Start All Over

... a familiar face

R: As I listen to Miss Kate instruct us on how to go about our auditions, I take a quick look around me. This year is going to be so different. I'm the only person auditioning who has been on A-Troupe before. I'm the pretty much the only one from the internationals team who stayed.
Stephanie is going to L.A to become an actress, Max went off to university, Giselle and Amanda are going on a dance tour, West is going to travel the world, Thalia is going to Poland, Cierra is going to university as well, Eldon is going on to become a backup dancer, Michelle moved back to Madison permenantly to be with her unwell mother, and James is going on a national tour with his recently successful band.
Noah stayed as well, but he's only fifteen so that's to be expected. He still has so many years ahead of him, a whole new journey to internationals with dancers his own age.
I don't exactly stick out like a sore thumb, I recently turned seventeen, and there are a few others that look my age, but still. Everyone else moved on, I just feel trapped staying here, but I have nowhere else to go.
I don't graduate high school until June, and I don't have anywhere else to dance but here. It's just it feels pointless to go to Regionals all over again, it feels like the same old record spun on repeat, but with new people this time.
These aren't the people I grew up with.
This isn't the family The Next Step used to be.
In a way I wish we had lost Internationals... and even Nationals.
If we had lost, The Next Step would still be a pretty much unknown dance studio, not in very high demand.
It would still be a family.
This is insanity. Everybody knows who we are now. It's really overwhelming.
"I brought in a former Next Step dancer to choreograph the group auditions." Miss Kate announces.
Instantly my eyes light up, who could it be? Finally, someone I know will be here. I don't know who would be free to do these though, ecspecially in September. I know my sister is busier than ever with University, and all the other former A-Troupers are also extremely busy, I mean they're all starting their new lives, I can't imagine who it could be.
"Please welcome, Daniel!" Miss Kate announces, smiling in Daniel's direction. The brunette walks in, he's smiling bigger than I've ever seen him smile. He hasn't looked so happy in ages. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be him, but I'm happy it is.
I never really got to know Daniel that well. I know James hated him, so I kind of just stayed away to avoid drama. That was so stupid of me, James and I aren't even together anymore. I shouldn't have let him dictate any of my descisions.
Daniel and I make eye-contact and he smiles. I give him a smile back, it sure is nice to see him.

D:  When I walk into the studio I'm not expecting to see any familiar faces. This is a new bunch of A-Troupers, all the old ones have left... or so I thought.
My eyes meet Riley's, and my first instinct is to smile, so I do. She smiles back, which makes me feel very at ease.
I know this sounds lame, but I used to have the biggest crush on her back when we were both in J-Troupe. Yes, I'm straight, slightly bicurious at most, but I definitely like girls, despite what you may have assumed about me.
Sadly she moved up much quicker than I did, despite her being the baby of the bunch. Emily's little sister.
She had always had a crush on James anyways, it was obvious to anyone with eyes. I don't know why I liked her, I just did. I never talked to her. No, I was way too shy for that, plus my massive ego feared her rejection.
Even when I made it into A-Troupe with her, we never talked. At all.
I would always chicken out before I could. The only time we ever exchanged words was in a group setting. Other than that, nothing.
Our first conversation, and last (for now), was before the Nationals auditions. We discussed my ankle. She had asked me how I was doing and about the healing process, yes, she made the first move, not me.
I managed to keep it cool and I thankfully remembered how to speak English so I didn't look a fool.
Our conversation was short though, it was rudely interrupted by Amanda.
I guess it just wasn't meant to be.
I had finally moved on, I didn't expect to ever see her again... yet here she is.