Mountain

2.21

i walked in the juice bar after rehearsal and sat in front of James to see how he's doing with my list. "so... ready for number seven?" i asked him.

he looked at me seriously. "no." i chuckled. "i did book the appointment with my doctor to get the malaria pills, but not until next Thursday."

"i figured you'd say that so i got you number eight." i pulled out an envelope.

number eight is a mystery quest.

"alright."

"you might need some help with this one." i smiled. "good luck." i stood up and walked back to the studio.

this is not too difficult for someone who is good at maths but James isn't, so... i just wish him luck.

i was in studio A, watching the girls practicing their handstand. "Emily! office now!" i heard Kate calling her. this cannot be good.

after Emily left Eldon and Hunter joined Giselle and Tahlia also.

"guys i have some bad news." Kate walked in, with James and Emily behind her, and we all turned to look at her.

"what is it?" West asked her.

"what's going on?" i asked.

"the costumes are missing. they're gone. they're not in the closet."

"what?" i said shockingly.

this is so so bad.

"okay let's not panic. maybe they've just been misplaced." Chloe said. "we'll all split up all over the studio and look for them.

"okay. Emily will look in the foyer and i'll look in the changing rooms." Amanda said.

when Amanda decides for Emily i know she has something to do with this.

after half an hour of looking we all just came back to studio A and no one found the costumes. this is so upsetting.

"hey guys. i found the costumes." West walked in with the four brown boxes and just lit the mood of the team.

"good job, west!" i said. "where did you find them?" i asked.

"in the trash."

"why were you in the trash?" Amanda asked him.

"well, if you must know." he gave the costumes in my hand, that was heavy.

"as i was channeling my inner raccoon, the trash just spoke to me, and voila."

"this is so dumb he's genius." i whispered to Riley by my side.

"so you climbed in the trash?" amanda asked again.

"yes i did."

"who cares where you found them? we have costumes!" Chloe said excitedly and everyone clapped for him.

"yo Iz." James pulled me aside. "meet me at the music room in five minutes."

"okay." i said and he walked out of the studio.

after 5 minutes, i went to the music room and found James with Eldon and Hunter standing seriously next to a bar, not even looking at me.

"why did you want me here?" i asked James.

"we've been waiting for you." James said seriously. "hi Izzy." James said, grabbing something from the floor and then putting it around my neck. "today you'll be playing the role of the sack of grain. you know why? because we figured out the riddle."

"okay..." i said confused.

"if you may come with me to the river bank. follow me." i went after him to the other side of the room next to Eldon. "gentlemen, please welcome the newly played role of the sack of grain, replacing West- Isabel."

Eldon and Hunter clapped and it was very hard to stay as serious as they were.

"chicken in the boat please." James said and Eldon jumped behind him. they moved like a boat to the other side of the room. Eldon jumped when they reached the bar and then James came back to us.

it was kinda funny to see James take this so seriously because obviously he never takes anything seriously.

"grain, my sack, in the boat." i walked behind James next to Eldon. "i appreciate it next time you're in the boat rub my shoulders as we cross." i scoffed. "chicken, in the boat." Eldon jumped behind James and went back with him.

they were rowing with they're hands and Eldon looked at me. "that's right. he thought the chicken how to row." he said seriously and i laughed quietly.

"chicken off the boat. fox on the boat." Hunter roared at Eldon slightly as part of their roles. "hey watch yourself." James said.

on their way to me, Hunter massaged James shoulders. "that's right. he taught the fox how to give a massage." i chuckled.

"fox off the boat." Hunter jumped next to me and James went back to Eldon. "chicken on the boat."

Eldon put on hand on James's shoulder and rowed with the other one. "yeah, he taught the chicken how to do both." Eldon said.

"chicken off the boat." James said and Eldon jumped next to us.

"that's it! that's the riddle! all three of you are on this side." James said happily. "that means you have to cross off number eight." he said to me.

honestly, i didn't think it was going to take him this long.

"i want a congratulations." he opened his arms. "come here. give me a hug." i rolled my eyes but walked around the bar towards him.

"be carful! water. you have to jump." he said to me.

"i'm not jumping."

"the tide is strong. Izzy, jump."

"jump!" Eldon and Hunter cheered me.

i rolled my eyes before jumping closer to James. "happy?" i asked him.

"very." he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me for a hug and i hugged tighter.

"can we go?" i asked him.

"yeah but stay in the boat. i don't want you to drown." i rowed playfully out of the room with him.

with everything that's been going on with the missing costumes and the whole Amanda situation, it's nice to know that James is still there to make me laugh.