tns oneshots

snapping hip syndrome - nochelle

Set right after the finale of S5 when Richelle is in the hospital

Richelle's POV:

I hear the beeping noise of the machine as I wake up, my body exhausted. All I remember is the excruciating pain in my hip after going home after the regionals video, passing out from it on the bus. I'm so lucky that one of the b troupers on my bus was able to get me here in the hospital, safe. I should've listened to Lola, and the last thing I got from her was a text, saying "I'm sorry to hear what happened. You won't be seeing me because I've decided to leave tns, I wish you a speedy recovery." That was it. None of her normal hearts, or x's; she must be really mad. And it's all my fault.

I lost my only friend. And I might be losing my career in the process.

Noah's POV:

"I'm here to see Richelle Nolet." I say to the receptionist, who types her name into the computer.

"Third room down the hall." She replies, and I nod. "By the way, Richelle's legal guardian hasn't come to see her so far, it's only been you and another lady who claims to be her dance teacher. If you could ask Richelle to tell whoever looks after her to come fill these forms out, we already performed the surgery but we do need guardian approval."

Surgery? I didn't realise how severe her injuries were. And I knew for a fact Richelle wouldn't want her parents visiting her. Even though we don't talk much anymore, I do know her secret that she barely lets anyone know. Her parents travel a lot for work, and are only home around 2 weeks in total every year, and even then they are constantly in the city for meetings. Richelle has been cared for by her older sister Julianna since she was around 10 years old, but Julianna never took good care of her. As every other young adult, she was always partying late at night, never home to watch Richelle. She was always hungover, and sometimes if she got to drunk, she'd hurt Richelle. That meant Richelle learnt how to cook, clean and take care of herself as well as the house from a very young age. I remember when we were in j troupe, she'd spend as little time at home as possible, joining every after school and morning club, going to more dance classes than some of the a troupers, and she'd normally come over to mine for dinner and beg to stay the night. Since we've grown up, I'm not sure if her situation has gotten better, but judging the fact she comes to rehearsal early and leaves late, is always studying in the library instead of at home, and worst of all, always wears long sleeves, never anything cropped or shorts, like she's hiding something.

I simply just nod my head, as I don't want to explain Richelle's story to this random receptionist. I walk down the corridor of the hospital - a corridor you never want to be walking down. What should I say to her? Are you ok? How have you been? None of them seem right.

I knock on the door, and she says "Miss Kate, is that you?"

I open the door. "It's me."

Richelle's POV:   

"It's me." 

Noah? My jaw drops. It could've been Emily or Michelle, even Amy or Piper, but Noah? Noah Andrew Erlick? 

"What are you doing here?" I say confused. "Did Miss Kate send you here so I could feel like I actually have friends?" He sits down in the chair next to me,

"No, Richelle, it's nothing like that. I just wanted to come check how your doing, I heard about your injury. How is it?" I roll my eyes. Classic Noah. Wanting to seem caring while not actually giving a fuck.

"Well, considering the fact that I passed out from the pain, had a 2 hour long surgery, and I may not be able to dance again, I'd go with not that great."  I really don't want to see him right now.

"Well Rich, maybe you shouldn't have been dancing on it, maybe if you-."

"Look Noah, firstly don't call me Rich. Not anymore."

"I was just trying to-,"

I interrupt him again, and I really don't care. "And I don't need your advice. So stop pretending to care and just leave already!"

"Richelle, I know we're not the closest anymore, but I'm here for you, I CARE about you!"

"You care about me?" I reply, the tears beginning to fall. "What happened to 'Oh Emily, Richelle's so emotionally stiff, I think Jaquie's a better dancer and she should be in the duet with me instead of Richelle'-,"

"I never said that she was a better dancer than you, I just-,"

"Don't try and argue against it, we both know what you said!" I cry. "You only look out for yourself Noah, and you didn't consider how you'd make me feel, did you? All you cared about was you and your silly little girlfriend. News flash, that day, I went home and bawled my eyes out. And before that day, I looked up to you Noah, because I'll admit it, you are a great dancer. Do you know how it feels to have someone who you look up to make you feel inferior and like you're not good enough? Cause I do. And, and when I lost my dance captaincy, something I've worked years and years for, to YOU, you didn't even say anything! I don't expect you to give it up Noah, I sure wouldn't, but I didn't even get a "You were a great dance captain." Nearly every other member of the team said that to me, and you weren't one of them."

"Look, Richelle, I'm sorry, I don't know-." He stammers.

"I'm not done yet! When you made the internationals team, and I didn't, I assumed you'd make the effort to keep our friendship going. But no. You became obsessed with a girl - see the pattern? - and ignored me, and you thought you were too cool and amazing to be friends with me, when I was the one who helped you fit in with your new team, and train to improve your dancing-,"

He stands up, and I sit up. "Stop saying stuff that isn't true Richelle!"

I ignore him once again. "I worked my ass of to make a troupe the following year, and deep down, I thought if we were on the same team, our friendship would return. But no. You barely talked to me unless we were paired together for something, and you forget the fact that I was there for you when you had your back injury or an argument with Amanda, but you were never there when I was struggling. And after I've said all of this to you, you don't even try to properly apologise!"

"Ok Richelle, I wasn't there for you, but I'm here now!" He pleads. "I know you're going through a tough time, and I want to be by your side again."

"Well Noah," I begin. "Your life may be easy, but my life, has always been hard. And you do know things about me, because in the past, I trusted you. But things have happened since then, which have honestly made me sometimes just want to end my life. So I'd appreciate it if you left, and dropped the act of being a good friend, because we both know you aren't." 

Noah wipes away a tear as I try and hold mine in. "Ok. But when you learn to forgive and forget, I'd like to be one of the people you do that too." He walks towards the door, and opens it, before looking at me. 

"I wish you a healthy and fast recovery."

And after those words, he's gone. The once person who showed up for me I pushed away. I have nothing to cry into because I'm attached to too many machines, so I just let my tears fall, the salt water piling up in my lap.

What have I done?

part 2 will be out soon!