On Top Of The World (book 3 in the Irish Dance Camp series)

Chapter 6

Grace
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"Grace!!!!!!" I hear someone scream behind me and I turn around. Ciara, Caoimhe, and Claire are coming towards me! I hurry over and Ciara gives me a huge hug!

"I missed you guys so much!" I say, giving Claire and Caoimhe hugs. "It's been so long since we've all been together!"

"Except Julie's not here...." Ciara says, "I wonder wheat she's up to..."

"Oh, and since I never got to tell you in person, congrats on All Scots! That's so crazy and awesome that you won!" Claire says to me as we start walking.

"Thanks, I was really shocked too!" I hadn't expected to win at all, especially since I had come 11th the year before. It really has helped me feel more prepared for worlds knowing I'm number 1 in Scotland.

"Soooo.... What do you guys wanna do?" Ciara asks.

"Oh, I know somewhere we can go!" Caoimhe says, and she starts leading us down the hall. I met her last year at nationals when Julie introduced us, and we've become really close ever since. It stinks she lives in Ireland though, because we barely get to see each other.

Caoimhe leads us up a few flights of stairs, and finally we get to a door that has a sign that says "Employees Only".

"Uhhhhh.... Caoimhe? I don't think we're in the right place...." Ciara says nervously.

"It's fine, I've gone in a few times over the past few days, and there's never been anyone inside..." Caoimhe says, opening the door.

I look at Claire and she shrugs. Then we start to follow Caoimhe in.

"Woah.... This is amazing!" I say in awe as I walk into the room. We're on a balcony that overlooks the main Worlds stage! The balcony stretches halfway around the huge room.

I see workers putting together the floors on the stage and I feel both super nervous and super excited.

"Now, whenever we want to hang out we can just come here!" Caoimhe says.

"Yeah, but if we get caught, it's your fault, Caoimhe," Ciara adds, and I laugh.

We end up sitting in the balcony for hours just talking to each other. It's so nice to catch up with everyone!
Apparently Ciara's hoping to come in a world medal holder spot this year (although I think she could come way higher than that based on how she's been doing at feises), Claire is just hoping for a recall, and Caoimhe's hoping for top five. I've never seen Caoimhe dance, but I guess she must be pretty good if she's setting her expectations that high....

At 8 o'clock, I get a text from my mom saying I should head back to our hotel room. I say goodbye to the girls and then leave the balcony.

As I'm walking through the hall, seeing the vendors being put up gives me a buzz of excitement. I'm really eager to just get on the stage and do my rounds I've been working so hard on...

I suddenly see the back of someone's head that looks kind of familiar.

"Ciaran?" I call sort of loudly, and he turns around. His face lights up and I smile.

"Oh, hey Grace!" He says back, and I hurry over and give him a hug.

"How are you?" I ask.

He kind of glances off to the side, looking at nothing in particular. I don't think he heard me. "Ciaran?"

"I'm fine...." He says, looking back at me quickly, but still not focused. He's upset about something, it's obvious.

"Ciaran...? What's the matter? You're acting weird."

"I'm not! I'm just... I just need to go. I should get to bed. See ya, Grace."

"Okay...." He leaves fast and I'm left standing in the hall by myself. That was so weird...

Ciaran is usually so relaxed, and joking about everything, but just now he was so tense. Maybe he's nervous about worlds, but, then again, that wouldn't be normal for him either...