𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗌 || 𝖣𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖬𝗈𝗆𝗌

Wild Wild West Coast

Do you know how it feels to be out on a huge stage with lots of people watching your every move, waiting until you're done so they can clap for you and move on to the next person? Nope.

I had, but not that many times. Still, I was already competing with my third seasonal routine, "Since You've Been Gone", to the Kelly Clarkson song of the same name. It was an acrobatic jazz routine, and it was my specialty. Because I had been doing so well, I had been chosen to perform my solo in the two-thousand and eight Abby Lee Dance Company showcase: Games People Play. Of course, the dance has nothing to do with what the showcase is about unless you're referring to love games ― that's something that Miranda said that I don't understand ―, but every year, a few students are chosen to perform solos, and luckily, I was one of them.

I had been dubbed the "breakout star" of the studio, and I had been doing pretty well. I showed up to all the classes, I was allowed to be in the Hot Shots' classes instead of the Hot Tots' or the preschoolers, and I was winning competitions. Yeah, I hadn't competed as much as Miranda or John Michael or Brandon or Brooke, but I was doing great!

I won with my first routine ever ― "Don't Rain On My Parade" ― after I had to replace one of my best friends, Chloe, when she got sick back in two thousand and six. I performed it at the annual showcase last year, but I didn't care that much back then. This time around, however, I wanted to be on my A-plus game. When the late two-thousand and seven season started, I started to compete with a new dance, "Deep In My Heart", my first acrobatic jazz routine, and I won a national title with it at the OnStage nationals in New York City! I remember being so excited about that! I also placed third at Dance Masters of Pennsylvania, even though it was a mistake because I wasn't entered for a title and everyone else was, but I still was third in the petite division.

I started competing with "Since You've Been Gone" in January, and it was probably my best record yet. I was first in Star Systems, first in DEA, and second in Fire and Ice.

It's now almost the end of the season, and I'm not going to compete until next year. Most of us Hot Tots and Hot Shots don't compete outside of regional competitions, except when I competed at nationals with Sarah, Chloe, Paige, and Josh had their trio, and I had my trio with Jake and Zane― Jake's name is actually Joshua, but Josh is very similar, and Jake decided to go by Jake instead of Joshua so that Josh could still go by, you know, Josh. Similar names drama.

I wanted to be in my A-plus game because a lot of people had already heard of my dance results and knew my name. I didn't want to disappoint them at all. I had a reputation to uphold, and I was also performing in front of my family, so I wanted to be the best dancer out there. Some people had already started calling me a dance prodigy, but I don't understand what that's supposed to mean. I guess that it means that I'm good, so I have to prove to them that I am a prodigy. More than a hundred people were going to see me perform, and I wanted to perform and leave them talking about how amazing I was. Maybe I could even convince some people to bring their kids to the ALDC after seeing me perform, and that would be really cool!

But right now, I was busy trying to look my coolest as we all struck the final poses of our hip-hop routine. It was called "Chutes & Ladders", and it was hard because there were nineteen kids in the dance. As everyone clapped, we all strutted off stage, and the seniors went on stage to start performing yet another routine. Most of the girls in our group had at least a thirty-minute break, but I had to start getting ready for my solo. I would perform right after Brandon and Brooke's "One Dance" duet.

I hurried back to the minis' dressing room and hurried over to my vanity. Zane had another performance soon, and I told Mommy that I would handle myself so she could watch him. I sat in front of the vanity and pulled the lime green hair tie out of my hair without remembering about the bow, so I ended up whining in pain before I pulled the bow off and the hair tie out. I did that for the right pigtail, too, and massaged my head for a moment before shaking my head left and right to let it fall completely. I then grabbed my costume and went to the bathroom to change into it.