The sequel to my fanfic 'Fight Song'.
Joe and Dianne have been separated by distance with the belief they weren't going to see each other again until the next Internationals, providing they both made it there.
Now, Regionals had finished and audit...
Dianne's PoV Joe walks in with Alesha, and I can instantly tell he didn't get what he wanted. He looks sad, and I wonder who they cut who he wished they hadn't. It couldn't be me, right? I was Joe's girlfriend, he'd fight for me no matter what, right?
"Okay guys, on this piece of paper, we have the names of the new Nationals team," Alesha announces. "I'll pin it up on the wall and then you can all get a look!"
I bite my lip, looking for Joe, but he's just staring at the floor. Why?
Alesha pins up the list, and we all dash over to see it.
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My name isn't on there. I check again, just to make sure I'm not reading it wrong. But no, my name isn't on the board. I turn my head to look at Joe, who's looking at me, heartbroken. This clearly wasn't his decision. But I'm not the only one heartbroken. There are members of the team who performed for us earlier and had now been cut.
"They CUT US?!" a girl I recognise as Sophia screams, outraged.
"But we've worked so hard," another girl I recognise as Cinzia said, choking back tears.
I feel pretty sorry for them. They got cut. I just didn't make it onto the team.
"I GOT IN!" Lola comes over to me, jumping up and down. "Wait why aren't you jumping up and down too? Did you not get in?"
"Nope," I shake my head sadly.
"No, dude you danced better than me, hang on," she grabs my hand and drags me over to Joe and Alesha.
"May we help you?" Alesha asks.
"Yeah, just here to ask why I made the team and Dianne didn't?" Lola raises her eyebrows and looks Alesha dead in the eye.
"You danced better," Alesha says simply.
"Okay well that's a lie," Lola says. "Give me the real reason or I'm gonna shout favouritism was at play and the worthy dancers didn't get a place. I know there's angry dancers who you cut from the team. Imagine what would happen if I said you just didn't like them."
"Don't you dare," Alesha hisses. "How old are you, Lola?"
"Fourteen," Lola responds. "Why?"
"Dianne, how old are you?" Alesha repeats the question, this time looking at me.
"Sixteen, seventeen in May," I say quietly.
"Exactly," Alesha says, as though her point has been proven. "You and Dianne are of a pretty similar standard. Yes, Dianne is slightly better, but she's older. Also, you'll look great doing duets with Anna, and we've finally got someone her height to balance out the group dances."
"So I was chosen out of convenience?" Lola asks, looking at Alesha with the most unimpressed look I've ever seen.
"Not what I'm saying," Alesha sighs, and I can tell she regrets putting Lola on the team. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, Dianne was almost in. If there were one more space on the team it would go to her. She'll be allowed to dance in B Troupe without auditioning, along with Poppy Deyes and Mikey Pearce, who were also close contenders."
