The Ladder

Operation Studio Head

"Hey..." Richelle peered around the office door and saw Noah sat on the floor staring at two pizza boxes. 

He looked up at her and smiled, breaking himself out of the pizza trance he had been in. "You alright?"

"Yes, i'm so hungry though." She sat on the floor opposite him and lifted the lid of the top pizza box, licking her lips. She put it back down and leant her back against the desk, "Are you excited for the new A Troupe?"

Noah put his phone down and turned it over so the screen wouldn't tempt him, "Yes! Hannah looked so thrilled when you said her name." 

Richelle smiled, she was excited to have her old friend on the team this year. She could see Noah kept eyeing up the pizza, so opened both the boxes and let the smell of them fill the air. She was glad to see Noah had ordered what she wanted, even though he considered ham and pineapple a pizza sin.

"This is a celebration pizza." Noah told her, and pulled a slice of his meat feast pizza away from the others, letting the cheese pull away and hang. He attempted to catch the hanging cheese in his mouth but he got strands on his chin. Richelle neatly picked up one of her slices and took a small bite. They both nodded in satisfaction, then Noah pointed at her suddenly, his mouth half full of pizza. "I got you something!"

"Why..?"

He put what was remaining of his slice down, and went out of the office and around the corner. He came back a few seconds later, holding a red balloon and smiled.

"Why have you got me a balloon?" Richelle laughed, then took another bite of her pizza.

He came back in the office and sat down, putting it next to him, "You got me a red balloon when i was injured, so i am returning the favour." It made sense now, and Richelle had to try her best not to blush. She thanked him, and they both carried on eating.  

Richelle looked around the office, "It's weird that we class The Next Step as 'work' now."

"I know... Amanda messaged me earlier and congratulated us on it."

Richelle oddly didn't mind Noah bringing up Amanda, she wasn't really the jealous type in anything other than dance. She used to be, but now she just didn't see the point. They were all adults. "That's nice of her, how's she doing?"

"I didn't really ask. She's got a boyfriend now though so I think she's doing good." Noah went to pick up another slice now he had finished his first, but looked at the one Richelle was holding. 

She saw him looking, "It really isn't that bad."

"Its fruit. Why is fruit on a pizza?"

"It's nice!"

Noah thought about it and scratched his chin, "Can I... Can I try it?"

Richelle gave him a confused look because he was asking as though it was something really serious he was about to try. She pushed her box towards him and put what was remaining of her slice, in her mouth. As she chewed, she watched him choose the smallest piece, with the least amount of pineapple on. He took a small bite and she could see the moment he bit into pineapple because his eyes squinted. She couldn't help but laugh, "It's not even bad!"

"Yes it is." Noah said, his mouth still full and trying hard to swallow it without throwing up. 

Richelle took a huge bite of another of her slices and emphasised how much she was enjoying it, while Noah swallowed while grimacing. Once it was gone, they both laughed, but were quickly quietened when Kate came around the corner and into the office.

"What are you doing here?!"

They both looked at her, confused, and stayed quiet because they didn't exactly know what they had done wrong.