"Her or me?" A tear rolled down Michelle's puffy cheek, "You have to make a decision."
For Michelle, life has always been about control-control in the studio, in her friendships, and even in the secrets she hides. But with an unexpected pregnancy...
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I'm just getting ready for the day. Today is a pretty chill day, as it's the duet round, and I was unfortunately not given the chance at the duet. Summer and I have always had a duet together, and I'd assumed that at Internationals nothing would change.
I know that Michelle had everything to do with why I wasn't chosen for the duet, but, in all honesty, I'm sure Lily and Summer will do great.
Suddenly, I hear a knock on the door, my head whipping in its direction.
I furrow my eyebrows as I make my way over there, and I open the door. Emily is now standing in front of me, and my eyes are drawn to the bag she's holding.
"Can I help you?" I ask her, a confused look on my face.
"Is this a good time?" She asks me.
I awkwardly say, "Uhm, yeah... sure."
Emily says, "I hope you didn't have plans today because I think I'm about to ruin them for you."
"What do you mean?"
"Looks like you're in luck today." A mischievous smile appears on her face, confusing me further. "Lily just came to me, and she looked quite ill. She wants to do the duet, but I couldn't possibly let her dance in that state, so it looks like I have no other choice than to replace her."
"Okay..." My brain is unable to understand what she's saying because I don't want to get my hopes up.
But I feel my heart skip a beat when she says, "And since you and Summer already have a duet, I think it would be sensible to hand the duet over to you and her..."
Suddenly, I don't know how to communicate. My heart races at the thought of getting the chance to perform our duet at Internationals, and it feels like a dream come true.
"Are you serious?" My eyes are wide with shock.
She nods. "Yeah, I'm totally serious."
"The duet is mine? Mine and Summer's?" My voice is filled with hope.
"Yes." She giggles slightly, before holding out her bag towards me. "Here, take this. It has your costume inside."
She then goes over a few details of how today will run: "So, I want the two of you rehearsing for an hour after lunch, and then if you could meet me at the side of the stage around fifteen minutes before two o'clock– that's what time you're going on, alright?"
I immediately nod. "Yeah, of course."
Suddenly, a serious look appears on her face as she takes a step towards me, her voice quiet. "Look, I would've chosen you for the duet originally, but Michelle was adamant that Summer and Lily should be given a chance. I know how hard you work, and I know that you want this. Just- just please, don't make me regret this."
