Face to Face

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|Emily's P O V|
I play the piano in the music room, it's something I've been doing a lot this past week, nobody really wants to talk to me so what else is there for me to do? I feel a tap on my shoulder and I immediately stop playing, I look to my left where I felt the tap, nobody is there, I look to my right only to see Amanda sitting on the other end of the piano bench.
"I guess everyone really does hate you." Amanda says, taking a verbal stab at me.
"Well I hate them too, they can think whatever they want, but they don't know that I'm trying to take them down." I say, looking down at the keys on the piano.
"Interesting, you're taking down a whole studio alone?" Amanda asks.
I laugh and I stand up, walking to the other side of the room,
"I'm not doing it alone, you're helping."  I say, Amanda smirks,
"What makes you think I'd help you? I like it here." she says.
"I know you're little game Amanda, you're taking down the studio alone, I'm doing it alone, why don't we just join forces." I say, hands on my hips,
Amanda crosses her arms,
"Why would you think I would take down my own studio, I'm dance captain, I love this place." she says, I give her a devious smile,
"Please, you're still at Elite, you're only here to take us down, and well, now so am I." I say. Amanda moves closer,
"How did you find out?" she asks, raising her eyebrow.
"I saw you and Lucien and the mall, I overheard your plan." I reveal to her.
Amanda moves even closer,
"Listen Amanda, together we can take this place down in an instant, let's do this... are you in?" I extend my hand to her, she looks at my hand for a second before she finally shakes it,
"Deal, now, first thing on the list, shred the costumes." Amanda points to the closet containing the costumes.
I internally freeze for a second, my heart drops, this can't happen, she can't shred them, they'll be destroyed.
"How about we just throw them out, that way there will be zero evidence left behind" I suggest, praying she agrees.
"That sounds like a good idea, let's go."
Amanda and I toss the costume boxes into the giant garbage container in the back.
"Now nobody will ever know, by the time they notice, they'll be gone for good." Amanda smirks,
"Good job Emily, you must really want to bring them down. I might actually be able to trust you."
I smile at her, "Oh, you can trust me."

We start to pack up after rehearsals, when suddenly Miss Kate walks in furious.
"Where are they?" Miss Kate yells,
"Where are the costumes?" Miss Kate says, her face red from anger.
Amanda and I look at each other for a split second, then we look back at Miss Kate.
"Someone stole them." Miss Kate announces.
"Who would want to steal our costumes?" West asks,
"I don't know, but this is bad." Miss Kate says, her foot nervously tapping against the studio floor.
"Let's just look all over for them." Chloe suggests.
"That's a good idea, I'll take the North hallway, Emily can take the back hallway, umm, James you can look in Culture Shock... just everybody pick a place and look." Amanda directs us.
We all disperse, looking for the costumes.
"Protect that room, okay?" Amanda whispers,
I nod,
and we head out separate ways.
I pace outside the garbage room, I can't bring them back myself, I need someone else to, okay the next person who comes by, I'll ask.
I stand there for twenty minutes, still nobody has walked by.
I start to lose hope when finally West comes by, sniffing around the hallway.
"What are you doing?" I ask him.
"Channeling my inner raccoon." he casually responds.
Inner raccoon? This is too easy...
"Well, what do raccoons like?" I ask him, trying to get him to look in the garbage.
"I don't know, garbage?" he responds.
Perfect.
"Well why don't you check the garbage, I'm gonna head back." I say, West nods and I head off, hoping, praying he finds them.
It's been ten minutes, we're all standing here talking, well I'm not really talking, I'm anxiously waiting for West to come back.
"Where is West?" James laughs,
"Maybe he got lost?" Eldon says.
West walks through the door, he has the costumes, internally I'm relieved, but externally I act shocked and confused.
"My inner raccoon found these in the garbage." West proudly announces, handing the boxes to Miss Kate.
"Someone tried to throw them out?" Giselle asks, the room goes silent.
"Well I'm keeping these extra safe." Miss Kate says, bringing the boxes to her office.
"Why were you in the garbage?" Amanda asks in disbelief.
"Who cares? We found them!" Chloe says, everyone starts to cheer, I stand there with a blank expression on my face, wondering if Amanda is going to trust me now.
Everyone starts to head home,
"Amanda, I had no idea he would check the garbage, I thought we were all clear." I say, Amanda rolls her eyes,
"Whatever, onto the next mission. I have a video that can cause some problems between Hunter and Eldon." Amanda says, pulling out her phone.
I look across the room, wishing I had my phone on me to record this scheming, now I know for next time.
"What is the video?" I ask, not sure what's going to be on the video.
Amanda pulls it up,
"It's a dance battle that Hunter won, I have it on this USB, I'll leave it on Miss Kate's desk, and she'll take the solo from Eldon and give it to Hunter, now the weaker soloist has the solo and they have problems."
I nod, and we drop it on her desk.

|Hunter's P O V|
I walk into dance in a bad mood, school was extra boring today, but whatever, let's hope dance cheers me up.
I see a crowd in Miss Kate's office so I walk inside, assuming we were being shown something.
"Glad we're all here, I have a video to show you all, and at the end we will be having a vote." Miss Kate says, pressing play on the video. I look at the screen, and I know what it is the second it starts, how did anyone even get this?
I can't believe my eyes, Eldon and I just stare at each other in utter shock momentarily, knowing that this could be the video that potentially outs us. I prepare myself for whatever is coming, hoping that the hug part was edited out, if it's not, people will start to suspect thing, I really don't want to come out that way. I have no idea where she got this video from, but I'm honestly scared.
The video nears the end, I feel a wave of relief when it ends before we hug, that would've been awkward, real awkward. I still don't know what the point of showing that video was though, it was just a stupid dance battle.
"Okay, as we just saw, Hunter beat Eldon, and that brings up the question, is Eldon really up for the spot of male soloist?" Miss Kate says.
I stand here mortified, speechless, are they gonna vote between us? Am I about to accidentally steal Eldon's solo?
"So let's vote, who votes for Eldon?" three hands raise, and in this moment, I know I just took something away from him, I feel stupid for not saying anything sooner, I feel so bad for Eldon, he just looks at me, I can't read his face, but I know we're going to have to talk about this.
I walk back out into the studio, I have a solo now, no way... me and Eldon have to figure out a way to get his solo back, I'm not good enough to win, he is.
Everyone starts to stretch, I make my way beside Eldon,
"I'm so sorry." I say quietly,
"It's okay, let's talk later." Eldon whispers, then we turn away from each other and continue to stretch.

"How are we gonna fix this? I don't want a solo..." I say, Eldon throws his empty juice cup into a garbage can we pass by on the street.
"Just tell Miss Kate you don't want it." Eldon replies.
"Then how am I gonna explain the dance battle? She's gonna think it was real, not just something we did for fun." I clarify, Eldon shakes his head,
"I don't know, how 'bout we just do another dance battle, like a rematch, and you can throw it." Eldon suggests.
"I don't need to throw it, you went easy the last time." I say, Eldon smiles,
"You're a better dancer than you think you are." Eldon says,
I smile at the ground and keep walking,
"Yeah, but nobody is a better dancer than you." I say, still smiling, Eldon gives a small laugh.
"Thank you, but seriously, I have another thing I want to ask you about." Eldon says.
"What is it?" I ask.
Eldon just pauses for a second,
"You remember James being all supportive of whoever you dated? Did he mean he's just supportive if it's a girl? Or if it's anyone even a guy? The way he worded it confused me." Eldon asks.
"Umm, I don't know. Honestly I'm tired of not being able to be honest with everybody at dance, we spend a lot of time at dance, and I'm sick of having to pretend." I confess, I really do wanna tell people at dance, so at least then I don't have to worry about being seen just talking to Eldon like I am now.
"I do to, I guess we have to take that risk with James, when it's the right moment, we come out." Eldon says.
"Okay." I reply.

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