Flying (Fight Song Book 2)

Chapter 25: Chaos

If anyone actually still cares about this story, I need to say three things before I begin this chapter:

Firstly sorry this has taken so long, first I had deadlines then my mental health took a rapid decline and THEN I had the flu and two seizures ha, love that for me. Mental health still not great but I need to write.

Secondly, I lowkey hated the whole singing idea for the songs so we're gonna scrap that and pretend it never happened lol - the songs will remain the same though. Unless you liked the idea? I might make it an Internationals round if I end up doing another one of these or extending this one to cover Internationals too? Not sure. But for now I'm scrapping the singing!

And last of all just thank you for still caring and still reading, I'll keep writing as long as people keep reading :)

Joe's PoV:
"Five six seven eight, step one two three four wait five wait six wait seven eight," I say, counting through me and Dianne's duet.

We've been practising it non stop today, and it looks really good.

"This is definitely going to get us to the next round," Dianne breathes. "It's a great duet if I do say so myself."

We'd decided to choreograph is around our love, which gave us an edge other teams might not have. Sometimes duets had the theme of love, but when the dance partners were actually dating each other it made everything so much more believable, because there's so much chemistry in comparison, and there's no awkwardness in holding each other close. It's to The Power Of Love, the Gabrielle Aplin version, and it's the story of our relationship - rival teams, slowly but surely coming to terms with the fact we'd fallen for each other, almost like a Romeo and Juliet theme except without the death. We decided to end it unhappily, with everything eventually falling apart, because it tugged at the heartstrings more. It's beautiful.

"I agree," I smile at her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

It feels so good to finally have her back. I don't think I quite understood just how much I love her until she no longer loved me. Now I appreciate her so much more, and I can't ever even dream of letting her go.

We make our way back to Studio A for our team rehearsals, feeling confident in the fact that at least one of our Nationals routines is nailed and amazing. However, we're greeted by chaos and shouting, as the entire team seems to be arguing.

"What the hell is going on?!" I yell, running into the centre.

"The rules have changed," Neil says. "Both the male and female solos now have to be improvised to music given to us at the competition. I think we have to change the dancers."

"No we don't," Anna glares at him. "This is ridiculous, they've been working hard and they deserve it."

"But we have better improv dancers on our team than them!" Amy argues back.

"Wait woah okay where are our soloists?" I say, looking around for Chloe and Jack, who aren't anywhere to be seen.

"Chloe started crying and left," Anna says. "Jack followed soon after. You lot have upset them both, you can't take this away from them."

I don't know who's side to pick. On the one hand, we have Chloe and Jack who've been working hard on solos for weeks, but on the other hand Jack definitely isn't the strongest improv dancer on the team. There's a small chance he won't manage it. I'm not sure about Chloe, but I do know Amy's improv is better than anyone else on the team. I curse silently and look back up at the team who have erupted into arguments again.

"Can we just go one day without some sort of drama happening?" I look at Dianne, exasperated. "Is that so much to ask?"

"Apparently," she sighs.