"i just wanted to make sure i was on the same page as you to make sure everybody's ok. because at competition last weekend, at the end of the day, we really didn't get to celebrate our win at all. and sarah, you and your mom were crying when you guys walked out, and we don't know why," gia said, looking around at us all.
"well, the moms were saying it's all your fault, you wanted this to happen-"
"but do you wanna stay anymore?"
"well no, i wanna stay," sarah protested, "but i don't want want my mom attacked every day, so..." she shrugged.
"we know you're upset, but we don't want you to leave," hannah said, patting sarah's shoulder.
sarah began to cry.
"i feel really bad because i feel like it's kind of all of our moms' fault," interjected press.
"it's not kind of, it is," sarah murmured.
"girls!" abby's voice shouted from another studio, "let's go, come on!"
"you're a girl now brady," i said, punching his arm. he rolled his eyes.
⤎⎼༌·⋱🩰⋰⋆༌⎼⤏
when we walked in, abby was making high pitched seal noises, lying parallel to the floor.
"hey guys," she said casually. i almost choked on air trying to conceal my laughter. she re-oriented her chair, "i just had to stretch my back a bit."
we sat on the floor in a split, stretching our feet and working our muscles.
"we should be celebrating," abby began, "this was a big win. but i think our...win...was tainted."
"well that was not our doing," ashley butted in, "i think it's terrible that we should all be celebrating, and instead there's a fistfight?"
she said it with a face of disgust. like she hadn't been yelling at michelle.
my mom caught my eye and rolled hers. honestly these moms.
my mom knew what they were doing was wrong, but she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. it was either doing the right thing and telling them to calm down, or making enemies with the other moms was going to make me upset. she chose me.
i was grateful.
"well i was physically assaulted," abby said, bringing her hand to her chest.
stacey had stayed quiet for too long, "you know who wasn't sticking up for you? this one," she pointed to michelle.
"michelle told everyone to eff off in front of everyone in the dressing room," ashley added, glaring.
"you told me you were going to kick my ass in the dressing room-"
abby made a sound that sounded like a cross between a crow and a drum. "ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah," she interrupted.
they continued to fight. i almost perished of frustration.
"you know what, sarah, get your stuff, let's go."
oh no. not sarah.
she looked shocked, but she stood up and left with her mother.
"sorry abby, i am not doing this," she whirled her finger in the air.
sarah hugged abby, starting to sob again and we piled onto her, clinging on because this was probably the last time we'd see our friend. sarah had been one of the people who stuck with us, hugging after competition, eating cake off the floor, making fun of costumes together in the dressing room. i was sad to see her leave.
"alright, at the bottom of the pyramid, hannah. you did the group dance, you do absolutely nothing to make me want to move you up."
"so the kid who is not on the team anymore is not on the bottom of the pyramid, hannah is."
"well, i didn't know she wasn't going to be here, right now. next, sarah. sarah was ninth in the competition, that's not good enough."
"don't you think we should switch those now?"
"go ahead ann."
that must take some nerve.
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