Time to Move On The Next Step

Previously on The Next Step...

I don't want to see you in my studio again.

Me crying because Lucien was yelling at me -

fake.

The only reason why I'm at the Next Step -

is to make sure they do not make it to Nationals.

I go in and I see him kissing Beth.

What?!

Did you kiss Beth or did Beth kiss you?

Technically she kissed me, man.

Oh, so you're good, man, you got nothing to worry about.

He's in trouble.

James, you ruined something really special.

# And I want it more

# Than anyone else

# You're so beautiful tonight

# We're gonna dream we're gonna see the stars. #

Right now, James and I are just kind of going through our Nationals duet,

and it's not going so well.

# For me to make your heart break. #

Me and James are just not on the same page.

Our chemistry's just not there.

Chemistry is so important in partner work

because you have to trust each other,

and if there's no connection and no chemistry

it's just not going to work.

# Don't wanna make your heart break

# Oh, oh, oh

# Oh, oh, oh

# Don't wanna make your heart break... #

At this point I'm very worried about the duet.

Normally James and Riley work so well together

and have such great chemistry,

but it's just falling apart in front of our eyes.

I'm feeling very, very upset with James right now.

I mean, there's just all this anger built up inside of me,

and I feel like this dance is really the only chance for me

to physically show him how I feel.

She's not even looking at me.

It's kind of like there's no connection whatsoever.

Actually, it's the opposite of connection, we're repelling.

# I think you should know

# It's only for show

# Don't wanna... #

The song says don't want to make your heart break.

In real life, he kind of did make my heart break.

# Don't wanna make your heart break

# Don't wanna break your heart

# Don't wanna break your heart

# Don't wanna break your heart

# Don't wanna make your heart break. #

We'll pick this up tonight at rehearsal.

Got it.

# We

# We are gonna show the world

# Everything we're made of

# We're gonna tear the roof off this place

# Stand up. #

Hi everyone, my name's Thalia

and today I'm going to do a little improv skit for you.

It's open mic at Culture Shock

and I'm really excited to do my performance.

But to make it a little harder on myself

I'm going to do it in a country accent,

and I'm going to need two very pretty volunteers.

When I was little I would pretend to be this girl named Gertrude

and talk in a country accent - so I decided to bring her back.

-COUNTRY ACCENT:

-It's time for me to do the dishes.

All right, I am cleaning the dishes,

the doorbell rang, I need to walk to the door.

Thalia's performance is hilarious.

She's pretty talented.

-THEY CHEER

-Aw, thank you!

Round of applause for our pretty, pretty volunteers.

Thank you, ladies, thank you so much.

We're going to take a short break and we'll be right back.

I need to talk to Emily about what's happening with James.

I mean, she's always made me feel better about this kind of stuff.

I don't know what to do about James.

I can't be with him, I can't work with him -

but I can't stop thinking about him.

Well, why don't you just try thinking about someone else?

You mean, like, go for someone new?

Yeah, I mean, it's not unheard of - it's called a rebound.

I know Emily's trying to help

by telling me to move on, and it's a good idea,

but I honestly don't think I can.

-Thanks anyways.

-OK.

-Agh!

-James, hey!

What's up, yo?

I brought you your favourite juice.

-Oh...

-Grape.

-Grape.

I hate grape juice.

-I was wondering, do you want to go on a date later?

-Um...

Because I was talking to my mom and she already told me

that she could drive us for about seven.

Seeing Beth and James together

just kind of shows me that James has moved on.

So, maybe I need to move on, too.

I'm ready to move on.

I think you're making the right decision.

Can we switch places, please?

I just want you to know

I don't really like being part of your scheme.

Ooh.

Oh...

Ooh.

It's really embarrassing, and it's on Hunter,

and - you know, it's embarrassing.

Don't worry about it.

This literally happens every time I eat spaghetti.

-I have an idea.

-Yeah?

The costume closet has spare shirts so I'm just going to take you there.

I will pay for that hat, because I ruined it.

I can't really promise anything

but there should be one in the costume cupboard.

It's cold, OK? We need to hurry this up.

Maybe you shouldn't be so clumsy.

I think there's a shirt in here. Yeah, right here.

This is your size -

make sure it's clean.

-OK.

-Thanks.

Make sure you don't let the door close.

The door to the costume closet can't close,

because there's no handle on our side.

Why is it locked?

It's just always how it's been -

I forgot you were new.

Sorry, Emily.

My bad.

Well, at least I have a clean shirt.

# I left to flee the fight

# Came back to stop the war... #

So, Riley... You know, like, we're both James's exes now.

Oh, yeah.

I'm at Culture Shock talking to Riley -

pretending to be her friend.

I really can't let anyone know that I'm still at Elite.

-Hey, guys.

-Oh, hey!

-Hey.

-Hey.

What are you guys talking about?

We're kind of trying to search out possible boyfriend candidates.

-Ooh!

-That's exciting.

-Get it!

I don't really feel like moving on, but...

I mean, James has already done that,

so it can't hurt to see what's out there.

What about Charlie?

# ..right beside

# Yeah, you don't mind cos I'm always there

# Right behind... #

-He's cute AND he can play the guitar.

-Right?

-I think you should give it a shot.

-Yeah.

I feel like they might be good for each other.

He's cool, and Riley's cool, too.

OK.

-Awesome.

-All right.

Let's do it.

KNOCKING AT DOOR

Hey, have you, uh, found a way out yet?

No, because if I did, it would just be you alone in here, OK?

I'm trying to get out of here -

unlike some people.

Ahem... Hunter.

Do you have your phone?

Of course I have my phone - I never leave without my phone.

-Well, we could use your phone to text people, you know?

-Nice.

I am relieved Hunter has a phone.

I mean, it would have been great if he pulled it out a little earlier.

There's no bars.

No, there's no bars anywhere.

I should have expected it, you know?

I'm not that lucky.

If I had my phone it would have five bars.

It would have six bars in this situation.

First of all, six bars - you can't even have six bars.

First of all, get a new carrier.

First of all, enough with the first of alls

cos I'm kind of lost on where we are with the first of alls,

-but I just moved here...

-Again, not...

You're not going to judge me if we're having...

-What?

-It's, like, wavering.

-You're going to get up on there?

-Look how old that looks, that's going to break.

-It's fine.

-No, it's not fine.

-Well, we have a bar, so it's pretty fine.

Oh, OK.

See? I told you I'd find a bar.

That's two bars - that's two bars.

-It's better there, I'm just going to...

-Oh, nice.

She puts her hand on my shoulder, using me as support.

I'm just going to lean on Hunter. Hopefully he'll support me.

-You getting more bars?

-Just almost there, almost...

-Almost working? Oh, it's working...

-Oh!

So, our faces are this close to each other

and I'm starting to think there was a moment there.

Did the text go through?

The text, um...

-No.

-It didn't go through?

No, it didn't go through.

There's...

There's nothing between Hunter and me. No.

HE SIGHS

I'm stressed about being locked in the costume closet.

I don't really like small spaces, and it's dusty and it's...

It's a stressful situation, OK?

DANCE MUSIC PLAYS

What is that awful noise?

When I hear that song playing,

I just know it's a bad day.

That song plays when I'm having the worst days.

This song's the best, what are you talking about?

I only have one song on my phone and I love that song.

I never get sick and tired of it.

Everything bad happens to me when this song is playing.

When I was driving in my car

a bird pooped on me - right through the window!

Emily, to get pooped on by a bird is good luck.

How is it good luck to be pooped on by a bird?

That's common knowledge.

A bird pooping on you is definitely not good luck.

It's pretty much the opposite.

I'm pretty sure it's the definition of bad luck.

No, it's the definition of good luck,

I mean, that's what my grandma tells me.

Right.

Does your grandma also tell you you're smart?

She does, every day - she calls me up.

Can we just turn this off?

She's abrasive.

She's annoying. She's in-your-face...

But despite that...

I really like her.

Off.

I don't even know why you need this - it doesn't work.

I like to just look at it sometimes.

# Oh, you know that I need it... #

# ..right behind

# Yeah, you don't mind if we stop and stare

# Girl, you're moving so beautiful. #

APPLAUSE

Thanks.

-OK, so go.

-You should go flirt with him, go.

-OK - wish me luck.

-Go!

I've never really had to flirt with boys before.

OK, uh, one problem. I don't know how to flirt.

Stop being so nervous.

Do you know me at all? I'm always nervous!

Be yourself - act natural.

Right, now you're being a little be awkward.

You just gotta be cool, you know, like sittin'.

Like James. You gotta be cool like James.

-Yeah.

-Like James.

-Wait, you want me to be my ex-boyfriend

-while I'm trying to get a new boyfriend?

-Yes, exactly.

-Just - girl version. Work it, twerk it, go.

-Go.

No, not like that.

You guys, what...

OK...

I think the girls' advice is great -

I mean, if I play it cool, then it might work.

I mean, it works for James,

so, why not me?

Sup?

Are you, uh, are you feeling OK?

Pfft, don't even worry about it.

OK, I won't.

Charlie probably thinks I'm crazy -

so it's not exactly the direction I was going for.

-Give me a minute.

-Yeah.

-That did not work at all.

-Yeah, you think?

-OK, listen to me, touch his arm.

-OK...

Make sure he knows that you're interested in him.

-Ask him questions about his life or something.

-OK.

Also, be cute, flip your hair.

-Touch it, play with it.

-OK.

-Like, twirl it.

-OK.

-And then, like, you gotta, like, bat the eyelashes.

But not squinty. No, no.

Oh, you'll be fine. Go work it.

Go, go.

Playing it cool

is a little bit harder than I thought.

So, how are you?

I'm...

Riley is officially the worst flirter on the planet.

Ugh, it's not going very well.

Um...

Listen, do you want to go out tonight?

-I'd love to.

-Good.

I hear, um, Charlie ask Riley out.

I just didn't expect her to be moving on this quickly.

But I have duet practice tonight.

I really do want to go out with Charlie,

but I have rehearsal with James tonight.

OK, that's cool. Um...

Some other time, maybe?

Yeah, for sure.

-OK, sweet. See you later.

-See ya.

Oh, my gosh!

Good, I'm so proud!

Charlie must really have a thing for Riley

if he's still willing to take her out on a date

after that circus performance.

So, then what happened?

-AUSTRALIAN ACCENT: Whoa - you want to know what happened?

-Yup.

Great white, Barrier Reef - I'm surfing,

great white swims along, swimming, swimming,

I'm surfing, having a great time.

Great white leaps out of the water, grabs on me arm, he yanks it off.

Yeah, it was insane, right?

That's the face I had when he ripped my arm off.

I'm just thinking, "Oh, no, this isn't good at all."

Even though Hunter is clearly lying -

it's kind of a funny story.

I tickled him under his chin, he let go. Just let go.

I took my arm out, I said, "That's enough of you, shark."

Hit him on the nose a few times.

We've been in the costume closet for hours now.

I'm tired, exhausted, but I want to entertain her.

So, you're bleeding to death...

-Oh, bleeding.

-..after a great white shark attack

-in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef.

-Right.

And beat him with your detached limb?

Yeah, that's right. This one, exactly.

Which I'm now looking at and looks perfectly fine.

Man...

I don't know why Emily won't believe my story

that a shark ripped off my arm and I got it back.

-VOICEMAIL:

-You know who it is, you know what to do.

Hey, James, um, it's Riley.

I'm just wondering if you knew about the rehearsal

we were supposed to have.

I've been waiting for, like, an hour -

if you just let me know if you're even coming.

Bye.

James did know about the rehearsal.

I mean, Kate told us to meet in the studio later that night

so we could rehearse our duet.

But he just didn't show up.

# How could someone be so low?

# How could you be so low? #

So, today in class...

After I saw Charlie ask Riley to go on a date

I honestly didn't think it was that big of a deal

if I went on a date with Beth.

My teacher was talking about this, um, thing called statistics

and, uh... I dunno, I don't really get it,

-but...

-You got a little bit of ketchup just right here.

-Below your lip.

-Where?

-Right here.

Yeah, I realise I'm supposed to be at rehearsal right now,

but honestly I feel like I need to just take some time from the studio.

Here?

No, on your lip.

Is it um...is it here?

No, ha, you just put more ketchup on your face.

Is it here?

Nope. Now you look like a ketchup football player!

Believe it or not, Beth is actually making me laugh -

and it feels good to laugh,

because I've been through so much drama lately.

-Oh, don't smear it.

-THEY LAUGH

I'm putting some on you.

-No, you're not.

-Yeah, I am.

-No, you're not.

-Yeah, I am.

-Do not put...

Yeah. Yup, wait...

Did you actually just put ketchup on my face?!

Wait, wait - a little more.

No. Stop, Beth!

Stop...

I don't want ketchup on my face.

Now we match.

No.

Mm-hm. PHONE RINGS

Did I get it all off?

-Do I have any more?

-No.

It kind of hurts that James would just stand me up for our rehearsal -

and not to mention what that does to the team.

He knows that our duet is struggling and we need to rehearse it.

Still on your face.

Where?

Let me show you.

I need to get this ketchup off my face, though -

you actually just put it all over my face.

I need to get over James once and for all.

Hey, Charlie, uh, it's Riley.

-Hey, how's it going?

-Um, I'm good, how are you?

-I'm good.

-Um, are you still free tonight?

-Yep.

-OK, all right, I'll see you then.

-OK.

-Bye.

# Oh, the same day

# Same thing... #

So, how are things going with Michelle?

Not bad.

Moving a little slower than I hoped they would, but it'll get there.

That's good.

I ask Hunter about Michelle

because we have a plan for them to get back together,

and, uh, we're going to see it through.

How are things with Eldon?

Um...

I mean, they're the same.

Nothing's really changed, except...

Except me, I guess.

I just don't know if I like him like I used to, I guess.

You know that's not your fault.

I mean, it just doesn't seem like

he knows how to make a relationship last.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah, I guess no-one's really ever accused Eldon of that.

I confide in Hunter because, you know, we were in this plan together,

but my circumstances have changed.

I think it's fair that he knows that.

It's obviously not you.

Cos you're cool.

Thanks!

Even in these pants?

Especially in those pants.

I know.

It was really comforting to hear Hunter say that it wasn't my fault,

because even I kind of thought it was my fault.

I mean, I'm a hard person to be around.

I know I can be really stubborn.

And just having someone tell me that everything wasn't on me...

it was nice.

# Hurricane

# Going through my brain

# I can't explain. #

I was just about to head home for the night

and then I got an SOS text

from Hunter saying that he was stuck in the closet with Emily.

That can't be good.

Hey, um, why don't we put that song back on?

I thought you didn't like it?

Well, you know, you gotta be open to trying new things.

It was a pretty heavy moment,

so maybe just lightening the mood and having some fun will, uh,

kind of let us get out of that zone.

Ole! DANCE MUSIC PLAYS

Woo!

-Senor.

-Your hand.

And cha-cha.

-Oh, a spin.

-Oh, a spin and a dip.

Yeah. My wig, no!

OK, yo, this thing is way too baggy right now.

Hey, guys.

Hey! Hello? Hi.

-Oh, hey, Michelle.

-Yeah, you guys left the key in the door

so you guys pretty much were locked in.

We've been in here for so long and you saved us.

Oh, Michelle, my saviour.

Um, I just left my stuff in Culture Shock a while back.

-We've been locked in here for so long.

-Oh, yeah? Why?

I started working with Hunter so I could get Eldon back.

But I'm not thinking about Eldon right now -

all I can think about is Hunter.

Yeah, so I noticed you're drinking coffee there.

Yeah.

Uh, coffee's not the greatest for you.

I am on a date with Charlie.

It's not going too well.

So, you work out a lot, then?

Not too much. Maybe, like, probably 100-200 push-ups an hour.

-Generally.

-Wow.

He's very...

space-heady and, uh, not always there.

Any other hobbies other than working out?

Yeah, I read a lot, I read a lot. Yeah.

Oh, really? Like what?

Um, fitness magazines.

Charlie...is kind of like the male version of Beth -

and I am not interested in dating Beth.

So, what's your biggest fitness tip?

Um...

Don't drink coffee.

Yeah.

OK.

This is not getting my mind off James.

If anything...

Show me where it is!

..it's making me miss him more.

# We

# We are gonna show the world

# Everything we're made of

# We're gonna tear the roof off this place

# You can never fade us out

# Don't even ask the DJ

# Everybody knows we own this land. #