Chapter 15: The Show Must Go On

Nicki’s P.O.V.

“Hurry up!” Nae told me as I started typing.

“I am!” I snapped as I pulled up a video. It started playing and we saw Drake on the screen. This was the World Championships that he won. I was amazed at how great of a dancer he was. I can’t believe he thought I was better than him because this clearly shows I’m not.

“Wow,” Blake said exactly what we were all thinking.

“Look it’s Brey!” My smiled and pointed to the screen. I think I was in shock because I didn’t move.

“Nic,” Nae elbowed me. I snapped my eyes over to her. “You good?” She questioned and I nodded. I can’t believe he was this good and he just gave this all up.

“Come on we have to get ready,” Blake reminded us that today was our first competition. I closed my laptop and got ready. When we were ready we left so we could load the busses. I saw Drake and he nodded his head over to a hallway. I handed My over to Nae as I walked over to the hallway. Drake appeared a few seconds later and smiled at me.

“You ready for today?” He asked me. I nodded but he could tell I was nervous. He grabbed my hips and pulled me to him. “What’s wrong?” He looked me in my eyes.

“I’m nervous, what if we mess up?” I was terrified at the thought. He pressed his lips to mine and it immediately calmed me down. He pulled away and chuckled slightly.

“Don’t be nervous. You’re gonna be perfect,” he pecked my lips once more before I headed to the busses. We got to the competition way too soon. I felt like I was about to throw up.

“What’s wrong mommy?” Mylan asked me as they parked the bus.

“I just have a bit of butterflies,” I said to her.

“You told me butterflies were good. If you don’t have butterflies then you aren’t having fun,” she reminded me.

“You’re right,” I kissed her forehead as we got off the bus.

Cassie’s P.O.V.

“Oh god,” I kept repeating over and over as I paced around backstage. No one was around me so I started to procrastinate.

“Cassie,” I heard someone call my name but it didn’t snap me out of my pacing. “Cassie,” Shad called again and grabbed me. I looked at him as he scrunched up his face.

“What’s up with you? You’re never nervous,” he looked at me confused.

“I’m not nervous. Where’s Nicki?” I questioned as I tried to get around him.

“Why are you looking for Nicki?” He was really confused by this point but I just shrugged him off and went to find her. She was standing with Coach Graham and her crew. I guess he was giving them last minute advice.

“Nicki,” I called out to her and she looked at me confused. I knew she didn’t understand why I was calling out for her but with one look at my face she would understand.

“One second,” she told them and walked over to me. “What’s up?” She scrunched her eyebrows together.

“Look,” I pointed out into the crowded from backstage. It seemed like all the breath was knocked out of her.

“Oh god!” She looked horrified.

“What’s going on?” Coach Graham looked at us confused.

“We can’t go out there,” Nicki shook her head.

“Why not?” Shad came up to us.

“We just can’t,” I snapped as I begun to pace again. Nicki started pacing also while the team gathered around.

“Cass what the hell?” CeeJay looked at me but I ignored her.

“It’s him isn’t it,” Nae looked between us and shook her head. “I’m not performing,” Nae looked towards Coach Graham.

“He’s here!? I’m not going out there,” CeeJay joined us.

“Who the hell is out there!?” Coach Graham snapped at us. Nicki and I shared and look and shook our heads.

“We’re just not performing,” Nicki crossed her arms.

“I swear I’m gonna slap all of y’all right now!” Coach Chimere snapped. Nicki cut her eyes at her and smacked her lips. “We got a problem?” Coach Chimere walked over to her.

“Mere,” Coach Graham said sternly.

“Naw Drake. I told you to handle her or I will so I guess I have to. Follow me,” she told Nicki.

“No,” Nicki stood her ground.

“Nicki just do it,” Coach Graham told her. I think that was the first time he called one of us by our nicknames. He and Nicki shared a look before she followed Coach Chimere.

Chimere’s P.O.V.

I walked until we were in an empty hallway. “I’ll let the rude attitude and slick comments slide but when it comes down to this team I will not let you bring us down,” I looked her over. She looked like she was not even listening to me. “Are you even listening to me!?” I was done by this point.

“No,” she said as she looked off to the side.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on now but you will perform or you’re off the team,” I threatened her.

“Aubrey would never let you do that,” she smirked. This girl is so stupid. She knows she just admitted to me that something is going on between her and Drake.

“I don’t give a fuck if ‘Aubrey’ let’s me do it or not. It’s gonna be done if you don’t perform. This is why I never liked you. You seemed messy and you are. I don’t care who is out there, this performance is gonna happen,” I told her before walking past her. “Oh and if I were you, I would watch my back,” I said over my shoulder before leaving.

Nae’s P.O.V.

“Someone is gonna go out there and perform,” Coach Graham was ready to rip all of our heads off.

“Well that won’t be me,” Cassie crossed her arms.

“Or me,” CeeJay stood by her.

“Or me,” I looked over them as the past came back at me.

~

“No for real what are we gonna do?” Nicki asked us as we calmed down from laughing.

“We could just quit,” Cassie suggested.

“We can’t quit,” I looked over at Cassie.

“Not really quit, I mean take a stand,” she explained.

“You mean that we all won’t perform unless they make the change?” CeeJay questioned her plan.

“Exactly,” she smirked at us.

“See this is why I like you. You’re an evil genius,” Nicki hugged Cassie as we started to discuss our plan.

~

“They can’t do this can they?” Coach Graham asked Shad.

“They can but they won’t,” he snapped his eyes over at us. Nicki finally walked back with Coach Chimere.

“I’m still not performing,” she stood her ground.

“You four will not do this again,” Shad had a glare in his eyes.

“We can and we will,” Cassie dared him and it seemed like he calmed down slightly from taking one look at her. If anyone took a look at us then they could tell that we were terrified.  

“Nicki, a word please,” Coach Graham looked over at her and walked down the hallway. Nicki followed with a sigh.

“Cassie, follow me,” Shad said to her and walked down a different hallway.

“CeeJay and Jaznae, follow me,” Coach Chimere told us and walked down another hallway.

Shad’s P.O.V.

“You’re not about to do this again,” I snapped at her.

“I’m not going out there Shad,” she looked like she was about to break down.

“Can’t you just tell me why? Who’s out there? Why is the fact that he is out there making you four not perform?” I questioned her.

“I can’t tell you Shad,” she bowed her head trying to keep her tears in.

“Don’t do this again Cassie,” I begged her. I don’t wanna have to go through what we went through before.

~

“What did you say?” I wanted to make sure I heard her right.

“I said we’re not performing unless he’s gone,” she threatened.

“You can’t just demand someone to be gone and not tell me why,” I snapped at her.

“Well then I guess we’re not performing,” she had that little smirk on her face and walked away.

~

She was twelve back then and the four of them were suppose to perform for the talent show but someone who worked backstage did something and they wanted him gone. I was in charge of the talent show so I took all the blame. “You’re gonna perform,” I told her.

“No I will not. Do whatever you want Shad but I will not perform,” she finally let her tears fall.

“Baby just tell me who’s out there and I’ll make them go away,” I promised her.

“You can’t help me this time Shad. I just can’t go out there,” she walked away from me and out of the hallway.

 

 

CeeJay’s P.OV.

“Someone is gonna tell me why you guys don’t want to perform,” Coach Chimere demanded. I looked at Nae and we both crossed our arms.

“No,” we said in sync.

“Why the hell not?” She looked like she was about to lose her mind.

“It’s not our place to tell,” I told her.

“What is that suppose to mean? You guys don’t wanna go out and perform because someone is out there. Who is he and why does he have a connection with all four of y’all?” She calmed down slightly but she was mad as hell.

“Look we can’t tell you that. Not like it’s any of your business anyway,” Nae snapped at her.

“Try me one more time little girl,” Coach Chimere step closer to Nae and dared her.

“What are you gonna do? Spank me?” She smirked as she got the Coach more fired up.

“I know what your problem is and I’m not gonna even bother to handle your childish ways. Grow up and get over it cause I’m not going anywhere,” now it was time for Coach Chimere to smirk.

“Look if you want to know what happened then Nicki or Cassie will have to tell you. We can’t and that is that,” I said and she just sighed.

 

Drake’s P.O.V.

“What’s wrong now?” I looked over at her as she tried to contain her tears.

“It’s nothing Aubrey,” she said softly.

“It’s obviously something if you and Cassie actually had a conversation where y’all didn’t want to rip each other’s hair out,” I tried to make eye contact but she wouldn’t. Her tears finally fell at the thought of going out there. I walked towards her and pulled her to me. “Please just tell me what’s wrong. Baby I hate seeing you like this. I promise you I can make the problem disappear,” I assured her. She sniffled a few times before wrapping her arms around me.

“He’s out there,” she mumbled.

“Who is he?” I rubbed her back and tried to not pressure her to tell me.

“My ex,” she said simply. I immediately tensed up and she noticed. “Aubrey no,” she told me but I unwrapped my arms from around her.

“I’m gonna kill him,” I was about to black out and beat the shit out of him but I felt Nicki wrap her hands around mine.

“Aubrey look at me,” she pleaded. I finally compelled and looked at her. She pulled me to her and kissed me. I automatically kissed her back. She pulled back slightly and looked at me. “Please don’t do anything. Can we just leave? I’m sorry but I can’t perform with him here,” she cried.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” I pulled her to me and kissed her forehead.

“I’m costing us the competition,” she tried to pull herself together.

“Baby, I’m not letting you go out there with him here. I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you,” I pulled her chin up and kissed her. I would never let anyone hurt her.

~

“We ain’t performing,” I told the coaches when I left the hallway.

“What!?” Mere and Shad said in unison. Nicki and Cassie glanced in the direction of the guy. I don’t know how Cassie, Jaznae, or CeeJay are tied to this guy but I’ll find out eventually. I’m not gonna pressure Nicki into telling me about him. I know she doesn’t wanna remember anything about him.

“Drake can we have a word with you now,” Mere snapped as we went into an empty room. “What do you think you’re doing?” She hissed at me.

“Look I can’t explain it but I promise you those four will not perform nor will I let them,” I tried to tell them.

“I don’t get it. Did Nicki tell you something?” Shad asked me. I couldn’t even respond before I felt someone hit me upside my head.

“Ow! What the hell Chimere!?” I looked at her as she rolled her eyes.

“You’re fucking the girl aren’t you?” She questioned and that got Shad’s attention.

“Whoa, you and Nicki?” He asked shocked.

“No I’m not!” I snapped at her.

“Why else would she call you Aubrey?” Chimere put her hands on her hips.

“Look she was going through some stuff so I listen when she needed me to. I’m her friend, nothing more,” I assured them.

“I swear Drake if you’re lying to me right now,” Mere closed her eyes and rubbed her templates.

“I’m not lying to you. Why would I risk my career over one girl?” I asked her dumbly. They didn’t know I would risk a lot more than just my career for Nicki.

“I swear if you give me one more time to believe that there’s something going on between you two then she’s gone,” she threatened before walking out the door. “Pack your things, we ain’t performing!” Mere yelled to the girls. They all kind of figured so they didn’t object.

Chimere’s P.O.V.

“Thanks,” I mumbled as Blake handed me a drink. We sat at the roof top of the hotel just overlooking the city. “I don’t get it. We could have won but they wouldn’t perform,” I sighed at the thought.

“I know Nic and Nae wouldn’t refuse to perform unless it was serious. I don’t know who that guy was but I hear them talk about him sometimes. I don’t think he’s good news,” she shook her head. I looked over at her as she stared at the sky.

“I don’t get it,” I told her.

“Don’t get what?” She looked over at me.

“Why were you bullied?” I questioned her and she immediately tensed up.

“You don’t have to tell me,” I told her as she relaxed.

“The people at my old school knew things about me that I didn’t want anyone to know. They manipulated and tormented me. I did everything to make sure they didn’t tell my secrets but they ended up telling them anyway. I thought it couldn’t get worse until I started receiving death threats and one day I opened my locker and found a knife. I got suspended because no one believed me. Then I got shipped off here,” she shrugged.

“What about your mom?” I locked eyes with her. She shifted her eyes and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

“She was already over her taking care of Nicki and Mylan,” she explained.

“Where’s your dad?” I didn’t want to push the topic but I was concerned.

“Your guess is about as good as mine. He was around when I was smaller and we were really close until one day he just left and never looked back,” she didn’t even realize she had tears rolling down her eyes until I wiped them.

“It’s gonna be okay,” I reassured her and she nodded.

Nicki’s P.O.V.

Mylan and I were at Drake’s suite just hanging out. “Thank you for supporting me,” I told him as Mylan watched some movie on TV.

“Don’t thank me. I will always support you when you tell me what the problem is,” he informed me.

“Can I spend the night? I really don’t feel like sleeping alone,” I looked at him.

“You know you don’t even have to ask,” he kissed me and then picked up Mylan. She was drifting asleep so he put her in the bed. He got in and so did I. He wrapped his arms around me and My. I felt safe in his arms. Seeing my ex just brought back so many unwanted memories but when I’m with Aubrey he makes it go away.