Flying (Fight Song Book 2)

Chapter 26: Changes

Joe's PoV
A whole week later and Shirley is still yet to be seen. Alesha is still trying to convince us all that she's on holiday, but we all know this wouldn't happen right now. Somethings up.

"So, will we be seeing Shirley any time soon?" I ask Alesha as we start stretching.

Alesha's face gives nothing away. "No. She's extended her holiday slightly."

"Look, nobody's buying that," Jack rolls his eyes. "Where the hell is she?"

Alesha looks at our expectant faces, and eventually sighs and closes her eyes. "Shirley has moved studios."

"WHAT?!" Everyone in the studio says simultaneously.

Shirley can't have left? Surely not?

"Where's she gone?" Amy asks the question everyone's thinking.

"Well," Alesha takes a deep breath, looking at our expectant faces. "Shirley has taken up the position of headmistress and studio head of the English Academy of Dance. Just before Internationals, so at the end of the school year, they are beginning renovations to turn EAD into a performing arts school for ages 11-18 rather than just a dance studio. It will still have a competition team that competes against us, but it is being turned into a private academy that accommodates GCSEs and A Levels too. The owner of EAD doesn't want to run both a dance studio and a school, so Shirley was offered the position and has taken it. It pays well, better than what she gets paid here."

"Wait, but if it's not being turned into a school until just before Internationals then why has she gone now?" Chloe asks. I'm wondering the same thing.

Alesha bites her lip. I can tell this isn't going to be good. "Okay, so, what better way to open a performing arts school than to have them be Nationals winners right? Potentially even Internationals. Part of the deal was Shirley join now so that she can coach their team to victory. She's been our studio head for as long as I've been here, so she's got us to Internationals more times than I can count."

"So she just stabbed us in the back like that?" I growl, and people agree with me.

"Not entirely," Alesha says. "Her friend, Bruno, is coming to be our studio head. He's just as qualified as she is. She's also promised me that she won't say anything about what we're working on to the other team, because it wouldn't be right to win that way, by cheating. They'll win fairly or not at all."

"Better be not at all," Neil mumbles.

"When does this Bruno lad get here then?" Jack asks.

"He was supposed to be here yesterday, but apparently he wanted to 'make an entrance', so has changed his arrival date to, and I quote, 'whenever I want'," Alesha grimaces as she finishes the sentence. I can already tell Bruno is going to be a pain to work with. I wish Shirley had stayed.

"Sounds reliable," I roll my eyes.

"Look, he's all we've got so we're going to have to give him a chance," Alesha sighs.

"Fine," I say, somewhat exasperated. "We'll give him a chance."

Dianne's PoV
"I need coffee," Joe says during our break. "Wanna head to Starbucks with me?"

"Sure," I smile. It's nice to get some time with just Joe. Recently, with all the drama and rehearsing, we haven't had hardly any time together at all.

It's pouring with rain when we step outside, so we pull our hoods up and speed walk to the Starbucks that's thankfully just a two minute walk from the studio, and find Alice and Rosie just leaving, I assume for B Troupe rehearsals.

"Hey guys," I say.

"Hey!" Alice grins. "Did you hear about EAD being turned into a school? My parents are thinking of sending me there."

"What?!" Joe looks at them. "But you're part of the BDC!"

"Just because we go to school there doesn't mean we have to train there," Alice shrugs.

"Hold up, we?" I say, looking at them both.

"Oh, yeah, if Alice is going then I am too," Rosie says.

Joe and I exchange glances. What if more of our dancers switch schools and worse, switch studios?

"Cool," I say. "Sounds fun."

"Yeah," Rosie smiles. "Anyway, we gotta get to rehearsals so see you guys!"

"Bye," Joe waves lamely as they run across the road in the heavy rain.

"What if more people transfer to EAD?" I ask Joe as we join the queue.

"I mean, they can go to school there and still dance at the BDC," Joe shrugs, but he looks as worried as I feel.

"Yes, and watch them report back to EAD what we're rehearsing," I say. "They could copy our solos and everything."

"I mean, I guess, but would they really betray their own team like that if they just went to school there?" Joe asks. I give him a look. Even he doesn't look convinced.

"I suppose the BDC might not allow kids who attend there to be on the competition team," I say. "But then again that could be even worse, having kids feed information by spying on A Troupe."

"But they wouldn't be in EAD's competition team either," Joe points out. Then he sighs and says, "Whatever happens, I doubt it'll be good."

He orders a hot chocolate, then asks me what I want, saying he'll pay. I look at the rain outside and I know I can't justify having a frappicino. Maybe on days when it was sunny, albeit cold, it's borderline okay, but today? No.

"Hot chocolate too, please," I say.

"Two hot chocolates then," the barista smiles, taking our names.

Joe and I take our hot chocolates back to the studio, as there aren't any free seats inside. Joe's name they spelled correctly, but mine was written as 'Dyann'. Like how can you go THAT wrong?

"I can't wait to meet Bruno to be honest," Joe says. "Like he sounds like he might be alright. The weird ones always are."

"Maybe," I nod with a smile. I don't actually think he'll be good at all. How can someone so irresponsible and carefree possibly get us the Nationals title?

Joe wraps his free arm around my waist and smiles at me, kissing the foam from the hot chocolate off my lips. "It'll be okay, you'll see."

I nod. I hope he's right. He has to be right. I dread to think what'll happen if we don't win.

The other day the guy in Starbucks spelled my name 'Febbie'. Like I've seen many misspellings, but that trumped them all.
I'll update soon :) xo