The Younger Miller (Dance Moms Fic)

Chapter 1: Back for a Brand New Season, Big News

On October 7, 2013, in New York City, located in the state of New York on the East Coast of the United States, the city, also known as The Big Apple, is famous for its Broadway shows, urban parks, skyline, subways, commuter rail, sports teams, and shopping stores.

At a 131-story condo located at 57th & Broadway, there was a duplex apartment on the 107th and 108th floors, spanning over 12,500 square feet. It featured 7 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. The first level of the duplex included a reception/gallery, foyer, family room, media room, observatory, two bedrooms, a grand salon with dining and living areas, a second gallery, kitchen, library, and two terraces (one facing north and the other west). A circular staircase led to the second level, which housed 5 bedrooms, including the master bedroom, and a sitting room.

In the fifth bedroom, which was spacious and well-furnished with a bed, flat-screen TV, PS3, DVD/Blu-ray player, sofa, dresser, walk-in closet, and bathroom, there was a 13-year-old boy named Antonio. He had long hair, green eyes, and was dressed in a tracksuit. Antonio was a dancer, actor, and social media star.

"Now I'm ready. I'm gonna meet up with my mom," Antonio said to himself before he exited.

In the family room on the first level of the duplex apartment was a heavyset woman with brown hair named Abby Lee Miller. She was a dance teacher and owned a dance studio called the Abby Lee Dance Company, located in New York City. She was also Antonio's mother.

"Hey, Neo," Abby greeted her son.

"Hey, Mom, I'm ready to roll when you are," Antonio replied.

"All right, let's do it."

Abby and Antonio exited the apartment, took the elevator to the lobby, and entered an underground parking garage that led to 58th Avenue. In the garage was Abby's black Escalade. They got in, with Antonio in the front seat and Abby, the dance teacher, in the driver's seat. After Abby pressed the start button, the vehicle came to life. She started driving, exited the garage, turned right on 58th Avenue, and then made another right on 7th Avenue.

"How's Grandma doing?" Antonio asked, referring to Maryen Lorrain Miller, Abby's mother and Antonio's grandmother, who was sadly in stage 4 of colon cancer.

"Sweetie..." Abby held her son's hand. "...she may be in good spirits and all, but I'm going to be honest, it won't be long until she, you know..."

Antonio gave a heavy sigh. His mother had explained the situation to him, and last year, the Millers had lost their dog, a bichon frise named Broadway Baby.

Eleven minutes later, Abby and Antonio arrived at a dance studio located between 46th and 45th streets, east of 8th Avenue. The studio, known as the Abby Lee Dance Company, has entrances and exits on both 46th and 45th streets. Abby, who owns the studio, parked in her reserved spot marked 'Reserved for Abby Lee.' The Millers exited the vehicle and entered the studio, which featured a front desk with a laptop, calendar, and a foyer called the Dancer's Den.

From one of the studio rooms emerged a 24-year-old woman with dark brown hair and gray eyes named Gianna Martello. Gianna is Abby's assistant choreographer and the godmother of Antonio, with whom she has had a close relationship since his birth.

Antonio looked at a photo on his phone taken after Nationals two months ago in New Orleans. In the photo with him, Abby, and Gianna were eight girls and their moms. The girls in front included 10-year-old Maddie Ziegler with dark blonde hair and aqua eyes, and her 9-year-old sister Mackenzie Ziegler with dark blonde hair and brown eyes. Next to Mackenzie was 12-year-old Chloe Lukasiak with blonde hair and brown eyes, followed by 12-year-old Paige Hyland with blonde hair and aqua eyes, and her sister Brooke Hyland with medium brown hair and aqua eyes. On Maddie's right was 12-year-old Nia Frazier with brown hair and brown eyes. Next to Nia was 8-year-old Asia Monet Ray with brown hair and brown eyes, who turned 9 the next weekend and left the team after Nationals. Next to Asia was 15-year-old Payton Ackerman with medium brown hair and gray eyes. The moms present were Melissa Ziegler, Christi Lukasiak, Kelly Hyland, Holly Frazier, and Kristie Ray. They had won their third straight National title. Maddie won 1st place in the Junior Solo division, Chloe got 2nd, and Asia won 1st in the Mini Solo division. Antonio won 1st in the Pre-Teen Solo division. Missing from the photo were Leslie Ackerman, Payton's mother, and 10-year-old Kendall Vertes with aqua eyes, along with her mother Jill. Kendall and Jill were absent because Jill and Leslie got into a brawl on Bourbon Street after getting drunk.