A Dream During Day

It All Ends Here

"I can't wait to see this studio" Melissa states as we walk in.

"Hi Abby," Chloe softly greets.

"Hello ladies, let's set your bags down and start the pyramid. Here we are at nationals for another new dance. This is tough. You have to get through it today and there's props. But I want to reflect on the past two weeks."

I'm so tired. Miss Abby just went on talking about how we weren't trying enough and blah blah blah, but all I could think about was the food I wanted for lunch.

"I'm gonna start now with Paige" Miss Abby removes the paper.

"Moving on Mackenzie"

"Nia"

"Next we have Chloe"

"Brooke"

"Maddie, you are doing your solo and a duet with Hadley." Miss Abby announces. Maddie and I nod and hug eachother tightly.

Every Nationals we've qualified for, Maddie and I have done a duet and we always win. Whenever Miss Abby announces a duet, it's usually Maddie and I.

"Chloe you will also be doing your solo" Miss Abby adds.

"And on top we have Hadley. You are doing a solo as well."

Hadley

Maddie Brooke Chloe

Nia Mackenzie Paige

"Paige and Brooke, I'm giving you a duet. I want you to work as friends"

"Everybody is in the group this week, even Mackenzie. All right let's get to rehearsing, let's get moving"

"Ok ladies, the piece is called beautiful and what it's not about is how pretty your costumes are, not how pretty your hair is, but what's on the inside is beautiful. So everybody take a mirror"

"Hold it in front of your face as props for the routine. Hadley, you're going to roll stage left. Roll, left. Take your hand here, now"

"Ok let's try it from the top"

"One two three four five six seven eight"

"Alright we good? Hadley? Let's do it. Solo" She asks, wanting to start my solo.

"Ok your dance this week is called, 'Like wildflowers'. Yes? It's a very pretty lyrical dance about a little girl who is different then the other kids, but she embraces it and is proud"

"She's a little crazy but tries to convince people, 'Well I'd rather be a free wildflower than a stuck potted plant!' Yes?"

I nod my head. "I like it"

"So you reach reach, ball change, step through and tap like on a window"

"They push you but you don't react, you just push your chest out."

I take a deep breath looking around.

"You ok?" Miss Abby asks. I just nod my head out of breath.

"Ok go ahead, clear your brain." She sends me out of the room.

I just want my mom, I'm so tired.

***

"Let's go! Everybody brought a towel?"

"I'm gonna swim!" I jump up and down walking up to her.

"You are. You're gonna swim with all the fish" Miss Abby smiles helping me in the big car.