"Lilly! Lilly! Wake up!" Gia exclaims and I wake up, bursting into tears.
"You were screaming in your sleep! It was so scary!" Gia explains, hugging me tightly.
I can't even say anything, I just start not being able to see clearly, my chest starts tightening, and chills start running up and down my spine. I lean into Gia and keep crying. She just holds me.
"You're okay. Do you want me to text Stacey?" Gia asks.
"No. She won't let me compete," I blubber through my sobs.
"Alright, we can just sit here, I guess," she concludes, and keeps stroking my hair, trying to get me calm.
After about five minutes, I hear our alarm. Oh, good. I didn't wake Gia up too early. You're such a burden, Lilliana. You shouldn't even be alive. I slowly climb out of Gia's lap and go to get my meds.
"What are those on your arm?" Gia asks, and I realize my sleeve has ridden up.
"Scars," I blatantly answer, and her eyes go wide.
"Lilly, you don't cut yourself, do you?" Gia asks as I nearly spit out my iron pill.
"I'm sorry," I answer, and I grab a hair tie and my bracelet.
"Oh my God," she murmurs and gives me a really big hug.
I look at the team outfit. A red T-shirt and black leggings. I'm already freezing, and feel a bit dizzier, but now I'm going to have to use a whole tube of foundation to cover up my cuts.
"Why?" I complain, giggling a bit out of uncomfortableness.
Gia takes a second to piece together everything and she laughs out of pity in a comforting way. I reluctantly grab the shirt and leggings, heading to the bathroom. Oh my God, I feel like I'm in an igloo. My teeth are chattering when I walk out.
Gia does her hair and puts on her outfit and does my hair in a high bun. I go back to the bathroom to cover up my cuts. It takes a good ten minutes, and I have Gia double-check my arms. After not seeing a single scar, we start packing up. It's not much, but the real tricky part is getting all of our competition gear in our cars.
When I get down to the lobby, I see Gia and Pressley scowl at each other. Man, this duet must have brought them apart. Gia and I hand out the friendship bracelets, and we hold a small ceremony for the others. Mom takes those.
Press and I lug all of our suitcases in the car, and Ashley and Mom are drinking so much coffee, it's absurd. Caden texts me a good luck text, and I respond back a thank you. You're gonna lose and disappoint your brother, Lilliana. You're worthless.
The car ride is pretty mundane. Everybody is so tired, saving our energy for the dance competition, that nobody really talks. Pressley and I are both incredibly anxious. We have potential permanent spots on the team. Poor Hannah and Sarah. They didn't get a chance to prove themselves.
I feel so nervous approaching the high school. This is going to be my shot, my one and only shot to prove to Ms. Abby I belong on the team. Ms. Abby's not going to pick you, Lilliana. You're an awful student. Why did she even pick you to be on her team? She should have kept Elliana.
I lug my suitcase through the front entrance, and we find our room. Once we all get settled, Ashley tells us to hurriedly get our outfits on. I grab my outfit, and I run into the bathroom, nervous.
It's a leotard. Long-sleeved and has a back skirt, but it's still a disgusting skimpy leotard that's going to make me look so fat. I almost immediately start breaking down. No, no, no, no! I can't be wearing a leotard! It makes me look fat! Pressley gets a dress, Gia gets a dress, I get a leotard. I put it on and body-check.
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Une Fleure Fanée
Fanfiction***MATURE WARNING*** "The hunger is good. You had too many calories already. You're already fat." "They'll love you even more when you're skinny. You'll be their perfect little angel when you're nice and pretty." "Lilly, I heard you puking up the c...
