Riley's POV
Today was the day of the 'fashion show' and I was really nervous, but first I had dance lessons I had to teach.
I was rehearsing the regionals routine with A-Troupe.
They were doing good, but they still weren't on the level our old team was.
"Good alright another two times and then you can go", I told them.
They started the routine and suddenly I felt dizzy.
I quickly sat down and watched from the bench, but I just couldn't concentrate, because the image in front of me was blurring out every now and then.
I shake my head and luckily I could see again, but a strong headache followed.
I ignored the headache and kept watching A-Troupe dance.
Michelle was dancing terrible today, but I couldn't tell her since we had an argument yesterday, she would definitely think that I did that on purpose to annoy her.
After they danced I walked into my office ready to begin my work that I hadn't done yesterday, but when I sat down Marc, the other two judges and the three girls entered the studio.
I sighed and laid the papers to sign in for regionals into my drawer.
Fine I would do the work after the show.
I walked over to them and Marc said:"Okay ladies, Elise is going to bring you to the changing room and give your clothes, she is also going to do your make-up and then you should hurry up, cause we want the show to start soon, so go, go, go!". Elise as I noticed was the woman that had brought us to the casting last time, when I saw her walk in I smiled and she returned it.
All the girls me included walked after Elise to the changing room.
Amy got a pink top and some jeans shorts, Megan a red short dress, Michelle a blue skirt with a white blouse and I got a light blue T-shirt with a dark blue skirt, our shoes were all matching black ballerinas.
All of us looked really pretty.
After changing into the clothes Elise did our make-ups.
I walked over to the big mirror that we had in our changing room and looked at myself.
I looked like the Riley from some years ago, back when I still had long hair.
I kind of liked it, I hadn't realized till now, but I really missed that Riley.
I was so different some years ago.
"Don't you like it?", Elise asked preoccupied, appearing from behind me.
"I do", I assured her.
She smiled and left to finish Megan's make-up.
From all of us, the best looking right now was definitely Megan, but I didn't care, she already had James, now I had nothing to lose.
When Megan's Make-up was finished we returned all to the studio and quickly walked behind the curtain that was behind the catwalk.
After some time of getting some advice from one of the judges, I heard people getting into the studio.
Suddenly Megan ran out squealing.
I looked to where she ran and saw her hugging James.
A lump started growing in my throat and I had the urge to cry, but I wouldn't cry, I would go out and do my best to win this casting and then I would rub it in her face.
James's POV
Megan came running towards me and nearly made me fall, when she hugged me.
"Hi", I told her laying my arms around her.
"Hi", she said laughing.
She took her arms of me.
"You look great", I told her.
She smiled and gave me a peck.
"I'm happy that you came watching, I know that it probably will be boring, but I need you here", she told me.
Yes I really didn't want to come, but not because it would be boring, but because Megan told me that Riley was here too, first I didn't believe her when she told me yesterday, but I saw her name on the list, so I guess it's true.
Riley wasn't the type of girl to show her talents, besides dance she was always very reserved and now that she was showing them, I didn't want to be here to distract her.
I knew that she was still hurt.
"You know that I always come to support you".
"Yes I know and I am definitely going to win, okay M looks good, but not as good as I and the other do not have a chance against me", she said.
What?
"Why Amy and Riley aren't ugly", I told her shocked.
"Okay Amy maybe, but Riley, James you know exactly that she looks like a child, she has no chance".
That made me angry, how could she talk so about her. Riley did not look like a child, she was a really pretty girl and why was she against her.
I just ignored that statement and looked around the studio.
Around the catwalk were many chairs so that everyone could come and watch.
Most of the people were already sitting on the chairs.
"I see you", Megan said walking away.
I nodded and walked over to the chairs and sat on one.
After some minutes the show finally started.
First the director came out and told us that this was still a casting and that only two of the four girls would go to the third casting round.
Then the studio got dark and only the catwalk was illuminated.
Some music started and the first to come out was Amy.
You could easily tell that they practiced, because she was very focused.
The second was Michelle, but she seemed different, she walked a little exaggerating.
When she posed on the end of the catwalk, she tried to turn around without turning her head, but slipped and ended falling from the catwalk.
Some people instantly hurried to her me included.
"Are you okay?", I asked her.
She was laying on the floor, but she wasn't bleeding.
"Yes I'm okay", she answered slowly standing up.
A woman came and helped her and they walked out of the studio.
We returned all to our seats and the show continued.
The next was Megan, who really looked pretty.
She made her pose and looked at me.
I smiled and she walked back.
And the last was Riley, when she walked out with the skirt and the blue T-shirt it instantly reminded me of our first date.
I smiled, wait why was I smiling?, why shouldn't I?.
There wasn't anything wrong with smiling.
She was really good, I was happy that she did something for herself.
She had probably worked less what made me relieved.
After Riley leaving the catwalk the director and the four came to the stage and bowed down.
We applauded and the fashion show was over I stood up and walked to the changing room and waited for Megan to get ready, but instead of seeing Megan, Riley got out she saw me and the smile that played her face vanished.
"Hi", I greeted her to not create and awkward silence.
"Hi", she said looking to the floor.
"You did great", I complimented her.
"Thank you, but your girlfriend did better", she said and walked away.
Okay she was still mad and I deserved it.
"Oh you're here, and do you liked it?", Megan said coming out of the changing room.
"I really liked it and one of the girls really looked hot", I told her.
"Who Riley", she joked laughing.
I didn't laugh, I loved jokes, but jokes about my ex girlfriend weren't included.
"Are you mad, it was just a joke", she said now looking serious.
"Let's change our type of jokes, okay?", I asked Megan a little mad.
"Sure I'm sorry, I didn't know, that she meant so much to you".
"She means and if you want to insult someone than not the person that I used to love", I clarified.
She nodded and we began to walk to my car, I had taken the day off from the band to hang out with Megan, but after that joke I wished I hadn't.
Riley's POV
Now I really had to go work, it was now 3 pm and I had to hurry, because I had a baby ballet class in a half hour.
"Riley wait", I heard Marc call coming after me.
I stopped and wondered what was now.
"We have a contract and we can only take the catwalk of the studio if you're there controlling", he informed me.
I sighed, really, I had work to do.
"Fine", I said walking after him.
Unfortunately taking off the stage took much more time than the building, so I had to wait half hour till I could go and then I immediately had to rush to the lounge.
The girls were already in the lounge with their parents waiting for me.
"Miss Riley, could I maybe talk to you after this class", a mother asked me before I even could say hello.
"Sure", I said smiling but screaming inside.
Why couldn't they let me work.
This work was for A-Trouper and they were the most important dance class in the studio. The parents left and I started teaching the kids.
After the baby ballet class I was exhausted.
I wished I could go home and drink some tea, watch TV and then sleep, but right now it just seemed like a dream.
I entered my office and the mother followed me.
I offered her a seat and she sat down in one of the couches.
"Alright, you wanted to talk to me", I told her hoping she would make this talk short, so that I could go to my papers.
I should be nervous if I am still in the casting, but there wasn't much time to think about the casting." Right, I think that the lounge is too small for the kids, the baby ballet is dance and this casting not", she told me as if I didn't know.
"I know Mrs. Kingston, but the casting won't last long, but baby ballet will probably be transferred to B-Studio anyway ", I informed her.
"What first this stupid band comes and takes the Music room, the room that was from the baby ballet for about twelve years , then a stupid casting takes the A-Studio from us and then we get transfer to the B-Studio, what is going on with this studio?", she practically yelled at me.
I kept calm on the outside, but was yelling at the woman in my imagination.
"Why is the B-Studio a problem?", I asked her calmly.
"Because it is too small", she told me.
B-Studio too small, this woman was clearly exaggerating, the music room wasn't that bigger.
"Mrs. Kingston B-Troupe who are very important in this studio dance there too and they never complained".
"That's so typical bla bla bla A-Troupe, bla bla bla B-Troupe and the little one have to suffer", she complained.
"I will try to make the Music room free for some classes, but I can't promise anything", I said.
She nodded still looking mad at me and stood up leaving my office without even saying goodbye. Friendly woman. I shook my head and took my laptop.
"Mrs. Riley?", someone asked.
"What now?", I asked turning to Becca and Gabi that were standing at my door.
"We have class", Gabi informed me.
"We have tomorrow", I reminded them.
"But you canceled the class yesterday so we should have it today", Becca said.
"Oh I forgot, I'm coming get warmed up and I'm there", I told them quickly shutting my laptop down and going out of the office to B-Studio.
I was nearly in B-Studio when a really hard headache hit me.
I stopped in my step and waited till it disappeared.
Luckily it was gone after one minute and I could go back to going to B-Studio.
I had canceled so many classes that I had to teach 4 hours so when I was ready it was already half past eight. I was walking to A-Studio, when I heard music coming from the music room.I entered it surprised that the band was here, since they had canceled the practice.
"Why are you all here?", I asked them entering the room.
"We were bored and decided to come back to practice", James told me stopping to drum.
"Oh okay, you guys will have to share the room with baby ballet, so I need someone to come with me to plan when you want the room", I informed them.
"Do you want to go Luke?", James asked him looking at me.
I felt a little uncomfortable so I looked at Luke."No we three have a solo, you can go!", he told James.
Great a stressful day and now I had to talk to James.
"Alright", he said standing up and walking towards me.
I turned around and tried walking a little faster, so that I wasn't next to him.
He respected my distance and walked behind me. We arrived at my office and he sat on the couch.
I opened my last drawer and took a paper with the rooms out.
"Okay baby ballet is usually two hours long, besides one day.
This day it is only one hour.
I also need 4 days, but since it's only so little time I think you can find time to practice", I told him.
He was listening whilst looking at me.
He smiled and said:"Yes that is a lot of time".
I had to look away, because I couldn't bare his gorgeous smile.
"Good".
We started planning the division of the room.
"Alright, I guess we finished", I said to him yawning.
"Yes, are you tired?", he asked.
"A little", I answered.
"You're not working too much, are you?", he asked preoccupied.
I was mad, that was not his business.
"No", I answered mad and avoided eye contact with him.
"You sure, you look really exhausted?", he asked me still preoccupied.
"Yes", I said taking my keys.
We had been here one and a half hour so it was already 10 pm and it was time to leave the studio.
He walked after me and I closed all doors and turned off the lights.
We both left the building and I locked up the door behind us.
"Do you want a ride?, the last bus drove away about five minutes", he offered me.
"No, I'm fine, I walk", I said.
"Come on", he insisted.
I didn't answer, so he took my arm and dragged me to his car.
I opened the door sat in and closed it behind me. James was already in and started the engine.
The ride was very awkward, I was just yawning the whole time and James was looking at the street whilst watching me every now and then.
"So what did you do today?", he asked me and this time I decided to answer truthfully.
"I taught A-Troupe four hours, I went to the casting, taught the baby ballet class for two hours, had a talk with a stupid mother, had B-Troupe classes for four hours and then I talked to you", I told him looking out of the window.
"Riley, you are crazy, why are you doing so many things on one day", he said.
"It's not like I have a choice", I answered.
I noticed his preoccupied look, but ignored it.
Finally we arrived at my house.
I took the seat belt off and said:"Thank you".
Then I quickly opened the door and walked to my house.
Now I would definitely go sleep.
Since I took so much time to update the last chapter I thought I could update the next one today (but don't get used to it 😊)
I really hope you enjoyed the second round of the casting just one more to go.
I think you all know what I am going to ask.
What are your three favourite episodes of season 3?
A:The last episode, because I was crying after seeing the jiley duet and how James cried( just so emotinal)
The episode where they arrive in Miami, because I laughed so hard when Riley hit James and Eldon.
And episode 19 where Jiley walk a mile in each others shoes, just too funny how Riley plays James and the ending is really cute.