With the intention of promptly finding Emily, Jacquie sped through the corridors of The Next Step, frequently flicking her head from left to right to keep alert. She was heading to the East studio and Emily's office because that was most likely where she would find her, but obviously there was every chance Emily could be roaming around.
Jacquie rounded the corner and peered into the grey, blue toned studio, that had a completely different atmosphere to studio A. She was starting to understand why maybe Noah and Richelle had chosen to dance upstairs rather than down in here. It felt a lot colder here, and she could feel the pressure and tension as soon as she stepped in. She felt like someone was going to come in after her at any minute and tell her to prove her dance skill and why she deserved to be dancing on Emily's troupe.
Emily wasn't in the main studio, no one was, so Jacquie walked straight through to the office and tried the door, which was unlocked. Differently to the office door in studio A, it didn't loudly squeak as it opened, and that said a lot about the difference between Emily and Michelle's troupes, she thought. One was over worn, which meant it was comfortable, while one was brand new and almost seemed too good to be true.
"Emily?" Jacquie looked around but there was no sign of her.
A thud came from under Emily's desk though, followed by a complain, "Ow!"
Jacquie frowned, "Hello?"
From under the desk, slightly hidden by the two chairs in front of it, and rubbing the top of her head, came Richelle who had changed into a vest top rather than her black leotard. She looked embarrassed that she had been caught in here, and even more so that she had banged her head in front of Jacquie.
"I was changing my top under there... " Richelle realised it sounded quite silly when she said it out loud. "This is more comfortable than a leotard, you know?" Richelle tried to convince Jacquie. Jacquie squinted slightly and figured Richelle's explanation wasn't as clear-cut as she was trying to make it seem.
Jacquie figured Richelle was just as threatened as Noah, by what she had said to them both in studio A earlier.
She figured that Richelle didn't want Emily to see her in her dance wear from the days when she danced in studio A, alongside Michelle. That would give Emily even more ammo for kicking her off her duet with Noah. Providing Jacquie let slip to her that they were rehearsing in studio A...
Jacquie fake chuckled, "It's cool, i get it," She looked over her shoulder and back at Richelle, "Have you seen Emily anywhere? I need to ask her about something." She saw Richelle's face change slightly and Jacquie knew she was definitely worried about whether she was going to snitch to Emily about their rehearsal location this morning.
Gulping, Richelle tried to keep as straight faced as usual. "She's busy but she left me in charge, what's up?"
"I just need Emily."
"Well she left me in charge." They both looked at each other for a second in silence, and Richelle put her hands on her waist. Jacquie looked at her, knowing this wasn't going to be as easy as it had been with Noah. Richelle was a tough cookie to crumble.
Richelle took an apple from Emily's fruit bowl and left the office while talking, so Jacquie was forced to follow. "Emily's got me filling in all the entrance forms for regionals," She sighed, "It's actually really draining. I didn't even know half the troupe's surnames."
They were both out of the office now, so Richelle took the key from her shorts and tactically locked the door, being one step ahead of Jacquie in case she tried to alter any of the sheets.
Jacquie laughed but inside was on fire. She realised that staying in that office could've been an easy opportunity, to simply change the number of dances Richelle was entered for on her entrance sheet. "I'm actually really good at remembering names."
Richelle smiled sarcastically, "Sure you are."
There was another moment of what Jacquie considered awkward silence, while Richelle put her hair up in a bun. Richelle didn't feel awkward at all though, and if anything, she felt glad she could have a break from Jacquie's whining voice.
Jacquie watched her tie her hair and really didn't understand the hype around Richelle. She didn't think she was all that pretty, and most of the time she was just rude to people. She didn't see her as a threat at all.
Jacquie knew how to get her attention and stated, "I was just in the locker room with Noah." Richelle put her hands down from her hair, paying attention, while Jacquie lied to her face, "He told me how awkward your rehearsal went this morning."
Richelle pulled a face, "It wasn't awkward whatsoever."
"He thought so, especially seeing as he... Oh actually i shouldn't say." Jacquie tried to make it seem as though she had just nearly let slip a big secret.
Richelle looked her up and down, not buying whatever act she was trying to sell to her, "Fair enough, don't say." She took another bite of her apple and after chewing and swallowing, asked, "Do you want me to pass a message on to Emily for you?"
Jacquie was taken aback.This clearly wasn't working and it wasn't easy either. She had gone to a performing arts high school, specialising in drama and graduating with honours! How was Richelle not believing her? Why wasn't she intrigued to know what she supposedly nearly let slip? She tried a different approach.
She pried in Richelle's business, "Why were you changing in the office and not the locker room? Is it cause Noah was there?"
Richelle looked at her nails calmly, "He was only in there because you were, and no, i just didn't want to waste time walking all the way there. I spent that time filling in the forms." She looked Jacquie in the eye, "I don't like to waste my time."
Jacquie felt the air go cold around her and it wasn't helped by the cold colours the studio had all around it. She sighed, suprised she didn't see the condensation in the air when she exhaled, "Fine."
Richelle crossed her arms, proud that she had worked out that Jacquie had ulterior motives.
Jacquie explained, "You told Noah you used to like him, right?"
Wait, Richelle panicked, how did she know that?
"Well its been playing on his mind and he likes you too, but he knows you might feel awkward-"
Richelle shook her head and cut her off again, only temporarily wounded, "He does not like me, he likes you, don't act dumb. What game are you playing?" She was getting irritated but it was also humoring her how hard Jacquie was trying.
Jacquie grimaced, rolled her eyes and took a step towards her. She was giving up, she needed to play Richelle at her own game and just be blunt. "I want the duet," Jacquie demanded, letting Richelle know that she wasn't playing around anymore.
"Where are your manners?" Richelle joked, and bit into her apple again, all while keeping eye contact with Jacquie.
"I love how you're so high and mighty, thinking you're better than me-"
"I am better than you. I don't go sneaking around trying to ruin people's duets." Richelle interjected.
Jacquie took a step back, "You're not a loyal dance captain though are you? You were dancing in the rival studio."
They both turned their heads at the sound of footsteps and Richelle felt her stomach twist as she saw Emily in the doorway. She was honestly a little worried that Jacquie would say something.
Emily was as objective as ever, "Richelle, have you done the forms?"
She stammered, "Yeah. Yes. Yes i have. They're on the desk."
Jacquie looked at Richelle and smirked. She then turned to Emily, "Miss Emily, can i ask you something?"
Richelle panicked and hoped she wouldn't go so far as to actually tell Emily. She just hoped that even if Jacquie did, Emily would give her the benefit of the doubt because she's known her longer. She hoped Emily still had a soft spot for her.
Emily smiled, "I think i already know." Richelle panicked and flicked her head from Jacquie to Emily, and back to Jacquie again.
Emily reached in her bag and pulled out a tall grey water bottle that was nearly empty, "Jacquie is this yours? Michelle found it in studio A and you were the only one in there this morning."
Jacquie knew it wasn't hers, and Richelle's eyes widened. She'd obviously forgotten to pick it up when she had angrily left there this morning. Richelle knew that Jacquie knew it was hers, and looked at her in the eye, hoping she'd keep quiet.
Jacquie used it to her advantage, "Yeah, it's mine. Thank you." She took it from Emily with a smile but before Emily could go in her office tried to make this a worthwhile conversation. "Richelle and I were just talking about her and Noah's duet, and all the issues they've been having."
What was Jacquie doing? Richelle smiled and pretended to know exactly what Jacquie was talking about.
Emily was confused, "When you showed me the first half last week, it was fine."
"I... I think-"
Jacquie looked at Richelle and 'helped' her, seeing as she was stuttering, "I think its because you're so used to each other, it's not really a challenge any more." Jacquie looked at Emily, "I think what makes us different to Michelle's troupe is that we're always challenging ourselves."
Jacquie knew that Emily would be more on board with what she was saying if she bought Michelle into the conversation. Emily always wanted to one-up Michelle, and it's true, it was almost her troupe's mantra to always be challenging themselves. If she thought Richelle and Noah weren't, she'd definitely change something.
Emily seemed saddened and a little concerned, "Richelle, is it not a challenge?"
"Yeah of course it is, but i just..." Richelle looked at Jacquie.
"I guess because you dance with each other every dance season, you've just outgrown each other?" Jacquie knew she was tearing Richelle to pieces on the inside. She was bound to crack soon. She decided to push a little more, "Oh actually, Miss Emily i think someone else might have used studio A this morning."
Emily went to reply but Richelle couldn't allow for that conversation to happen. She had to get the conversation topic back on her, "Maybe someone else should take my place, so they're challenged? Noah's amazing, he'd be able to really push someone to be even better than they currently are."
Emily crossed her arms and looked at Richelle, "I know Noah's amazing, that's why i put him with you, because you are too."
Jacquie needed to make herself look good, "It's true Richelle, you are amazing." She fake smiled at her, just to antagonise her even more.
Richelle took a deep breath after a couple of seconds and adamantly said, "I don't want the duet."
"Richelle-"
Richelle couldn't look Emily in the eye and lowered her head as she interjected her, "I'm hoping that as dance captain, you will respect my decision to respectfully withdraw, from the duet." She continued looking at the ground, unable to look at Jacquie either in case she was tauntingly smiling at her again.
Emily sighed and Richelle looked up with her eyes, "Richelle, are you sure?"
Richelle nodded and let the fire burn inside her as Emily asked Jacquie the one thing she did not want her to ask her yet knew she would.
Due to Emily being a very objective person, she saw most situations like a jigsaw puzzles. When you need to build the puzzle, you get the pieces that fit.
Richelle withdrawing, meant a piece was missing.
In this instance, Emily had many replacement pieces: Piper, Zara, Lola and Jacquie. She just needed to pick the piece that fit the gap the best.
"Jacquie, i originally had Piper as the understudy, but only because i sort of owe her a duet after taking her off the regionals qualifier last season." Jacquie tried to seem completely clueless as to what Emily was about to ask her but knew it was exactly what she had planned.
Emily continued, "I think this would be a good test for you in terms of technique. Do you think you could handle a duet with Noah?"
"Of course! I'd do anything for the team. I'll prove to you i have good technique and that i deserve to be on this troupe." Jacquie beamed from ear to ear and Emily smiled back, at how well Jacquie had taken this opportunity. She was exactly the kind of dancer she wanted on her team.
Jacquie wanted to take one more bite out of Richelle's apple.
...Metaphorically, of course.
She turned to her, "I mean, as long as Richelle's okay with that?"
Richelle looked at her and tried to retain her frustrations, simply nodding until Emily was fully decided on the new change. "Brilliant! Well, i won't expect you to perform anything, even though it was scheduled for Noah and Richelle to show me what they had. We'll do ballet instead and i'll find Daniel to lead the class. Can you two set up the barres please and let everyone know when they come in?"
"I need a drink." Richelle left the room before Emily could stop her, and Jacquie tried to stop herself smiling too visibly.
She was over the moon, it had all gone to plan!