ℒ𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒪𝓃 𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒟𝒶𝓃𝒸ℯ ℱ𝓁ℴℴ𝓇 [𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏]

𝟐.𝟎𝟎- 𝐖𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝

˚✧.⋅₊˚ ‧ 🩰⋅୨୧ ⋅🦢  ‧₊˚ ⋅.✧˚

["Dance To Express, Not Impress"]

The morning sun had barely risen when Emily's mom pulled up to the ALDC studio. The familiar building loomed before them, its exterior just as nondescript as always, though the energy inside promised to be anything but. The Booty Camp was notorious, a grueling few days of intense training, and Emily had been looking forward to it ever since she finished filming for the show.

Now that she was here, though, a wave of exhaustion washed over her. It was early, way too early for her liking, and the allure of her warm bed seemed much more appealing than what she knew was about to be a demanding day of dance.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep a little longer?" Katie asked, sensing her daughter's hesitation as she shifted in her seat.

Emily shook her head, already steeling herself for what was ahead, "No, I'm fine. I've been waiting for this."

Katie smiled softly, "Alright, just make sure you don't push yourself too hard. And don't forget to hydrate. You know how Abby gets."

"I know, Mom," Emily said, rolling her eyes playfully as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "I'll be fine."

With that, she grabbed her dance bag, slung it over her shoulder, and climbed out of the car. Katie watched her for a moment before driving away, leaving Emily to navigate the morning bustle alone. As she turned toward the entrance, she was surprised to see how crowded it was. A group of girls and a few boys were clustered around the door, all of them unfamiliar. There had to be at least thirty new faces, and Emily's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Why are there so many people here?" she muttered to herself as she maneuvered through the crowd.

The answer came to her almost immediately. Dance Moms. The show had already aired four episodes, and the effect was unmistakable. It wasn't just the small group of dancers anymore; the ALDC had become a magnet for aspiring stars, all hoping to get a piece of the fame that came with being on TV.

Emily pushed open the door and entered the studio. The usual energy was heightened by the presence of so many new dancers. Everywhere she looked, she saw unfamiliar faces— most of them wide-eyed with excitement. She scanned the room, looking for someone she knew.

Her first thought was to find Jackson, her fellow dancer and friend, but when she spotted him, he was deep in conversation with a girl Emily didn't recognize. The girl had brown hair and seemed to be hanging on Jackson's every word. Emily hesitated, not wanting to interrupt, before deciding to look for Maddie instead.

As she wandered through the hallways, Emily felt a strange mix of emotions. On one hand, she was excited by the new energy in the studio, but on the other, she felt a bit overwhelmed. It was like the place she had known so well was changing before her eyes. She finally spotted Maddie near the entrance to Studio B, fiddling with the laces on her dance shoes.

"Maddie!" Emily called out, relieved to see a familiar face.

Maddie looked up and smiled, her expression lighting up when she saw Emily, "Hey, Emily! How are you?" she asked this as if the two hadn't seen each other the day before. Emily came over all the time during the summer.

Emily walked over and dropped her bag next to Maddie's, "I'm good, just tired. There are so many new people here. It's crazy."

"I know, right?" Maddie replied, her voice tinged with a mix of excitement and disbelief. "I think it's because of the show. We've gotten so popular."