To Be Rebuilt, Or Destroyed

1 | A Serious Makeover

( A large sum of teenagers walk into an old, clattered room.)

Emily TH

Today is finally the day, a-troupe auditions! A-troupe is the most elite team at The Next Step, we are the team that goes to all the different competitions and makes the studio as well known as it is.

I've been on the team for over 4 years now, getting on it when I was turning 14, and now I'm almost 18. We lost last year at Regionals, which was pretty disheartening. But, I have a plan for this year, I just hope everyone else stays in line.

Riley: There's a lot of people here today, huh?
Emily: Don't be nervous, Riley. You'll do great as always.

(Emily smiles at her sister, who gives a small one back in return.)

Stephanie: Well, that's what we were expecting anyway. Even if we didn't win last year, we still did really fucking good and Miss Kate's been doing up to place and advertising it like crazy!
Tiffany: Just means we're gonna have to try extra harder this year!
Riley: Yeah, no pressure...

(Suddenly a curly, black-haired boy comes over to them, throwing his muscular arm around Emily's shoulders.)

James: Hey babe.
Emily: Hey.
Riley: Okay, can you two make out in your own time?!
James: Why? Jealous Riles?
Riley: You wish, and don't call me that!

Riley TH

I'm here to audition today, not to see my sister be all weirdly gushy over her subpar boyfriend. Plus, I'm more interested on what's going on with Stephanie.

Riley: What are you looking at?
Stephanie: Huh?! Oh, uh...it's nothing-
Emily: Wait! Is that fucking Amanda!

(She detaches herself from James and glares at the same girl that her best-friend is looking at, who is stretching her long legs.)

Emily TH

What the actual fuck is Amanda of all people doing here?! She is the Dance Captain at Elite, one of, if not our most, rival studios! She and the rest of her team have been fucking with and beating us at competitions for years now!

Stephanie TH

I guess now is not the best time to tell Emily that I may or may not have hooked up with Amanda at a party last week then...

(James and Riley both sigh as Emily storms over to the tall girl. Two boys and a girl are watching them from the other side of the room.)

Giselle: Wow, Emily is mad after only 5 minutes? That's a new record.
West: Hey, she's your friend, you should have known this would happen.
Giselle: Hm true, wonder what Amanda is doing here though. Think she is actually auditioning?
Daniel: Beats me, you were the one out of us 3 that saw her at Regionals last year.

Daniel TH

Unlike Giselle, West and I haven't been on a-troupe before. I have been dancing here since I was 7, and am now turning 17, and West just joined me on b-troupe last year.

B-troupe is more of a recreational team than a-troupe. We still go to competitions, but none anywhere as big as Regionals. Both West and I have been working hard though and I hope we both make it this year with Giselle.

(West looks a little to the left from where Emily is arguing with Amanda and smirks.)

West: Giselle isn't the only one that knows Amanda a bit well.
Daniel: Shut up...
West: Why? You still embarrassed over your crush on a little Eldon?
Giselle: Dude, why are you still pining over him anyway? He's a bit of a creep. I've been friends with Emily for years now, and I swear he asks her out everyday.
Daniel: I don't know, okay! Plus, you're the one dating this idiot, so...

(Daniel points to West, who gasps offended. He twats at Daniel, but his attention is on Giselle. She crosses her arms and goes back to stretching her body, a frown on her face.

Daniel TH

I didn't mean to offend Giselle like that. West seems fine and the insult was directed at him, so...I don't know what going on with her. I hope she's okay, she's my best-friend.

(Then there are the other b-troupers and j-troupers.)

Richelle: This people all look so hopeful. I don't know why. We all know who's going to get on the team this year.
Noah: You get anymore big headed and you won't be able to lift it as you flip.
Richelle: Do you want me to slap you?!
Noah: Bring it, bitch!
Gabi: Okay, can you two like, not?
Richelle: Fine, fine. I won't kill your boyfriend Gabi. But, you've been warned.

(Noah pokes his tongue out at his best-friend as she pokes him. The two playfully glare at each-other, before Richelle sits back down, leaning her back on Shad's legs, who has his arms wrapped around them and propped up.)

Noah TH

J-troupe is the lowest level of team at The Next Step. It stands for 'Junior Troupe', though none of us know why. Seeing as some of us, like myself are turning 16. I think it's just a way to make us feel better about Miss.Kate not upgrading us. If she thinks we're shit, she should really just say it to our faces.

(Seeing her boyfriend's worry, Gabi gives him a heated kiss on the face.)

Noah: What was that for?
Gabi: I don't like seeing you so glum.

Noah TH

Gabi and I have been dating for a month or so now. We'd been friends for ages, since we both joined the studio when we were young. It's been nice honestly. I haven't dated many people before, so I think we're doing alright anyway.

(Amanda scoffs as Emily walks always.)

Amanda: That was just wonderful.
Cierra: It's what we were expecting though. Didn't think she'd be that nice to us of all people.
Skylar: Yeah, just ignore her. We're here to audition. Not pick fights. Plus, she's much better than-
Amanda: Don't!

(All the former Elite dancers job back at that. Amanda sighs and threads a hand through her jade hair. They all look at one another, now awkward.)

Cierra TH

Amanda's been pretty on edge since we all left Elite. I mean, I know why, but it's hard to talk to her these days more than ever.

(Emily storms back over to her group, shaking her head as she does so.)

Emily: Miss Kate can't possibly allow this.
Riley: Well, it's an open audition Em. They're not doing any harm by being here.
Emily: Says you! Even looking at that bitch pisses me off.
James: That much is evident.
Emily: Okay, are you people here to support me or just to-
???: The auditions are in here, right?

(Emily cuts herself off at that. Every head in the room turns around to see a blonde girl, who looks around Emily's age, standing with a brunette, buff boy on her right, bag dangling from her arm.)

~~~

A/N: Wow, I wonder who this could be/j.

What is going on with both Giselle and Amanda? How will Emily react to these new people?