Hearts Bleed.

III. Cheerleader Blues

"Let's go girls! Come on! Come on!"

The shrill sound of Abby's hoarse voice barking at the dancers spurred them into action. Bianca stood up first, leading the charge into the studio as the rest of the girls and their mothers followed suit. Smoothing down the navy leotard that crisscrossed along her back, Bianca took a seat in front of Abby, facing the marked and smudged blackboard. Her expression soured slightly at the sight of the extensive chalk markings and visible fingerprints covering the surface. She couldn't help but wish that Abby would make more of an effort to clean it from time to time.

"Vivi-Anne, where's your dance clothes?" Abby asks, her gaze narrowing on the young girl.

Bianca redirected her attention towards the back of the room, her expression becoming pensive as she observed Vivi-Anne, who was seated and dressed in a white blouse and skirt.

"It's in the car," Vivi-Anne meekly replies.

"You need to be dressed and ready to dance when you walk into this building," Abby firmly instructs. "Yes?" Vivi-Anne gave a curt nod, and Bianca returned her attention to Abby. "I want to recap a little bit about the competition. Now there are some things that went on that maybe you don't even know about." Abby gestured towards Nia. "Your mom was upset about the costumes," she then gestures towards Chloe. "Your mom was upset about the costume before you went on stage. But that cannot happen again."

Bianca glanced over at the mothers, taking in the pointed look that Holly gave Christi, who rolled her eyes. Bianca slightly tilted her head to the side, her tongue prodding at the inside of her cheek to conceal a giggle. They're so gonna do it again, she thought, returning her attention back to Abby.

"Let's talk about the competition this week. We're going to New Jersey, and we are going to do an acrobatic gymnastic routine," Abby rotated the blackboard, producing a faint screeching sound in the process. "Overall, I evaluated all of your performances. So, Maddie, you won that competition and the titles so I'm gonna put you on top." Maddie nods slightly, a faint smile playing upon her lips as her teeth briefly come into view. "Brooke, I expect you to help the younger students. I expect you to know the choreography first, and be able to help everybody else."

Bianca casts a fleeting glance at Maddie's and Chloe's headshots, which were prominently displayed above her own. She composed her features into what resembled a smile, acutely conscious of the cameras trained in her direction. Whenever Bianca reflected on the events of the previous Saturday, she found herself unable to shake the hollow feeling that had consumed her, giving rise to a bitter sensation swirling within the pit of her stomach.

Abby gently glided her hand down the blackboard until she reached the bottom row. "All right, Bianca, Nia, Paige, you'll be doing the tumbling part and the acro part. Vivi-Anne, because you're new here and you don't know all of our terminology, I'm gonna work privately with you this week, so you're gonna do a solo at the competition this weekend. Bianca and Chloe, you will be doing a duet at the competition."

Bianca's expression softens into a measured, dimpled grin as she glances over at Chloe. The initial bitterness has gradually dissipated, replaced by a growing sense of anticipation. Chloe returns the amiable gesture, and from the corner of her eye, she notes their Moms exchanging a similar, cordial look. This is going to be a good week, I can feel it.

Abby surveys the room with a discerning gaze. "Alright girls, let's go. Get up, get ready to rehearse. Moms, thank you very much. Vivi, don't forget ─ you need to be in dance clothes whenever you walk into this room, ready to go." Vivi-Anne nods acknowledgment. "All right."

Soon after, Abby started rehearsal. "Girls, you're going to enter with your hands behind your back, walking onto the stage..."

This routine is really pretty, Bianca muses thoughtfully, a gentle smile playing on her lips. Although acro is not her primary focus - contemporary and jazz being her main styles - she is capable of keeping pace with the other girls, particularly Brooke. Her superior flexibility offers her a major advantage; however, she knows Brooke has an unique talent in acrobatics that surpasses her own abilities.