The Next Step A-Z One Shots 3✓

Building a Future-Jiley

a/n Hey guys, I hope you enjoy this week's chapter. Keep an eye out for next week's Michemily one shot and don't forget to comment below when you wish to request a couple or idea.

DESCRIPTION: James and Riley must now navigate their relationship after everything that happened to the studio and their families.
WHAT TO READ: Book 2: Ugly Heart
DATE PUBLISHED: 07/04/20
SHOUTOUT: cloudyjiley

After what had happened between Alfie and Riley (and the studio), everything had started to go back to normal. Not only was A-Troupe reinstated and everyone was back dancing, but James and Riley were back together and stronger than ever.

Riley knew it shouldn't have taken so long to get back to James and back to normality, but Alfie's possessiveness and control had forced her to step back into her introverted ways where she had to be told what to do and would refuse to listen to her own actions. As soon as Alfie wanted to take the studio (her home), Riley finally decided that it was time to take charge and stand up for herself – which resulted in Alfie and Riley breaking up and James and Riley rekindling their former romance.

Things were moving at a steady pace between the two of them, which Riley had no problem with, but it just felt like something was missing – like something was supposed to be happening that wasn't quite yet.

It wasn't something that Riley could easily pick up on because everything seemed normal and everyone was happy: A-Troupe was back together and on the road to Nationals, her and James were solid (as were Piper and Finn) and the studio was still owned by Miss Kate – so nothing was out of place...but there was still the feeling of something missing to Riley.

"Is everything okay?" James whispered knocking Riley out of her thoughts and back to the dinner table at James's residence.

"Everything is fine," Riley said as she turned to face her boyfriend. "Don't even worry about it."

James laughed at Riley's statement before he continued to cut up the meat on his plate.

"How is everything, Riley?" Deborah, James's mum, asked her looking up from the meal in front of her. "You seem a little distracted."

Riley gulped before shaking her head and faking a smile, "everything's fine."

But while Deborah nodded and continued back to her meal, Piper stopped her conversation with Finn and turned to give Riley a knowing look – clearly, she was aware that something was up.

She would have to talk to her later, but for now, she would enjoy the dinner with James's family.

---

After dinner, when everyone is helping to clean up the mess, Riley pulled Piper aside to talk to her about what happened at the table over the meal.

"Hey. What's up?" Piper asked when the two vacated the back room of the house.

"Nothing." Riley was quick to say before she continued, "I'm just..."

Piper was quick to assume what Riley wanted to talk to her about and pulled her over to the couch so that the two could sit and talk.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just...after everything that happened at the studio, and with James, it feels like something wrong...or missing. I don't know."

Piper took time to register what Riley had said, remembering when she exploited everything wrong. After thinking about the moments that took place mere weeks ago, she came up with an idea to help Riley move away from her paranoia.