It has been a week since I joined The Next Step studio. We are going to the beach for a break from all the dancing. I have grown really close to Hunter and Eldon. The girls are alright but it's the guys I have a real laugh with. James is the funniest and I love watching him when it comes to Beth. Over and over again, she tells him that she loves him but hello, dumb girl, he is taken. I know Riley gets edgy when Beth talks to James but I tell her not to worry after the first time I saw his reaction to when she first told him that and I couldn't stop laughing. There was no way they were getting back together. The beach was cool as Hunter had brought his little brother, Elliot. He was cool and was into break dancing. He is a friend.
'Let's do dance Frisbee.' James said loudly. Everyone from the old A – troupe looked at Riley and she removed her neckless and bracelet. What! I couldn't help but laugh. As we did dance Frisbee some kids pretended to join us, making fun of our dance move. One time Chloe was throwing it to me a bit too high and I ran to try to catch but it landed to far away. Then a boy picked it up and started to laugh at me. Damn, I forgot my brother was going to the beach. My brother, Mike was a giant and wouldn't give me back the Frisbee. After a while of him pushing me to the sand, Elliot came over and tried to get it back. Mike ended up running off with it. I chased him. We were really fast runners but not in sand so we went up to the path way. I noticed I wasn't the one running. All the boys and some girls were running with us.
'Jesus, is he a Olympic runner or something.' James said when he was up with me. I could tell he was getting out of breathe. Then Mike stopped. Elite dance crew. The head slapped him around the head and then gave us back the Frisbee, bright pink. We walked back and James wanted to know why we were so fast. I laugh and explain how 7 Leaps members ran 7 miles a day. That took him a minute to get over it.
'Who was that.' Eldon asked when we all get back.
'That was my brother. He is an Elite dance member.' I say.
'Mike is like a bully to Nelly, he through it would kill her if he ruined her fun.' Emily said, explaining my history with my past.
'Okay, why don't we dance, I mean, shake off.' Amada suggested. We all agreed and we started doing our routine for Nationals. All that steam that my brother built up was gone. Some people walking by gave us money but we stayed dancing.
At sundown Elliot and I walked along the beach. We were talking about school. I was in year 10 at my dance studio. Our studio gave us lessons as well. Elliot was shocked when I told him this.
'Yo, Nelly, can you teach us the Aerial move.' West said with Hunter, Eldon and James at his side.
'unbent knees, with legs in a split and aligned on the rotational plane.' Was all I said. Then just to show to show them what I meant, I gave them a example. Then I heard names being called out. Two girls were walking towards us. The A – Troupe girls screamed and ran and hugged them.
'Who are they?' I asked Eldon.
'Oh, they are old members of A – troupe.' He said like it was nothing.
'Nelly, come here.' Emily called me and I came. I was pushed to the front. In front of Emily with Michelle and Riley at my side. 'Tiff, Steph, this is my cousin, Nelly.' Emily said.
'Why are you all pink?' Tiffany asked Riley and me.
'Oh, we had to chase my brother down the beach for the Frisbee.' I say. Tiffany laughs and Stephanie explains that they saw us running after my brother and they thought James was with them. They started making jokes around our running so I left with Elliot.
'Why aren't you in a studio?' I asked Elliot.
'Umm, I was cut about seven or eight times. Its shows I'm not good enough for dance crew stuff.' He says openly. Then my phone goes off. It was an old friend of mine at 7 Leaps.
'Hey, Nelly, how are you?' she asked. Cloe was my best friend.
'Oh, Cloe, I miss you so much but I'm having a blast. My cousins are in my dance studio and my brother is in the enemy team. Seems fitting.' I say. I wonder off alone to talk to Cloe. I find out all the drama. We are still winning. At sunset all the A – troupers gather round and we start singing songs. Some of us danced. I joined in with my cousins as we did an old routine, we made up the last time we saw each other. The guys were really impressed. When Riley went to get her neckless and bracelet, she let out a cry.
'Someone took my things.' She cried. She went around quickly, digging up holes, trying to fine her things. I noticed James was standing still, watching the team go into a panic attack. He was smiling. I tapped Riley's arm a pointed to James.
'Do you have my neckless and bracelet?' she asked stressfully. When he revealed them to her, Riley punched him hard on the shoulder but he was still laughing. I loved how we were having so much fun. this what life was like before the drama kicked in. this is home.