Ryder the Love Expert | Protector 2.1

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

       Today was the day. State competitions, and D.A.N.C.E were totally going to win this thing. We had been practicing very hard to get it as perfect as it can and we were so ready to beat Nonpareil.

       The competition was going to be held in Orlando, so us dancers had to wake up pretty early to drive there since registration was at eleven and it was about three and a half hours. We all met at the studio by seven. Lilith rented out a van that fit ten-people and was going to drive us there.

       There were two seats in the very back and Mae and I quickly claimed those two. After everyone was in the van, Lilith put the box of costumes in there and got into the driver's seat.

       The drive was very quiet, mainly because we were all still tired. Mae cuddled into me by wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her head on my chest, shortly falling asleep. I wrapped my arms around her and ended up falling asleep as well.

       We got to the performance center where the competition was taking place. Arthur woke everyone up quite loudly by screaming, "We're here!"

       I rubbed my eyes before opening them. Very tiredly, I got out of the van, my eyes burning from the sun. "Uggh, can someone turn off the sun?" I asked.

       "I wish," Isla said. "I'm so tired."

       "We all are," Dempsey said. "Because someone decided to wake us up quite rudely."

       "Here, you had three and a half hours to sleep," Arthur said. "Not my problem."

       Lilith grabbed the box and closed the van doors before locking it. "Alright, let's go register," she said.

       We followed her into the performance center and to the registration tables. Once we were registered, one of the worker's led Lilith to backstage where she could put the costumes in a locker.

       "Oh, it's the loser team," Kimberly suddenly said. Nonpareil was standing by us, each with a smirk on their face. "Might as well leave now."

       "I'm sorry, what was that?" I asked. "Oh, right. It was just the memory of the judges of the talent show not calling your name. Three of you couldn't even beat two of us. Wait until we're all together."

       "That was pure luck," Kimberly said.

       "What is up with you guys and the whole luck thing?" Dempsey asked. "You lost. Not luck. Just talent from two of our dancers."

       "Come on, the whole judging was unfair," April said. "Those annoying brats won first place."

       "Hey," I said. "Those annoying brats are my siblings and nobody calls them annoying brats. Except for me."

       "They were annoying," Kimberly said. "They had no humor whatsoever."

       "Now I can see why you guys are all so full of yourself," Arthur said. "They were hilarious and anyone who thought otherwise has no humor inside of them."

       "We don't need humor," Kimberly said. "We just need talent, which we have. Be ready to lose to us. Oh, and by the way Mae, it's going to be fun beating you before you have to move to another country." They all walked away.

       "What did she mean?" Isla asked.

       Mae sighed. "I'm moving back to Quebec next month. This is going to be my last dance with you guys."

       "But....if you move, then who's going to do the duet for the National competition?" Isla asked. "We need you."

       "I want to stay, believe me," she said. "I'm coming back down here for college and if you guys win the National competition, and I can convince my mom to let me move back in the summer, I will be back in time for Internationals. It's like I told Ryder. It's not permanent."