Stepping Out

Two| Gracie

This was the moment that I had been waiting for, the moment that was mine to take should I choose to
I messed up last time I was here, I couldn't even step foot in this place without the guilt from not doing this with my parents ate me up
But I'm an elbow deep away from drowning now. There is no turning back now

I had never done anything like this, if you asked around about Gracie Miller all you would hear was that she was a kind soul, she got good grades, she's the daughter of James and Riley, she's the baby sister of the Miller boys
Everything lead back to someone else
Gracie Miller was not her own person, but right here.. right now.. I have the opportunity to do and be whatever I damn well want

"When you're ready Gracie" Haven said making me smile and nod as I headed to the centre of the room

Around me were 9 other teenagers. All of them watching me intensively judging my every move but I didn't expect anything less
The only two adults in the room were Haven and then man that helped plead my case. I turned to my left to see the same boy the cornered me in the hallway stood amongst the rest of the team smirking in my direction 
"Where on earth did you find her Ryan? I thought this audition was out of your attention span" A blonde said next to him while his eyes stayed trained on mine
"Jealousy isn't a good look for you Allie" He answered the moment my music started 

Clear your head Gracie, this is your shot

The moment I finished, I couldn't help but smile to myself. There was something about dancing that just made everything okay, it lifted a weight off of my shoulder that even I didn't know I had
As soon as I was back to reality, I was brought out of my daze by an irruption of applause making me look around to see all 10 out of the 11 people clapping proudly including the same brunette from the hallway, Ryan

"I think it's save to say we've found the final member" The guy from earlier said, I doubt I would have been allowed an audition had it not been for his input
So for that I'm thankful
"hold your horses, this is a team decision Theo. Not ours" Haven said looking over at the team who were dotted around a bench or the barre
The longer I looked at them, the more intense one of their gazes got, the softer some of their smiles got until one of them stepped forward

"I think coming from the dance captain, I think it's safe to say that you are going to be a great addition" A blonde said stepping forward
"Really Anna?" Allie said making Anna turn back to glare at her before turning back to us
"Welcome to A-Troupe Gracie" Anna smiled before the rest of the team started swarming the floor coming over to me 

--

When I got home, my mood couldn't have been better. I don't think there is anything that could have shaken it. But coming home to see the entire family around the bonfire with all the extended family still lingering just made it better
What would have made it perfect is if they all knew

If they could celebrate the victory with me too 

"You know Gee, if you are going to try and keep something from Mum and Dad. Maybe you're excuse shouldn't be ringing the landline when you aren't here" Ethan's voice said making me head shoot around to see him stood slightly behind me with a beer in his hand
"What?" I said, deny deny deny

"You went to Jess didn't you?" Ethan asked and I nodded but at this point I knew it was useless, He knew.. he had to know
"Then why was Jess calling here an hour ago asking for you?" He asked, his brown eyes daring me to try to lie to him
Ethan has always been the one of us that could always tell when someone was lying. 

"I uh-" I stuttered, I didn't know what to say, what to do
"Where were you Gracie and why are you lying to our parents" He asked, the tone of his voice meaning he meant business
"I wasn't anywhere bad" I muttered looking down
"Bullshit. If it wasn't somewhere bad then you wouldn't be hiding it" He exclaimed and sadly he had a point
"I just don't know how they would react to finding out Eth okay? I don't want to lose this and I don't want to piss them off or upset them" I warned him but he shook his head

"Grace, our parents are the most laid back people you could ever meet. Well Dad is but Mum's catching on" He said
"If whatever this is, is really not bad then there is no reason for them to react badly" He explained making me look over at everyone 

Mum and Dad were sat there with all their old friends, their old A-Troupe. What I'm doing right now is only following their footsteps
I'm not doing anything that they haven't already done
I want this to be able to make my own memories, to fall in love with Dance the way they did 

"I made A-Troupe" I said making Ethan turn to look at me confused
"A-Troupe? As in the competition dance thing Mum and Dad met at?" He asked and I nodded 
"Since when do you dance Gracie?" he asked, his gaze had softened now, he was trying to understand the reasoning behind it all I think..

"I started a couple years ago. Back when I got my first job, every time I had a shift I would be at the studio, either in a class or just there for my own gain" I explained
"That was 4 years ago Gee, how the hell have you not been caught. How are you even funding that?" He asked making me bite my lip
"Nana.." I whispered but his eyes widened slightly before he nodded

The boys know that I'm Nana's favourite, hell they know I'm almost everyone's favourite but in this moment right now it all made sense to Ethan 

"So this is serious then?" He asked and I nodded
"Please don't tell them yet Eth" I pleaded
"Let me find my footing, let me tell them in my own time" I whispered looking up at my big brother hoping that he would do this for me
That's all I want
Time.. 
Please 

"Did you at least kick ass while doing it? Us Miller's can't be soft Gracie" He said making me smile as I stepped forward falling into one of his famous hugs 

My secret was safe.. for now at least