Piper's POV:
Rehearsals, actual rehearsals, start today. Finn and I walked into to Studio-A with our half-empty drinks in hand.
"Pipes, our dreams are coming true. Remember our first duet in Studio-1 and I was like one day we'll be on tour. Look at us now." I smiled, trying to shove aside the memories of anxiety that soon trailed on after.
I got to the floor and began to stretch, falling int a deep lunge. Lily and Kingston came into the room, fighting, of course. I didn't want to be one to comment on someone's relationship, but-
Lily joined me on the floor in a lunge on her opposite leg, her anger as deep as her lunge. Her lunge was very deep.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"Just fine," she said as she shot a death glare to Kingston that said the exact opposite. I couldn't deal with this.
The other A-troupers began to file in and began stretching or just casually talking about everything that had brought us to this moment.
Richelle was the last to come in, which was unlike her. She didn't walk with the same confidence she normally did. She didn't walk to the front of the studio and begin leading a warm-up regardless of what was going on.
Emily walked in once she realized everyone was present. Michelle followed her. A little excitement buzzed amongst the dancers.
"Good morning, dancers," Emily said. You could tell she felt back at home in her familiar partnership with Michelle.
"Good morning," we all chorused back.
"As you all know, I have asked you to join my dance tour. You're all Dancemania finalists and people are just dying to watch you. We will get into the little details of solos and duets once we properly figure out the timing, but first, we'll be working on the ten-person dance." This all felt oddly familiar to prepping for Nationals. Everyone looked around the room.
"There are eleven of us," Kenzie said.
"Oh yeah." Michelle had just realized. A tense atmosphere grew within the group. "That doesn't matter. This isn't Nationals. We could have fifty dancers if we wanted." You could hear everyone let out sighs of relief.
"So are you ready to work?"
***
We were all in a formation. The line placements didn't really matter to us anymore as, technically, we had already made it, so we weren't fighting to get noticed by talent scouts. However, that didn't mean I wasn't very proud of my middle row centre.
"So, this part is going to be a partnering section. Piper with Finn. Henry and Summer. Ozzy and Amy. Lily and Heath. Kingston and Amy..." She trailed, only noticing that one dancer was left to the side. Michelle sucked her teeth.
"I didn't realize the numbers would be uneven." Richelle looked as though she was ready to give a suggestion when Michelle interrupted," Don't worry we can just work around it. We might need another male dancer, but for now, you can be off stage. Or maybe a solo. I'm not sure yet."
I quirked an eyebrow at Michelle's suggestion of getting another male dancer. Where were we going to find one? Maybe B-troupe. Or maybe she would hold auditions. But as she said, it wasn't important right now.