Chapter 37- Show Off (Part 1)
With only 10 minutes left of lunch, the group were called into the Theatre Room, by a visibly anxious Miss Laine. "Sorry to call you all here during your lunch break. You'll be taking the rest of the day off."
"Why?", asked Kennedy.
"St. Winniver's have invited us to a mini show they're putting on. They've invited a bunch of schools that we're all competing against", said Miss Laine.
"Are they trying to psych us out?", asked Isaac.
"Let them", said Weronika. "I've got a lot of rage and if they wanna come for us... let them", said Weronika.
Meredith nodded. "Weronika's right. They think they can intimidate us but they can't."
Miss Laine smiled at a frowning Leonie, unaware that she heard what Carrie said. "You ok, Leonie?"
Leonie nodded, quickly smiling. "Yeah. Never been better."
"So we're going now?", asked Stanley.
Miss Laine nodded. "Yeah. If anyone doesn't want to go, they don't have to."
Everyone stared at Amethyst. "I get to miss Physics so yeah, I'm going."
Miss Laine took a deep breath. "Ok. Right. We're really doing this."
"We're really going into the lion's den?", asked Darius.
Stanley frowned. "Come on guys! Have a little faith. We know we're good."
Stanley pointed to Weronika. "You know you've got pipes!", he said, making Weronika smile.
He turned to Isaac and Eli. "Isaac, you're an insanely talented tap dancer. And Eli, man... even though you can't dance right now, I actually think you're a sick dancer."
He smiled at Kennedy and Leonie. "Leonie, you already know I love your dancing. And Kennedy... one word, star power."
He turned to Camryn and Maxon. "Dude you're really good at acting! And I know you're shy Camryn, but you're a d*mn good singer."
He stayed quiet for a moment when he saw Amethyst. "I know things have been... weird since the whole earring thing. But I don't think anyone else has greater acting skills than you."
"And what about me?", asked Darius.
Stanley smirked. "Bro you know how good you are at singing."
Darius smiled. "Stanley Cameron Evans everyone! Our resident cheerleader!"
Everyone laughed.
"You know what? I think we'll be just fine", said Meredith.
Stanley turned to her. "Wait, I didn't say anything for you."
Meredith shook her head. "It's cool."
"No, it's not. We're a team. You're just as important as the rest of us. You have an awesome singing voice. You're one of life's note belter's and you should own that."
Meredith smiled. "Thanks, Stanley."
Darius puffed out his chest, attempting to appear tough. "Let's grab those Winniver snobs by the horns and s-"
After Eli nodded to him, Maxon nodded back at covered Darius' mouth. "Not today, man."
"Not ever", said Amethyst.
-
St. Winniver's was massive. The colossal building's interior was even more more imppressive than its exterior.
"This hallway's bigger than my whole house", said Maxon, amazed.
"Is that a crystal sculpture?", pointed out Weronika.
Miss Laine exhaled sharply. "That's Winniver's for you. They love to look good."
"Why thank you, Addy", smirked Carrie. She wore a gold sparkly dress with black high heels. "You look... well, you know what they say, if you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all."
Miss Laine had to reach into the depths of her soul to summon the courage to smile. "Thank you for inviting us."
"Well, we pride ourselves on our charity work", smirked Carrie.
Miss Laine gritted her teeth, before smiling sweetly. "How noble."
"Does anyone else just wanna yell 'fight?' ", questioned Darius, earning a glare from Weronika.
Carrie smiled. "Please, follow me in to the main hall."
"There are more halls?", questioned Camryn.
"Um, when will the performance start?", asked Leonie, not wanting to make direct eye contact with Carrie.
"In half an hour", replied Carrie.
Leonie nodded. "Is there a place I could go to practise a dance?"
"Oh! You're eager, aren't you?", grinned Carrie. "There's a room just through there", said Carrie, pointing.
Leonie nodded. "Thanks." She leaned closer to Kennedy when Carrie wasn't looking. "I'll practise something else just in case someone from here comes in to watch."
Leonie didn't believe Carrie would stoop so low as to spy on their dances. But she knew the others might think that she would. So to put their minds at ease, Leonie decided to practise another dance. And her elbow stand, of course.
-
Carrie led them into a grand Hall with 3 chandeliers. Three.
"I feel like breathing in this room is a crime", said Camryn.
"Stanley?", called out someone.
Stanley turned around, his eyes lighting up. "Rhys!"
The pair did a quick handshake they created when they got hot chocolate together. "So they invited your school too?", asked Rhys.
Stanley nodded. "Apparently they invited all the school's they're competing against."
Rhys sighed. "Lord God, why? I'm gonna get premature wrinkles from all the stress Winniver's is giving me."
Stanley laughed. "You'd probably still look good with wrinkles", said Stanley, his eyes widening when he realised what he had said. "Uh, I mean..."
Rhys just smiled. "Thanks, Stanley."
"Hey, is this the Rhys I've heard about?", asked Darius.
Rhys smiled at him. "Hey. Wait, let me guess... you're Darius right?"
"How'd you guess? He hasn't been weird yet", said Weronika, making everyone laugh.
Soon everyone gathered around to meet Rhys.
Camryn nudged Kennedy. "I'm gonna go find Leonie."
-
Leonie needed to master the elbow stand. She needed to perform the best she could.
But right now... this dance isn't for the Club. It's not for her Mum. It's not for her sorry excuse of a father. It's not for Kennedy.
It's for her.
She needed dance now more than ever.
As she finished her dance, a sense of calm washed over her. Carrie's words still played in her mind, a constant reminder of her pre-existing insecurities... but her voice wasn't so loud anymore.
Maybe one day she'd silence it.
"Woah, that was amazing", gasped someone.
Leonie looked up to see a tall girl with vibrant red hair and a dazzlingly bright smile. "Sorry, I didn't think anyone was in here but then I heard music. You're a beautiful dancer."
Leonie blushed, not used to the compliments. She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears. "Oh! Wow, um... thank you. That's really nice of you to say."
The girl smiled and stepped closer. "And you're a really beautiful girl too."
"Oh, thank you!", said Leonie, her cheeks turning more red.
Her Mum always said she was beautiful, but Leonie always thought she said that because she's her Mum.
"Sorry! I might be barking up the wrong tree here... I'm quite forward", said the girl. "I'm Sage."
The girl stepped closer to Leonie, only a few inches away from her.
"Oh if you mean... well I'm bisexual so you're not bark- I mean...", stuttered a nervous Leonie. She had never been in this kind of situation before. She took a deep breath and started again. "Hi. I'm Leonie."
Sage grinned, stepping closer. "So Leonie... what school are you from?"
"Um, Moorside Academy", said Leonie. "What about you?"
"Oh, I'm from this school", said Sage. She leaned closer to her, their faces almost touching. "Don't let the rivalries between our schools get in the way of... whatever this could be."
In all honesty, Leonie didn't want it to be anything. She felt extremely uncomfortable, but wasn't sure how to tell Sage to back off politely.
Camryn watched from the door, her eyes brimming with tears and a burning feeling rising in her stomach. If this was jealousy, Camryn hated feeling it.
She couldn't exactly blame Leonie. Camryn was the one who asked for space. But a small part of her, after realising her feelings for Leonie might me something more, hoped Leonie would still be interested.
She swiftly turned around and walked away, wiping away her tears.
-
Camryn quickly smiled when she rejoined the group and sat down next to Isaac. "Hey, where's Leonie?", asked Isaac.
"Oh, I... couldn't find her", she lied.
Leonie entered the grand Hall, scanning the area for her friends. She saw Kennedy waving her over and she approached them, sitting down in between Kennedy and Isaac.
"What took you so long?", asked Kennedy.
Leonie looked visibly shaken. "This girl that goes here... she started, I don't know, flirting with me? I felt like I was suffocating."
"Did you tell her to stop?", asked Kennedy.
Leonie shook her head. "No. I didn't know how to."
"Well if she tries anything again, we've got your back", said Maxon.
"Yeah", said Kennedy. "She probably didn't mean to be so intense but... if she makes you feel uncomfortable again then let us know", said Kennedy.
Leonie nodded and turned to see a shocked Camryn looking at her. She gave her a small smile. "Are you ok?"
Camryn nodded. "Uh, yeah...", she said, a small smile appearing on her face when she realised she misread the situation earlier. "... I'm good."
Suddenly, a loud alarm went off, with several people running into the room. "There's a fire!", exclaimed someone, making everyone jump up.
Everyone sprinted out of the building, some leaving their purses behind whilst others decided to take everything.
In amongst the fray, many of the Theatre Club members were separated.
Once they were outside, the group found each other.
Maxon looked around, his palms sweating from the worry. "Wait... where's Kennedy?"
Leonie's eyes widened. "KENNEDY!", she screamed.
Camryn looked around, counting everyone from the Theatre Club. "Guys...", she started, looking at everyone with horror in her eyes. "Where the h*ll is Eli?"
-
Hi!
Everyone's favourite character Carrie is back!
Will Kennedy and Eli be ok?
And how did the fire start?
What are your thoughts on this chapter?
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