The Eldest Ziegler

Melissa Pleads the Fifth

it hurt. It won't stop hurting. It would hurt when I walked, it would hurt when I would stand, and it hurt most of when I danced. I didn't want to tell anyone about it because I still wanted to dance. Over the last couple of days, the pain didn't get worse so I thought that maybe that in a couple of days the pain would go away, I would still be able to dance, and I would have to tell anyone about it.

"Come on, girl, let's go!" Miss. Abby yelled as we walked into Studio A, ready for another pyramid, "Wow, this mother's association is dwindling to a trio, huh?"

The three mothers shrugged and nodded.

"Holly's at work," Mom tells Miss. Abby.

"Of course," Miss. Abby says before starting pyramid, "First, Nia. Honey, my heart stopped. You guys always think I'm the bad guy but I don't want any kid, even if it's not my student, to stop. I just don't want it to happen again, and I don't think it should have happened in the first place. You're better than that."

Miss. Abby then revealed Kenzie's headshot, "Moving on, Mackenzie. Mackenzie, there's some things to improve on. Next, I have Brooke. I thought you did a great job. And next, we have Chloe. Chloe, your solo was excellent. However, the trio was a little shaky. Next, Paige. Paige, you worked through the pain in your feet, even in the dressing room. When you should have had those feet up and icing them, you were doing the dance over and over."

"All right, next we have, Monica," Miss. Abby said as she revealed my headshot, "You won, you got first place in your category. You shined on stage, you just need to keep going, you can't stop now."

"And at the top of the pyramid is Maddie," Miss. Abby announced, "Maddie, I challenged you to see if you could stay there for three weeks in a row, and you did. I told you where those judges were, and you never took your eyes off of them. If you can get the judges to look you in the eyes and suck them in, then you have them in the palm of your hand."

Maddie

Monica Paige

Chloe Brooke Mackenzie Nia

"Now, each and every one of you are very lucky little girls," Miss. Abby said, moving on from pyramid, "You have beautiful homes, you have everything you need. Some kids aren't that lucky. So, our group routine is about a homeless child. There's also going to be two solo this week, and they are going to Maddie and Monica. You too better dance your heart out and dance your butt off. I have a trio and a duet. This is a new trio and duet and I'm gonna start mixing things up."

Miss. Abby took a breath before continuing, "So, Chloe, you're in the trio. Maddie, you're in the trio. And Nia, you're in the trio."

We all clapped when we heard that Nia was going to be doing a trio. Miss. Abby barely ever picks her for a trio so I was so happy for Nia.

"Nia, you have a lot to prove this week, if you don't keep up with Maddie and Chloe..." Miss. Abby made a face at Nia before turning to look at the rest of us, "And now for the duet. Monica, you are going to be in the duet and your partner is going to be... Mackenzie."

A big smile came onto my face and I felt Mackenzie hug my waist.

"This duet will be a challenge for both of you so be ready," Miss. Abby said with a smile, "All right, now listen closely, girls and moms. I found out that we will be competing against Candy Apple in Chicago, at Company Dance. But I'll tell you what. I am not going to lose to Cathy or Jill or Kendall. Okay, moms, thank you. You're dismissed. You don't have any jobs to do. Girls, spread apart, start stretching. Gianna's gonna come in, and we are starting this dance."

That's when we started the week off. But I was somewhat nervous because of my hip. I have three dances this week and I can't really rest my hip if I have all these dances to do. Hopefully I can just make it through this week and not have a lot to do next week.