Dance Moms - Chlobird

Chapter 27 : Breakfast

Chloe woke up with renewal energy, she hasn't felt this way for a long time. Looking at the clock, she slept eight hours straight.

Taking precaution, she pointed a thermometer and read Brooke's temperature again, making sure the fever was completely gone. She wrote a note to inform Brooke about her morning run, leaving a key this time.

While running, she thought of the change in her sleep pattern. Perhaps it was because having Brooke was exhausting, like having a misbehaving child, always had to tidy up her mess. She hasn't had a roommate for a long time, not since she left the Recovery and went to Dubai. Maybe having Brooke can fix her sleep?

She shrugged off the idea and moved on to how to help Brooke find a place she could afford, or maybe a job, away from Red Rocket. The girl no doubt has talent, every dance school would welcome her if it weren't for her lifestyle.

Her morning routine concluded unusually fast, she figured the long sleep had helped. She got home and ran up three floors, feeling light as a feather, but as she reached the attic she heard a sharp ringing tone.

She opened her apartment door and was immediately hit by thick white smoke, somewhere inside that she made out Brooke struggling to wave the smoke out.

"What's going on??" Chloe quickly opened all the windows.

"This thing burns so fast!" Brooke coughed.

On the stove was a burning pan, the content looked like what could only be described as charcoal, the table was filled with used bows, spilled milk and powder.

"Were you making breakfast?" Chloe bewildered at the scene.

"I WAS making breakfast!" Brooke coughed, waving her arms trying to get the smoke out.

"Do you even know how to cook?"

"It was supposed to be easy! The box says just pour and heat!!" Brooke pointed at the torn pancake package.

"That's just a slogan!"

Chloe quickly dropped the burning pan in the sink, running the tap to put out the fire. She turned to call Brooke, but found her crying on the couch.

"I can't do anything right!" she sobbed. "I couldn't keep my life, couldn't keep my job, I couldn't even make pancakes!"

"Brooke..."

"I wish I could be like you! Get everything right! You're so... perfect!"

Chloe sat next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. The girl always acts strong, but has a breaking point just like everyone else.

"I'm not perfect." Chloe thought about her own dark times. "It's hard to do things right, but it's harder not to give up."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I've been in your shoes. I tried to do everything right, wanting to be perfect, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't. You just have to accept it, and focus on the things you're good at."

"But I'm not good at anything. I couldn't even show up to work on time. Who's gonna hire me??"

"Don't worry about that now." Chloe smiled gently. "Let me show you how to make the perfect breakfast!"