flying • james and riley

| chapter five |

dancers don't need wings to fly

"YOU THREE LOOK LIKE YOU'RE HAVING FUN," Raelynn observed teasingly as she entered the vintage-looking break room of the Next Step. Pressing her hand against the back of the sofa Riley was sitting on, she jumped over it and landed on the couch with a broad grin on her face. Her eyes were filled with enthusiasm and a bit of mischief.

Riley felt a smile stretch across her face as she stared at the brunette that made her feel safe and secure whenever she was around. It was like her presence wrapped her in a blanket of protection. "I was just telling Michelle and Amanda some big news," she replied, clasping her hands together, her knee bouncing up and down softly as nerves of anxiety travelled through her veins.

"Ooh. Do spill."

Raelynn leant against the back of the couch, her grin twisting into a smirk as excitement bubbled up within her. The three other girls threw her confused glances. "You know, spill the tea?" Raelynn chuckled once she realised that the three dancers that went to internationals didn't understand what she meant. "Nevermind. You were saying?"

"Miss Kate is leaving the Next Step." The rest of the dancers in the room gasped in surprise at the sudden news.

"How come? I thought she loved this place," Raelynn asked as confusion filled her, her neatly-done brows raised high.

"She got this incredible opportunity to judge at this reality show overseas."

Raelynn nodded her head, understandingly.

"Fair enough," she said, shrugging her shoulders. Though she voiced a concerning thought, "But who's going to replace her?"

"She kind of asked me."

A broad grin broke out onto Raelynn's face as pride filled her chest, happy that Riley got the job instead of someone else, who would probably not do their job correctly. Riley was the best person for the job. She was qualified enough from being a dancer as well as the fact that she's independent and intelligent. The ombre-haired girl deserved to be studio head; she earned it from all her hard work.

"Riley, that's great!" Amanda excalimed once she and Michelle glanced at each other with surprised faces.

"What? Congrats!" Raelynn furrowed her brows at their meh reaction. Like come on, your best friend just got the position of the studio head. If Riley were her best friend, she'd be jumping up in joy, but then again, she wasn't Amanda or Michelle.

"That's fucking awesome, Riley!" Raelynn commented as she hugged the brunette, her hand placed on her thigh as she scooted closer to the older dancer. For an odd reason, Raelynn enjoyed being close to Riley; she felt safe and peaceful.

"Thank you," Riley said genuinely before she sighed. "It also means I have to give up my spot on A troupe." Raelynn nodded her head, chewing on the inside of her lip as she rested her arm against the back of the couch.

"Would you be willing to give up your spot on A troupe?" Michelle asked as she inhaled a deep breath, leaning further into her seat while lifting her leg to rest over the other one.

Riley bit her lip as she voiced her thoughts, "I had the best dance of my life at internationals." A smile spread across her face as she reminisced her moments at the worldwide dance competition that the Next Step won. "And," Riley sighed as she furrowed her brows. "I don't know, for some reason, I feel like I have nothing left to prove on A troupe."

That was true, Raelynn thought.

All the new dancers knew that Riley had to be the best dancer; her duet with James was the one that won the tiebreaker at internationals. If it weren't for them, the Next Step would've lost internationals. "What do you guys think?"

Realising that Riley was asking Michelle and Amanda, Raelynn decided not to add her input in as she had a feeling that Riley was asking them because they were her friends and because they were both dance captains once.

Michelle and Amanda glanced at each other and inhaled deeply, their thoughts crowded. The latter took sighed as she bit the side of her lip before looking at her friend.

"Okay, Riley, you have to understand that part of me wants to tell you to take the job." Immediately Raelynn knew why Amanda said that. The former Elite dancer didn't make it to the A troupe auditions, so it's her fault after all.

"And why is that?" Looking at the girl that made her go wild, Raelynn realised that Riley was a bit too naive. She could never think the worst of the people she held close to her heart, which was a good thing but sometimes not. It could lead to her downfall eventually.

"If you take it," Amanda started, pulling back on her lip with her teeth before exhaling. "It opens up a spot on A troupe," she admitted. "That gives me a chance."

"But as my friend, what would you say?" Amanda sighed as she looked at Riley with a kind smile.

"As your friend? You need to follow your heart." Riley nodded, her brain processing the advise Amanda gave to her. "You're a great dancer, Riley." Michelle glanced up and looked at Amanda, a smile spreading on her lips at the former Elite dancer's next words. "And you'd be a great studio head." Riley felt happiness blossom within her as a smile of her own stretched across her face.

"You need to do what's going to make you happy," Michelle said as she placed her arm on the armrest of the chair, allowing her arm to hold her upper body weight while she looked at her best friend with a fond look.

"What about you, Raelynn?" The brunette hummed as she looked up from her hands that were on her lap. "What do you think?" For some reason, Riley felt like Raelynn's thoughts and opinion was just as important as that of her best friends.

"I think that whatever you choose, you're going to rock it." The brunette grinned, her pearly white teeth on display. Riley let out a soft laugh while the two other dancers chuckled.

"Thank you, guys," Riley said genuinely. The brunette that sat beside her couldn't help but feel a little bit sad inside as she realised that if Riley were going to accept the job opportunity, then the two wouldn't be able to dance together - which the brunette was hoping. Once she found out that she was on A troupe, she was beyond happy when she realised Riley was with her. Raelynn wanted to make duets together and spend time with her.

Out of the whole team, Riley and Raelynn were the best. She wasn't acting arrogant. She just knew. She knew she was the best dancer on the team; it was evident to all of them. Nobody compared to the brunette. Her dance style was unique. She could forge together two different dances and make a whole new style, one that was never seen before. And with her on the Next Step team, they sure as hell was going to win Regionals and every competition after that, if Raelynn wished to stay, of course.