The Neighbor

Nationals

It's the day of Nationals! If Alex shows today, I don't know what we are going to do. We came up to LA just for nationals. It's Star Bound's national competition today and we are going to win. We entered 3 solos and a group dance. We originally wanted 2 solos and 1 duet, but Alex was too busy with Bailey. Ugh Bailey April. So stupid. I hate her with a passion.

" Alright girls, Brooklyn and Laura please get ready for your solos. Laura your up first and then Brooklyn your right after. Hurry hurry hurry" Ms. Sara says.

" Okay" We all reply.

My mother sits me down in front of the vanity. She pulls my hair back into a ponytail and does my make-up all pretty. She hands me the blue costume, for Two Young Hearts, and sends me into the back room to get ready. I pull it on and hurry out of the dressing room.

" Oh, you look so pretty" My mother soothes.

" Thanks mom" I laugh.

" Let's go let's go. Brooklyn and Laura hurry backstage for your performance" Ms. Sara yells to us.

We run backstage and quietly run our numbers. I look at Laura who seems to be a nervous wreck. She is shaking her hands, putting her leg up, and working on her turns.

" Hey, don't worry, you got this. Know matter what happens you know that I love you and so does the rest of the team" I motivate.

" Thanks" She says, calming down a little.

" Next up we have Laura performing Hotel Ceiling" The announcer calls.

" Go" I whisper.

I watch her the whole time she dances. Mid-way through the dance, she stops after her straddle leap. She forgot. She runs off the stage into the wings. She starts to cry in my arms.

" Ms. Sara is gonna kill me" She hiccups.

" It's okay" I soothe.

" Next up we have Brooklyn performing Two Young Hearts" The announcer calls.

" I have to go"

I walk onto the stage gracefully and start my dance. I look to the audience and reach out to them when I see Alex in the front row with his arm wrapped around Bailey. I shake the thought from my mind and do my side aerial. I finish my number and prance of stage very gracefully. I run into the dressing room because I have to get ready to do Stitches. I come out of the room in my purple costume and start to run the number when Alex and Bailey come in.

" Hi" Bailey chirps.

" Hi, right now I really need Brooklyn to focus so..." Ms. Sara trails off.

" Oh well we just wanted to say that she looked wonderful on stage but the duet won't be the same without Alex" She laughs.

" Well, I can assume that's your fault" Ms. Sara scolds.

" I'm sorry that I wanted to spend time with my boyfriend" She giggles.

" Alex you are no longer aloud to be apart of LUDC" Ms. Sara scowls.

" Why" He asks.

" Because being apart of our competition means showing up unless something is genuinely important and that tramp isn't important and she is distracting my best dancer. So be gone" Ms. Sara informs. I giggle and cover up my mouth. " Focus, Brooklyn"

" Sure thing Ms. Sara" I promise.

" One thing before we go" Bailey says. She walks over to me and glares at me.

Then she slapped me. Yeah you heard me, she stuck her hand out and slapped me. You already have Alex, what more do you want woman. I pick up my water bottle and pour it out on her head. Ms. Sara gets them out of the dressing room and into the hallway. I can hear her yelling for security. Who has time for this? I have a solo to perform!

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Laura and I hurry onto the stage for the solo awards. We are both nervous wrecks. We both want to win the title Teen Ms. Starbound really bad. We don't want to disappoint Ms. Sara.

" Your 5th place teen soloist will be... Laura performing Hotel Ceiling" I see her face drop. 5th place is not good enough, especially at a national competition. She sits back down once she has collected her award.

" 3rd place we have Brooklyn, performing Stitches " The audience claps and I run up and collect my award. I am disappointed but I still have another number, maybe it will place second. There was a lot of good competition here and I don't know if I am good enough to beat some of these girls.

" Second place will be, Claire performing to Lego House" The announcer calls. Not me? I might not even place with Two Young Hearts. How sad would that be?

" Your Teen Ms. Starbound will be..... Brooklyn performing Two Young Hearts" I stand up shocked and excited. My senior year with LUDC and I win another national title! I see Ms. Sara standing up and clapping from the audience. I see Bailey and Alex are no longer at the competition. Nobody can take this away from me.

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We head on home after the competition. I am actually really nervous about seeing Alex at school. I don't have that much of my senior year left. Alex came back mid way through the year and changed my perspective of life. I love who I am and nobody can change that. I think Alex helped me discover that! Wait, Alex helped me shape the person I am today? Alex, Alex Hayes, made me the person I am today. Wow, that's crazy. A few months ago when he came back here, I wanted nothing to do with him. Now, he replaced me. I thought this was supposed to be the cliche that everyone loves. The cliche that everyone wants. I thought Alex was supposed to chase me down and fight for me. He is not supposed to replace me.

Suddenly, I find myself crying. Who really am I? I need Alex in my life. I need him to shape me into the person I am. No, no I don't. I am perfectly fine on my own. Who needs him, he replaced me anyways. I don't need someone who is going to replace me. I don't think he has done this to make me jealous, I think he has done this to move on. I wanted him and I didn't even realize it....

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Please comment and tell me more interesting greeting internet. The season finale is creeping up on us right. Who is ready for the big ending of the beginning? That's all I really have... * Awkward silence* Please check out my other stories and make sure to follow, vote, and comment! Also remember to be a buddy not a bully. That's it... Bye

Love,

Sofi_Flash