I GOT TWO RECHO GIFS I'M USING THIS CHAPTER YUS #Laegifs

Chapter 29

       Since Echo was still going to be dancing with us at Nationals, she was still rehearsing with us as much as she could before she had to go on tour.

       Unfortunately, her parents wanted to make sure she was ready for both Nationals and the tour, so they asked Dad if they could sit in on today's rehearsal. Well, they didn't really ask. They basically told Dad they were going to sit in on the rehearsal.

       Dad couldn't really say no since I used to sit in rehearsals all the time when I wasn't part of the team.

       It was honestly a bit awkward with them watching since Echo never told her parents that I was her boyfriend, or that she had a boyfriend. They thought dating was a complete waste of time and that she should be focusing on her dancing.

       Even though Echo and I had very strong chemistry, and that was what made out duets so good.

       Zayden was the one running the rehearsal for our final dance since Dad had to get some paperwork done, and Zayden was the one who choreographed most of the dance. Not only that, but he was a very strong leader, which was shown when he got mad at his own cousin for not paying attention. 

       Kingsley and Calliope were officially a couple and honestly, they were a very cute couple. They both seemed really happy, but their happiness and them being all couply was getting in the way of rehearsal.

       "Seriously, Kingsley, I am this close to benching you," Zayden said. 

       "You can't bench me when I'm your older cousin," Kingsley said.

       "How many times do I have to tell you that you're younger than me?" Zayden said. "Your birthday comes after mine, you know that."

       Kingsley just shrugged, though I could tell he wasn't done bugging Zayden.

       "Let's just get to rehearsal, please," Echo said.

       "Thank you, Echo, for actually being willing to listen to the dance captain," Zayden said.

       "I'll listen to Rhys," Kingsley said. "He's the better looking twin."

       "We're identical," Zayden said.

       "But glasses makes him ho--" Echo began, but she cut herself off when she remembered that her parents were there. They, thankfully, weren't listening to our conversation. They were just talking to each other, but it wouldn't be long before they started paying attention again. "I mean, let's just actually rehearse."

       "I can't," Kingsley said. "My favourite cousin didn't say we have to rehearse."

       Zayden knew exactly how to win this argument. "Hey, remember that secret you told me and Rhys?"

       "I'm not a secretive person," Kingsley said.

       "Really?" Zayden said. "So everybody knows that you were ho--"

       Kingsley quickly realized what Zayden meant, and was going to say, so he quickly cut Zayden off. "I suddenly want to start rehearsing and stop being a pest," he said.

       "Good," Zayden said.

       He led us through the dance, which we already learned at the last two rehearsals. We were just cleaning up the moves before we went through it with music twice.

       Afterwards, Zayden gave us a five minute break, and that was when things got out of hand because of Echo's parents.

       Echo and I had a tiny duet piece in the final dance and apparently, Echo's parents didn't like that at all, even though it was my dad's idea. Yeah, my dad, also known as Ryder Tony Prince, who won the best duet at Internationals more than once. He knew a good duet and knew chemistry when he saw it.

       When most of us were still standing in the middle of the dance room, Echo's parents walked over. "You're the dance captain, right?" Echo's mom asked Zayden.

       "I am," Zayden said.

       "Okay, well, we hate to intrude, but we have a small suggestion," Echo's mom said.

       "We're all up for suggestions," Zayden said.

       "Well, since Echo is going on tour, it proves what a strong dancer she is," Echo's mom said. "We think instead of her duet with....the guy with classes...."

       "You mean Rhys?" Zayden asked.

       "If that's his name, yes," Echo's mom said. "Anyway, we think that should be replaced with a solo for Echo."

       Say what now?

       That wasn't even a small suggestion. That was taking me out of part of the dance so their daughter could be featured more.

       I mean, Echo was a very strong and beautiful dancer, but still.

       I didn't even bother hiding the confused look on my face.

       "I don't know about that," Zayden said. "I know Echo is a strong dancer, but so is Rhys. Not only that, but their chemistry is strong."

       "We didn't really see their chemistry," Echo's dad said.

       "Really?" Zayden asked. "They danced together for both the duet qualifier, and the duet round at the state competition. They scored a ninety-eight on that, the highest score that whole day. How can the chemistry not be there?"

       "It was because of the choreo, not that chemistry," Echo's dad said. "We just....don't see it."

       "How can you not see it?" Zayden asked. "Everyone can. Everyone saw it even before they started dating."

       Oh.

       Dang.

       Zayden just exposed us.

       I should have told him that Echo's parents didn't know about us.

       "I-I'm sorry, what?" Echo's mom asked before looking at her daughter. "Dating?"

       "I can explain," Echo said.

       "Explain what?" Echo's mom asked. "We've told you not to date anyone at this age when you're so focused on your dancing."

       "I know," Echo said. "But Rhys...."

       "Rhys is and will be a distraction," Echo's mom said. Echo didn't even know how to reply that that. I didn't even know how to reply. I was not a social person and hearing my girlfriend's parents say these things was only making it worse.

       "You're going on tour, Echo," her dad said. 

       "I-I know," Echo said.

       "He'll only distract you from the tour and your dancing," he continued.

       Dad, thankfully, saw something was happening, so he walked out of his office and walked over. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

       "Yes," Echo's mom said. "Are you aware that you have a couple on this team?"

       "Uh, yeah," Dad said. "Not just one, but two. They're teenagers who dance together. It's pretty natural for some of them to start dating."

       "It's unprofessional," Echo's mom said.

       "I have to disagree," Dad said. "I met my wife at a dance studio and we've made it all the way to Internationals a few times whilst dating."

       "Ooh, and you proposed to her at Internationals," Zayden said.

       "Exactly," Dad said. "Couples being together on a dance team actually help out a lot. Rhys and Echo got a ninety-eight at the state competition because of their chemistry."

       "But they should be focused on their dancing," Echo's mom said. "Echo is going tour, and her boyfriend is only going to be a distraction."

       "Oh, I guarantee my son won't be a distraction," Dad said.

       "Yeah, Rhys was the one who convinced me to go on tour," Echo said. "I wasn't sure if I should or not, but he helped me choose to go."

       "We'll talk about that later," Echo's mom said. "In the meantime, I still think the duet in the final should be replaced with a solo for Echo."

       "Not happening," Zayden said. "I know you don't agree with dancers dating each other, but Rhys and Echo's tiny duet in there will help boost our dance a lot. They have strong chemistry, even if you're too blind to see it."

       "Zayden," Dad said in a warning tone.

       "What?" Zayden asked. "They're annoying me."

       "Then handle it professionally," Dad said before suggesting he and Echo's parents talk things out in his office.

       I had no idea what this was going to mean for me and Echo.

________________

THOSE GIFS ARE GIVING ME LIFE. I was so happy when Ozzy and Piper were in a frame together that I was able to gifafy. (gifafy is a word) I JUST HOPE THERE WILL BE MORE OZZY AND PIPER SCENES. I NEED THEM FOR RECHO GIFS. 

(i ship ozzy and piper so hard even though they never interact)(it's only because of recho lol)

IM SO HAPPY NOW THAT JYLAN GETS TO REUNITE AGAIN ASDFJKL; But if they go live when I'm not home BECAUSE THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS I'll be mad.