𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀 ➳ THE NEXT STEP, OZZY

5:4

Three TNS East girls, Ophelia, Lola and Richelle, walk into the opposing teams studio. They had been tasked with collecting the cubes and benches and taking them to Studio 1.

They were needed for the Leon Blackwood workshop which was happening later that day.

Three people from the other team were inside. Two boys, one being Henry, and another who Ophelia couldn't remember the name of, all she remembers was that he was kicked out of the auditions.

They were being taught ballet technique by a girl Ophelia recalls as Amy.

Picking up a cube, from the back wall, Ophelia feels all three of them look at her, slightly confusing as to what they were doing.

Walking back into studio A, Ophelia takes the final cube and leaves Richelle and Lola with the bench. She wasn't sure if they really needed them all, but that was the instruction Richelle had given her, and she was too intimidated by Richelle to confront her about that.

"Doesn't studio 1 have benches of their own" Henry asks

"And cubes" the boy in the glasses, Ozzy, adds.

"We're taking the bench" Richelle answers. "It's a troupe buissness"

As Ophelia takes the cube to studio 1, which much struggle as she found it slightly heavy, and now wishes that she had asked Noah or Jacquie to come and help her carry it.

Being the youngest on the team, made her the weakest, strength wise, at least — probably not dance wise. Whenever she asked anyone about it, they'd tell her that muscles would fill out soon.

Ophelia places it down in studio 1, just in time for one of Emily's iconic speaches.

"Listen up, I am sure that I do not have to remind you all how important today is. It is very important that we make a great impression. So let me be clear, you will be polite. You will be prepared. And you will be professional"

The dancers all nervously nod at her words, it's not like Ophelia was planning on being a nuisance to Leon before, but now she definitely would not.

"But above all have fun - do not embarrass me"

Ophelia looks around, in slight fear of accidentally doing anything wrong. But my thoughts are diverted when I hear a chant come from the door way.

"Leon, Leon, Leon, Leon"

From the door, four figures appear, it was the three from earlier, along with Michelle, the ex a troupe member. Ophelia's eyes widen upon seeing them, she was sure they weren't meant to be here.

"Michelle" Emily plasters on a fake smile "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah... Great" Michelle responds

Ophelia tries to talk with Jacquie and Zara, but with the argument going on, she can't seem to pry my eyes from Emily and Michelle.

"... Well why can't we have the same opportunity that your dancers have"

"Because we paid for it" Emily says, "This is just so classic you, you think you can come in and take whatever you want when you didn't put anything into it"

"Oh really that's what this is about"

"Michelle I mean you have to admit you have a bit of a track record"

"O... Kay"

In a split second the mood of the room changed when THE Leon Blackwood walks in. "What's good Y'all?"

The cohort of dancers all start cheering, Ophelia tries to forget everything that previously happened and focus on the class, because she would definitely need it.