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Competition Time

*Sorry for any mistakes*

Richelle's pov
Well, today is the day. The day that internationals officially starts. Apparently, the solos don't send anyone home, but whoever wins the title of 'Mr/Miss International Soloist' wins a five point advantage for their team that can be used in any dance. How cool is that? It's great for me and Eldon because we don't have the pressure of losing, and having to fly back home luckily. But, there still is a lot of pressure. Who knows when we might need that five point advantage? If one of us gets it, then the team will be extremely thankful. If we don't get it, then the team will have to dance its very very best! Overall, I just hope that me or Eldon can get the advantage points. I won't lie, I'm extremely nervous about this. My solo is self-choreographed! That means that it will be nowhere near as good as some of the other dancers' routines! I mean, what if they got a professional teacher in to choreograph their routines? Then I'll look like a fool out there! Ugh, I'm starting to wish that Michelle had kept her solo. And there are tonnes of people watching me! What if my nerves take over and I trip, and fall flat on my face?

"Richelle?" A voice mumbles softly near me. Who is that? I thought I was alone in here! No one is supposed to come into this room until I tell them that they can! This is the girls' changing room, what if I was getting changed into my costume still? "You've been in here for a while, is everything okay? Does the costume fit alright?"

I quickly turn my head around to see Riley towering over me with a look of worry taking over her face. Now that I think about it, I have been in here for a while, my thoughts have washed away any confidence I had, and now I'm not ready to dance at all! No, Riley, everything is not okay!

"The costume is fine," I reply looking down at my white leotard that is laced beautifully and quickly adjusting the straps on my shoulder. "But, I don't think that I can do this."

"What?" She asks, going to sit down next to me and gently putting an arm around me in comfort. "I know there's a lot of pressure on you, Richelle. But you can do this! I know you can, we, a troupe, know you can!"

"But there are loads of people in the audience who will be watching me! I mean, what if I fall out of my needle or a turn! Everyone will remember me as 'the girl with no balance' or, 'the solo that failed miserably'. I'll get points deducted, and we'll never get the five points!"

"Oh Richelle!" She yells slightly, but has some sympathy in her voice. "The five points don't matter! What matters is that you try your best, and that you show some of your 'Richelle fire' that I know you've got in there! And falling out of a needle? You can do a needle in your sleep! I've seen you fall out of a turn before, and you know what you did? You made it look like you were supposed to finish it there by improvising to the music! No one could tell that that wasn't supposed to happen because you did it so well! See now, you're going to be amazing!"

Wow! That was, that was a lot! I think I really needed that- reassurance. That actually helped, a lot. Because thinking about it now, she's right. I've done needles a million times, and if I show some 'fire' and 'emotion', then I will have done my best! Whether I win or not, I will have done my best.

"Thank you," I say to Riley, giving her a big hug, "thank you so much!"

"That's okay, Richelle," she replies snd beams at me with a sparkle in her eyes that only Riley has, "but I think that you should come out now. There's someone who is worrying about you out there."

She gives me a small wink before we both get up, and walk out of the room. Almost instantly I feel myself being pulled against someone's chest, and a great warmth surrounding me. I'm one hundred percent sure it's Noah, and that's who Riley meant.

"Richelle! Are you okay? You were in there for a while! I was getting worried! Well, I still am! Did Riley sort it out? Please talk to me!" He frantically asks and I can hear the worry in his voice, which is honestly so sweet.

"Noah, calm down!" I reassure him, and pull my head from his chest to look at his face, and he lets out a sigh of relief, but his hands stay around my waist, almost not wanting to let go, and I don't want them to let go. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I was just nervous, but Riley made me see sense."

"Phew!" He exclaims, giving me a small kiss on the cheek. "You look beautiful in that, by the way."

I smile at him and give him a hug to say 'thank you', and he whispers into my ear sweetly, "You're going to be incredible out there."

"Ahem!" We both jump slightly, forgetting that a troupe saw all of that, so we quickly pull away, and I can already feel my face burning up and turning a hot fiery red. "That was so cute!"

I soon realise that it was Emily who said that, but that doesn't make my face turn back to its normal colour. A troupe could've given us some time alone! At least we didn't kiss in front of them.

"But we really have to watch Eldon now, he's about to go on."

"You can do this Eldon!" Noah exclaims from behind me and I soon feel his arm secretly wrap around my waist as we all watch Eldon walk on. I can't believe that I'll be on that stage dancing alone soon! I hope Eldon's goes well though, he is an extremely good dancer. Here he goes!

~
Sorry for the lack of updates! But I hope this was okay ❤️
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