Nochelle - Our Stories

P I P E S

~Post TNS~ (Nochelle live together in NY 😊)

It has been a long, particularly stressful week at practice and Richelle finally has time to put her feet up and relax with a movie night. Since starting rehearsals for her sister's new show just two weeks ago, she's been swamped with choreography and fittings, she had been looking forward to spending tonight with Noah – that was, until he texted her a half hour ago to let her know he'd be staying late at work.

Late nights and early mornings are all part of the job, Richelle knows that all too well, and she really is used to it after all those years dancing competitively, but the prospect of spending tonight alone is still disappointing none the less. Rather than dwell on her boyfriends absence though, she made the decision to turn on some relaxing music, change into her most comfortable loungewear and dance around the kitchen whilst baking cookies – her sweet tooth now being especially reserved for the weekends.

However, she had barely been sitting on the couch for thirty seconds when the doorbell rings, the loud sound cutting through the classical ballet music playing in her and Noah's newly shared apartment. She was permanently located in NYC for now, so Henry had moved out, finding a place with Amy, and Richelle officially left her home in Toronto.

But now, she's not revelling in the joys of living alone, she's groaning, throwing her phone down beside her in frustration. She had just been about to find a new recipe, but this interruption has caused the link to completely disappear from the screen (Pinterest is so hard to use).

As Richelle stands up slowly, wrapping a blanket round her shoulders, the doorbell rings for a second time, and immediately after, for a third.

"Yes, okay! I'm coming!" Richelle whisper-shouts in frustration as she heads for the door, loud enough for the person on the other side of the door to hear her but not so loud that she might disturb her neighbours.

Without putting much consideration into who might be visiting their apartment at such a time, she unlocks and opens the door, and is shocked to see Piper standing before her, looking sheepish.

"Pipes? Hey." Richelle says, trying not to sound too surprised or confused. She and Piper have been spending a lot more time together since she had moved to New York with Finn a few months ago. It was nice to rekindle the friendship they had shared as kids.

"Richie." Piper says with a nervous nod. "Uh, I'm sorry for just showing up. I can, like, go if you're, you know, busy." Piper stutters, turning as if she is going to walk away.

Richelle quickly stops her, waving her hands. "No, don't go!" She says, trying not to sound too desperate for Piper's company. It's just that she's pretty flattered to be receiving a visit from her old friend. "Come inside."

Piper stares at her for a moment, as if considering whether or not she was right to come here, and then nods slowly. "Thanks."

Richelle leads her friend into the apartment and heads straight for the fridge, babbling through the events of her day as she goes, now having someone around to listen. "So, what brings you here? Not that I'm complaining – it's good to see you. Do you want a glass of wine? In fact, I think Noah left some around beer from a few nights ago if you want-"

"Richelle."

The word breaks slightly as Piper says it, causing Richelle to freeze completely. For just a moment, she allows herself to wonder whether the reason for this seemingly harmless visit is not positive, before she turns around to face Piper, who is standing in the middle of the room, looking anywhere but directly at her friend.

"I think I might be pregnant." Piper says the words very quickly, and even more quietly, the colour draining from her face almost entirely. She looks scared, an emotion that Richelle hadn't seen on her in a long time, not since Finn had stolen her heart, and it makes Richelle's heart sink down to the bottom of her stomach, physically aching as it goes.