Fly With You - TNS Season 7

chapter 13

I remember the first time I met Emily, and she introduced herself to me as the dance captain of A Troupe. I remember watching her lead the team through warm-ups and choreo, watching her talking to Miss Kate and deciding line placements all those years ago, and watching her give me a smile from where I stood nervously, in the doorway of Studio A.

That had been so long ago. At that point I was still in J Troupe, nothing more than a little kid with a big dream. But I knew then, that I wanted to be just like Emily.

She was the person I looked up to most in the world.

Truthfully, she still is.

When she gave me the dance captain diary, I couldn't contain myself. I was so excited, and I felt all the more encouraged - knowing that someone out there had faith in me, and was rooting for me, and believed that one day, I would make it. Emily has always been a mentor figure in my life. The fact that she trusted me enough when I was only in B Troupe to give me the diary, something that had been passed down through generation after generation of dance captains, was such an honor.

It had made me work harder.

When Noah made the Internationals team and I hadn't, I'd been devastated. Being left behind in B Troupe was rough. I'd watched all of my friends go to Miami, and come back as International champions. They were the best dance team in the world. And what was I? Just some insignificant backup dancer, in the shadows as always.

It had made me work harder.

When I'd injured myself dancing in the Regionals qualifier and had been sent to hospital, I'd been terrified. My dance career flashed before my eyes - I thought it would be over before it had even started. Nothing could compare to the fear I felt, the pit of dread in my stomach as I waited and waited for the doctors to tell me I would get better. And I did. I recovered.

It had made me work harder.

All these setbacks only made me push myself further, and come back stronger. I was nothing without my work ethic - I knew what I wanted, and I would not stop until I got it. Nothing came in my way.

My entire career at The Next Step had been leading up to one thing - becoming dance captain. And now, I had FINALLY made it. All of that hard work, all of the hours and weeks and years of blood and sweat and tears and practice and dedication and sacrifice, everything, had been worth it.

I wasn't about to give all of that up, for a girl I'd met a month ago.

I kept telling myself this, over and over, as I stared at my reflection in the locker room mirror. I'd manage to escape the situation with Lena with some fumbled excuse about calling my mom to tell her the good news about the captaincy. Yeah, right. As if my mother actually cared what I did at this studio.

Unfortunately, I was going to have to face the music sooner or later (definitely sooner). The audition for the female soloist spot was today, along with male soloist and the duet.

For God's sake, Richelle. Lena was the last thing I should be thinking about right now. I had to keep my eye on the prize - the only people auditioning for that spot were myself... and Summer. I could not afford to lose to her. Not again.

"Hey, Richelle, are you ready?" Piper stuck her head around the corner of the door frame. "Emily and Nick want to get started soon. They said they had an announcement, too."

"Sorry." I blinked once, shaking my head to clear my thoughts, and then turned to face Piper with a smile. "All set."

"Perfect!" she gushed. "I'm so nervous about these auditions."