I'm Not a Princess

Avery enters the dance studio, looking around at the familiar space. She waves to the desk attendant, Natalie, and continues through the doors to the real dance room.

"Hey, girls!" she calls.

"Hey!" They all shout back. Avery's just around their own age, though perhaps a year or so older. Nor is she their official teacher, since she has no license to teach or any degrees, but she gets the girls started, gets gigs worked out and coordinated, plus she helps with the choreography- making it and showing it to the girls. Especially since Ms. Stewarts, the dance teacher for this group, had recently sprained her ankle. Avery was now being the example and setting everything up like it should be.

"Okay, Lizzie, you start stretching everyone out. I have to go find some records for some of y'all last performers. We've got some band coming through that needs back up dancers. No real info until they come 'round noon, got it?"

The girls cheer and Lizzie raises her hand. "What will we do?" She ask, a hand on her hip and not waiting for Avery to let her talk. "Routine or anything?"

Avery nods. "Yes. I was thinking the Time To Dance by PATD routine we did at the LA Music Fest this past spring. Who remembers it?" She offers.

She nods as a few hands raise. "Good. Lizzie, stretch them out. Bea, you run them through some casual warm ups. Then all y'all get started on remembering the routine. Ms. Stewarts had an appointment this morning so I'll be in charge till 'round three. But I have to go look for some records, so get started, you know what to do!" Avery waves her arms around and leaves, the girls shouting happily.

The music gets started as Avery leaves, smiling lightly.

It takes Avery forever to find the records. Firstly because she didn't have a key to the files, and she had to look around for many minutes until she found one in the custodial closet. After that, it took a while to find the correct records for what was needed.

Walking out, she looks through the file, concentrating on the names, to think of who was here today, what could work out... when suddenly she hits something hard and falls as the papers fly everywhere.

"Whoa there, pretty, gotta watch out."

Breathless, Avery looks up. There she sees a tall, darkand handsome guy holding out a hand with a lopsided smirk. He's wearing a cap to the side, skinny jeans, with a purple jacket and intriguing shoes. Sighing, Avery accepts the hand and stands.

"Or you could have just moved," she corrects him. "And can I help you... all of you?" She questions, looking to see two other tall men, plus a girl looking at her with a smirk.

"Yeah, I hope," the man keeps talking to her. "We're Cobra Starship. I'm Gabe. We're the band looking for some back up dancers," he adds.

Avery's cheeks immediately flush. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! And- I thought you weren't due for another hour, at least," she chokes out, checking the time and then scrambles for the papers. "I'm afraid we're pretty unprepared for you," she mumbles.

The tallest of them helps out a little. "No problem," he shrugs, handing over the extra papers that she shoves in the file folder. "If you can get us a place to sit, we'll just wait."

Avery manages a nod. "Yes, yes. Um...Okay, Natalie can lead you all to um, the... the stage. Take some seats, and then I'll get the girls organized and come on out, I suppose. Natalie?" She voices.

Ten minutes later, it's finally working out and hastily rushes over to the room with the girls. "Girls!" She shouts, waving her arms around and hastily taking off her scarf, jacket and some assorted clothing.

They all turn. "The band is here to check you out," she manages. "So I hope you all have this figured it out. Everyone here, right?"

Lizzie shakes her head. "No. Jericho is sick."

Avery's stomach plummets. "But... but she's the only one to do the center piece bend. The only other person who can do it is..."

"You," Bea smirks, crossing her arms. "Come on. You never come unprepared. We need you to do this. And we've done it with you before," she adds as a reminder.

Avery's stomach drops even farther. How she hated the horrid truth... She had no choice but to do it for the girls, and perform. She takes a deep breath and gives a difficult nod. "Okay, then. Guess I don't have a choice. Everyone, freshen up and I'll go change real quickly."

Hurriedly, she heads to the lockers and glances at her pale reflection. Sure, she practiced with the girls. But could she honestly, seriously do this?