Relevé to the Top

Chapter 15. Jill on the Rampage

"So, what do you guys think Abby's going to say?" Jill asks, looking around the room.

Lexie shrugs, sliding her feet into her footundeez. She doesn't know how Abby felt, but she wasn't happy. They lost for the second time in a row.

"I don't think Abby's going to be very happy with us," Nia answers softly. "She didn't look happy when we left."

"That was because of us, not you," Holly assures her. "Abby's anger had nothing to do with you girls."

Yeah, but it's not you she punishes for it, Lexie thought, standing. She really wished the other moms wouldn't argue with Abby. They yell, Abby yells, and the only people that it impacts are the girls.

"We can only hope for the best," Christi rolls her eyes. "We're always hoping for the best."

"Ladies, let's go!" Abby yells from studio A.

Reaching the door first, Lexie led the team in.

"What's with your shoes?" Lexie cocks her head back to see Abby staring at Jill's shoes.

"I'm on my toes," Jill mollifies.

"The floor is sixty-eight thousand dollars," Abby cautions before facing the girls. "All right, first I want to talk about last week. I must say I'm a little disappointed. We were outdanced. It's that energy level. You can't have a bunch of slugs on stage."

Abby rubs her hands together. "This weekend, we will be attending Dance Explosion in Secaucus, New Jersey. You're gonna get some heavy hitters there, I'm telling you right now. I'm gonna start with the pyramid. And first..." Abby reaches for the end of the pyramid. "I have Kendall. Kendall, I thought you did a nice job. You're here because your mother is way too needy."

"Abby, that's ri-idiculous," Jill complains.

Lexie withholds a sigh as Abby sways her head back and front in an imitation of Jill. "'Why isn't she doing a solo?' 'Why isn't she doing a duet?' 'Why doesn't she have a special part?'"

"And that's needy?" Jill demands. "That's inquisitive. Why doesn't she have a solo? You're punishing her for something I did."

"Bingo! There you go!" Abby laughs slightly. "Moving on. Nia. Once again, I need to see energy. I need to see excitement. Next, we have Brooke. You're back, but..." Abby spreads her arm out. "Is Brooke really back? Moving on. Paige, great job in the tuck. I just need to see you do that throughout all of your dancing.

"Moving on up the ladder. Maddie, you danced well. I expect more from you. Chloe, same thing. Great performance onstage; you just need to learn to pick up quicker. Lexie, same thing, but I want to thank you and your Mom for not making a fuss over not having solo."

Not having a solo for one week is okay, but Lexie really hopes she gets a solo this week.

"And at the top of the pyramid... Mackenzie," as the team cheered, a smiling Lexie wraps her arm around Mackenzie's shoulder and hugs her. "She won in Nutley, New Jersey. She won in Long Island, New York. Do you have another win in you for Secaucus, New Jersey?" Abby shrugs. "I don't know."

"We are not going to do a group routine this week," Abby announces. "Each and every dancer will be doing a solo. It's every man himself. This is your chance to shine."

Lexie grins faintly, having flashbacks of whenever body had a solo last year and the ensuing argument. Hopefully, this year goes better.

Abby swiveled her head to look at the moms. "And for one time only, you all get to help with the costumes. This is your chance to go for that, Tony, Christi. You're gonna come to me and show me what you have. I can veto it, or I can accept it. I don't want to see anything from any other studios. I want to see you come up with something original. Mom's I'm gonna dismiss you at this time; girls spread apart; start warming up. Lexie Beck is waiting for you in studio C."