Chapter 3

The International competition had started and it was already very intense. All the dancers were so amazing, and I was starting to feel a bit nervous.

I didn't get nervous. Nervous was an emotion I didn't feel. If someone asked me what nervous was, I would have to look up the definition in the dictionary.

However, after seeing all the dances in the first round, the group dance round, I was starting to feel the nerves. And I didn't like it.

Every round, two studios got paired up against each other and the team with the highest score moved on. The scores were always so close and never had a difference of more than four.

That was how amazing each team was.

I was so happy we passed the first round, and only by two points. While I didn't get nervous, I did get worried, and I was really worried we wouldn't pass any rounds because we had to change all of our routines after practicing so hard.

The only one we didn't have to change was my male solo, since the stupid alternate that leaked our routines was a female and didn't see my routine since it was the only one she wouldn't have been able to fill in for.

Right now, we were on the female solo round so D.A.N.C.E, apart from Echo since she was our female soloist, was sitting in our assigned seats in the audience. Some of the teams chose to only watch when it was their female solo competing and spent the rest of the time rehearsing, but we rehearsed a lot this morning so we were going to take a break.

Besides, if we did make it to the semi-finals, that wasn't for another two days. We had a lot of time to rehearse.

I hope.

I had to focus on both the male solo and the duet as well, so I was going to start to feel the stress coming along soon.

While we were watching the dances, I leaned over towards Rhys who was sitting down beside me. "You know, I'm very glad Echo is our female soloist," I said.

"Why?" Rhys asked.

"Because she has to be backstage, which means she can't sit beside you, so you two can't be all lovey-dovey," I said. "Seriously. It's sickening. Why do you think I chose to be forever alone?"

"Sure, you chose to," Rhys said, which made me glare at my twin brother. Jerk.

It wasn't my fault all of my girlfriends decided to be completely horrible, and my first crush decided to fall for my inferior twin brother instead of me, the superior and more awesome one.

Echo was sure missing out.

It was almost Echo's turn to perform her solo. There was just one more match-up before her.

"Is Echo up against a studio that has been here before?" I asked.

Rhys shook his head. "No. There aren't too many studios here that were at the competition last year. I just hope we don't match up against any of them because it will be a lot more nerve-wracking."

"Says you," I said. "I don't get nervous."

"You literally told me yesterday that you were starting to feel the weird sensation called nervousness," Rhys said.

"That was all a dream," I said. "Seriously, stop imagining things."

Rhys just sighed and leaned back in his seat. I loved annoying the living crap out of him, and I knew exactly what buttons to push.

Which was basically any button since he got annoyed easily from me.

I turned my attention back to the stage where the female solo from Norway started dancing and not even five seconds into her dance, I realized something.

"I think I'm in love," I said to Rhys, not taking my eye off of the beautiful dancer.

"Seriously?" Rhys asked. "What happened to being forever alone?"

"She happened," I said. "She's gorgeous and her dancing... I've never seen someone dance like that before."

"Okay, but..."

"No. Don't tell me that I don't even know her. Love at first sight exists and it's happening to me right now."

"It's true," Kingsley piped up since he was sitting on the other side of me so it wasn't too hard or him to eavesdrop. "Just ask my dad."

"Which one?" Rhys asked.

"Ha ha, you're so funny," Kingsley said sarcastically. "Don't take my jokes. Only I'm allowed to make that joke when someone brings up one of my dads."

"Okay, but seriously, which dad?" Rhys asked.

"Obviously Nolan, you dimwit," Kingsley said. "I call my other dad Papa and you know that."

"Can you two shut up so I can watch my true love dance?" I asked. "You're distracting me."

"Enjoy it while you can," Kingsley said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"You don't even know her, Zayden," Kingsley said. "Not only that, but I'm fairly certain she lives in Norway since she's on the Norway team. We live in America."

I swatted my hand in his direction, silently telling him to shut up. "There's this thing called long distance. My parents were in one for a few months."

"But..." Kingsley began but this time, it was Rhys who cut him off.

"Just let Zayden have this, Kingsley," Rhys said. "If he says he's in love, then he's in love. No questions asked."

"I sense a bit of mockery behind your voice," I said. "We get it, you're madly in love with my first crush. You don't have to keep rubbing it in my face every single minute."

"I'm not?"

"Sure you're not," I said, my eyes still not leaving the dancer on the stage. She was probably one of the most beautiful and graceful dancers I had ever laid eyes on and I would be completely shocked if she didn't make it pass this round.

...Now I was hoping we didn't go up against her team because if she was this good, I could only imagine what the rest of her team was like.

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aw zayden is in love. so cute.

i know i said this in Protector Circle but this is zayden's book so HAPPY BIRTHDAY RHYS AND ZAYDEN.

i'm still updating a character's book whenever it's their birthday SO EXPECT A LOT MORE. In order, we have Poppy, Dan, Austin, Kailani and Simon, Hunter and Ivy, and Juliet and Rory.

WHICH MEANS MORE POPSON WOO.