The Next Step

Chapter 4

Riley's POV

Giselle, Chloe, James and I are hanging out in the juice bar before dance.

Riley: "Hey guys, look over there."

We all turn to see Ella sitting with the J-trouper laughing and having a good time.

Riley: "I don't think we welcomed her very well. Let's ask her to join us after dance."

Chole: "Ya"

We all watched as they got up and left the juice bar. I couldn't help but notice a tensor bandage across Ella's arm and wrist.

Giselle: "I wonder what she did to here arm."

James: "We can ask her later. But we gotta go. Dance starts in 10 minutes.

Regular POV

We all get back to the studio and warm up. We practise the dance about 5 times. It's coming along great.

After practising some more and then James starts to complain.

James: "Can we please have a break?"

Tiffany: "Ya. Let's go get some juice."

Chloe: "Please"

The rest of the troupe starts to beg.

Michelle: "Alright, alright. 15 minutes. That's it. Let's go."

Everyone leaves except for Ella and Giselle.

Ella goes to grab something from her bag. Giselle comes up behind her.

Giselle: "Hey, Ella."

Ella turns around and looks scared. Giselle, noticing this, smiles and backs up a bit.

Ella: "Yes" she said quietly.

Giselle: "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with James, Riley, Chloe and I after dance at the juice bar,"

Ella: "Sure. I'd love to" she says smiling and looking happy that someone welcomed her into their social group.

Giselle walks away.

Ella decided not to go downstairs and instead works on a ballet routine while everyone's gone.

Miss Kate was watching in her office. She was flawless and graceful. Her pirouettes were beautiful. She finished right before everyone got back.

They practised their routine about 6 more times, playing dance games in between. When everyone was able to agree that they had improved that day, they left.

Ella headed to the juice bar. When she arrived, she noticed that Giselle, Riley, James and Chloe had already gotten there. Giselle was sitting beside James and Chloe on the couch and Riley was sitting in one of the chairs. Ella sat on the chair beside Riley.

James: "So, long day of dance, huh."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Ella: "So, how long have you guys been at the next step for?"

Giselle: "We've been here since we were little kids."

Riley: "I can't remember times when I wasn't at the studio."

James: "Ya. I spent my life here. Sometimes I even sleep in studio A."

Ella looks at Riley who gives her the "typical goofball James" look and then rolls her eyes.

Riley and Ella silently laugh at James.

Giselle: "So Ella, how long have you been dancing?"

Ella: "Since I was 3."

There wa silence for a moment and then Riley piped up.

Riley: "So Ella, what did you do to your arm?"

Ella looks down at her tensor bandaged arm.

Ella: "I um...fell. While dancing. She said quietly. "Don't worry about it. It's fine."

They all exchanged suspicious glances.

Ella: "I have to go. This was fun. Thanks, see you tommorow. Bye."

She left rather quickly.

Giselle: "That was suspicious. She is defiantly hiding something. How can she fall. She's so good at dance."

Riley: "Ya. We should invite her tommorow."

Giselle: "No. That is not a good idea."

Chloe: "I think we scared her. You don't scare her though." She said looking at Giselle. "Ella got used to Giselle. I think you should ask her."

Giselle: "Ok. I'll ask her about it tommorow. Meet me at the juice bar after dance, ok"

Everyone says yes.

James: "I have to go, see you guys later."

Riley: "Me too"

Giselle: "See you guys tommorow."

Chloe: "Bye guys."

What do you think? Please comment and vote. Thanks to all the people who don't hate me for taking so long to update.😄 Thx