Three Shots || Jaden Hossler

31. Independent

Rye's Point of View

"First of all, are you okay? You look tired." Joshua asks me once we were in my room.

"I'm just on my lady days." I state, technically not lying, as I close my bedroom door taking one last look at the boys who were clearly uncomfortable.

"Anyways, what happened?"

"Okay..." He begun. "I was told not to tell you but we're friends, after all, and I feel like I should."

"Alright..." I mumble.

"You're getting fired tomorrow. Your last gig will be nationals and then you're out." Joshua blurts out.

I knew this would happen.

"Until then you don't have to go to the studio anymore, only tomorrow and the three weeks before nationals."

"Fuck..." I whisper. "What am I going to do?"

"You still have other options."

"Like what?"

"The audition you were invited to, the internship... or collage." He says. "Just think about it- maybe give Oscar a call, he's a smart man."

"Fine." I sigh. I'm going to cry, surprising!

"Oh Rye, I'm sorry." Joshua comforts me with a side hug. "We'll figure it out, I'm sure Jaden will help also." This guy is too nice, I'll never stop saying that.

I gather to myself to come out of the room, I don't want to want to stay here long enough that it could be mistaken for something wrong. Neither Joshua and I would get out of our way to do anything stupid, I'm sure he's over me and I definitely don't see him in that way anymore. Our relationship was fast and not long enough to get hard feelings over each other, even though he pretty much did, but nothing too crazy. We'll always care about each other but we're mature enough to move on and continue to be friends, something that is very hard for Jaden to understand.

I find Jaden walking in my apartment when I left my room. I didn't know they were leaving in the first place. Why would Jaden leave anyways?

The three of us stared at each other, clueless on who's going to break the silence first. Jaden noticed that I've been crying, his facial expression says it.

"What the fuck happened?" Jaden asks with a calm but concerned tone.

"I think I should go, so you guys can talk." Joshua says to which both Jaden and I nodded. He gave me the baby and then proceeded to walk out of my apartment.

"Okay, so?"

"I'm getting fired from the studio." I immediately started crying again when I said that. I probably cry more than Hunter... and he's a baby. "I knew that was going to happen, but I thought they were going to wait after nationals."

I knew it, of course I did. But now it's real and I can't wrap my mind around it. I needed more time to think about what Im going to do, I hate drastic changes, I don't do well with them and this is definitely the biggest change of my life. I've been working for that studio since I was sixteen years old and I've been a dancer since since I was four. Dancing is all I ever known, accepting that I could possibly never do it again is very scary for me.

"What are you going to do?" Jaden asks me. "I think you can get a new job, we can check online and stuff."

"I've never had other jobs. Who the hell is going to hire a twenty one year old with no job experience other than dancing?"

"You're right." Jaden states. I know he doesn't want to be rude, at least he's honest. "Everything is shit right now, but it'll be alright. I promise."