"Wow, so rude. Just wondering where Noah is? You're usually clinging onto him."

"I don't-uh! He's out sick today. Is that everything or are you going keep bugging me?" I scoff at the pair.

"Sure he's out sick, or did he just have enough of you? It's a surprise he even started talking to you in the first place. Well, I guess even the weird kid can't put up with you." Camille giggles, and I want to slap her.

"Don't you talk about him like that!" Dropping my leg that I was stretching, I meet both of them face-to-face.

"Awe, what you gonna do about it? You think-"

"Alright, you three. All good over here?" A voice cuts across her stupid words.

We each turn to it and see our teacher coming back over to us, Ozzy not with her now. Gabi stumbles a little and I think she's blushing.

"Oh yes, we were just-"

"I think we all know what you were doing." There is some pressure in my shoulders, and I realise that she's lying her hands on me. Most other people I would shove off, but she's sticking up for me, and it feels...nice.

"Now, do you want to join Oswald or get back to your places?" She says with a fake smile.

Gabi and Camille quickly nod before rushing back to the rest of the group. I breath out a sigh of relief and turn back to the older girl.

"Thanks for that. I don't like those two."

"I don't blame you. Seem like a pair of brats. Don't worry though. I'll sort them out if they start anything." She throws me a smile and I realise that she's very pretty. "What's your name by the way?"

Maybe it's because she's a head talker than me, or since she's older and in a position of someone I should look up to. But, I tell her without another thought.

"I'm Richelle."

"Hello Richelle. Nice to meet you. As I told you all already, I'm one of the dancers on j-troupe...

"...but my name is Emily."