Dancing on the Edge (Dance Moms Fic)

Chapter 9: The Backfire Effect

Monday had dawned with an unsettling silence at the studio. The girls, already present and stretching, exchanged puzzled glances as the studio seemed eerily deserted. Ashlee, Christi, and Chloe had arrived early, and with Brynn and Ashlee now arriving, the situation seemed increasingly odd.

"It's kind of quiet," Ashlee remarked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, it's definitely quieter than usual," Brynn added, stretching her legs.

"Looks like we're the only ones here other than Chloe and Christi," Ashlee continued, glancing around.

"Do you two know where the moms are?" Ashlee asked, directing her question to Chloe and Christi.

"No, we don't," Christi admitted, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"I don't know what's going on either," Chloe said, shaking her head. "None of us were informed."

"I'm in the dark too," Ashlee stated, frustration evident in her tone.

Just then, Mason emerged from the back office.

"Any idea where the moms are?" Ashlee inquired.

"I have no clue," Mason responded, looking just as perplexed. At that moment, Abby strode in with her usual authoritative air.

"Hello, everybody," Abby greeted, her eyes scanning the empty room. "So, you're the only ones here, aside from Christi and Chloe?"

"Yes," Ashlee confirmed. "And we're all just as confused. Nobody told us anything about a delay or change."

"I was running a little late myself," Abby admitted, brushing off a stray strand of hair. "Mason arrived before I did, so I don't know what's happened either."

"None of us has a clue about where everyone is," Chloe said, her voice tinged with irritation. "And this isn't the first time the moms have pulled something like this. It's always the kids who end up suffering."

"You're absolutely right about that," Mason agreed.

"Brynn, keep warming up and do whatever you can on your own. We'll get things rolling as soon as we can," Abby instructed, and Brynn nodded, moving to a corner to continue her routine. Gianna arrived just in time to hear the end of the conversation.

"Hey, everybody," Gianna greeted, her cheerful tone in stark contrast to the tension in the room. "Ready to roll?"

"It's just me and Brynn," Ashlee said, her tone carrying an edge of frustration.

"Mason, have you managed to reach the moms?" Gianna wondered as she glanced around.

"I called them. No answer whatsoever," Mason sighed, his frustration mirroring Ashlee's. As he spoke, Abby signaled for Brynn to come forward, and the lesson in Studio A began. Chloe, Mason, and Gianna worked diligently with Brynn on her solo. Meanwhile, Ashlee and Christi watched through the studio's large window.

Suddenly, they noticed movement in the rear parking lot. Melissa, Holly, Jill, and Jessalynn were getting out of their cars, looking disheveled and clad in their pajamas.

"What are you all doing? Seriously?" Ashlee demanded as she went to confront them.

"We had so much to get done," Melissa said, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

"We were running late," Jill added, her tone defensive.

"It's bad enough we have one Abby," Ashlee retorted, her frustration boiling over. "But we don't need four more Abbys. Really, this is just ridiculous."

The moms exchanged glances and groaned as they headed towards the dressing room, clearly unbothered by Ashlee's comments. The girls, who had been observing from a distance, couldn't help but snicker at the sight.

"You all look great," Kalani teased, her voice barely concealing her amusement.

"Is Abby here?" Jill asked, her tone somewhat exasperated.

"We've been waiting for you," Mackenzie chimed in, her eyes wide with disbelief at the absurdity of the situation.

"Are you serious?" Christi raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with incredulity as she looked at the other moms still in their pajamas.

"Wow," Chloe added, her eyes wide as saucers. Abby and Mason approached the moms as they walked into Studio A.

"Hey, what's going on?" Abby inquired, her voice tinged with irritation.

"Sorry we're late," Jessalynn said, her cheeks flushed. "We got caught up and couldn't get out of bed."

Abby and Mason's jaws practically hit the floor as they took in the sight of the moms still in their pajamas. It was clear to both of them that the moms were mocking Abby, turning an already stressful situation into a farce.

"Mom, I've heard of ridiculous pranks, but this is just over the top," Mason grumbled to Abby.

"It really is," Abby muttered, trying to keep her composure.

"Abby was here, ready to go and dressed for pyramid. Christi, Chloe, Brynn, and I were the only ones here," Ashlee explained, her frustration evident.

"We had a lot of choreography to do for the group dance and three solos. Brynn was the only kid out here, and she's the only one learning her solo while your kids sat in the dressing room doing nothing." Abby said.

"Mom's right. Had you just shown up on time, none of this would be an issue," Mason added as Jill and Ashlee began to argue. Ashlee's sharp retort silenced Jill, cutting off her defense.

The moms finally started to get into their clothes, their earlier antics now a source of embarrassment. They knew they had thrown off the schedule, but their attempt at humor had backfired spectacularly.

The week rolled on with the tension from the morning dissipating into the usual bustle of dance rehearsals. Despite the chaotic start, the studio's focus shifted to the upcoming New York Dance Experience competition in San Jose. The hard work paid off when Maddie placed 1st in the Teen Division, Kendall earned 2nd place, and the group dance secured 1st place. The result was a testament to their resilience and talent, proving once again that even when the moms caused chaos, the kids could rise above and shine.