Unconditional

More than I can count

Dannie: "Hey Anthony..how are you man, missed you yesterday, well... missed both of you yesterday"

Ant: "Yeah, I..eh-"

Dannie: "It's okay, I understand. But I have this say. You are a strong man! Seriously!! My girlfriend can't stop talking about how brave you are"

Ant: "Your girlfriend?"

Dannie: "Yeah, Holly?"

Ant slowly turns to Dec who was busily avoiding looking at him.

Ant: "Holly....yes...I know..well, thanks I guess"

Dannie laughs at that " You know I would have punched you if you were anyone else. My girlfriend seems rather obsessed about  describing you"

Ant: "Don't worry, Nobody can compete with you"

Dannie laughs again and walks to the small group assembled there while Ant and Dec sit on the bench, watching Holly and Keith rehearsing.

Ant: "Thank you"

Dec: "Why?"

Ant: "You are the one behind all those compliments. Only Holly can do something like this and she has no reasons of her own to help me. Except if it's for you"

Dec just looks at him not knowing what to say

Ant: "I mean it. For all that you did for me, thank you"

Dec just nods at that suddenly feeling misty-eyed.

That was when Philip entered the room, visibly stressed.

He walks straight to Ant and Ant stands up concerned

Ant: "What happened?"

Philip: "Mac has quit the college"

Gasps spread around the room

Ant: "What? Damn it, what?!!"

Philip sighs and looks around. He then sees Piers and walks to him.

Philip: "Are you done yet? You and your friends bullied him, hurt him and now he has left the college just a few days before the second set of competition starts. And you got away with the help of your family name! Now how are you going to clean the mess you have put us into?!"

Piers: "Philip...sir I... I didn't think he will leave. We just cornered him and teased him about....about being...gay and all. And then Andrew came and we left from there. We will never do anything to stop this competition.Please believe me sir, I didn't do it"

Philip pinches his nose in frustration

Robbie: "Where is Andrew?"

Philip glares at Robbie at that

Philip: "At the hospital! Your friends and even you, Declan! I don't understand! Fights happen during the competitions. But it's with the other team not with your own team members!"

Ant: "Will Andrew be out soon?"

Philip: "Yes. Within a couple of days. His bruises can be covered with makeup, but what about Mac, now? He is not going to come back!"

Ant: "We have to find a solution. Can't cut his character out"

Gino: "I have an idea. We can replace Mac with someone else"

Gary: "There is no time"

Ant: "We can't call another audition. Maybe we can search the list of all those who came for the auditions and-"