I'm With The Band (EXO Fanfic)

{Chapter Five}

It’s been three days since we’ve begun practising and today was the day for the presentation of the routine we had prepared. He had decided for me that I should use the song ‘Wedding Dress’ by Taeyang. I couldn’t be anymore grateful for Brian. If he wasn’t here, I wouldn’t know what else I could’ve done.

The lady had returned and told us that performances and judging would start later in the afternoon, and this time, the judges weren’t going to go easy on any of us – and she warned us that more than half of us would be eliminated this round.

Brian wipes off his sweat on the towel around his neck, as he gives me crooked smile, “C’mon, Chloe, let’s see your routine one more time, without me guiding you this time.”

“Alright,” I hesitate for a bit. I don’t know if I could do it without Brian guiding me with his words, but I guess I would have to.

The first few steps were simple enough for me to grasp in a few minutes, I had no problem with those. It was the chorus and the instrumental I had to pay attention to. Brian had told me that my technique was fine, but I was just lacking in strength.

Put more feelings into it, he would keep repeating, as if you could actually feel the pain of the song.

It was hard though. I wasn’t a dancer, and I wouldn’t describe myself as flexible or strong.

The chorus was coming up and I felt myself moving along to the music. This was kind of fun, I thought. I closed my eyes for a brief second and it almost felt as if I was on stage performing to thousands of people, as the hot sweat dripped down my forehead, my pulse moving along to the music.

Soon enough, the song was over and I met eyes with Brian.

He throws me a spare towel and I catch it, wiping my sweat off, as I smiled at him. “How was it?”

“I’m astounded, Chloe.” He pats me gently on the head, “You really are a natural. You’ve got nothing to be afraid of.”

I roll my eyes playfully, “Oh shut up. Nothing to be afraid of except of the rest of the people in this room with amazing choreographies.”

Brian shakes his head, “Sure, they might have amazing choreographies. But you’re in a million, Chloe. I can see your dedication through your dance, and that beats out anyone. Probably even me.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I chew on the collar of my shirt nervously, “I don’t deserve your help.”

“Stop saying that, silly,” Brian says, “I’m helping you because I want to. Now let’s go through it one more time, I saw a few spots where you were quite stiff.”

And with that, I followed him to the dance floor, where we went through it more than just once, until we made sure I got it all right.

***

“Chloe Jenkins. You’re up,” the lady announces. I get up from the bench and turn to look at Brian one last time. He gives me a reassuring look, then gestures me to the door.

“I don’t know if I can do this, Brian,” I say to him, voice shaking.

“Hey, don’t you dare say that,” he says sternly. “You know you’ve got it in you. Just let it all out when you get there.”

“But what if... what if, I can’t?”

“Just pay close attention to your surroundings and try to personalize the things you’re extremely attracted to, which mean beholding them in heart.”

As I walked to the judges’ room this time, I was still nervous, but I didn’t feel like I was about faint. Instead, I kind of felt a little more confident due to Brian’s words.