flying • james and riley

| chapter one |

we dance to create dreams

RUNNING A HAND THROUGH HER LUSCIOUS DARK HAIR, Raelynn Mendes licked her tinted red lips, her eyes moving to the rearview mirror, checking her face one last time. Nodding her head in approval, the brunette switched off her car engine and exited the black Aston Martin Vanquish that was gifted to her by the people she thought of as her parents. Raelynn made her way into the building, her sunglasses placed on her hair as she walked with her back straight and her head high, imbuing off a sense of confidence everyone strove for.

Entering the studio she had learnt won Internationals, Raeylnn felt her nerves kicking in. Her thumb began to run the side of her index feeling, the repeated motion easing the anxiety that begun to build up in the girl. Although she was confident in her dance skills, Raelynn became somewhat nervous around people she wasn't familiar with.

Looking over at the group of strangers, the brunette caught sight of two beings that made her jaw drop in awe. She recognised the couple from the duet they performed at Internationals, the one that broke the tie-breaker between them and the Swedish team. She was utterly mesmerised by the two, anyone that watched their dance could see the chemistry they had — it was like magic.

Inhaling a deep breath, Raeylnn gathered the courage to introduce herself. She was a Mendes. It was in their blood to be charming and seductive, doing anything to get what she wanted. 

"Hello," she greeted, her voice sounding like bells wistfully ringing in the air.

Riley, James, Noah and Alfie turned around to look at the brunette. The first thing they picked up on was how her hair was like waves of pure earth, softly reflecting the light in the studio. Each strand moved freely, like an ocean born breeze, a compliment to her stillness. With eyes of river waters, in a glossy serenity, her gentle aura seeped into the air between them. And as her lips spread into a courteous smile, at that moment, in that fraction of time, her smile was in every god-given feature, and for some reason, Riley and James felt as if they were home.

"Hi," Riley breathed out, unable to tear her eyes away from the gorgeous stranger before them. She found herself in some sort of trance, swallowing thickly when, alluringly, Raelynn would blink her eyes from time to time, allowing her eyelashes to flutter like the wings of a butterfly.

Holy hell, James and Riely thought, her eyes were simply spellbinding.

The unknown girl wore a red and black striped long sleeve sweater that was tucked into a worn-out black pencil skirt with a thick belt wrapped around her waist. Fishnets adorned her slender legs while a pair of black sneakers snugly fit her feet. It was a simple outfit, but damn did she know how to rock it.

"Are you auditioning for A troupe?" Noah asked, breaking the silence between the group. He hid a smirk, seeing the look in his friends' eyes once they took a glance at the new girl. He could see the desire and awe that slowly began to swim to the surface. 

"Yes," she answered, her mellifluous voice solidifying the couple's desire. "I saw you guys at internationals, and I couldn't help but feel a little intrigued." A grin spread across her face, brightening her eyes ever so lightly.

"I'm Noah, by the way," he introduced with a welcoming smile on his face, reaching out to shake her hand before motioning to the male that stood next to him. "This is Alfie. He's new here too."

The said male smiled, flashing his bright, perfectly-ordered teeth. "Nice to meet you." 

Raelynn felt something spark within her once she glanced at the brown-haired male. She recognised him from somewhere, but she couldn't pinpoint where so she shrugged it off, not bothering to use her brain to remember from where. It would come to her later. 

"And this is Riley and James."

Hearing their names roll off of Noah's tongue, Raelynn couldn't help the shiver that crawled up her spin, sensing something begin to bloom inside her chest. It was an unusual feeling, one that brought great warmth. The brunette's heartbeat picked up, her nerves spiking, but she hid it all with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you all. My name's Raelynn."

When they heard her name, the couple with a lot of chemistry couldn't help but feel like they were in heaven. Although they had just met her, they could feel themselves become addicted. They wanted to know everything about the new dancer that sparked their interests higher than the firmaments above.

"I'll show you both around," Noah offered, a friendly expression washing over his face. Raelynn waved goodbye to James and Riley before walking off with Noah and Alfie. She stuck close to both of them as she didn't know anyone in the room, and if she was being honest, all she wanted to do was stand by Riley and James, finding herself comfortable when she was near them. It was weird, but she liked it, though she would never admit it.

The couple continued to watch Raelynn even as she left, their gaze always moving back to her for a few seconds before looking back at whoever they were talking too. There was something about her that had them hooked. Maybe it was her eyes, or her looks or the way she held herself. They weren't sure. But there was something about her that had them both curious and hooked.

Noah proceeded to introduce Raelynn and Alfie to the people he already knew. The two new dancers felt more than welcome into the dance studio, and the brunette couldn't wait to finally be a part of this. She was going to do her best to get onto the dance team; after all, she knew she had the potential for it.

Catching sight of someone dancing in the middle of the room, Raelynn grinned and grabbed Alfie's hand, the two dancing together. She couldn't help but feel a kind of bond between them because as they danced synchronically. They had a similar style when it came to dancing, and Alfie had a feeling that if they both got onto the team, they'd make great duets together.