Mountain

1.9

When everyone finished dancing, Alex and Derek started speaking.

James stood next to me. "You're an idiot." He said to me.

"Really? I was nervous. What was I supposed to do?"

"I thought you were gonna impress them. You just froze."

"Oh my god." I pushed him. "Just stop. You have no idea how hard it is to stand in front of them and dance."

"Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Just go ask for their autograph."

"No, I'm not just—"

"Come on, Iz." I pushed him away again.

"Hello! Hey! at the back!" I heard them calling us. "A little distractive. Listen, you have brighter brightest here. It's an opportunity. How about showing a little professionalism? Okay? Come on in. Pay attention."

James grabbed my hand and pulled me to the group.

I'm thinking, great, they now had caught us doing something embarrassing and of course it's James's fault again.

We stood in front of our group, a centimeter away from Derek and Alex. "I... sho... I..." again I couldn't speak.

"Yeah, okay." Derek said. "The song is about chemistry. It's definitely about a relationship, and I think you guys have a lot of chemistry. Something was going on back there."

Chemistry? With James? Right. Maybe just him annoying me. No. There's nothing there. No.

James: well they're right. I just hope Isabel can see it.

"We want you guys to be the focus of the video." Derek said.

James bumped my shoulder. "You hear that?" I was in shock. I could not speak.

Be the focus of the video, even with James, it still amazing. I can't even believe it's happening right now. It's unreal.

"We need it by tomorrow." Alex said.

They shake our hands, but I was still frozen and in shock. "What the—"

Emily started teaching us the dance for the clip but it was so boring.

The boys started arguing with Emily about weather or not to do double pirouette or not. Emily said no.

The whole dance is about her. It's not about her.

"It's brighter brightest, not dumber dumbest." James said to her.

"Well you're pretty dumb, so that name would suit you, wouldn't it?"

"Do you like any of my ideas?"

"None. Ready?"

James turned around and then he made a cow voice. "What did you just do?" Emily asked.

"Pardon?"

"The noise you just made."

"Emily, are you okay?"

"Maybe the snap just got you..." West said.

"The snap didn't get to me. You guys making noises." West barked.

The boys started making animal noises to mess with Emily.

It was funny. But come on, we need to dance.

"Get out." Emily said.

"What?" I said confused.

"Do you mean—"

"No. I mean get out." Emily cut off West.

"I'm down to get out of this rehearsal." James said.

"Yeah."

"Looks like it's boys against the girls, huh?"

"Exactly like it should be." Emily said.

We kept rehearsing for a bit until Emily called a break. I walked to studio b to talk to James for a second.

I opened the door and heard them doing impressions of the girls. James and Daniel did Eldon and Emily.

And then Eldon did James. "Man, I don't even care, okay? I'm so in love with Isabel but who cares?" Eldon said as James.

I froze. I didn't laugh anymore. But the boys did.

"What dude come on? I'm not love with her. I don't even like her okay? We're just family friends."

My whole face went down. I felt the tears willing in my eyes.

I really thought I meant more to him than just that. I guess not.

Eldon saw me at the door and froze. "What?" James asked him and then followed his gaze at me. "Izzy—"

I left the room before he could add anything else. "Iz!" He yelled after me.

"Just stay away from me, James." I said without looking at him.

He grabbed my hand. "Don't touch me." I said sharply.

"Come on. It wasn't— I didn't —"

"What do you care, huh? I'm not your friend. Never was apparently."

"Isabel—"

"Stay away from me." I said and turned away from him.