Mountain

1.4

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah sure." He said.

"Do you think I should be in the front row?"

"Okay, honestly?"

"Honestly."

"Seriously, I think Michelle should be in the front row. I mean, no offense."

"No, no. I get it. I just... needed to hear it. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Hey Iz?" I looked at him. "You're still an amazing dancer." I smiled weakly and walked away.

It kinda hurt. I don't know, maybe he did thought I fit in the front row. But I knew the truth. I'm just glad James was the one to say it.

I knocked on Kate's door. "Hey, Izzy, what's up?"

"I just kinda wanted to hear your thoughts about something."

"Sure."

Emily got Kate's approval on my spot so I wanted to figure out why she put me in the front row.

"I didn't." Kate said. "I didn't approve the line up."

"I thought she came in and talked to you."

"She made that decision alone."

I walked downstairs to the juice bar and towards Emily. "Em, can we talk?" I asked her.

"Well, it's E girls, just seat and talk."

"Okay, well, I talked to Kate and she said you didn't ask her about the positions."

"Well, I thought they were good."

"I... I just think Michelle and I should switch places."

"I disagree. I think she should earn her place, just like everybody else, okay?"

"She deserves to be in the front row." I insisted.

"Isabel." She warned me.

"I just wants what best for the team."

"Isabel! I'm sticking up for you. Maybe have a little faith in me, okay?"

Maybe she's right. But she's wrong about me in this dance. I know what I have to do.

I went back to studio and start warming up. "Yo." James said, pulling my attention to him, he was warming up next to me.

"Hey." I said.

"How's it going?"

"Not so good. I mean, you were right. I don't deserve to be in the front row. But the funny thing is, Emily made the lines up by herself. Kate had nothing to do with it. I don't know, I kinda have an idea."

"Do it." He pushed me.

I don't know if I can pull this off. I don't know how it will end.

Emily walked in. "Alright, everybody, let's take our positions. You should he warmed by now."

Michelle turned to the back row but I grabbed her shoulder and put her where my position was earlier. "Stay in the front." I told her.

In this moment, I'm standing up for Emily and doing the right thing.

Emily walked towards me. "What are you doing?" She asked me.

"What's right." I answered her. "Kate had nothing to do with this line placements, Emily did this all on her own, and I clearly do not deserve to be in the front row. Michelle does. Do you all agree with me?"

I saw Stephanie shaking her head, but James spoke up. "Yeah." He said.

"Yeah." Daniel and West said.

"Sorry, friend, you're outvoted."

"Well, I guess it's the last time I'll ever have faith in you, friend." She said sharply. "Okay, that's fine."

I know in a few days she'll turn her focus to something else and she'll see my side of things eventually.

"So I'm in the front?" Michelle asked.

"Yes."

"Okay, dancers, we still have a lot of work to do. We need to pick up the energy. Let's do it."

We started doing the dance and I felt more comfortable at the back. I could see everyone in front of me, and it was good.

Emily kept giving me dirty looks but I know she'll get over it at the end.

At the end of rehearsal I joined the girls who were talking about going out this weekend. But when I stood next to them they all went silent.

I'm getting a little nervous because I see the E girl look in their eyes and with that look, nothing ever ends well.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Look, it seems like your interest is outside of E girls lately." Emily said.

"What? I— no."

"It's not up for discussion. Who wants Isabel out of the E girls?" My mouth opened in shock.

Emily and Stephanie put their hand up quickly. Chloe followed them and Riley mouthed sorry before she did as well.

"Looks like your outvoted here, Izzy."

My eyes filled with tears. I looked at Emily. "Please don't do this." I said quietly.

"It's done." She said and turned her back to me.

She's my best friend, and she just kicked me out. I thought we were closer than that.

I turned my back to them and walked towards the exit.

I did what I thought was right and I got punished for it.

"Hey, Iz, what's wrong?" James grabbed my arm.

"I—" I couldn't even finish the sentence. I put my head on James's chest and he wrapped his arms around me.