"Can we start rehearsals now?" Richelle said to the girls, who were all sitting on the bench in front of the cubbies.
Her eyes weren't focused on the girls though, her eyes were glued on the couple standing at the Ballet bar.
Noah was leaning against the bar, Abi next to him, her hand on his chest as they both laughed at something.
Richelle hated that he was looking at Abi with so much love in his eyes.
"But Jiley are having a cute moment look at them" Michelle coos, laughing along with Steph and Emily.
Richelle didn't reply, she was to focused on watching Noah and Abi, how they kept giving each other pecks on the lips, how he moved her hair out of her face.
That should be her, Richelle thought. She should be the one with Noah.
"Richelle?" Emily said, furrowing her eyebrows trying to get her attention.
Richelles head snapped back to the group, sighing.
"Yes?" She asked, running a hand through her head.
"Why do you keep staring at Noah and Abi...? Do you like Noah!" Stephanie said loudly, leaning forward quickly.
Richelles eyes widen, slapping Stephanie's arm in an attempt to shut her up.
"N-no" she lied, fiddling with her fingers. She always did that when she lied.
"You do!" Emily confirmed, her eyes wide.
Richelle sighed, glancing at Noah and Abi who were close to making out now.
"It doesn't matter anyway, he's head over heels for her" she sighed.
Michelle frowned. "I'm sure he likes you, he cares about you so much" Michelle said, as Emily nodded.
"When you had to stay home sick 2 weeks ago, he was freaking out how you didn't show up" Emily adds.
Richelle couldn't help but smile a bit. "Really?" She asked. Emily nodding.
"Really." She confirmed.
Richelle glanced back at the couple, sighing again.
"But he cares about her more" she mumbled to her self standing up.
"Okay!" Emily said, clapping, getting A-Troupes attention.
"Today we are going to do duets" Emily started.
Richelle smiled, her and Noah have been duet partners for year, there's no chance that he'd do a duet with Abi over her.
"And you guys can choose your partners!" Michelle finished.
Richelle grinned, looking over at Noah, her grin fading.
"Sure!" Noah chuckled, throwing his arm around Abi.
Frowning Richelle looked around, walking up to Max.
"Partners?" She sighed. He and her were very close, and he was the only one who knew about her little crush before the girls found out.
"Yeah" he said, flashing a sympathetic smile.
"Okay we will peform them at the end of rehearsals! So Emily and Hunter, Me and Eldon, Stephanie and West will rehearse in studio A. Abi and Noah, Max and Richelle will rehearse in the music room, and James and Riley and Chloe and Daniel will rehearse in the Baby Ballet room. Alright go ahead!" Michelle beamed, walking over to Eldon.
Richelle sighed. This could not get any worse, watching Noah and Abi flirt sickens her.
"Hey Ritchie" Noah said, catching up to her as she walked, Abi went to the bathroom.
"Hi" she muttered, rolling her eyes.
He frowned, furrowing his eyebrows
"What's wrong?" He asked, stopping and holding her wrist so she couldn't walk off.
"Nothing. I'm fine" she said, looking anywhere but him. If she'd look at his face she'd start to rant to herself in her mind on why he's so perfect.
"That's a lie" he commented.
"Is not" She snapped, looking at him.
"Fine" he said, rolling his eyes letting go and walking ahead of her.
Noah was annoyed she wouldn't tell him, they were supposed to be best friends and tell each other everything.
She sighed. She felt bad for snapping at him, and hiding the reason why from best friend, but if she told him, it'd ruin there whole friendship.
She walked in after, walking up to max, Noah ignoring her as she walked past him.
"What style you wanna do?" Max asked, stretching his arms out a bit.
She couldn't focus on him at all, she watched Abi enter and how Noah's face lighted up, kissing her.
His face never lit up like that when Richelle walked up to him.
"Richelle?" Max says, making her quickly look at him.
"Sorry..." She sighed.
2 hours in, they decided to take a break.
"I'll go get us all drinks, hey Abi come with and help me" Max said quickly, walking to Abi and grabbing her wrist, dragging her along, Max winking at Richelle.
Richelle internally groaned, glancing over at Noah who already had his phone out.
"Noah..." She said, fiddling with her fingers.
He just glanced up at her before looking back at his phone.
She sighed. "You really want to know?" She asked, running a hand through her hair.
"Yes Richelle. I want to know" he said rolling his eyes looking at her. "Why do you not tell me why you're always feeling down recently, especially when I'm around" he finished.
She sighed, she couldn't keep it in anymore.
"Because I like you Noah. I like you a lot. And I have for a while. I like everything about you, you're perfect to me. And I can't stand seeing you showing your love to someone else who isn't me. It eats me up inside. And to be around you and how you keep raving about Abi hurts." She lets out, biting her lip.
His eyes were wide, staring at her.
His best friend for most of his life likes him? He didn't know how he felt. He doesn't like here back... Right?
He doesn't even know himself.
She sighed. She didn't expect him to tell her how he loved her back, and that Abi wasn't much to him. But it still hurt when that didn't happen.
"I-I get it though, you don't have to say anything" she mumbled, her eyes watering as she ran out of the room.
He stood still, not really processing what just happened.
The tears ran down Richelles cheeks, she knew he didn't like her back, but it still felt like a slap to the face.
She grabbed her dance bag from her cubby, she can't face Noah after that.
Emily spotted her. "Richelle?" She called out, Richelle just ran out.
"Richelle!" Emily yelled again, chasing her.
But Richelle was to quick, she ran out of the building, basically sprinting the whole way home, she only lived 2 blocks away from the studio.
Emily sighed, standing at the door.
Richelle slammed her bedroom door shut, dropping her dance bag and collapsing into her bed, berrying her face in her pillow.
All these emotions from seeing Abi and Noah together, to knowing he 100% doesn't feel the same way, and how her friendship is completely ruined and she humiliated her self infront of him.
Leaving dance was something she doesn't do often, something she's actually never done before. But she can't face Noah, not today, not tomorrow.
~ the next day ~
Noah was leaning against the ballet bar, waiting for class to start.
He hadn't stopped thinking about Richelle and what she said. He couldn't get her off his mind, is it bad that she likes you? Do you like her back? It wouldn't be bad dating her at all. Are the thoughts that are running through his head.
He kept his eyes on the door, waiting for her to walk, he at least wanted to know that she was okay, and that she got home safely... He didn't realise it, but he cared about Richelle more than Abi.
"Hey babe!" Abis voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Abi, can I just have some alone time" he sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"But baby" she pouted.
"No Abi, I need alone time" he said, looking at her.
She sighed, walking off.
He scanned the room to see if Richelle had arrived yet.
She's always early, why isn't she hear yet?
He walked up to the boys who were messing around.
"Anyone seen Richelle?" He asked, them going quiet.
"No bro, Riley mentioned something about her last night but" James shrugged.
"Yeah, Emily said she was sick and not coming today" hunter shrugged.
Noah sighed, he knew she wasn't sick. He knew he was the reason she wasn't here.
"Why so down?" West asked.
"It's my fault she isn't here" he muttered, scratching the back of his neck.
"How?" Eldon furrowed his eyebrows.
He let out a sigh, deciding to tell them.
"Yesterday, she confessed that she liked me. But I'm dating Abi so ofcourse I wasn't going to say anything or know what to do" I started to explain. "She ran out, I think she was crying. I don't know, I'm just worried about her for some reason" he shrugged.
"Bro you like her" James laughed, as Noah furrowed his eyebrows.
"What makes you think that?" He says, confused. "I like Abi, that's why I'm dating her" he slowly explained.
"Well, who have you thought about all night and all morning?" James asked, smirking.
"Richelle..." He said quietly, looking down. But that doesn't mean I like her, Noah tried to convince himself.
"And who did you tell to go away just so you could figure out why Richelle isn't here?" James said, his smirk growing.
"Abi..." He said, starting to understand.
"And who is the girl you always get worried about if she doesn't show up, or is a little bit late?" James finished, smirking widely.
"Richelle..."
"You like Richelle" James clarified chuckling.
Noah nodded. He liked Richelle, he was just to stupid to realise it.
He bolted out of the studio, he had to tell Richelle. He had to make her stop going through her misery she was probably in. She never misses dance.
He ran the two blocks to her house.
He didn't bother to knock, he knew her parents aren't home from 8-7, and Richelle wouldn't let him in if she saw it was him.
"Richelle?" Noah called out, walking inside.
Richelles eyes widen, standing up from the couch.
"Noah why are you here?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows.
"I-i have to tell you something" he sighed.
"Noah I don't want to hear you tell me how you don't feel the same way but hope we can still be friends, I know you don't feel the same way and I'll eventually get over it but for now-" she stared to rant, as Noah walked closer.
Noah rolled his eyes playfully, cupping her face in his hands making her stop talking.
"W-what are you doing?" She whispered, staring at his brown eyes, she could get lost in.
"Something I should've done a long time ago" he whispered, smiling, connecting there lips.
•••
That was long whoops
