WILD ON THE INSIDE

CHAPTER FIVE

That breezy morning, Megan prepared herself for the challenge with a radiant, unwavering energy. She brushed her thick blonde hair and tied it into a high ponytail—long and silken, like strands of gold under the early sun. In a school filled with raven-haired students, she stood out boldly. She wasn’t fully Filipino, and her foreign charm often turned heads, sparking whispers and envy in equal measure.

She slipped into her sleek black leather jacket—tailored, snug, commanding attention. Her look was completed with pristine white designer sneakers, the kind rarely seen outside the wardrobes of Orlean High’s wealthiest elites. And yet, she wore them with an ease that wasn’t arrogance—but certainty.

By the time she reached school, Charlie was pacing restlessly, chewing on his thumb, convinced she wouldn’t show. The seconds felt like hours. But when he saw her striding in with confidence, purse swinging by her side, he sighed with such relief it nearly dropped him to his knees.

He almost hugged her on instinct. But with Megan, a handshake was like a hug. It meant something.

The talent show sparked to life exactly at 10 a.m., as scheduled. When the judges made their entrance, a tidal wave of cheers erupted. Everyone craned their necks, phones already in hand to capture a moment that felt larger than life. The ECG—Elite Cool Group—descended like royalty.

Hardin led the pack, hand in hand with Nikki, both draped in designer threads and untouchable charisma. The crowd adored them. Loved them. Worshipped them.

Instead of starting with a dance as many expected, the judges surprised the crowd with a soulful performance. Hardin sang a song he had written himself—poetic, slow, surprisingly heartfelt. He promised, though, that they would close the show with a dance, and that alone kept the energy charged all day.

Performances followed—comedy sketches, acting duos, poetry recitations, song covers, and dance crews. But all eyes were counting down to one name on the list: The Unchallengeables.

Megan’s performance was slotted near the end—giving her more time for precision, perfection, and polish. In their secluded rehearsal spot, she and Charlie went over their moves.

“Megan,” Charlie said carefully, “what if we end with a slow dance? You know, something tender?”

She looked up at him, her eyes cool and sharp. “That dance is for lovers, Charlie. Not for the Unchallengeables. We’re not here to be soft. We’re here to dominate.”

Charlie exhaled. “Alright. But I had this weird dream last night.”

Megan raised an eyebrow. “You are weird. It’s only natural your dreams would be too.”

“Rude,” he muttered, though he couldn’t help smiling. But Megan’s look was too honest to be hurtful.

“Okay, okay, fair,” he admitted. “Anyway, I dreamed… I was a priest. You were getting married. To Hardin. You wore a black gown.”

Megan blinked. Then laughed—a low, amused laugh. “Okay. That’s not just weird. That’s impossible. It’ll never happen.”

Then her tone shifted. Cool again. Distant. “Besides, you and I? We’re not best friends, Charlie. We’re not even friends. We’re just dance partners.”

The words hit like cold water.

Charlie stared at her, face falling. His voice trembled slightly. “Do you know how that feels? To stand next to someone every day and not even be considered a friend?”

Megan hesitated. “That was just a fireside joke. Of course we’re friends. Maybe not best friends… but close. I see someone who’d be hurt if I died. That means something, right?”

He nodded slowly, swallowing emotion.

“To win this,” she continued, “I need your full energy. No distractions. I’m going to use my secret move—the Megan Triple Move. You’ll have to do three clean backflips. Then hold a 180-degree stretch for three minutes. While you do that… I do this.”

She demonstrated a fast, fluid sequence of steps and flips. It was explosive. Precise. Dangerous. Beautiful.

Charlie took a deep breath, nodding, pushing past the ache in his chest. “Alright. Show me again.”

Evening arrived. The sky outside turned gold. The auditorium lights dimmed.

Megan and Charlie stood backstage, dressed in matching black sweatshirts and sweatpants. On the back: UNCHALLENGEABLES—bold white letters like a battle cry.

“Ladies and gentlemen, lads and lasses,” the emcee shouted, “put your hands together for the unstoppable, the untouchable… the UNCHALLENGEABLES!”

The crowd erupted as Megan and Charlie stormed the stage.

People didn’t expect much. Especially not with Charlie. But from the moment they moved, jaws dropped. Their energy? Magnetic. Their chemistry? Electric. It wasn’t just dance. It was war. Poetry. Fire.

Their footwork was flawless. Their rhythm—untouchable.

Megan’s body flowed like silk but hit like thunder. She didn’t need curves to steal the stage. Her hips moved with such precision and confidence that even Hardin sat up straighter. He stared at her with undisguised awe.

Nikki leaned on the table, trying to mask her surprise. Her expression said everything: I didn’t see this coming.

“She’s… the real deal,” Tyler whispered.

“She’s the winner,” added Jake.

“I think I’m falling in love,” Tyler joked, half-serious.

Hardin’s jaw was clenched. “Do we really need the rest of the competition? That was the last dance crew, right?”

Nikki nodded silently.

“Then we’ve already seen the champions,” Hardin muttered, his gaze fixed on Megan. “Megan. C….. Megan C..,” he whispered.

Then it happened.

The Megan Triple Move.

The music slowed, the tension rose, and she launched into three flawless backflips, landing with otherworldly grace. Charlie dropped to the floor and held a perfect 180-degree split. She leapt, twisted, rolled, and finished the sequence with a signature spiral that defied the laws of physics.

The auditorium exploded in noise.

Phones were out. Students were screaming. Teachers stood up from their seats. Even the ECG, for the first time, looked… defeated.

It was more than a performance.

It was a declaration.

Megan wasn’t asking for a place in the elite.

She was making her own.

Charlie was bursting with excitement. Their performance had lasted barely ten minutes, yet the energy it left behind was electric—so potent that the audience seemed to ache for more. If it were up to the crowd, the dance would have gone on forever. As Megan and Charlie exited the stage, a sea of students surged toward them, hoping to get a picture, a handshake, or just a glimpse of the Unchallengeables. They felt it in their bones—fame. It was tangible now, a warm, exhilarating sensation spreading through their veins.

They made their way to the rehearsal room to change, but Charlie hesitated. “I’m staying like this,” he declared, brushing off the suggestion to change outfits.

Megan rolled her eyes playfully. “Okay, I hate what I’m about to say, but… people actually love us.”

“Well, hello, Mr. Charlie,” Megan said with mock formality, “welcome back to the world of fame.”

“Thanks,” he replied with a heartfelt chuckle. “And that’s thanks to you. I can finally walk these school halls in peace. But I want to keep it low-key. No spotlight stuff.”

“You’re already the spotlight, Charlie. All you’ve got to do now is avoid making enemies with the gang—the ECG. They’re talented, but also… tricky.”

Charlie grew quiet, then shrugged. “Honestly, even if we don’t win, I’ll be fine. I’ve already won back my reputation. That’s what matters. It’s time those who turned their backs on me realize I’ve grown. I was immature, maybe naive, but even stupid.”

“You weren’t stupid,” Megan corrected gently. “You just needed time. But don’t try to prove anything to them. Let them come crawling back. Don’t mock them. Just say something classy like, ‘Maybe in another life, we could’ve been friends.’ Then walk away. Leave them to their regrets.”

As night fell and the award ceremony loomed, Megan debated leaving early, wanting to avoid the drama. But Charlie pleaded with her to stay. The crowd had grown dense again as everyone gathered for the announcement of the final winners. Nikki was the host for the momentous occasion, full of flair and theatrics.

“I’ll read the names of the final winners,” Nikki began confidently. “Jake and Tyler will present the awards. But before you get your prize, you have to hug Hardin. If you want to… well, you can kiss too. You earned it,” she added with a mischievous smirk. It was a surprise coming from the school president’s own girlfriend.