Brave

No Time For Regret

note; Eldon's POV will look like this (normal), Hunter's POV will look like this (italics)
(POV's will switch frequently just for this chapter, I thought I'd try something new for this chapter, anyways enjoy)

It's rematch day, I warm up to face off with Hunter for the solo. We both know I'm gonna win, it's the way we planned it. A-Troupe is starting to crowd in, today was our monthly meeting, but we also decided to have our rematch today.
"Are you guys ready?" Chloe asks.
We both nod, and the music starts.
We both start to dance, Hunter made sure to do dance moves that I could do, every move he does, I do it better.

The dance battle is going as planned, I manage to get myself to slip, I throw one or two moves, making it look believable, but helping Eldon win. I keep the battle going for a little longer, to make it seem like I'm not giving up.

I continue to better his moves, he keeps going, I mean this has to look real if anyone is gonna believe it. I see him slip, it looked real, he's good at this. I give him the signal, the signal lets him know to finally let me corner him.

I get the signal from Eldon, I make my way in front of him and he starts to do turns, I slowly walk back, he defeated me, what a surprise. He finishes his last few turns and everyone starts to applaud, I shake his hand and we go in for a quick hug.

I pull away from that hug and our eyes lock, I don't know what made me do this, if it was an instinct, if it was just from habit, but I leaned in, and we kiss, suddenly the clapping and noise gets tuned out, and I realize what I just did, what is happening, we just kissed in front of everybody. We didn't plan this, it just happened. This is the moment that I've been thinking about and worrying about for so long, happening. It's too late to go back.

Eldon leans in for a kiss, nothing unusual, we've kissed before. But this time it was in front of all of A-Troupe, not just in a car, in his house, or in some old photobooth. I have no idea what to feel right now, should I be feeling happier? More nervous? I don't know what I'm feeling, I think it might be relief. This was the moment we had been waiting for, we just didn't know it until now.

Everything is going to be different from this moment on, for a three second kiss a lot is sure going through my mind, I'm scared to break the kiss, I'm scared to see what's about to happen, I don't know if I'm glad we're out, or if I'm regretting it right now. My heart is racing faster than ever, so many emotions, so much adrenaline.

We break apart, it was only a few seconds, but wow, being in front of everyone made it seem like an eternity, I can tell Eldon is more nervous about this than I am, I'm feeling good now, but I can tell he's still in the moment. The room is dead silent, I can only hear his breath and mine, and our heartbeats, suddenly I hear applause and cheering, I've never felt so relieved, and so able to be myself.

I hear applause, but I'm afraid to look, I'm afraid to look away from Hunter, I feel safe looking at Hunter, I don't want to look at anyone else. I've never been so scared in my life. I finally look away from Hunter and thankfully my eyes land right on Emily, Emily is cheering, clapping, her warm smile is comforting. I smile at her, and she walks towards me for a hug. I'm being pulled back into reality, and I'm finally loosening up.

Eldon goes to Emily first, I knew he would. She's known almost as long as we have. I wish Michelle was here, but I can't wait to tell her about this later.
I look over and West is clapping, he gives me a bro hug, and few of the girls hug me as well, congratulating me. I look over at Eldon, who is looking past me, he looks upset.

I see James standing there in shock, we make eye contact and he turns around and leaves, as he walks out of the Studio A doors, I decide to follow him.
"James, wait!" I yell out, hurrying after him.
"I can't believe that just happened." he says, continuing to walk.
"Well it happened? What's your problem?" I ask him, hurt and offended his response wasn't positive like everyone else's.
"Why wouldn't you tell me about this?" he yells, he stops walking and faces me.
"I thought we were best friends, yet you didn't tell me?" I've never seen James this upset in the over ten years I've know him.
"I'm sorry, but-" I say, James interrupts me,
"But what? Who else knew before I did?" James is angry, I can tell.
"Daniel, Emily and Michelle. Can we please talk about this another time?"