Relevé to the Top

Chapter 30. Revenge of the Candy Apples

"Lexie, how are you feeling?" Chloe asks.

Looking up from sliding her turners on, Lexie gives a short nod.

"Are you sure? You're not behaving like your usual bright self," Holly worries.

Lexie shrugs, pressing her mouth together. I don't want to be here today, and I don't want to talk to anyone. She apologized to Kelly on the way home Sunday, but that doesn't mean she didn't mean what she said.

"Come on, let's go!" Abby yells to Lexie relief.

Jumping to her feet, Lexie speeds past the other girls and enters the studio.

"Entrez-vous, ladies. Wee, wee, wee, wee, wee, all the way home. Alright. Wow," Abby smiles, clapping. "Congratulations! Overall high score winners once again at Starbound. Those judges definitely know who the Abby Lee Dance Company is. I want to keep this winning streak going. Now... onto the pyramid.

"Kendall, you were brought in as a guest. Even Though you helped the team win first place, you're still a guest at the Abby Lee Dance Company. First, I have Brooke. You had a rough week; you were injured. Day one, I saw the pain in your face. You're on the bottom because you never spoke up and said anything.

"Next, Paige. You're injured; there's not much to judge you on. I wanted you to work on your terminology and do the warmups with us. You didn't show up for a whole day. Next... Mackenzie. You had a solo. I thought you did a good job; I thought your solo was great. But crying, having a little meltdown...

"Am I disappointed in second? Absolutely. But you can't do that because it looks like you're ungrateful for being second. You're not a baby anymore. Save your tears for the pillow. Understood? Next Lexie. You got second, but I thought you had a good week until the end. No brats," Abby chastises.

"Hmmm," Lexie nods. I don't think I was a brat, but okay.

"Next, Maddie. You probably wonder, 'Why am I there?' You were the overall high score winner," Abby shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. You need higher goals. Remember I told you I wanted twenty points above the person? Six and a half is not twenty. Next Chloe.

"You were outstanding in the group; you did an okay job with the duet. But I want you to be intense. That same intensity you bring to the solo, you need to bring to the group, and to the duets, and to the trios, and to every number that you're in. And at the top of the pyramid... Nia."

Lexie claps before joining the other girls when they surround Nia in a hug. Good job, Nia.

"Nia, you are at the top of the pyramid because I am so proud of you. You did your solo; you got a standing ovation. This week you are the dance captain of the group," Abby eyes her. "I wouldn't be so smiley. It's ten times more work than everybody else has. This weekend we're going to Starbound.

"And we will be going to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Kendall? This week, you're gonna do a duet with Mackenzie. Chloe, you have a solo. Maddie and Lexie have no solo this week. Moms, you're dismissed; go ahead upstairs. Ladies, we have a lot of work to do. Let's go."

"Okay, girls, let me talk to you a little about this number," Abby beckons to the back after warmups. "This is a deep number, and it's going to be difficult to get across to the judges in two minutes and 30 seconds. So... since Lexie had led us to victory last week. Maddie is the one I've chosen to do her own choreography."

"You come out, you're a free spirit, you have all the privileges, you're allowed to do anything. You guys, you don't have any of those pleasures of life that you have. She's different. You're going to make her want to be like you," Abby explains.