Changes

Chapter 19

Riley's POV

I was warming up in Studio-A as James entered the Studio.
What was he doing here?, he quit dance and in some months he would return to California anyways.

He looked briefly to me, but turned to Eldon.
He was hurt, because of yesterday.
I was just uncertain, because Charlie saw the necklace.

Miss Kate entered the Studio.
"Dancers, I have an announcement to make, James is going to watch as long as he stays in Toronto, so don't be confused if you see him here often", she said.

We started dancing a dance we prepared some weeks ago.

James's POV

A-Troupe was dancing, but the only person I was looking at was Riley.
She was just so beautiful and she was an amazing dancer, I just couldn't stop staring at her like an idiot.

Although I was mad at her, I couldn't stop smiling as I saw her dancing.
It was so difficult not to walk to her and kiss her and hug her.

After their dance Miss Kate gave them a little break, so I decided to walk to Hidalgos with Eldon and West.

Riley was there too, sitting on a table alone, I was about to go to her to keep her company as the girls approached her.
"Hey Riley, do you want a juice?", Michelle asked her.
"No", she replied harshly.

Was she in a bad mood today?
"Oh, okay can we sit here?", Thalia asked kindly.
"No, I don't need compassion", she said rudely.

It shocked me, why was Riley being so mean, it shocked the girls too, because they looked surprised and returned to their table.

I didn't expect that from Riley.
Maybe she changed truly.

Riley's POV

After our break, we returned all to Studio-A.
"Now I want to see your solo Riley", Miss Kate said, that was the thing I was fearing the most this last months.
"I still need some time to work on it", I tried excusing me.

"Riley you had more than two months, I'm not waiting any longer, we need this solo now!", she said.
"I'm not going to do it", I said.
"Then go", she said pointing to the door.
"What?", I asked confused.

"Yeah you heard me right, you're out of the Next Step, we can't wait any longer and I am not dealing with an immature, stubborn child", she said now louder.

After years I was out, out of the place I've grown up.
Where I had fallen in love with dance, where I had live my dreams.
I felt the tears flooding down my cheeks.

James's POV

I wasn't believing that Miss Kate wanted to kick Riley out of the next step.
Riley was one of the best dancers, she helped A-Troupe to win regionals, nationals and internationals, the next step was her second house.
I noticed her crying and that was my indication to talk.

"Miss Kate, you can't kick Riley out just because she refused to dance her solo", I said walking to Riley's side.
"James, she is refusing to dance this solo since two months, we have a competition soon and we need a dance, we waited for an eternity", she said.

Riley started walking towards the door still crying.
I grabbed her wrist and pushed her to me.
"This isn't right, Riley is one of the best dancers, without her the next step wouldn't have won internationals", I argued back.
She was looking to me still crying.

I laid my arm around her rubbing her back, to comfort her.
The whole A-Troupe was looking at us, but no one was saying something, I thought we were a family.
"I know that, but without the solo, there is no spot in A-Troupe for Riley, I'm sorry", she said looking to Riley.
"But...", I was about to say something as Riley interrupt me still sobbing:"It's okay James, I'm doing the solo"

"You don't need to do it Riley", I tried to tell her.
But she smiled and went to one corner of the room, I made space for her to dance.
I hated that she had to do it, I knew that the solo reminded her of our break up and although we weren't in a relationship anymore I knew that it hurt her though.

She wiped her tears away and started dancing, she looked beautiful as she danced.
Near the end she started crying again.
At the end she knelt on the floor and cried her heart out.

I went to her and embraced her in a big hug.
"It's okay", I said rubbing her back.
"Okay Riley, you can stay in A-Troupe", Miss Kate said.
In this moment I didn't know if I was angrier at Miss Kate for forcing Riley to do her solo or at A-Troupe for not standing up for Riley.

A long chapter, I hoped you liked it, I don't know if this chapter is good, tell me you opinion.